Tell us a bit about yourself name, location,
affiliations, personal stuff.
Hello there! My name is Joanna Rutter, I’m 23 and live in Devon, UK. I studied silversmithing for a year at UCA in 2006 and since then I’ve been beavering away creating and selling my work. This autumn I’m moving across country to Brighton to start a BA in illustration. All my jewellery designs are based on my illustration work and it will be exciting to see where the next three years take them...
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I spend a lot of my time making jewellery and doing all the other jobs necessary to running a business single-handed. When I am taking a break from work-mode I still spend time creating. I love to draw and make things with paper, and I’m only just discovering the wonders of fabric... I recently bought my first sewing machine and we’re getting used to each other (slowly). I’m quite a geek about books, cameras, music, crosswords and food. I spend a lot of happy time with my lovely boyfriend, browsing the internet, having coffee with friends and playing with my favourite pooches. I like to appreciate life both fast and slow. I also love to sleep, of course!
What first made you want to become an artist?
When I was little I wanted to be a presenter on Blue Peter because I thought it would enable me to make exciting things from yoghurt pots for a living. The yoghurt pots had to go, but I still love working with my hands.
Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
All my pieces are created with traditional metalworking techniques including piercing (sawing), soldering and forming. Despite being a silversmith I’m not a great three dimensional thinker, which has contributed a lot to the style of my jewellery. New ideas begin as illustrations on paper. I use Scotch tape to transfer my drawings onto metal. These sticky pieces like to stray and I’m always finding lost little birds about the place.
What handmade possession do you most cherish?
My collection of handmade cards and notes from my family and other special people. As for objects, I’m very fond of my teapot made by Paige Russell, it’s a beautiful thing and was a gift from my favourite person.
Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.
I’m not great at the High Fidelity top 5’s, but at the moment I’m enjoying…
Notes From an Exhibition - Patrick Gale
Revolutionary Road - Richard Yates
Låt den rätte komma in
Beirut
Feist
Iron & Wine
Johnny Flynn
BBC
Swiss Miss
It’s Nice That
Fine Little Day
What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
Don’t be overwhelmed by the size of Etsy, it’s still a great place to be
noticed. Just be prepared to build up slowly. Spend a lot of time on your
product and then take some time to photograph it well. Read the Storque for some
great advice on photography, it’s such an important element of selling online. Make friends with your camera and enjoy using it!
What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?
The treasuries are a great invention and I’m always impressed by collections put together by Etsy members. I would love a notes section in my orders where I could add any additional details about the order that I need to remember.
How do you promote your work?
I have a blog and Flickr, but they are for fun really. I think I need to get better at this part… I’ve been lucky to have had lots of great exposure from bloggers and my kind customers.
In ten years I'd like to be...
Working on things I’m passionate about with the people that make me happy. |
