Tell us a bit about yourself name, location,
affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Yasha Butler. I am a ceramics artist who has been living and creating in Philadelphia, PA for the past 3 years. I am originally from Istanbul, Turkey, where I was born and raised and where I plan to move back to in the near future. I am a proud member of the Philly Etsy Team, though I have been slacking a bit on my team duties.
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I am lucky enough to have jobs related to my craft. I work as a technical assistant at The Clay Studio in Philadelphia and I teach three pottery classes a week. I also spend a good chunk of time taking photos, creating posts, updating my blog and packaging orders.
What first made you want to become an artist?
I grew up in a house of architect parents, who encouraged all of my creative endeavors. In college I pursued a degree in design and environmental analysis with a focus in interior design. After graduating my parents invited me to work with them on their life long dream of renovating a derelict Ottoman era alcohol factory, left from my grandfather's family, into a small hotel. During this project I realized that I loved design, but I just didn't like doing it in front of a computer. I came to the conclusion that I needed to find a way to work with my hands and so I took up ceramics. After about three years of weekend classes and workshops I decided to commit myself to the craft full time and see how far I could go.
Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
My creative process is a little erratic. I might be on the subway or walking down the street and all of a sudden an idea will pop into my head. Once I have an idea I try to build off of it. I enjoy working in lines and sets, like my red tree line or my off-circle line. I'm not the best at sketching out my ideas. I usually try to visualize things in my head. Sometimes I will make a small model of my idea out of scrap clay. Many times the idea will change as I begin to create it. At the moment all of my work is made from porcelain. The delicate and clean qualities of porcelain seem to fit my work best. I just started working with black porcelain, which I think will open a whole new direction for my work. I would love to combine gold findings with the black porcelain in my jewelry, but I am afraid the costs would be way too high.
What handmade possession do you most cherish?
I love my engagement ring that my lovely friend and fellow Etsyian Colleen Catherine Connoly made. Colleen, my boyfriend Mat, and I all designed the ring together and then Colleen produced it. The whole process was so much fun and the ring is beautiful. I also have a lovely necklace that my sister made based on a photo of Mat and I. She can work wonders with wood and a laser cutter. Earmuffs that I got from Serpil Erol are also part of my most cherished possessions. She uses an unusual finger knitting method to make her colorful creations.
Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.
Books:
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
Snow by Orhan Pamuk
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Palestine by Joe Sacco
Art Forms in Nature by Ernst Haeckel
Movies:
Blue in the Face
Never Been Kissed
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Head On
Anlat Istanbul
Music:
Devotchka
Telephone Tel Aviv
Aimee Mann
Art Pepper
Chimp Beams
Websites:
poppytalk
Oh Joy
heart handmade
decor8
ninainvorm
What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Create new postings or relist items as often as possible. When I post new products on a daily basis my sales go up, when I slack they go way down.
Make sure you have a consistent overall look for your shop. This will help to leave a good impression on your visitors and it will be easier for them to remember you.
Take time to visit other Etsy stores, look through blogs and magazines for inspiration. But make sure never to copy another person's work.
Package your items safely and send a thank you note.
Having good relations with your customers is much more important than making an extra buck.
What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?
I love the gift guides, showcases and treasuries. Etsy minis are also a great tool. I enjoy reading the Storque articles, especially the ones that give tips on creating a better store. I would love to be able to organize my favorites, create a picture album from my posts and print a statement with all sales and fees for each month.
How do you promote your work?
I don't do much advertising. I have a blog where I post about my work. I took a spot in the ceramics showcase during the holidays, which helped my sales. I always attach a card with my information to every package I mail. Eight of us from the Philly Etsy team created postcards with all our shops on them and split the cost of printing. This is a great way to promote your own shop along with others'.
In ten years I'd like to be...
In ten years I would like to have my own ceramics studio in Istanbul. I would like to be producing my own work, providing work space to up and coming artists and supporting an international art exchange. I would also love a small studio on the hills of the Aegean coast of Turkey, where I can escape to when I need to take some time off from the city. |
