Artist Interview: Sarah Shriver

Here is the next in the artist interview series.  Sarah Shriver, polymer clay artist extraordinaire, and one of my first bead-making heroes.  Sarah’s work has been inspiring me for a good ten years and continues to feed my imagination with her intricate caning designs and use of color…not to mention the precision of her finishing.  Read along as she talks a little bit about the business side of making a living with beads.

How long have you been making and selling beads?
Since 1987 so I guess I’m up to 20 years now, though it has been my full time and exclusive job since ’89.

How many hours a day/week do you work?
It changes a great deal from week to week. When there is nothing nipping at my heels, I often put in shorter days in the studio (4 hours or so) but spend time on the machine (computer). Sometimes the machine gobbles up the entire day. Planning teaching gigs and the travel is particularly time consuming.

Where have you sold beads in the past and where do you sell them currently?
I used to do the wholesale shows here in San Francisco and consequently sold through a number of stores and galleries.  However, for about the last 10 years I have sold only to the Highlight Gallery in Mendocino and at local Bay Area bead shows, Art and Craft shows, and to my students when I teach.

The Bay Area is fortunate enough to have a number of good shows so that I don’t do too much traveling for the retail shows, which can become very costly. I haven’t done web sales mostly because I don’t have a good system and don’t know that I would want to be on the computer more than I already am.

How long would you say it took before you had a ‘following’ or a more steady stream of buyers?
I began selling right off the bat to a button distributor who bought about 1,000 buttons a month for a number of months and this gave me confidence and income enough to quit my other jobs and dive in. I’ve also had some very loyal customers that have continued to buy from me over the years but nothing I would exactly call a steady stream.

Other than selling your beads, do you supplement bead making income in other ways?
I have been teaching almost as long as I have been making beads. In 1990 I began teaching in local bead stores and for community arts organizations and then I was really thrilled to start teaching for all the blossoming Polymer Clay Guilds all over the States and now all over the world. The teaching has rounded out my work life by paying me for my experience as well as for my beads and I love it.

How has the business of making and selling beads changed for you since the time you started?
For me, there have been big changes over the 20 year period in the public’s awareness of polymer clay as a medium. When I began there was so little knowledge of polymer clay that you could sell some pretty bad work just on the novelty alone. Also when I began my business I was making lots and lots of buttons and the whole “art button” scene was really hot. It was good timing and I have always felt very lucky about it. For the past 10 years it seems as though the bead market has been very lively – new shows, lots of interest, so I will happily ride that wave until another shift occurs.

If there was one thing that you could change if you knew then what you know now, what would it be?
I wish I did know something now so that I could contemplate what I would have changed……..

What piece of business advice would you give to someone just starting out?
I’m not really a savvy business person. I keep things very simple so I don’t get overwhelmed. My bookkeeping is simple, I have a year-at-a-glance calendar to keep the bigger picture in view at all times. I try to pace things realistically so I don’t fall crazy behind and I try to set up gigs that I will really enjoy so it is satisfying all around.

To see more of Sarah’s amazing work you can visit her web site at www.sarahshriver.com.