UK Edition: Interview With bonbiforest

bonbiforest

Story by bonbiforest

Published on Feb 19, 2010 in Shop

Photo by bonbiforest

As your enthusiastic ambassador here in the UK, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to some members of our local Etsy community. Lee May Foster, a.k.a. bonbiforest, answered some questions from her outpost in Cornwall.

Without further ado, welcome to the wild world of bonbiforest.


Tell us a wee bit about yourself; your name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Lee May Foster and I am an artist and maker of things living and working by the sea in deepest darkest Cornwall. I make lots of different things, from screenprinted tees, accessories and paper goods, to paintings and drawings that I turn into art prints. I love to make jewellery, too.

All of my screenprinted designs and jewellery have their roots in my drawings and paintings, which feature many a critter, creature and scape of trees, sea and sky. I like to explore patterns, rhythms and stories, and the connection of people to nature. The wild world shapes us and we shape it. You will see that I like shapes and I like colours.

In the past I have worked with Bat For Lashes, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, and Urban Outfitters, and my jewellery and clothing has been seen in Grazia, Look, Marie Claire, The Guardian and The Independent amongst others.

How did you begin your foray into the world of designing/making?
Completely by accident! I studied fine art painting at the University of Brighton, which was great for making me very self-motivated, but not so good for the job opportunities!
I was really skint one Christmas and decided to get some cheap H&M tees and stencil little birds and phrases on them as gifts. They were well received and I had a light bulb moment, taught myself how to screenprint and went from there.

My boyfriend was learning how to make websites at the time, so he used my fledgling business as a guinea pig and made me an online shop. I also had a break when my friend Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes asked me to make her first-ever tour tees. We were all kind of doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time.

How are you inspired by where you live?
I live in a rural part of Cornwall, in a little fishing village on the south coast, and I work from a barn at my parents’ farm a short distance away. I own a horse and, because of this, I spend a lot of time outside in all weathers and find myself surrounded by nature.

I see all kinds of birds and critters on a regular basis — buzzards and garden birds, pheasants, owls and foxes, and so many rabbits and toads. I recently found deer tracks in the field, which was almost too much excitement! On a clear night you can see so many stars that you can make out the Milky Way! All of this feeds into my work. I’m a lucky lady indeed.

What else inspires you?
Other artists inspire me a lot. I like reading about what inspires them to create, and I have inspiring friends and family who are passionate about all sorts of different things: music, film, books, horses, sport… I think I find passion in people really inspiring.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?
My engagement ring! My beau and I got it custom made for me by Etsy seller OneStoneNewYork last summer and I love it so much. It has a Herkimer diamond stone and white topaz and is a perfect mix of vintage and contemporary styling.
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
My horse, Lauder, keeps me pretty occupied! I ride him nearly every day and compete in British dressage competitions. I like the discipline of dressage and the fact that, even if I am feeling lazy or unmotivated, there is a being that needs looking after and exercising. It’s a great excuse to get outside too!

Apart from that I like to spend time with friends in the pub, going out dancing and walks with my beau when the weather is nice.

How do you promote your work?
I love Twitter! It’s such a fast and easy way to connect with so many people. I also advertise on a few blogs to keep the word out there and the odd bit of magazine press really helps, too. Design fairs and craft shows are great for spreading the word locally. I give my business cards to everyone who comes within a sniff of my stall, whether they buy or not!

Do you have any advice for artists who are new to Etsy?
Well, I’m not sure I am qualified to give out much in the way of advice, other than be brave and tell everyone you know about your handmade adventure: word of mouth advertising is free and it works! Tweeting about your newly listed or sold and re-listed items also reminds people about your shop and your work.

If you want to make being an artist your day job, you have to put it before everything. For years I worked in an awful job, but when people asked me what I did I told them I made stuff. This allows people to think of you as an artist, not a telephone survey monkey! Just keep at it. It’s not always easy and there are plenty of very steep learning curves along the way, but really, it’s so worth it in the end.

Name your top 5 Etsy sellers…

Rose cut diamond bezel ring, $1200.

 

 

OneStoneNewYork: Beautiful jewellery made from reclaimed metals. He made my engagement ring and I love to browse his shop.

View Item | View Shop

 

 

 

Gold Quartz Necklace, $185.

 


LauraLombardiJewelry: Stunning work, I’ve had my eye on one of her necklaces for months and one day, one day it will be mine!

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Miss Libellule – digital art Print, $20.

 


Matilou: I love the girly style of her drawings and the video she made for Etsy’s blog is so inspiring.

View Item | View Shop

 

 

 

 

Earth Angel Dress, $164.

 


TheGarbologistsWife: Her Earth Angel Dress is one of the prettiest dresses I ever did see!

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Stuffed Cat Portrait, $95.

 


Sian: Her stuffed animals are amazing (and custom). Awesome.

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Thanks to Lee May for taking part! You can see some of her beautiful work below.

More Interview Posts | More Posts in the UK Edition

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