Featured artist: JustFeathers

Are you having a lovely day so far my dear readers? You might be wondering what kind of artist I'll be interviewing today & let me tell you that is quite an amazing artist. I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do, it was so hard to choose 6 pictures from her shop, the color combinations are so fantastic that I wanted to show them all.

I guess the name JustFeathers says it all, but besides creating gorgeous earrings made of colorful feathers, the new yorker artist Holly Nelson is also a freelance violinist. It's just me or can you see the resemblance? The violin is one of the most delicate instruments so does the feathers touch. The violin has one of the most powerful sounds, so the feathers are strong & resistant.

Holly loves to run her shop as a fun outlet for her creativity, so let's find out a bit more about her & her creative process


1. Is it easy to be creative everyday?
Well, yes and no. I am a pretty creative person, and find inspiration in many things around me. I'm often excited to get back to work because I've thought of a new design while on the subway or while taking a walk, or perhaps I'm eager to try out a new color combination that I've thought of. On the other hand, there are certainly days when I don't feel like working!
{I guess everybody needs a day off from time to time, I'm also like that}


2. What's the best part of your day?
I have to admit, I love lunchtime. I am a big time foodie, and I take my meals very seriously. I always treat myself well. : ) I love to cook, so I always have several tasty homemade dishes in the fridge waiting for me. Today I had homemade baba ghanoush, israeli salad, beet salad, hummus, pita bread, chorizo, smoked mozarella and pita bread. Quite a spread! Also some delicious African Rooibus tea.
{You really love to eat, I love to cook & to be creative with food. I agree with you, the African tea is delicious}


3. The first time you sold something to someone who was not a friend or a relative what did you feel?
I felt a little surge of excitement. Now every time I make a sale, it encourages me to work harder. I analyze what pieces sell best and try to make new pieces that share something in common with the strongest sellers.
{That's a very smart idea}


4. Is there anything else you can imagine yourself doing for a living?
Well, my full-time profession is as a freelance violinist. I sell on Etsy and at craft fairs to supplement my income, but also to fulfill my desire to create beautiful things.
{i have to confess that the violin is one of my favorite instruments, although I can't play anything, I just love to hear. I hope you can manage both creative professions because your earrings are gorgeous}


5. Is there anything in particular that fuels your creativity as an artist
I am especially inspired by color. I love creating fresh, inventive combinations that are both elegant and surprising.


6. What was the best strategy (in case you tried any) to increase your sales?
I create treasuries, and through these many people on Etsy learn about my work. In return they often include my work in treasuries. The extra publicity generated by the treasuries helps my sales. I also place an ad on Craft Cult from time to time. It's all about exposure. No matter how good your work is, if nobody knows about it, nobody will buy it!
{You're totally right & if you're lucky enought to reach the Etsy's FP that would give you lots of exposure to new potential customers}


7. Tell us something random or quirky about yourself.
I'm a super language geek. I speak Mandarin Chinese, German, French, some Turkish and Korean and of course, English. I am currently trying to learn Spanish.   : )
{Wow I'm amazed, I know how to speak spanish in case you need any help :-)}

I hope you enjoyed Holly's interview & work. Make sure you pay a visit to her funky & contemporary shop, filled with fabulous color combination earrings.

{ Thank you so much Holly for this lovely interview }