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Photo by JonPaul Douglass
About 7,000 people live in the town of Hudson, right on the river and two hours north of New York City. At the top of town, the freight train often whistles as it slides right down the middle of the street. At the bottom of town, in the middle of the river, the lighthouse’s foghorn calls out as barges fight the current. In the middle of town, 25 Etsy Admin tap on their keyboards. It’s calm and peaceful, barring the occasional office dog eruption.
Etsy’s Hudson annex is in one of the town’s many 1800s brick warehouses left over from the industrial days. Like our building, many old structures in town have been reborn. But I often imagine the sweat and noise that happened here decades ago, when this was a factory churning out lumber, doors and windows for area houses.
Drawing of Traver & Sons from an article in the Hudson Gazette, November 26, 1885.
A dramatic 1871 newspaper article describes entering our office when it was Traver & Sons’ mill: “The ears are greeted by a noise of sawing, buzzing and snapping, as if pandemonium had sent her most infernal orchestra to welcome the visitor to her chosen abode.”
Connecting this past with the present, Etsy Admin Jake found Traver & Sons’ stamp on old wainscoting as he was renovating his house. Folks working here now are living in homes that were made, at least in part, by those buzzing saws.
JonPaul Douglass
Jake and I present Traver & Sons wainscoting from his home.
Even though our work is mostly on computers, we feel we’re carrying on the tradition. This is industry-hallowed ground, and we help thousands of Etsy sellers run their own industries. If you contact Etsy Support, it’s likely the satellites bounce your message to Hudson and back.
JonPaul Douglass
Of course, Etsy’s headquarters are in Brooklyn, NY, and one might think, “Why would a tech company open an office in a little town?” But if you know about the town, it’s an obvious fit.
Laid out by Nantucket whalers, this was a bustling seaport for many years. The town the whalers built for us is still very much here, in the architecture and in the air.
Artists have long found inspiration in the grandeur of the river valley and the neighboring Catskill Mountains. Several famed Hudson River School painters lived in and around town — Thomas Cole, Frederick Church and Sanford Gifford to name a few.
Like most American towns that were based around manufacturing, Hudson declined in the 20th century as industry dried up or went elsewhere. Nevertheless, the spirit has remained and brought about a steady rebirth, owing much to natural beauty and proximity to New York City, as well as the foresight and risks of a few who bought and restored buildings here in the past few decades.
The town is once again full of creative types. It seems like everyone you talk to makes something. The Albany Business Review says Hudson has the highest self-employment rate in New York state. The ingenuity, the artfulness, the respect for craft, and the quirkiness in Hudson are what drew Etsy here.
Also, having a space in a small town means that we can interact with the community in a different way than in a big city, and Hudson has many communities. In a year and a half, we’ve volunteered with the Hudson Black Arts & Cultural Festival, marched in the town’s Pride parade, hosted and attended local craft fairs, and opened our doors for craft nights in conjunction with the library. As in the Brooklyn headquarters, where the office compost goes to a Brooklyn farm, our compost goes to a community garden right down the block.
JonPaul Douglass
Plants adorn the kitchen island, and our compost bin with compostable bags is to the left.
Our desks are made in a woodshop a few doors down by Rob Williams, Jr., who runs GrainWoodwork on Etsy. We’ve bought most of our furniture from shops in Hudson or from local Etsy sellers, like Idaseyeantiques. An artist who lives across the street created a mural and sound installation for us.
JonPaul Douglass
Most Hudson Admin are from the area, or have at least lived here a long time, so we’re just continuing being part of our community. What a special place to call home.
JonPaul Douglass
Are you in our neck of the woods? Come say hi at the Hudson River Exchange, a local handmade and vintage market in town July 20 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.!
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Photo by lovintagefinds
With sunny thoughts of summer in the air and Etsy Craft Party around the corner, join us for a full slate of creative programming in San Francisco (June 6), Los Angeles (June 6), San Jose (June 7), and Chicago (June 20). This month’s DIY topics include screenprinting, memento box making, no-sew coasters, and making paracord dog collars for a good cause. All topics are taught by local Etsy sellers and friends of Etsy in each location.
The Etsy Meet & Make program is a series of creative community workshops held in partnership with organizations across the United States. Each month our partners cook up hands-on sessions designed to be fun, educational, and bring the local community together with a DIY spirit.
Craft Lab in San Francisco: Screenprinting
Rick Kitagawa
Join us this month for a quick and dirty introduction to screen printing from local artist Rick Kitagawa, by printing your very own poster! Rick Kitagawa is an SF-based artist and storyteller who creates creepy things and runs the screenprinting ships, The Lords of Print and Monkey and Seal. Whether you want to give your poster as a Father’s Day gift to an art-loving dad or keep it for yourself, you’ll leave with a sweet two-color poster.
Admission for this 21+ event is $10, or $5 if you’re a museum member, and includes supplies, instruction, and beer generously sponsored by Anchor Brewing Company! Please note that registration is highly recommended, and ticket sales end on June 6 at 4 p.m. PT.
With support from Etsy, every month the Museum of Craft and Design organizes Etsy Meet & Make: Craft Lab, where adults can make a project, socialize, and enjoy grown-up refreshments.
When: Thursday, June 6, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. PT (No walk-ins after 8 p.m., please)
Where: Museum of Craft and Design, 2569 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Fiber Salon in San Jose: No-Sew Coasters
Rebecca Saylor
Join the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles for our second Etsy Meet and Make: Fiber Salon! When many people get their first apartment, get married, or make a move, they look for some well designed, personal items that can make their new place feel cozy and warm. These little coasters are easy to make, yet pack a punch of personality. You can use virtually any fabric to personalize the design of these no-sew coasters that we’ll be making with Rebecca Saylor, from OodleBaDoodle. RSVP is required, and space is limited.
Fiber Salon is a hands-on community craft event hosted the first Friday of each month at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles with support from the Etsy Meet & Make program.
When: Friday, June 7, from 7 to 11 p.m. PT (Sessions start at 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m.)
Where: San Jose Museum of Quilt and Textiles, 520 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113
Craft Bar in Chicago: Pets for Life Craft Party
Heidi Gustad
For this month’s Etsy Meet & Make: Craft Bar Chicago, we’re switching things up a bit. Usually Craft Bar takes place on the first Friday of each month, but for June, we’re combining Craft Bar with Craft Party as an opportunity to use our collective creative powers to help the Chicago Community!
We’re teaming up with the Humane Society’s Pets for Life program to put on a fun community event that puts our craft skills to work for a great cause. The Pets for Life program works directly with underserved communities by providing free animal care and wellness to those who would not normally have access. Join craft blogger Heidi Gustad of Hands Occupied and learn how to fashion handmade paracord collars to donate directly to dogs in need. A certified therapy dog will be available during the event for cuddling, while delicious vegan snacks and drinks will be waiting for you at the bar. And, enter our raffle for your chance to win a custom pet portrait from Green Grass Design.
