This story will enlighten and inspire all those who have reached
that dreaded time in their fabricating life that causes a stand
still in their creativity. I am a one of a kind jeweller that
works in silver and precious stones. I took the first year of a
3 year diploma course in Jewellery Arts and decided that I would
be better off studying on my own in a modest basement studio
that my partner helped me start. I have been working and
studying in this studio for approx. 3 1/2 years now and have
experienced many let-downs and non-acceptance from certain
galleries, buyers, retailers, etc. During this time I plugged
away, and sent out lots of bios, slides, and samples to people
in my community (which by the way is a large metropolitan city)
who may someday appreciate the diversity of buying one of a kind
art jewellery. There was many a time when I felt uninspired and
thought that my work would never sell.
All of a sudden, it came to life! I had sent a set of slides
to one of the major newspaper’s fashion editor about a year ago,
and I received a phone call asking if I would like to be
featured in an upcoming article about local craftspeople who
just happened to start out working out of their basements and
how they had progressed in their enterprise. Obviously I agreed
to the offer, knowing full well that any free advertisement is
good advertisement! The article ran and fortunately I was the
only jeweller covered in this. I did not receive any calls from
potential buyers from this particular article, but what happened
is, one of the major television stations in the city gave me a
call and asked if I would like to be featured on their fashion
file (a 3 minute spot to be filmed ahead of time in my home and
in the modest little studio that I call my business. Well, as of
Aug. 26/97, they will come and film me and my work and air it
more than likely in Sept./97.
Sometimes things come when you least expect it, and I know that
through all the hard and exasperating times when I almost gave
up, someone always told me to work, work, work, it will happen.
I show my work in the major Art Gallery in our city, Also in the
Craft Guild Shop here, but I am so reliant on consignment sales
that the prices of my work skyrocket in the retail price range,
and the clients are limited.
My advice for all people in this fascinating world of jewellery
design and fabrication is sell your work first to anyone (and I
mean anyone)! who are interested and never give up hope. Send
out as many envelopes of slides, photos, bios, etc. even if you
think that it will come to nothing, you just never know.
Everything takes time and effort, but if you really love what
you are doing, it will come together!
If you would like to talk to me, you can reach me at e-mail
address: smartdog@msn.com and I would be honored to help you
get through the slump or just discuss with you the ups and downs
of this love we have for creating.
Good Luck to all, and keep plugging away.
Bryna Tracy ( smartdog@msn.com )