My road to becoming a full time artist and entrepreneur has been a unique path, but also one of my grandest adventures! It is amazing what can happen when you begin pressing into your inner self and continue to say “yes” to the next opportunity. I had always made art since I was a little girl. My grandma is a watercolor artist and taught me how to paint from a young age. So for as long as I can remember, I’ve been painting. In high school I did well in art classes and really enjoyed them for the most part. I dual enrolled at Kendall College of Art and Design and then attended Grand Valley State University for a semester. After a semester of art school, I found myself burned out, uninterested and over the pressure I felt to “be” an artist.

So I dropped out, started working at Starbucks and didn’t paint much of anything for about two years. What I didn’t realize then—but can clearly see now—was I needed that season of giving myself space to really find my true creative. Breaking away from the pressure and expectation that had always haunted me released me to rediscover painting again for myself. 

Re-Kindling a Passion

While working at Starbucks, I entered into a nation-wide design contest put on through the company to create a design for a plastic Starbucks tumbler. Incredibly, I was fortunate enough to get two of my designs placed in the top five. One of my designs was challenging to translate into plastic, so they re-categorized my design to a ceramic tumbler. Starbucks released it the following spring as its own limited edition tumbler mug, throughout the US and Canada. (Which you can still find via online or through eBay!) This opportunity really gave me the confidence and exposure I needed to reinstate my passion for artwork and get me back in the studio. From there I began doing some commissions, creating prints, and heading to art festivals and maker markets.

Adventure & Inspiration

In 2016, as my business was growing, my husband and I had a dream to travel the country and live in a bus. At that point we had a one year old daughter and my husband was into his career, but we’ve always been the spontaneous type and lovers of adventure. So that fall, we purchased a short school bus and converted it into a tiny home for the three of us to hit the road and see the country, all while selling my artwork. This was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. We were going to find out firsthand if we could make it selling artwork. So from 2017-2018 we spent the year traveling the country, seeing every national park we could, visiting cities big and small, and selling art at festivals, markets and online. It was such an amazing experience and such an inspiring trip. I was able to paint on scene in some spectacular places. I found inspiration in wildflowers on the California coast, the rocky shores of Nova Scotia and rolling blue mountains of North Carolina. 

Finding My Niche

I am deeply inspired by the natural world and by the idea that I get to help spread joy through my artwork. It is such an exposed and vulnerable place to be putting the thing you create out into the world that for a long time it crippled me. But I have been overwhelmed with the response I have received from those that support my work. It has been such a joy to interact with customers and to see the joy my artwork brings them. It inspires me to continue to push myself creatively as well as to remain true to who I am and the art that I create. 

I had previously really struggled with my own style and identity as an artist, but as I continued to push myself and figure out what I loved, I have fallen in love with florals. They are so simple and beautiful and there is so much interest in a single flower that I have become obsessed with painting florals. This has become one of my main focuses along with other natural elements like plants, wildlife and natural landscapes. The natural world inspires me and I want to bring that beauty into peoples homes. 

Running a Business

It has been such an interesting adventure turning my art into a sustainable business. My husband and I have learned a lot about business development, building a website, pricing structures, and tax forms, ha! It has been a lot of work, and not always fun work. I definitely think that a common misconception of artists is that all our time is spent in the studio just creating artwork and then going to makers markets. There is SO much more that is involved, and not all of it as romantic as just creating art. But all of it has been a valuable learning experience, and it has been totally worth it. The thing that we have loved about running our own business is the flexibility to build our own life: saying “yes” to what brings life, and choosing to say “no” to opportunities that don’t fit. We also have loved being experimental and just trying things. The great thing about being a maker is that you don’t have some massive corporate structure saying how things are supposed to be done or a huge team that you have to convince of anything. When it’s just the two of us, we co-parent our two wild and sweet girls 24-7, we try new things, and then we create something and put it out there and see what sticks. It’s really a joy to have that simplicity. 