Admission is $5 or a bag of dog or cat food. All proceeds benefit the Humane Society of the United State’s Pets for Life program.
When: Thursday, June 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. CT
Where: Mignonette, 1747 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60657
Craft Night in Los Angeles: Memento Boxes
Holly Jerger
This month we’re making memento boxes in the courtyard of the Craft and Folk Art Museum. Bring in a small, personal item and make a special box or container to house and display it in. We’ll have various materials for you to construct and adorn your memento box and make it truly singular and functional. Admission is $7 or free for CAFAM members, and covers materials, snacks, drinks, and instruction. RSVP is required.
When: Thursday, June 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. PT (Doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
Where: Craft and Folk Art Museum, 5814 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California
More DIY Projects | Buy Craft Supplies on Etsy
Continue readingIt’s time for another wrap up of Redbubble news and activity. We’ve spotted a bunch of achievements this week, including artists exhibiting and artists showing us their works in progress. Plus many bubblers offering a ton of support and encouragement for each other’™s efforts. Here’s just some of the action we spotted.
works by Aaron Jay – Randyotter
- Aaron Jay and partner Aleksei Bitskoff won the London Cut&Paste tournament.
- Vincent Carrozza has a work in the I Love You Man exhibit in Brooklyn NY.
- DinobotTees had an exhibition table at BCExpo – the UK Comic and Pop Culture Event.
- Hammo has been working on a mural in the Kosmonaut Bar.
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Liransz created a fantasy storybook illustration tutorial for psd tuts+.
works by AlexandraSophie
- Alexandra Sophie won Best Emerging Photographer of the Year in the [F] awards.
- Rosemary Eagle has two etchings in a travelling exhibition.
- The AddOn Exhibition has begun in Sydney, featuring lots of RB artists work.
- Tara Krebs shared a work in progress and is showing works in two California shows.
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Debra Fedchin will have work in the Artsbridge 19th Annual Open Juried Show.
by Jasmin Garcia-Verdin
- Jasmin Garcia-Verdin is exhibiting six works in Newark’s IndexNewark Hall this month.
- Muscular Teeth has been busy painting a door from the Franklin Hotel.
- Jeff Jag shared a series of photos of his latest work in progress.
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Drawsgood asked his fans for ideas for his next sketch.
In other exciting news, we launched our Tattoo Designs Even A Mother Could Love challenge. We’€™d love you to get busy creating a design that your Mother would be unable to resist. You can find out more and submit your entries here
Continue readingCongratulations to all the artists featured above on their news and achievements and a big thanks to the many Bubblers who have taken the time to show their support, leave generous comments or to offer help and advice. Each week we feature a small selection of the big news and the little wins we’€™ve spotted in the Redbubble community but we’d really like this to serve as an intro to your own news. What was the highlight of your week? Do you have any creative plans for the coming week?
Photo by MagMoment
While the soil continues to hold winter’s chill, those emerging vibrant buds are a reassuring sight indeed. Fresh growth is nothing new to the Etsy community, but a 60.1% increase in April 2013 from April 2012′s total of dollars of goods sold still feels just as delightful as late-afternoon sunshine. (At the same time, items sold were up 43.8% year over year.)
The stats:
- $101.8 million of goods (after refunds and cancellations) were sold by our community in April, 0.1% higher than March’s $101.7 million
- That represents 4,259,435 items sold for the month, 6.1% lower than March’s 4,534,479
- 2,830,804 items were listed in the month, 3.5% lower than March’s 2,932,874
- 972,224 new members joined the Etsy community in the month, down 64,128 or 6.2%, from March
- 1.49 billion page views were recorded on the site in April
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the Etsy community in April 2013!
Curious about how other months compare? Check out our past Weather Reports for more statistics.
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Fancy flexing your design and illustration muscles? Want to win some awesome prizes? Then dig out your finest drawing implements as we’ve got just the challenge for you.
We’d like you to create a tattoo design so impressive, even your dear Mother will temporarily put aside her fear of you getting inked and jeopardizing your chances of getting a ‘proper job’ one day.
There are cash prizes, temporary tattoos, tees and hoodies up for grabs so don’t dilly dally. Warm up a vat of coffee/gin/absinthe, dust off your art supplies, switch your phone off and get down to business. You’ve got approximately two weeks left to get your designs out of your brains and onto paper (then onto the interwebs).
Find out more and submit your entries here.
A little inspiration from talented RB designers and illustrators
It’s time for another wrap up of news and activity from RB artists. We’ve seen some exciting features, Kickstarter funding, plus celebraties donning your tee designs! Here’s just some of the action we spotted this week …
Works by perdita00
- perdita00 ’s work was featured on the Los Angeles Times website
- nikholmes got funded for his kickstarter project and will illustrate you as a zombie!
- We spotted Ian Leino dressed as Dr Krieger posing with Lucky Yates, the voice of Krieger
- Ian Sokoliwski appeared on BBandBC to discuss Flesh for Frankenstein
- Chris Colfer from Glee was spotted last month in tees by warbucks360 and angicita, check it out here and here
Works by Loui Jover
- Loui Jover was interviewed for Saatchi Online Magzine
- Natalie Ord was interviewed on the ABC Open blog about her photography
- Sophie Smith had an image featured in Paper.Li
- stevethomasart is part of the show ‘Righteous Rides and the Dudes that Drive Them’
- Aimme Stewart shared the trailer for her upcoming children’s book
Work by Aimee Stewart
- In other RB news, our CEO Pilgrim was busy showing off an awesome tee design by harebrained, talking to Fast Company and being all inspirational.
Congratulations to the artists above. Each week we feature a small selection of news, inspiration and achievements we’€™ve spotted but we’€™d really like this to serve as an intro to your own news. What was the highlight of your week? Have you got any creative projects planned for the week?
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Photo by lindamonfort
Update: On May 6, the US Senate voted to pass the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would require online sellers who earn over $1M in annual revenues to collect and remit sales tax for every state, not just the one where you live.
The good news is, the bill won’t become law unless it moves through the House of Representatives. We encourage you to call your legislator (find their number here) and let them know where you stand. You can also join the conversation with other sellers in this forum thread. Below is the original blog post that was published on April 22, 2013.
This week, the US Senate will vote on the Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill that requires online sellers to collect and remit sales tax for every state, regardless of where you live. Right now sellers are only required to collect sales tax in the states where they have a physical presence. (Online buyers are responsible for paying their home state’s sales taxes, but most don’t.)
We at Etsy support the intent of the legislation, to help states reap the tax they are owed, but feel it will unnecessarily burden small businesses. Most Etsy sellers work from home and don’t have the administrative resources to comply with the law. That’s why the “small seller exception” included in the bill is so important. We believe in pushing that exception as high as possible, not only to protect sellers now, but to give their businesses room to grow down the line.
