It’s been a really exciting week for me! First I was an unexpected guest on sfgirlbybay where I debuted new photos of my apartment and art, and as if that wasn’t enough of blast, I am also a guest curator on Etsy.
As I’m sure you’ve heard me say before Etsy is an awesome resource for affordable art buyers. There are really talented artists who I uncover on Etsy all the time, but I am often shocked to find that some of the most talented of these artists are not getting much exposure. So my article is called Eight Etsy Artists You Should Know and features the artwork of the following talented Etsy artists who deserve to be recognized.
1. Becca Stadtlander // 2. Ariana Couvinha // 3. Jessica Lucas // 4. Terrence Payne // 5. Estibaliz Hernandez de Miguel // 6. India Richer // 7. Katy Smail // 8. Michelle Ramin
See the rest of the artwork I featured over on Etsy.
I also provided some of my own personal tips and tricks for researching and discovering great art…ds
Tips for Finding Art on Etsy and Beyond:
- Take a few seconds to bookmark things that catch your attention when you first see them. Those few seconds can save hours when you need to go back to something you saw. I personally like delicious, hearting items on Etsy, Favoritizer (which uses the Etsy API) and Evernote.
- Your favorite design, fashion, decorating, and lifestyle blogs are great resources for art, so don’t overlook them. Anyone whose aesthetic you admire is a potential link to art you’ll love. I’ve found a lot of really great art on two of my favorite design blogs: Pawling I Print Studio and Seesaw.
- Take advantage of tools and sites like Etsy circles, Pinterest and Svpply, which leverage the collective sifting of many, many people. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to look through it all yourself!
- Sign up for the mailing lists of your favorite artists and galleries so you’ll be informed as soon as new work becomes available. Then make sure you manage your mailing lists over time, unsubscribing from those that no longer interest you.
- Be on the lookout for friends and family. If you come across something online that you think they’ll love, send them a link and hope that they return the favor someday
Today I created my very first treasury on etsy and wanted to share it with you all. I am constantly inspired by etsy’s community of artists and makers – there are SO many creative souls out there!
Lately I’ve been finding lots of cool industrial-modern items like anzfer farm’s driftwood lamp and forest bound’s recycled linen duffel bag. (Speaking of… I’m replacing my work bag with this awesome tote! It kills me that it has ‘Troop 4’ written on it from when it was previously used by a boy scout troop.) Back to the treasury… I hope this little collection inspires some of you too.
September 14th, 2009 · 2 Comments
This post is for all of my friends who think Etsy is the best thing since sliced bread but have no idea how to use it effectively.
The main complaint I hear again and again is “Etsy seems so cool, but when I try to search for interesting art I get totally overwhelmed and give up!” I get so sad when I hear this because Etsy truly is one of the best places to find affordable art.
So here are my tips for everyone out there with the same frustrations:
1) Don’t get overwhelmed! Yes, there is a lot out there, but you do not have to go through a myriad of listings to find art you like. I promise!
2) Start small. Find a handful of items that appeal to you and make them your favorites. You can start by browsing through the handpicked items on the homepage, the showcase (where you can select sub-categories such as painting, print, mixed-media, etc.), the editors’ picks, connections and so on.
3) Browse shops. From the favorite items you’ve selected, browse through the sellers’ other listings. You may have found a painting you really like, but after browsing through the artists’ other items, discover a similar piece that you absolutely love!
4) Browse your favorites’ favorites. Chances are your favorite artists have links (via favorites) to other interesting artists. You can’t usually ask people for their entire contact list, but through Etsy you can anonymously search through sellers’ contacts and start a chain of discovery.
5) Ask the experts. Many online art publications and blogs showcase their Etsy favorites. Two of my favorites are etsy art and a thing of beauty. Taking this route means all of the heavy lifting has already been done for you! (For Honestly Art’s favorites, see Favorites page)
6) Sleep on it. Before making a big purchase, come back in a day or two. You may feel differently after some reflection. Obviously if you still love it, buy it and hang it up!
There are many other great ways to search on Etsy, so please feel free to share your personal tips and tricks…
