Are you all ready for another feature?! I'm very excited to be doing a feature on Slumptown. I've always loved glasswork and I desperately wanted to take it in College, but alas, despite my best efforts, I never made it to the front of the line-up! I've been talking on and off with Slumptown for quite a while now, but can't recall how we originally met! I think it was through our Facebook Fanpages! So, sit back and relax this.. beautiful? Hmm, don't know yet, it's too early! Tuesday Morning and meet Slumptown! All images are directly linked to their listings on etsy, unless otherwise noted.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hi, my name is Rebecca Kerr and I am the one-woman show behind Slumptown Glass, and some days it is a comedy of errors. I live in lovely Portland Oregon, also know as Stumptown, along with a few other nicknames. Which gives you a little insight into how my store got it's name. I live here with my wonderful husband of 9 years (today!) and our very particular cat, Beans, and a fraidy-cat dog, Oberon. We moved here from Michigan, so I could get a graduate degree in Architecture.
2. When did you start crafting? What/who inspired you to become an artist? Do you do different crafts then just what you sell on etsy?
I have always been a person who makes things. I use to make gifts for my parents out of the stuff I found in the garage when I was little. My mother sewed and did various crafts while I was growing up. My grandmother has always been a crocheter and a quilter. My father has taught me all kinds of handy building skills. I had a very well rounded education in making things growing up. Aside from fusing mosaics, I have done stained glass, I sew, and I build and design simple furniture when I need it. I have reigned in a lot of other crafts in an effort to really work on my glasswork. Unfortunately, my table saw didn't make the transition from house to apartment when we moved here, and I do miss it.
A short history about how I got into glass. I have always been drawn to glass. I always tried to incorporate cold glass into my projects in college, without really knowing anything about working in glass. I took a mosaic class at the urban art institute in Grand Rapids MI and that is where I learned about fusing, as some of the pieces in our mosaics were manipulated in the kiln. Shortly after that, I took classes in fusing at Delphi, in Lansing MI. Which is where I bought my kiln a while later. I eventually started working there and got a really good education in cold, warm and hot glasswork.
3. What was your sole purpose of opening your shop?
Slumptown was started in November of 2008 with an invitation from friends to display some of my work for sale in their store. They were setting up a holiday gift section and are the suppliers for all of the bisque ware that I mosaic. When the holiday season was over, I started wondering if there was an outlet for selling my work. This is when I discovered Etsy. Having been unemployed in Architecture for almost a year at the time, I started looking into whether or not I could take a hobby and turn it into a full time job. I love running Slumptown and it has given me purpose and drive, and if you ever have been unemployed for a long period of time, you know how much this means.
4. How did you decide on a shop name?
Slumptown was the idea of my husband, as we live in Stumptown and I slump glass.
5. What is your favourite item to create, and why?
I can't say that I have a favourite item to create. I make every item one at a time and that item tends to be the one I am most excited about at the moment. That said, the Mosaic Teapots do hold a special place in my heart. Each Tea for Cause is designed for a special purpose. I am an avid tea drinker and I love that the teapots are functioning pieces of art that give back to society. Right now, I am working on an endangered animal series.
6.What venues do you use to promote you work?
Promotion is definitely something that I need to work on. Right now I use Facebook, so hop on over and become a fan! I have been included in many wonderful treasuries, a few which have had the privilege of making it to the front page of Etsy, many thanks to all the wonderful people who have included me in their treasuries! And this interview on Sassmowth's blog, a special thanks to Kat for that. Putting myself out there has always been a bit of a challenge for me.
7. Where do you see yourself in 5 years concerning your crafting business?
In 5 years I hope to have a larger kiln so that I can fuse more than one piece at a time, which would really give the business a chance to grow. Right now I am a little restricted by space. Each piece takes at least 2 days, sometimes 3 in the kiln, not to mention if there needs to be extensive cold work done on the piece. Cold work is sanding, grinding, polishing, sawing, etc...
8. Is there any other information you'd like to share with us?
November I am having my very first giveaway! Anyone who is a fan of my Facebook Fan page will be entered to win a cast 9" bowl in shades of blue! If it doesn't come out (since I haven't made it yet and it's a bit of an experiment) don't worry, I'll make something nice for you! :)
9. Name a few of your favourite things!
These are a few of my favourite things, Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes, Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes... Ok seriously, hot cocoa with amaretto and marshmallows, a good novel, a beautiful piece of glass, watching the snow fall, tea, and the list could go on.
10. If you had a super power, what would it be, and why?
Who says I don't have any??
There ya have it kids! I hope you enjoyed this Tuesdays feature! Please be sure to check out Rebecca's Slumptown Glass on Facebook and become a fan, she has lots of great pics on there, and hey, you can win one of her incredible pieces!! And of course head on over to her Etsy shop, as there are a lot more products then what you just see on this blog!And of course feel free to Comment! All Etsians love a little feedback!
And I just wanted to end this by saying, have you ALL entered my GIVEAWAY yet?!
Have a great day everyone!!
1 comments:
This was fun to read. I have purchased a few pieces from Rebecca and have found her work to be excellent. Enjoy this
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