Christine Haynes: sewing author, teacher, and pattern designer and Owner, Christine Haynes Patterns 

Q. Tell us a little about yourself & your background in the arts & crafts world:
A. I started making art really young, as I grew up in a small arts community filled with galleries and artists.  It was perfectly normal to pursue the arts as a way of like.  I learned to sew when I was 10 and did loads of other arts activities, like ballet, oil painting, and ceramics as I grew up.  I received a BFA in studio art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a focus in Film, Video, and New Media.  I made art, sewed my own wardrobe, and worked in arts administration until one day when I participated in the second Renegade Craft Fair.  I sold clothing I made and it was a hit.  From there it all just snowballed- I started writing for magazines, wrote my first book for Random House, started teaching sewing, and then launched my line of sewing patterns.  I'm still writing, teaching, and designing today!

Q. What/who is your biggest inspiration?
A. My patterns are inspired by a host of things, but mostly from observing people, films, and vintage materials like yearbooks and sewing patterns.  I want the women who sew my patterns to feel beautiful and unfussy. I prefer a quiet life and never want the need to be clothed to be a burden; rather it should be a joy. 

Q. How did you get into your position in the arts & crafts world?
A. I got here after years and years of stubborn hard work!  There is no way to work for yourself with our working really hard at it.

Q. Tell us about a few favorites of your: Weekend activity? Food? Color? Animal?
A. Since I almost always teach on Saturdays, my weekends are usually Sunday and Monday.  A favorite Sunday activity is the simple pleasure of having a long leisurely breakfast and reading the Sunday papers with my boyfriend.  A favorite food is hummus!  It's a weakness for sure.  My favorite "colors" are green and blue, but my real favorite is gray, if that can be considered a color.  And my favorite animals are my kitties, Sally and Pinta.

Q. What do you love most about the handmade movement?
A. I love it when my students come into class- innocently learning to sew so they can make clothes for their kids or something for their home- then slowly become aware of what a revolutionary act this truly is.  They don't come to class with the intention of rethinking how things are made and how they consume mass-produced products, but most eventually start to think about the cost of materials and labor really quickly into learning things for themselves.  It's empowering in a way that they didn't expect, and to witness that transformation is incredible.

Q. What is the most important feature in an artist's application for you?
A. Honesty.  The work must read true and like it's coming from their own voice. 

Q. What are you most looking forward to in being a part of the Jackalope Arts jury?
A. I'm excited to seeing all the work come in and then to see the finished show!

Q. Where can we find our more about you?
A. My website is simply my name, www.ChrstineHaynes.com, and you can find me on all those social media outlets that you know and love:

Instagram - @christinehaynes
Twitter - @christinehaynes
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/christinehaynesstudio 
Blog - http://www.christinehaynes.blogspot.com
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/christinehaynes/
Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/venicegirl/

Learn about all of the Pasadena, Jackalope jurors here!

Brent Turner: The Campbells PR / Beer and Tall Buildings
 

Q: Tell us a little about yourself & your background in the arts & crafts world: 
A: I remember the moment distinctly: I had just returned home from a month-long tour with my band. I quit my day job at a PR agency to head out on the road and now here I was, back home, scared shitless about bills, staring blankly at my computer. PR was the only profession I really new. So I decided to open my own consultancy and promised myself I'd only work on things I loved. These things were (and still are) art, design and architecture.

Q: Tell us about a few favorites of yours: 
A: That's easy. Wilderness, dense cities and beer. British ESBs (and their California pale ale analogues) to be exact.

Q: What do you love most about the handmade movement?
A: I love the intentionality of the handmade movement. Time in quiet contemplation almost always leads to brilliant ideas. And I think the protracted handmade process facilitates that type of introspection. 

Q: What is the most important feature in an artist's application for you? 
A: I look for 3 things in any creative work: concept, craft and heart. First, is there an original idea or an original progression of an existing idea? Second, has the artist developed his or her craft to the point that it induces a sense of wonder or respect for the work in front of you? Third, does the work speak to some level of universal truth? This is the heart of a work. It should be self-aware but not self-conscious. It will certainly be flawed too, but somehow perfect in that state of imperfection. Everyone has heart. But putting our hearts into our work is the hardest thing to do.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a part of the Jackalope Arts jury?  
A: I'm looking forward to that rush of seeing new work. I liken it to watching the Lakers (well, the Lakers of old) in the playoffs. With every shot, there's a rush of the unexpected. Not every shot goes in the basket, but you're always hoping. I feel that way about art and artists too. Not every work is a slam dunk…yet. But you always see the seedling of something greater to come. That's really exciting to me.