Currently, the bill exempts businesses who earn under $1 million annually, though the level of exception is hotly debated, and some companies have even argued to eliminate it altogether. If you’re thinking, “$1 million, phew, that excludes me,” that’s understandable. $1 million in sales, however, is well below other federal definitions of small business. And the top 500 largest internet retailers make up 93% of lost state revenues. A lower exception hurts small businesses more than it helps states.
With the vote happening this week, we encourage you to call your Senators (you can find their numbers here) and tell them you support increasing the level of the small seller exception in the Marketplace Fairness Act. Hearing directly from constituents makes a lot more impact than just hearing from Etsy staff.
The Etsy community actually put this issue on our radar for the first time last year, when several sellers commented about it on a blog post about Chad’s trip to the US Senate. Since that time, we’ve been meeting with legislators and connecting Etsy sellers directly with D.C. officials to advocate.
This is part of our emerging focus on policy issues that affect our community. Since I arrived at Etsy, I’ve found that politicians often don’t understand the needs or challenges of our community. A seller making jewelry or decor from home is very different than a dentist, gas station owner or a tech start-up. Officials don’t realize how hard it will be for you to comply with a new regulation, or that many existing public programs to support small business don’t help you. We want to change that. So let me know in this forum thread what other governmental policy issues you’re worried about. I’d love to work with you to help solve them.
Althea Erickson is Etsy’s director of public policy, and the seller behind Brooklyn Assembly. Before she joined Etsy, she led the advocacy and policy work at Freelancers Union.
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Photo by Etsy Craft Party
Etsy Craft Party is a one-day celebration of meeting and making. Around the world, we come together to share creative skills with our neighbors. You can organize a Craft Party, or join one in your area. All you need are good friends, craft supplies, and fun!
This year’s theme is Craft for Community. How could you use your craft know-how to make your hometown even better? We encourage you to think about what you love most about your city, what creative skills you have to share, and how you could bring this all together in a fun party that supports your community. Your Craft Party could feature:
- Skill-share: Swapping your creative skills with another.
- Craftivism: Using crafts as a means for positive action, or activism.
- Collaboration: Making a difference by joining forces with a local organization (your town’s community garden, park, farm, hospital, school, arts center, bike shop, thrift store, day care center, senior center, soup kitchen, farmer’s market, or other nonprofit/community group).
How do I get started? First, pick your spirit animal. If you are the leader of the pack, you could be a great Craft Party organizer. More of a party animal? Sign up for a party in your area and show up ready to craft on June 20.
To join a Craft Party, all you have to do is find a party in your area and RSVP via the party’s Eventbrite page.
To organize a Craft Party:
1. Complete the organizer application form.
2. We’ll grant you access to your Craft Party Eventbrite page.
3. Plan your party and invite friends!
Take note! Craft Parties with 25 or more RSVPs on Eventbrite will receive a free box of craft supplies from Spoonflower and Etsy sellers (while supplies last). The deadline to RSVP is May 30, 2013. We set this RSVP deadline so we can get the box of supplies shipped to the party organizer(s) in time. However, we encourage you to continue promoting and garnering RSVPs right up to the day of your Craft Party.
We will also provide every Craft Party organizer with a free, downloadable Craft Party Kit. The Kit will contain: how-to project instructions and templates, party decor ideas, and other tips for hosting your own party – plus some extra delightful surprises.
We encourage you to make your party your own and have fun with it! Here are a few project ideas:
- Make Adopt Me vests for an animal shelter
- Host a creative workshop at the local library to share skills and knowledge with your community
- Get your hands dirty with a garden-related project to support a community garden
- Work with a local bike shop to make bike tube pouches, reduce waste, and promote biking
- Paint a mural to brighten a communal space
- Work with a thrift shop to source materials for an upcycled project (like these denim pillows)
- Make toys for a kids center (like these wooden blocks)
- Make birthday cards for the More Birthdays campaign
- Make pillowcases to donate to a local shelter, hospital, or home as part of the One Million Pillowcase Challenge
- Knit tiny hats for preemies at a children’s hospital
- Make scarves or mittens for a homeless shelter
- Make decorations for a senior center party
- Get together at a park or beach or hiking trail to help with a hands-on outdoors project
- Bring creativity to an unexpected spot, drawing inspiration from The Laundromat Project
- Work with a local non-profit to add value to your community
Let’s celebrate Craft Party together. Share photos of your Craft Party, from prep time to party time, on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #craftparty. We may even include them in a recap blog post or on Facebook!
Join the global celebration on June 20!
What are you planning for Etsy Craft Party 2013? Let us know in the comments below.
Continue readingIt’s time for another wrap up of news and activity from our Redbubble artists. We’ve seen some exciting exhibition news, advertising features, plenty of action from our artists on social media, plus lots of interesting journals. Here’s just some of the action we spotted this week.
Works by LeaBarozzi
- LeaBarozzi is finishing up a few works for a show in Portland.
- Anders Lindholm will be in NYC participating in an Altered States of Reality exhibit.
- Powerpig’s latest creation has been featured at The Brothers Brick.
- Sumrow offers a free print in a title challenge for his newest work.
Works by Phresha
- Phresha is part of a group exhibition in Detroit on May 10th.
- Matthewdunnart shares a current work in progress – a skateboard piece.
- Randy Spout won 2nd prize in LPAPA’€™s 7th Annual ‘€œLess Is More’ show.
- Celeste Mookherjee’s works have been chosen for a gallery exhibit in California.
- João Figueiredo’s group has released its second issue of Northern Landscape Magazine
Works by Peter Hill & Tatiana R
- A little Red(bubble) bird told us that Peter Hill and Tatiana R were married last week! A big congrats from us here at Redbubble (Mr. Baxter even wore pants). In addition to that, Peter was shortlisted for the 2013 Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year Award.
Congratulations to all the artists featured above on their news and achievements and a big thanks to the many Bubblers who have taken the time to show their support, leave generous comments or to offer help and advice. Each week we feature a small selection of the big news and the little wins we’™ve spotted in the Redbubble community but we’d really like this to serve as an intro to your own news. What was the highlight of your week? Do you have any creative plans for the coming week?
If you’d like to keep up to date with the latest RB community happenings, news about meetups, challenges and other awesomeness, follow the Community Team updates here.
Continue readingThere’€™s no such thing as a quiet week on RB and you’€™ve certainly been busy this week. We love to read about artists who have shared their achievements, news, tips and tricks and we’€™re equally impressed by the support and encouragement RB artists offer each other. Here’€™s just some of the action we spotted this week.
Works by Sophie Corrigan
- Sophie Corrigan has been busy writing a rhyming children’s book for her honor’s project.