Pivoting & Perseverance

The Covid-19 pandemic has been such an unforeseen and unfortunate event in so many lives. For makers and artists like myself, it has totally changed what our summer was going to look like. I really have loved and relied on events and festivals to connect with customers and to sell my work. In a matter of weeks all of our events for the spring had been cancelled and we were left to try to figure out something else. The good news is that with just a small team we can be nimble and pivot quickly. Fortunately, we had already been selling online for a while, so we were able to really dive deeper into that world. We also have been trying to remain optimistic and see this as another opportunity to be experimental and to try some new things we were thinking about but hadn’t previously had the time for. I have been working on more large-scale original pieces and selling those through my website and social media. That has been really fun and something I have always wanted to do more of. We have also been putting together some fun packages and collaborate on some giveaways with other makers which is always fun. 

Final Thoughts

I would say to anyone who is interested in becoming a maker: Just go for it! It can be scary and nerve-racking to put part of yourself into your work for others to judge. But if you think you have something to say through your craft, you should give it a shot. There are so many amazing resources out there and so many great platforms to try things. Also, don’t get too stuck on one item if it isn’t working. Maybe that one thing you thought would be a top seller just isn’t. That’s okay! Try something else! It’s exciting to imagine all the creative projects that are coming out of this unique season of down time that many of us have experienced this year. 

You can meet Shelby at our Grand Rapids Holiday Market on December 12, and soon you’ll be able to shop all of her incredible work on shop.mademkt.com!

It’s that time of year for makers everywhere to start thinking about applying for handmade markets again! Whether it’s a summer market or end-of-year market, each one can be a great opportunity to gain customers and grow your business. Every maker is unique, and each market has different requirements, so I wanted to take an opportunity to answer one of our most often-asked questions:  “How should I go about applying for a handmade market?”  Let’s get into a few ways that you can set yourself apart as you start to fill out applications

1. Take the time to search for the markets that are a good fit for you.
2. Your photos should represent how incredible your work truly is.
3. Answer questions genuinely and from the heart.
4. Include full links to your social media.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback.

1. Take the time to search for the markets that are a good fit for you.

There are likely dozens of markets within driving distance from where you live. It’s your responsibility (and can actually be really fun!) to research and find all of the best markets in your area. There are some great resources (like The Maker City’s 2020 list) that can be a place to start, but Google may prove to be your best friend as you search for markets. Try searching for “Best handmade markets in [city name]”, and search for any cities that you would be willing to drive to. 

Once you have your list of potential markets, spend some time on their websites and social media. Ask yourself, “Is this a market that attracts the kinds of buyers that usually respond well to my products?” Look at the photography: Discern whether or not it compels you; does it draw you in? Stop by the About section, and make sure you feel good about being associated with that market. You should be able to tell pretty quickly whether or not you’re looking at a market that would fit your style, brand, and mission.

With your list of top markets in hand, you can now filter out any markets that won’t work this year for more practical reasons: Which dates do you have available? How many markets are you able to fit into your schedule? How far will the drive be? What kind of venue will it be hosted at? There are realistically only 2-3 really good selling weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may be able to fit multiple markets into the same weekend, but you don’t want to spread yourself too thin. Make the most of your opportunities, even if it means applying for a top notch market that has higher booth fees.

2. Your photos should represent how incredible your work is.

Most handmade markets that require an application have a jury of some sort that will process hundreds of applications every year. When you submit an application, you need to make sure that it will stand out, and your photos are the number one way to leave a lasting impression. Handmade markets are only as good as the makers that they host, so they want to be as picky as they are able to be. You could be the most skilled artisan with the most incredible products, and you still might not be accepted if your photos don’t represent your work well.

Keep two primary things in mind as you consider which kinds of photos to submit:  simplicity and lighting. Keep your backgrounds as simple as possible. It’s perfectly acceptable to take a photo against a white background. If you choose to do more of a styled shoot, make sure your product is still clearly featured in the photo. As far as lighting goes, it’s hard to beat natural light. Unless you own professional studio lighting, your best bet to get really great photos may be the sun. Maybe you have a room in your house or apartment that lets in a lot of great light at one point in the day. Set up your products and get ready so that you can shoot during that one point in time. If the light seems too harsh, sheer curtains can act as a diffuser. And then if you want to try to shoot outside, the time right after sunrise or right before sunset is known as golden hour because the light is softer and can produce some beautiful results. You may have to use some trial and error, but you may be surprised at the quality you can produce on your own.