Q: Where can we find out more about you? 
A: My career has shifted into copywriting now, which means my craft is writing propaganda for organizations and individuals. And I'm resuscitating a podcast I started years ago with Coagula Art Journal called Beer & Tall Buildings. It's loosely described as "drinks and conversation with thinkers and creators." Now that I've admitted I'm bringing it back publicly, I can't back out now. So check it out (and links to recent copywriting work) at www.BeerandTallBuildings.com.

Overhead image of the Palm Springs Fine Art Fair

MaryAnne LoVerme : Owner, Los Angeles County Store

Q: Tell us a little about yourself & your background in the arts & crafts world:
A. I moved to LA from Brooklyn in 2013 to open Los Angeles County Store. I was inspired by the makers I met in NYC while hawking my baubles under the Wabisabi Brooklyn brand. 

Q: What/who is your biggest inspiration?
A. I continue to be inspired by the creativity, hard work, and determination of the local artists and artisans whose work I represent in the shop.

Q: How did you get into your position in the arts & crafts world?
A. I performed a magic trick: I turned my Brooklyn house into a Los Angeles Shop. Also, equal parts hustle, chutzpah, and the encouragement and support of others.

Q: Tell us about a few favorites of yours: 
Weekend activity:  Napping. Food:  Bread. Color:  Periwinkle. Animal:  French Bulldog puppies make any day better. But any dog or kitty pretty much. 

Q: What do you love most about the handmade movement?
A. It restores my faith in humanity and connects me to some of the best people I’ve ever met.

Q: What is most important feature in an artist’s application for you?A. Nothing matters more than the work itself. Is it original? Is it well-made? Do I want it or know someone who wants it?

Q: What are you most looking forward to in being a part of the Jackalope Arts jury?
A. Seeing all the amazing stuff people make! 

Q: Where can we find out more about you? 
L.A. County Store on Instagram!
http://instagram.com/lacountystore/

Check out all of our Pasadena jurors here!

It is becoming increasingly frequent for art fairs to be juried. Especially with the handmade community on an uprise and more and more artisans and DIY enthusiasts entering into the fair realm. With Jackalope, we believe in our Jury to help guarantee a high quality shopping experience. 

What does it mean to be Juried?

Jackalope has a selection committee review each and every application. The appointed Jury will be seeking artisans who display a high skill set in their respective fields to help keep the content of the fair vibrant and interesting for attendees. Our Jackalope Jury is comprised of local community leaders and not just the fair organizers.  This makes it important to thoroughly fill out your application and include the best possible product and display photos.  Your application is your first and only impression on the Jury, unless they have seen your work in person. 

What exactly does the Jackalope Jury look for in applicants?

The Jury will be using three key factors in reviewing each application.

1. Quality and Aesthetic:
Jurors look at the quality and appearance of the work presented. This is where having good product photography comes into play.  Did you select your BEST work to include with your application? Did you show enough variety?

2. Uniqueness and Originality:
Is the work presented innovative and original? What sets you apart from the rest? Your artist statement can also help relay why you do what you do. Do not be afraid to really sell yourself!

Make sure to detail your handmade process.  Giving our jurors a view into your process can make the difference between them selecting you or a similar artisan in your place.

3. Branding and Sellability:
How well is the work represented? Do you have a logo or innovative packaging?

If you have done a fair before, make sure to include booth images or possibly do a mock setup.

Make sure your website and social media are up to date, as that is also a good example of how you represent your work.  

It is always important to put your best foot forward and we hope this inside scoop helps shed some light on the Jury process!

Submit your best application!
For additional tips on submitting the best application to Jackalope, see our APPLICATIONS blog!

Meet our Jurors:

Pasadena Jurors

Denver Jurors

 

We've seen MANY, MANY talented artisans of all types since applications opened in October for our Spring Pasadena Fair, and we can't wait to narrow it down to the very best to join the Jackalope community.  

For those of you who've already applied --- February 15th is the date applications are sent off to our jury!  

We'll be making official selection notifications by March 1st, so keep a lookout for our email notifications!

