Tell us a bit about yourself name, location,
affiliations, personal stuff.
I’m Sarah Brown, a Canadian transplant living in Los Angeles. People think it’s a made-up backstory, but I literally grew up in the middle of a forest outside of a town called Kenora, Ontario. In the summer, my family would occasionally get trapped in our house because there were bears in our yard, and in the winter, we’d watch packs of wolves cross the frozen lake from our front window. Walking home from the school bus stop could be a scary process if my brothers weren’t with me, so I’d yell and sing at the top of my lungs the whole way, hoping to scare off any bears that might want to eat me.
I originally moved to LA for grad school (CalArts/Theatre Design) and ended up staying after I graduated (with a brief episode in Vancouver when my visa expired). Later, I was working retail, broke, and went to a Banksy exhibit one weekend. I told my co-worker/friend about the show when I went into work the following Monday, and she laughed at me and called me Brokesy. It stuck. It’s the same friend who suckered me into making her some pillows with creatures on them, and that was the birth of Brokesy.
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I dress people. I’m a costume designer/wardrobe girl for film, theatre, puppet shows and the occasional commercial. For fun, I like to hang out with the animals – my favourites are rabbits and cats, go see bands, and pretty much any kind of live performance, go to the beach at night, go hiking – preferably in the mountains, hang out with friends. I can’t decide whether I’m a workaholic or inherently lazy but just very busy. Lately it's been a little all work and no play though. My husband and I recently moved to a loft in downtown LA, so a lot of my time is being spent trying to get that together and livable.
What first made you want to become an artist?
It’s not something I ever really decided – I’ve always enjoyed creating things for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is of my dad teaching me how to draw a cat, and my favourite past time as a child was collecting the scraps when my mom hemmed my brothers’ pants and using them to sew outfits for my Paddington Bear. There was actually a point in junior high/high school when I thought I wanted to be a doctor. So I concentrated on all the science-y sort of classes until I realized that was no fun at all and ended up finishing high school at a school with an intensive fine art program. From there I floated around a bit – from architecture school in Toronto, to sculpture in Vancouver, to theatre design in Montreal and finally down to LA. Way too much school for one person but I feel like I’m finally figuring out the sort of artist I want to be – two consistents in my work have been an interest in some sort of functionality, and bold colours/texture.
Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
Constant. Organic. Ideas will pop into my head at random moments throughout the day and I have to be sure to jot them down before I forget. Doodling. Image searches on the internet to research what something actually looks like before I doodle my five-year-old’s version of it. Mornings I’m generally on the computer, Etsy-ing as I like to call it. Then I tend to do my actual making stuff (Brokesy-ing) in the afternoons/evenings.
At the time of writing this, I’m working on a film shoot so my process is a bit messed up – I go to work for 12-14 hours, obsessively Etsy from my iPhone every chance I get, and then sew like a maniac when I get home!
What handmade possession do you most cherish?
My engagement ring. It was my grandmother’s ring and my great-grandmother’s before her. It’s gold and has 3 tiny rubies and some diamond chips but it means more to me than any big rock ever could.
Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.
Books: I’m ashamed to admit I really don’t read enough BUT: (un)Fashion – Tibor and Maira Kalman (no words :) but super inspirational for costuming), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle – Haruki Murakami, Grimm's Fairy Tales, The Unbearable Lightness of Being – Milan Kundera, Time's Arrow – Martin Amis
Movies: Roma, How To Get Ahead in Advertising, Down by Law, The Dark Crystal, (the original) Dawn of the Dead
Music: 5 is HARD. Some current, some all-time, faves: The Cramps, Devo, Cyndi Lauper, Mickey Avalon, MGMT, Tapes 'n Tapes, Modest Mouse, David Bowie (ok so I cheated a bit)
Websites: Etsy, Etsy, Etsy, Etsy, the Craigslist free section (yes – more cheating)
What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Do what you love and be patient. Hang out in the forums - you can learn a lot there and get support when you need it. Re-list often. If you don’t feel comfortable promoting yourself, find someone to do it for you.
What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?
So many good ones; Web Analytics, Favorites, Gift Guides, Forums. I would like to be able to search for a specific item in the Shop Local section. Maybe you can already do this and I just haven’t figured it out?
How do you promote your work?
My husband. But I’m also constantly meeting new people as a freelancer, so I force myself to tell people about Brokesy when I’m hanging out on set. I’m super shy so this is really not an easy task, but I try. I’m hoping it gets easier. Internet promoting is much simpler – so I re-list daily, Twitter when I think of it, and Facebook a bit.
In ten years I'd like to be...
Pretty much doing what I’m doing but bigger and better. Working on only creative/fun costuming projects and not having to take the less interesting ones just for the pay cheque, able to hire Brokesy employees, maybe have one or two small children running around, traveling to exotic places, spending time with a good circle of friends, volunteering at a bunny shelter, have a couple of bunnies of my own hopping around with the small children… |