- Lynette Shelley will be part of a juried art show at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
- Samantha Higgs had a recent interview published on running your own business.
- Check out Sumrow’s booth at the Denver Starfest.
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MuscularTeeth takes a bit of graffiti and turns it into an amazing bit of artwork.
Works by Will Zender
- Come see Will Zender at his first exhibition at the Malaca Institute until May 12th.
- Karen Hallion will be at this week’s Chicago Comic Con. Stop by and say hi.
- Pat Bullen has an upcoming exhibit in Wales. She recommends we take the scenic route.
- Check out MeganLara’s very REAL cosplay of Bilie Piper – We can’t tell who is who!
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Marti Schmidt reminds us of the amazing work of the famous artist Hokusai.
Hokusai inspired works by radiomode, karbondream, thesnuttch, MatMiller, eponymon, Ross Robinson, hubertfineart, and zedsdead
Congratulations to all the artists featured above on their news and achievements and a big thanks to the many Bubblers who have taken the time to show their support, leave generous comments or to offer help and advice. Each week we feature a small selection of the big news and the little wins we’€™ve spotted in the Redbubble community but we’d really like this to serve as an intro to your own news. What was the highlight of your week? Do you have any creative plans for the coming week?
If you’d like to keep up to date with the latest RB community happenings, news about meetups, challenges and other awesomeness, follow the Community Team updates here.
Continue reading
Adventure Awaits by Vintageskies
Maybe it’s the adventurer in us but show us an artwork featuring a mountain and we find ourselves dreaming of far away adventures. We’re not the only ones inspired by perfect peaks and snow dusted summits. Here are just a few fine examples of marvelous mountainous slices of art from the talented folks on RB.
If you’d like to leave a comment for an artist, add a work to your favorites, or buy any of these works, just click on the individual images to visit the work pages. And if you enjoy this collection, please feel free to share this post using the tweet and like buttons at the top right of the page.
Splendour Of The Rockies by Al Bourassa
Mountain Pass by Martin Knight
966 by peter holme
Sierra Mountain Meadow by Elaine Bawden
Alpine Guides by OilPrints
Mont Blanc by Diane Robertson
i57 by Georg Stadler
Impressive beauty of Iceland by BenjFavrat
Block Mountain by Pete Baglia
never enough by swin
Half Dome Yosemite National Park Vintage by Matthew Floyd
Mountain men by Brian Towers
Blue Andes Peru by Carly Chapman
When the mountains speaks, wise men listen by Mirth
Mount Nefarious by dazzamataz
Alemania by Lala Mártin
La Roche Faurio by Rémi Bridot
Mountains by Essi Kimpimaki
5 brothers by Patricia Van Lubeck
Sedona Red Rock by Anelle121314
Mt Semeru by melaniepram
Snow on Mountain by Penny Vogan
Landscape 001 by Sally Barnett
Climbing on Baruntse by Marion Joncheres
Edge of the world by Alex Sharp
Qikiqtarjuaq Nunavut by LouiseLafleur
Mountain View by HDPotwin
Dove Lake (IV), Cradle Mountain, Tasmania by Matthew Stewart
Highlands by damophoto
The Great River by Joe Gilronan
Are there any similar works in your favorites? We’€™d like to invite you to share interesting mountainous artworks by other artists in the comments below. Need help? See our handy guide on posting images and links. And you’€™ll also find more inspiration in these groups:
- Featured Artist: uberkraaft
- How to Break Out of a Creative Rut
- The Weekly Wrap
-
Free Printable Bookplates
Enjoy this post? You may also like:
- Nautical, Oceanic and Seaside Inspired Artworks
- An Epic Collection of Bike Art and Design
- Highlands, Lowlands and Alpine Inspired Art
- Fiat Lux: Let There Be Light
-
Images Inspired by Cross Processing Techniques
View More Art and Design Collections From the RB Blog.
This collection was compiled by by Beth Douglas and Natalie Tyler.
Subscribe to the Redbubble Blog RSS Feed for a regular helping of art and design inspiration.
Photo by PaperAltar
With Mother’s Day around the corner and spring in the air, join us for a full slate of creative community programming on May 2 and 3 in San Jose, San Francisco, LA, and Chicago.
This month we welcome Fiber Salon in San Jose as our newest addition to the Meet & Make roster. Following this launch, Craft Lab will continue to be hosted the first Friday of each month at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Come show them your support and help kick off their first ever Meet & Make event!
Fiber Salon in San Jose: Victorian Hair Jewelry
For the launch of Etsy Meet & Make: Fiber Salon at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, local Etsy seller Even Howard of Nadene and the SF Etsy Team will teach how to make a modern take on Victorian hair jewelry. While crafting, we’ll discuss the history of this craft that weaves together treasured memories into keepsake objects, as well as explore the techniques of table-woven hair work to create cards or small accessories using embroidery floss in place of hair. Supplies and instruction are provided with RSVP. Following this launch, these free events will continue to be held the first Friday of each month at the Museum.
When: Friday, May 3, from 7 – 11 p.m. PT
Where: San Jose Museum of Quilt and Textiles, 520 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113
Craft Bar in Chicago: Mother’s Day Projects
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so what better way to celebrate mom than with some beautiful and wearable May flowers? This month, join Craft Bar Chicago and Gina Morgan as we learn the art of bead stringing and make beaded floral creations. Beading not your style? Local artist Wizard at Work will be on-hand to share a simple embossing techniques for handmade cards.
As always, all supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring your own project to work on. The $5 admission covers all materials and instruction for the projects. Don’t forget to fuel your creativity with drinks and snacks from the bar, served by our resident handsome Craft Bartender crew!
When: Friday, May 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. CT
Where: Mignonette, 1747 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60657
Craft Lab in San Francisco: Printmaking
Just in time for Mother’s Day, join us at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco for an intro to printmaking! In this simple 20 minute activity, Niki Baker of foreignspell will teach how to make beautiful handmade stationery or art. All the supplies will be on hand for you to carve your own rubber stamp. Or, if sharp tools scare you, try some stamps pre-made by Niki to create fresh designs!
Admission is $10, or $5 if you’re a Museum member, and includes supplies, instruction, and adult beverages. While you’re at the museum, find inspiration in the current exhibition by Rebecca Hutchinson, featuring a porcelain paper-clay installation of leaf-like forms suggesting an unexpected forest.
When: Thursday, May 2, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. PT
Where: Museum of Craft and Design, 2569 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Craft Night in Los Angeles: Wire Projects
Bend, weave, tie, wrap: the possibilities for wire are endless. At this month’s Craft Night at the Craft and Folk Art Museum, you’ll learn several ways to manipulate wire and create small functional objects or imaginative sculptures. Project demonstrations will be held at 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Admission is free for CAFAM members or $7 at the door for non-members, and covers materials, snacks, drinks, and instruction. RSVP is required.