If the idea of taking your photography to the next level is at all intimidating, maybe consider getting in touch with a local photographer. Photographers run their own businesses just like you, and it’s never a bad time to support small business! Alternatively, you may even have a photographer friend that wouldn’t mind helping you out on a Saturday morning. And if you would like to tackle the photography yourself, I found this guide both brief and helpful. You can do it!

One more slightly more technical note when it comes to photos, make sure you submit them correctly. Many applications have file size restrictions, and the photos won’t upload if they are too large. At Made Market, we always have a handful of makers that end up emailing their photos directly to us because they had trouble uploading them with the application. It’s not a big deal for us, and we always make sure to attach them to the correct application. But I’ll be honest: it’s a hassle, and not every market will have the ability to go through that same hassle. So here’s a tip: If an application gives you an error when you try to upload your photos, try shrinking them either with software on your computer or a free website service like this.

3. Answer questions genuinely and from the heart

Many handmade market applications include one or two questions that should be answered in semi long-form or a short essay format. For many of us, that can be a little intimidating. You might feel overwhelmed by the idea of writing about yourself and what you’ve built. Maybe you’ve just launched your business and you feel like you haven’t accomplished enough yet. I want you to set all of that aside. Seriously, just forget it. No matter what kinds of questions are on the application most markets are looking for only two things: your story and why you would be a good fit for their market.

So tell your story. How did you get started? What motivated you at the beginning? How did you learn your craft? If your business has transformed over time, talk about that. Why do you love what you do? At Made Market, we are huge fans of people with the grit and courage to start their own business. These stories inspire us, and they’ll motivate any jury to view your photos with a new appreciation as they begin to understand the origins of your products.

In order to convince the jury that you belong at the market, use your research (from #1 above) and speak to how your business aligns with theirs. What made you spend your valuable time on applying to this particular market? When you envision yourself selling at that particular market, why is it such a perfect fit? These questions should help you craft a pretty compelling response. And if the idea of being a maker at that market excites you, let that shine through. We host handmade markets because it’s genuinely fun and exciting for us. It’s so encouraging when our makers share that same passion. Next quick tip:  Make things easier for yourself. Save your answers to a document that you can use to copy and paste into future market applications!

4. Include full links to your [highly curated 🙌] social media

Curating your social media is so important, and it probably deserves an entire blog series where we interview makers that are doing a great job with their own social media. If you’re just starting to get active with your business on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook, we would just recommend to keep things simple, use great photography (referencing of course #2 above), and stay engaged with followers.

You want to give the jury access to your social media so they get a better sense of your style, personality, and following. If you’re just starting out, it’s okay to leave this part blank and lean completely on the information and photos you are submitting with the application. But if you have even a small following, it’s so good to include your social media information. Another easy tip: When you fill out your application, make sure to submit the full link. For example, you could submit just your Instagram handle @mademarket, but www.instagram.com/mademarket is clickable and makes the process much easier for the jury. We always encourage our Made Market jury to take the extra step of checking applicants’ social media, but if it’s too cumbersome of a process, other markets may end up overlooking that aspect of your application

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback.

If a handmade market requires an application process, then it’s likely that not every application can be accepted. Unfortunately that means there will be some disappointed makers at the end of the jury process. Every maker has invested personally into what they do, and their desire is to share their work with others. We understand that, and it may be the only thing we don’t like about what we do.

My suggestion if you find yourself at this point is to contact the organizers of the market and ask if they have any feedback on your application or brand. It’s possible that there are a few easy adjustments that you could make next time to stand out from the rest of the makers. On the other hand, it’s also possible that there were simply too many makers applying for your category, which means it was a very difficult decision for the jury. Whatever the feedback ends up being, it will help you put your situation into context and assist you in preparing for your next market. Feedback after a disappointment may be difficult to hear, but it’s absolutely vital as you work continue to strive to make your business the best it can possibly be!

Conclusion:

There you have it! We would love to hear from you if this was helpful as you apply to future markets. We would love to receive your feedback if you think of any. Please share with your maker friends, and let us know if you think of other resources you would like to see us provide in the future. We love what we do, and we’re on your team!