Etsy vs. Big Cartel

Portland based artist Kimmie Hutchins poses some interesting differences between these two online creative shops… only time will tell which one will end up on top!

engrave your book

first off – moving always sucks! been moving my home office into a new space all last week and it certainly takes some time and effort – even for something as simple as an office. but after having worked from home for the past 8 years, i’ve definitely acquired some crap and with a baby on the way, there’s no room for that stuff in the house anymore.

anyway, one of the things i wanted to mention last week but didn’t was a cool opportunity for some of you artists out there to spread the word about your skills. my friend and very talented artist, Amy Ruppel started a new blog recently and posted about some new Moleskine covers she did with Engrave Your Book. well apparently it’s not just for the super connected, the everyday artist can submit their works as well in hopes of possibly being on their artistic roster.

custom art by Amy Ruppel

while i think the price is a bit high, the quality certainly lives up to the price. they use a laser engraver to burn the image onto their handmade, full-grain cowhides which are tanned with natural bark tannins and contain no harmful chromium – all natural baby and from right here in Puddle Town! definitely go check these little beauties out for yourself!

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art in retail

when i first became aware of the fixed gear craze, i was totally against it! i mean, why would you want to limit yourself to one gear and no brakes. admittedly, part of my disdain for them was due in part to all the messengers downtown who run lights and dodge in and out of traffic. something i felt as a downtown resident to be annoying, frustrating and ultimately very dangerous.

but seeing them everywhere made me start to really look at them with a different lens. i would see some greasy hipster flying thru an intersection and at first want to throw a bar of soap… but i found that as i looked at them more and more, i really started to appreciate how clean they looked – the bikes, not the hipsters. instead of shaking my fist like an old man, i began smiling ear to ear when i’d see a bike whose owner had obviously taken so much time and effort to craft what was so very much, a personal expression of themselves.

and sure enough, i started looking at photos online.. looking at my bike and wondering what i could do to make it cooler – simpler – better!

then one day i stumbled across a company in SF called Mission Bicycles – brand free customized bikes made to order! these things are so clean and beautiful all i could do was dream about having my very own. taking screen grabs and making them my desktop – showing pics of them on my iPhone to random people like a proud parent … i must have looked at the site 5 times a day for weeks on end – drooling over these wonderous beauties…

today while surfing thru my usual network of blogs and sites i saw a posting about this very company on DeZeen and how they had just opened a brick and mortar store and i gotta tell you, it’s gorgeous! it kinda reminds me of an apple store. all the pieces are showcased like in a gallery – forcing the customers to see them as little art pieces and ultimately upping the perceived value of them.

hooray for light-boxes!

this sort of retail when done right, has always excited me – when you (as a merchant) start to treat your product with respect, your customers will too! this is exactly the same with traditional art and gallery showings.

when artists go the extra mile in the presentation of their work, it really speaks volumes about the respect they have for it – and you can feel it as soon as you walk in to the space. this ultimately makes a potential buyer want it even more. did you ever have something you couldn’t help but show off and be excited about only to realize that the more you talked about it, the more people wanted it for themselves.. bingo!

it’s amazing how little people think about this concept when they present their work – either online, in a gallery, or even their home. when you don’t showcase the work as best you can, you are ultimately saying “i don’t care”. who wants to buy art from someone who just doesn’t care.. take the time and do it right – your customers will appreciate it and so will you.

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as a side note, i never got my Mission bicycle due to budget constraints. however i did get a fixed gear. a Swobo Sanchez and customized it a little. while it’s not logo free, it’s close enough for me and i’ve been loving it ever since.

i call her "Minty Tips"

happy riding.

Art for iPhone

just like using itunes, you can browse thru the artists work and pick your new screensaver

cool little site i just stumbled upon.. ArtforiPhone does just what it says. i’m not sure exactly how to get your work in an app like this, but seems to me to be a great way to not only promote your talents, but make a little coin on the side. the selection above is from Italian artist Alberto Seveso and is making me crazy right now.. i’ve seen his stuff before and have always loved it – a great marriage of art and design!