When: Thursday, May 2, from 7 to 9 p.m. PT
Where: Craft and Folk Art Museum, 5814 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California
More Events | DIY Projects | Buy Craft Supplies on Etsy
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Photo by ruffeoheartslilsnoty
Now that spring is finally here, it’s time to shed your layers and show some leg — or at least some ankle. Etsy seller Maresa Ponitch of Dusty Rose Vintage has gathered a stash of colorful cotton and spandex vintage leggings and is bringing them to the Etsy Labs for an elastic-themed Hands-On. Select the size and color (or feel free to bring your own pair!) and customize your leggings with DIY printing techniques taught by Etsy’s Social Media Coordinator and talented crafter, David Morgan. Check out his blog for more DIY inspiration.
We’ll also have a variety of fabrics available for sewing-savvy folks who want to experiment with making patches. “One-of-a-kind pieces are the antidote in an era of fast fashion — an analog answer to copycat digital looks,” Maresa says. RSVP here to join us in the Etsy Labs on May 2 to get creative and make your own one-of-a-kind leggings.
Maresa has collected vintage since childhood and decided to build a business around her passion. She now sells on Etsy and sources vintage for a variety of stores and stylists. If you want to learn a bit more about the past life of your future favorite article of spandex, Maresa has this to say about her Brooklyn-based treasure trove: “Dusty Rose Vintage is 2,500 square feet of every vintage style and silhouette imaginable. The meticulously organized warehouse is home to 20,000 pounds of vintage gold, sorted in countless rows of garments, from denim cutoffs to festival bags and tees galore.”
David Morgan
Details:
Event: Hands-On: Painted Leggings
What: Print and paint on vintage leggings and take photos in our Magnolia photo booth.
Where: Etsy Labs, 55 Washington St. Suite 712, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Neighborhood: DUMBO; Cross streets: Front and Water
When: Thursday, May 2, 5 p.m. ET – 8 p.m. ET
Cost: Free (leggings are included; limited sizes and colors!)
RSVP: Here!
David Morgan
If there’€™s one thing an artist must appreciate, it’s the experience of picturing something in the mind’s eye, then turning it into a reality. In his Redbubble profile, uberkraaft (Matt Williams) explains, ‘€˜… I make things I really want to see’€™. The ability to do so with a good deal of finesse and attention to detail brings us our next feature artist.
Matt completed a degree in sculpture at the University of Sheffield and then went on to a Masters in Digital Media at Coventry. But his artistic journey doesn’€™t start there – He’€™s been creating since he was old enough to pick stuff up and, even from a very young age, was never in doubt that his future lay in the creative industries. Right he was, too, since uberkraaft now works as Creative Director in a boutique design agency.
This portfolio is alive with color, although sports some lovely line work in black and white as well. Some pieces might evoke fanciful, funky or even vaguely dark feelings in the viewer, but uberkraaft just hopes you connect with the vibe of the work.
The artist and designer enjoys mixing it up, too. With a mind that’s positively bursting with ideas, he couldn’€™t possibly be confined to a single media: uberkraaft works in paint markers, ink and brush, gouache, pencil and more (that degree in digital media also shines through when he works on a Wacom tablet). We’€™re looking forward to seeing many more works in this great portfolio.
See uberkraaft’s full portfolio here
Click here to view more work from Uberkraaft’s portfolio
This is the thirty-eighth in a series of artist features on the Redbubble blog. As the readership for the blog grows beyond the virtual walls of Redbubble, we’re always looking for opportunities to promote artists and encourage more eyeballs to take a wander through the Redbubble hallways. We aim to write posts that show off the best the Redbubble community has to offer, that engage and entertain artists, both on Redbubble and beyond, and appeal to art and design lovers far and wide. If you’re scratching your head, wondering if there’s some method to the madness or if this is an elaborate experiment involving monkeys and typewriters, you’ll find a more information here.
See the rest of the Featured Artist series here.
Subscribe to the Redbubble Blog RSS Feed for a regular helping of art and design inspiration.
Photo by PulpArt
What happened to Earth Day? In the 43 years since its inception, the movement has deteriorated from one that drove some of the most significant environmental legislation in US history, to yet another platform for corporate marketing. It is hard not to be jaded in an era fraught with greenwashing where seemingly every company on earth touts their eco efforts, large and small, substantial and empty.
But let’s remember that the first Earth Day was not a ploy for publicity, or derived to sell faux “green” merchandise. It was a rallying cry felt across political parties, generations, and demographics, a cry to protect our natural environment with substantial action. The first Earth Day instigated the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Clean Water Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s time to take it back!
It is in the original spirit of Earth Day that we want to celebrate by publicly sharing Etsy’s ecological impact reduction goals and our commitment to the planet. From our calculations, we have set aggressive reduction goals, but this is important. By publishing them we are putting ourselves on the hook to deliver.
Our commitment: Etsy is committed to proactively countering the planet’s gathering ecological crises. Etsy embraces our responsibility to minimize the ecological footprint of our operations and our duty to empower and incentivise the users of our platform to do the same.
With these imperatives in mind, we have started the long journey to analyze the complete impact of our business operations. We have largely captured the current impact of our office facilities and data centers. We recognize, however, that the impact of Etsy includes much more than our company operations. As we emphasize every day in the office — Etsy’s success is built on the businesses of our sellers, and that includes their ecological impact.
We are starting to assess the impact of our marketplace, starting with the shipping of goods purchased on Etsy. We are also measuring our operational supply chain, employee commuting, and business travel, because we need to be complete. We don’t want to cop-out with so much at stake. Etsy is a unique company and, we believe, proof that commerce can be lastingly fulfilling and sustainable.
We don’t want to be alone in this. Every business, and individual can contribute to driving the significant reform we need — as did the original Earth Day.
So what can you do?
- Transform your personal impact at Practically Green.
- Switch to using renewable energy at home in just 5 minutes.
- If your company isn’t earnestly measuring and lowering their impact, force the issue! Let management know that companies with strong sustainability programs have 43% more efficient business operations, 43% stronger public image, 55% better morale, and 38% higher employee loyalty than those who don’t. (Sources: Practically Green, Society for Human Resource Management, and “The 5 Traits of Firms that Create Sustainability ROI,” Harvard Business School, 2012)
We want to share all of our ecological work. If your business could benefit from our assessment methodology or improvement strategies, please get in touch.
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Photo by corelladesign
Update 4/29: The seller survey is now closed, thanks so much to everyone who participated!
Feedback, our review system for buyers and sellers, has been a part of Etsy from the beginning. Since then, we’ve grown as a marketplace, online shopping has evolved, and both sellers and shoppers have new needs and expectations around reviews. As one of the most highly-requested updates by sellers, Feedback is now on deck as a feature we’re ready and eager to improve.
