About me . . .
I grew up Making things—both of my parents are artists and my father is also a carpenter—so it's as native to me as breathing. I fell in love with the fine arts at the tenderest age and have always had my hands in all of them, but especially in poetry. I am a poet first and everything I do is another way of making a poem, even a screenprinted bird is a poem.
My concerns as an artist are to bring a little beauty into this world. I've also spent a lot of time as a community activist and organizer, and even more than making beautiful things, I think I want to defend and preserve what already Is or Deserves to Be--trees, quiet, clean water, justice, the night sky, human dignity, topsoil, green growing things and the time to enjoy all of it.
About Hende . . .
*I want to make you feel lovely. I believe in good design, quality craft and materials that tread lightly on this earth. I enjoy making one-of-a-kinds and small batches of thoughtfully brewed garments for those who are tired of mass-market, disposable fashion.
*I'm committed to working with materials which do the least harm to the earth. Some of the items in the shop are 100% organic cotton (with hopes of finding ever more sources of materials for these things); others include recycled fibers in the fabric content. I look forward to being able to work with more and more sustainable materials as they become available to small, independent artists like me. All inks are non toxic and water based. All garments are sweatshop free.
*I print and embellish all of this stuff by hand, which makes it charming. It also means no two items are quite the same. Ink is custom mixed and there are other variations that make these garments special.
*Pricing: I favor a world in which we can enjoy and acquire nicely made things, even if we are not brimming with money. I try to keep my prices as affordable as possible and what I do charge for these limited edition and handmade items is based on my labor, cost of materials, and all of the other elements that are brought to bear upon the process. I hope you will understand that even a "simple" item involves time, thoughtfulness, and heart, as well as tools, materials, and practice over time. Yes, it is possible to spend less on something you will like at a large chain or well established shop. If you appreciate that I am making this item for you, then I thank you for your support. The current economy forces all of us to make our buying decisions carefully and I am grateful to be able to make Hende with some of my precious time.
*I 'll ship to the address listed with your etsy invoice. If you want to keep track of the status of your order, I always mark it "shipped" once I've taken it to the Post Office.
*All items are created in a smoke free home (I do have a kitty and pup though).
*As most of the items in my shop are made to order, I'll wait until payment clears before I proceed. I'm usually fairly prompt at getting things done, however, I have other work commitments and this sometimes means that it can take me a little longer to get your item made. If you are in a rush for any reason, let me know and I'll see what I can do for you. It's usually no trouble to get things shipped quickly for special occasions.
*Please figure on up to 2 weeks for "custom" orders as they often require me to source specific materials. Very often I can make them sooner than that . . . but just so you know.
*If you are in a big rush, let me know. I want to get things to you for your special occasions and what-not but I have a couple of other jobs so am not in the studio every day. Just let me know what's going on in your life and I'll speed it up as needed.
*Also . . . I have a lot of faith in the post office so I'm not currently charging for insurance or delivery confirmation. If you are concerned about this, please convo me and I'll add a little to the cost of shipping to cover that service for you.
*Please convo me with any questions about fit, color, materials.
*Wholesale terms available upon request. I do not do consignment. Sorry.
*All sales are final. I prefer that you ask me lots of questions than to send you something you are not happy with. In the event you are dissatisfied for some reason, get in touch and we'll work it out, which may mean making an exchange. I'm committed to your satisfaction.
*As always, I appreciate your feedbacks.
My other shop is at:
http://littlehende.etsy.com where you will find clothing for babies inspired by naturalistic and botanic motifs.