Feedback touches everyone in Etsy’s community — it currently covers item and seller reviews, helping shoppers make buying decisions, and in turn allows sellers to rate buyers. It’s also the gateway into our dispute and resolution system, when disagreements arise. We know how important Feedback is, especially to shop owners, so we want to involve you in the process — from sharing our plans to collecting your ideas and opinions.
Before asking for your feedback, we’ll share the goals for the updated system:
- To develop a method that promotes honesty and discourages unfair use.
- To create a smarter system, that enables better communication and makes it easier to resolve buyer-seller issues.
- To improve the shopping experience with more helpful product and seller reviews.
We’ve already begun work internally, with the teams who work on Feedback-related questions and cases. We want to hear from you too — what do you like and dislike about the current system? Where would you like to see improvement?
We created this short survey for sellers to gather your feedback, and we encourage you to participate through Sunday, April 28:
Seller Survey: Etsy’s Feedback System (now closed)*
So, what next? We’ll review your responses and reach out to buyers to get their perspective, making sure the project’s direction meets the greater needs of the community. As you can imagine, updating Feedback is a large undertaking and will take some time to develop and carry out a new plan. We can say that we want to include existing feedback scores in the upgrade, so sellers’ hard-earned reputations won’t be lost.
Please take the time to contribute to this important community project by filling out the survey, which again will be open until the end of the day, 4/28. Thanks in advance for your participation, and we’ll continue to update you about Feedback as it progresses!
*You must be signed in as a seller to access this survey, which should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Please fill out the survey in one session, as you won’t be able to save and continue later.
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It’s time for another wrap up of news and activity from our Redbubble artists. We’™ve seen some exciting exhibition news, advertising features, plenty of action from our artists on Social Media, plus lots of and interesting journals. Here’s just some of the action we spotted this week.
works by Xiaobaosg and Fanboy30
- Xiaobaosg has one of his Panda works on a massive billboard at Shuangliu Airport, Chengdu, another in Hong Kong as well as a magazine advertisement.
- Dana from Not Literally is rocking Sumrow’™s Time Job tee in their first Nerd It Up Vlog.
- Megan Lara shared some pics of her cosplay at Planet Comicon.
- Teeketch was interviewed for IndieMinded.
- Fanboy30 and Karen Hallion’s collaborative tee was spotted being worn in a video interview about nerd culture.
works by Ash Sivils
- Ash Sivils will be participating in a group art show in Detroit in May.
- Lynnette Shelley is showing her works at the Drawn from Nature Juried Art Show.
- Phresha has works in the Cabaret of the Absurd at Tasty Gallery in Seattle, and at State of the Art in Whistler for the World of Ski & Snowboard Festival.
- Bamboota shared a Work in Progress
- Medusa Dollmaker shared a Work in Progress of an illustration that will appear in her book.
works by Phresha
- Lloyd Harvey shared the inspiration behind his Oni World and invites us to join him on his creative journey.
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Stephanie Hodges has launched a new Facebook page.
She’€™ll also be appearing at the ’Manchester ComicCon in July. - Ninjatog has been busy constructing an impressive rig for photographing fast flying insects in flight.
- ValeriesGallery shared how her socks were the inspiration that lifted her out of a creative rut.
- Virginia McGowan shared a call to female artists€ to participate in the “a woman’s heART” exhibition in Robina.
Congratulations to all the artists featured above on their news and achievements and a big thanks to the many Bubblers who have taken the time to show their support, leave generous comments or to offer help and advice. Each week we feature a small selection of the big news and the little wins we’€™ve spotted in the Redbubble community but we’d really like this to serve as an intro to your own news. What was the highlight of your week? Do you have any creative plans for the coming week?
If you’d like to keep up to date with the latest RB community happenings, news about meetups, challenges and other awesomeness, follow the Community Team updates here.
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Photo by Yoola
Yael Falk opened her Etsy shop, Yoola, in 2008 and began selling intricate crocheted wire jewelry and sculptures. While these items were receiving attention, there was also a growing interest from shoppers to learn the unique technique she used to create the pieces on their own. After much strategizing, Yael began to offer digital tutorials, and it was then that she saw her small business really take off. “The idea that a design I developed on one side of the planet will later be made by someone on the other side profoundly enchanted me.” These tutorials quickly became some of Yael’s most successful items and she found herself sending many messages back and forth, eager to deliver the files as soon as the purchase was completed (which isn’t always possible given the time difference with many of her customers!).
For Yael and other Etsy sellers offering downloadable items, we have good news! Starting today, there’s a more efficient process for selling and buying digital items on Etsy. We’re making improvements to the way sellers can manage and deliver digital items to their buyers. Whether you’re looking for a felt food pattern, festive print-at-home party decorations, a stuffed bunny sewing pattern, or a cactus quilt project, there are over half a million digital items in the marketplace to discover!
What’s New
Previously, sellers emailed the attachment to the buyer after every sale. Now, sellers can upload the file to the listing just once, and that’s it! After the payment successfully processes, the buyer will receive an automatic email notification letting them know the file is ready on the Downloads page.
For sellers, this saves time and reduces confusion about whether your item is a finished good. As a shopper, you can download your purchase directly from your account without waiting for the seller to send it.
Yael, and other sellers, have been testing this new feature for some time, and found it allowed her to spend more time creating while providing swift customer service. “As a seller, my most valuable asset is time because I’m always multitasking. It doesn’t take a lot of time to send one file through email, but it accumulates. After using this new feature, I was able to save valuable time every day because once I uploaded everything, all I see is the completed transaction after the sale.”
Excited about all the time you’re going to save? Start editing your listings! Go to your listings page and select “Digital file” as the item type for each relevant item to start using this new feature. For more information, check out our frequently asked questions or join the discussion in this forum thread.
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Photo by Oliver & Lilly's, Grace Design, BROOKLYNrehab, and Skinny laMinx.
The wheels of progress are turning! Etsy Wholesale is now in beta, and our application is now live.
As I wrote about previously, our vision for Etsy Wholesale has been a private, juried marketplace where retailers can discover unique, hard-to-find products from artists, designers, and vintage purveyors — like a 24/7 trade show. For the past few months, we’ve been doing in-person usability tests, building the site features of what we hope will be the ultimate place for professional buyers and independent designers to connect online. And now we’re excited to embark on the next — and most crucial — step towards making this marketplace a reality: to populate the marketplace with retail-ready products from remarkable designers.
Etsy Wholesale will be free for buyers (though they’ll also need to apply to prove they’re members of the trade). This beta period, when we’re still refining the site features, will be free for vendors. When Etsy Wholesale is fully ready to launch out of beta, there will be fees for vendors. We are carefully doing more research here because Etsy Wholesale needs to make enough money to cover the costs of building and maintaining a professional marketplace, but we also want it to have a fair and straightforward pricing model, one that works for vendors across so many categories. Another note: the beta is open to applicants from around the world but will, at first, only be in English and only support US dollars. We plan to add many more languages and currencies very soon.
You can review the criteria for what can be sold on Etsy Wholesale right on the application page. If you feel like this is the right fit for your business (and wholesale is definitely not for everyone!), please submit your application. Thanks in advance for your patience; our approach is to roll out acceptances while in beta, so it may take some time to get to your application.
This week we’ll also be making a move towards a real milestone: inviting Trunkt lifetime members to apply to Etsy Wholesale. As you may remember, last year we acquired Trunkt and have used the technology and learnings as the basis for our new product. Trunkt will be closing for good April 30. If you’re a lifetime member of Trunkt, look for an email in your inbox with application instructions and details.
We’re looking forward to seeing your applications!
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Image Credit: When all else fails – tee design by Simon Reeves
Whether you’€™ve been drawing on walls since you were a kid or recently cracked open your first sketchbook, there comes a time in every artist’€™s life when you feel stuck in a creative rut.
In fact, we’€™ve been feeling a bit stuck ourselves lately. And after a slew of unproductive activities including but not limited to rewatching all four seasons of Breaking Bad (twice) and one too many unsuccessful attempts at one-man foosball, we decided to do something about it. We finally got off our behinds and started looking for ways to unstick our creativity. It would be mean of us to keep these tips to ourselves. So the next time you’€™re itching for a burst of creativity to inspire a new design or illustration, look no further than this handy list.
Add doodling to your daily routine
Brilliant ideas are rarely born from a-ha! moments. Instead, they often start as a scribble on a bar napkin or envelope. As you explore a mediocre idea more, it leads to a less mediocre one, which could lead to a really good idea that’€™s worth pursuing for your next design.
But that won’t happen if you aren’€™t exploring your silly not-sure-if-this-is-something ideas. So make it a habit to unleash whatever stream-of-consciousness ideas pop into your head by drawing for a few minutes each day with no agenda. Some days you might feel like you’ve got something pretty good going. Some days you might draw your coffee mug. Keep at it. This routine exercise will help your brain fire those creative neurons, and soon you’€™ll stumble upon something truly great.
Image Credit: The Artist by Laurxy
Break your daily routine
No, not the doodling routine. Keep that one. But change something else as you go about work, school, or whatever else it is that you do. Take a different route on your commute. Pick up a magazine you ordinarily wouldn’€™t read. Instead of heading straight home to cuddle with your cat and watch reality TV, head to an art museum. And if you’€™re already an art museum regular, go somewhere else like a flea market, sports game, or the mall.
Take a look at what you usually do day-to-day, and do the opposite. It could be as simple as listening to a different genre of music while you work (or listening to nothing at all). Once you open your world even just a little and let in new experiences, you’€™ll open up your mind, too!
Try a new tool even if you don’t know how to use it
Your art is kinda like your daily routine. If you’€™re repeatedly using the same medium over and over, you’€™ll keep having the same ideas. So one way to spark something new is to pick up a new tool.
If you work primarily in Photoshop, turn off the screen and go make something with your hands. Paint. Draw with charcoal. Steal your kid brother’€™s crayons. Make an origami swan. It doesn’€™t matter if your painting is no good or your swan is lopsided. Working outside your comfort zone forces you to think differently. And creative blocks end when you’re thinking differently.
Image Credit: Colour Drought by ayarti
Jot down bursts of inspiration before it’€™s too late
Ever had a fragment of an idea while you were showering, riding the subway, or zoning out in class? ‘€œI have to remember this for later!’€ you tell yourself. Then you start thinking about what might be good for lunch and the idea evaporates. Five minutes later, you don’€™t even remember you had an idea, much less what it was.
Be prepared when inspiration strikes. Invest in a pack of notebooks and pens, and stash them anywhere and everywhere: your glove compartment, your medicine cabinet, your nightstand, your junk drawer, your best friend’€™s junk drawer. Wherever you are, so will a notebook and pen be. The second you have an idea, you can jot it down and come back to it later (maybe during your daily doodling routine.)
Stop using distractions as a crutch
There’€™s something to be said for taking breaks to refresh your mind and increase your productivity. But too much iPhone, Facebook, or twiddling your thumbs time can hinder your creativity. Because creativity can be fickle, especially if you’€™re not feeling particularly inspired.
If you’€™re serious about being productively creative, stop setting yourself up for distraction. Get your head in the right place and dedicate 100% of your attention to your process, as painful as it may seem. Turn off the Internet. Put your phone in a different room. We know you love browsing Redbubble all day long, but you’€™re going to have to briefly shut us out for a bit, too.
As the world goes about its business without you for a couple hours, hone your focus to your creative process and artwork. The more you train yourself to focus, the easier it gets. You might even forget about the rest of us for awhile. That’€™s okay. Just please come back when you’re finished. And let us know if any of these tactics worked for you, and if you have any others!
Image Credit: Brain Storm by Raae
Do you have any sure-fire ways of beating a creative rut? Have you tried any of these techniques? If you have any advice that might help a frustrated fellow artist unstick themselves, we’d love to hear your nuggets of wisdom in the comments below.
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Photo by malissasplace
The planet might be taking its sweet time to thaw for spring, but here on Etsy, everything was blooming.
The stats:
- $101.7 million of goods (after refunds and cancellations) were sold by our community in March, 9.7% higher than February’s $92.7 million
- That represents 4,534,479 items sold for the month, 7.6% higher than February’s 4,215,169
- 2,932,874 new items were listed in March, 9.8% higher than February’s 2,671,146
- 1,036,352 new members joined the Etsy community, 1.1% higher than February’s 1,025,124
- 1.57 billion page views were recorded on the site
The $101.7 million of goods sold (after refunds and cancellations) represents a 62% increase from March 2012′s total. At the same time, items sold were up 49.7%. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the Etsy community in March 2013!
Curious about how other months compare? Check out our past Weather Reports for more statistics.
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Photo by ReuseFirst
Hello, party people! In a few short months, the best day of the year will be upon us: Etsy Craft Party 2013. Our fourth annual Etsy Craft Party presents the perfect opportunity to flex your creative muscles, meet up with like-minded people in your hometown, and celebrate two of the best things in our handmade lives: craft and community. This year we will be celebrating together in towns and cities across the globe on Thursday, June 20, 2013.
In a nutshell, Craft Party is a celebration of meeting and making, of creativity and community. It’s a time to meet your neighbors and share a creative skill. It’s a time to have fun and party down with your favorite craft supply in hand. Anyone can organize a Craft Party and anyone can participate — the power is literally in your hands.
This year’s theme is Craft for Community. How can you use your creative powers to make your hometown even better? With this as a guiding idea, we encourage you to think about what you love most about your city, what creative skills you have to share, and how you could bridge those elements in a fun party that builds and boosts your ‘hood. This could take the form of sharing creative skills with one another (skill-sharing), working together on a group project (collaboration), using craft as a means for positive action or activism (craftivism), or teaming up with a local organization to lend a hand — such as a community garden, park, farm, hospital, school, arts center, bike shop, thrift store, day care, senior center, soup kitchen, farmer’s market, or other nonprofit or community group – to make something happen together.
This is definitely open to interpretation, and it’s up to you to decide how you showcase the theme at your party. Consider this a fun and positive challenge! We’ll be planting more seeds of ideas and directions to take this theme in posts to come.
We will be announcing further details about Craft Party 2013 in the coming weeks, but we wanted to go ahead and give you the theme and the date to save, so you can start your scheming. Future posts will share tips for organizers, RSVP information, DIY party ideas, how-to projects incorporating the theme, and many more bits of inspiration and straight up logistical know-how.
In the meantime, here are a few links to help get your Craft Party pinwheels turning. Click the links to find out each answer:
- How did Craft Party work last year?
- What were some Craft Party stories and quotes from 2010, 2011, and 2012?
- Where can I see photos from past parties?
- Can you give me some ideas of projects to make at my Craft Party?
- Where can I connect with other Craft Party organizers?
- Do you have tips for hosting a creative gathering like this?
Let’s get ready for Craft Party together. Share your party prep photos on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #CraftParty. We may even include them in a recap blog post or on Facebook!
How would you like to celebrate Craft Party? Let us know in the comments below!
DIY Projects to Make | Craft Supplies on Etsy
Continue readingThere’€™s no such thing as a quiet week on RB and you’€™ve certainly been keeping busy this week. We love to read about artists who have shared their achievements, news, tips and tricks and we’€™re always equally impressed by the support and encouragement offered. So without further ado, here’€™s just some of the action we spotted this week.
Works by Heidi Erisman, sandygrafik, Bill Gekas, John Dicandia, Thomas Dodd, Tanya Mayers, Kanchan Mahon, and Ivana Pinaffo
- F.A. Moore reminds us of Italian Renaissance painter and architect, Raphael’s, 530th birthday! Happy Birthday, Raphael!
- Karen Hallion had a lovely write up and interview posted over at hypable. You can also see Karen’s ‘works in progress’ on her Facebook page.
- DeeZ has been selected to produce the cover art for rapper Rello’s new release “Depression”.
- Rouble Rust has released a new book of music inspired art.
Works by R-evolution GFX
- R-evolution GFX had his design featured on a US Talk Show!
- Bamboota shares new sketches and works in progress on her Facebook page.
- Nigel Bangert had his work “Shelter” featured on PhotoAnswers
- Jeffjag has his works showing at the ‘El Camino’ in Denver! You can follow what he’s up to on his Facebook page.
- Nouvellegamine is having one of her works shown at the Framer’s Gallery in London.
Works by nouvellegamine
Congratulations to all the artists featured above on their news and achievements and a big thanks to the many Bubblers who have taken the time to show their support, leave generous comments or to offer help and advice. Each week we feature a small selection of the big news and the little wins we’€™ve spotted in the Redbubble community but we’d really like this to serve as an intro to your own news. What was the highlight of your week? Do you have any creative plans for the coming week?
If you’d like to keep up to date with the latest RB community happenings, news about meetups, challenges and other awesomeness, follow the Community Team updates here.
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Etsy’s Handmade Portraits, our signature video series, has been nominated for a prestigious Webby Award! We’re clearly not the only ones enthralled by the question, ”What makes the creative mind tick?” With these short documentaries, we uncover the story behind the maker and introduce viewers to creative people both within and beyond Etsy’s community. Starting in 2008, this series was the pioneer of “maker videos” — introducing artists and craftspeople from around the world, exploring their spaces, and investigating how they make, what they make, and why it matters. We’ve featured an illustrator from London, a mask maker from Latvia, a sword maker from Japan, as well as numerous other captivating creatives, from far and wide.
Please help us win a People’s Choice Award by voting for Handmade Portraits, and voting often. Help us continue to educate and inspire by telling the stories of Etsy’s incredible community. Thank you!
Continue readingHoover, Starbuck, Sadie and Fish: these are just a few of the friendly faces you’ll see around Etsy headquarters. They’re not product managers or software engineers, nor are they merchandisers or support representatives – they’re members of the canine operations team, and yes! They’re dogs.
The dog-friendly office policy has been in place since Etsy began in 2005, and it’s one of the ways we strive to maintain a casual, creative, and inspiring work environment. In addition to sharing meals, riding bikes to our local farm to compost office waste, and volunteering, bringing our dogs to work helps keep spirits high and fosters a sense of community and connection that is paramount to what Etsy is all about, employee experience manager Sarah Starpoli explains.
“It’s funny because I notoriously dislike dogs, but I love having them here. They make people smile almost universally, and I think they allow anxiety to diffuse when they suddenly skitter by,” she says. “I have a tough time hating my email when Hoover comes over to say ‘hey.’”
Elana Dweck, who manages the Etsy Design Studio and brings her fluffy, friendly Golden Retriever to the office 2-3 times a week agrees. “Overall I think he lifts up people’s spirits, mine included,” she says. “He is also really goofy and cute which is a good reminder that nothing is such a big deal, even if a work thing is stressful at the moment. He offers levity to situations, and he gives good hugs.”
Whether they’re belly-up begging for a little afternoon scratch or following their owners to meetings with tails wagging, having dogs around during the workday also increases the brain’s ability to solve problems, says learning and development consultant Paloma Medina.
Medina, who has lectured on creative problem solving at Etsy, bases these insights on research and first-hand experience. “Stress levels decrease and laughter and levity increase when a dog is present in an office,” she says. “Further research shows that decreases in stress and increases in joy are critical for improved focus, productivity and creativity at work.”
And we’re not the only ones who find inspiration through working with pets. From Georgia-based paper goods maker Leela Robinson (photographed below) to Uruguay-based felt designer Claudia, the Etsy community is full of furry friends who offer creative support and lots of love to makers and curators during their creative process.
An added bonus is that many of the dogs in the Etsy community and the office are rescues. There’s the family of rescue pit bulls that belong to North Dakota-based jewelry designer Dana, or the adorable (and Internet-savvy) Fish Dogg Hunt, who was adopted by Etsy’s creative designer, Randy Hunt. Much like our wares, these pups come with stories.
Whether you work with animals, volunteer at your local shelter, or simply admire them from afar, there’s no doubt dogs enrich our lives and inspire creativity. So next time your four-legged companion collaborates on a project, be sure to give them the raise they deserve.
How are you inspired by your pets?
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