Meet our jurors:

MaryAnne LoVerme

MaryAnne is the owner of the Los Angeles County Store in Silverlake, the only shop dedicated exclusively to fine goods made in Los Angeles.  From artisanal food, to small housewares, apothecary to prints & stationary, it's a thoughtfully curated collection of crafted wares. 

A view from outside MaryAnne's LA County Store

Brent Turner

Brent is an art-enthusiast, with a PR, marketing, and copywriting background.  Brent operates the Campbells PR, with clients all over the arts realm: from Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, to several local galleries in and around Los Angeles.

A shot from above the Palm Springs Fine Art Fair in February 2012

Christine Haynes

Christine is a Los Angeles-based sewing author, teacher, and pattern designer with her own line of sewing patterns, which are perfect for the vintage loving modern seamstress.  Find our more about Christine, here: www.christinehaynes.com

She has written four books: How to Speak Fluent Sewing, Skirts & Dresses for First Time Sewers, The Complete Photo Guide to Clothing Construction, and Chic & Simple Sewing.  She has also contributed to other books.  

Crafting a vision statement is great way to kick off the new year for your handmade business. 

A vision statement is a photograph in words of your company's future, it provides the inspiration for both your daily operations and your strategic decisions.

The first step in creating this is to examine your mission statement which answers "Why do we exist?" Then for the vision statement, expand on that base and answer the question "What will we have accomplished in the future; what will we be recognized for?"

Dare to dream when writing this statement!  It should be one sentence that inspires and that you can commit to.  Once you've crafted the perfect vision statement, share it with your partners, your customers, your community and keep it alive!

We hope you will join Jackalope Arts as we embark on our vision to...

Support local artisans who devote their lives to their creations and to bring a community together to celebrate local artistry and promote high quality, handmade creations of all kinds in our weekend events! 

 

Since 2014 is coming to an end, we wanted to reflect over this past year. A lot of exciting things has happened in 2014, and even more is in store for us in 2015. First of all, 2014 marked the beginning of Jackalope Arts. It was just this past year that the 3 founders came together and formed an art and craft fair dream team :)

We were quick to secure an amazing park in Old Town Pasadena for our inaugural 2015 event on April 25th and 26th. Jackalope Art and Craft Fair will debut in Central Park and feature over 200 vendors from home decor and housewares, fashion, accessory design, art, photography, pottery and more. Vendor Applications are continually flowing in and if you haven't yet, don't fret applications do not close until February 15th. 

Old Town Pasadena, Central Park

Another exciting marker for us is our growing support network. We are already securing sponsors for our first fair including the Pasadena Humane Society, Los Angeles County Store, Unanimous Crafts, Leanna Lin's Wonderland, Angel City Brewery, and Christine Haynes Patterns.  Our promotions are continuing and we are just about ready to announce who the Jackalope Arts official Jurors will be for our Spring fair! Be the first to meet them by signing up for our Newsletter. 

With so much going on here in LA, it would be easy to get caught up, however we are full steam ahead and not only did we announce our Pasadena Fair, but Denver, Colorado and Phoenix, Arizona are close to follow. These three cities each mark our founders hometowns making this extremely exciting for us. 

Jackalope Arts Denver will be on July 25th and 26th at EXDO Event Center and applications have already opened! Phoenix is coming Winter 2015 and we will have more on that in the near future. With so much going on we can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for us!

Happy New Years Everyone!

Wow!  2014 has been a wonderful year full of new opportunity and growth for our Jackalope team.  As the year comes to a close, we are looking forward to spending the holidays with our loved ones and look forward to next year in great anticipation.  

Now that Christmas shopping is (hopefully) complete….

May your holiday celebrations bring you scrumptious meals.

….A good partner in crime for the new year

And if you get a chance to see Santa, may you be as excited as Buddy was!

Enjoy this holiday season with your loved ones!

Our mission with the Jackalope Art & Craft fair is to create an event where the attendees can interact with you and your work and touch, try on, taste, smell etc.   However, outside of the fair setting, when you are being represented online by only a picture, quality product photographs are key to your success.  

Whether selling online through sites like Etsy, Shop Envy or your own website or applying to sell at a craft fair or boutique, the product photos are often all that is seen and can make or break that sale or acceptance.  Most of us aren't professional photographers but with a little help, you can become your own awesome product photographer!

The most important part of product photography is to TELL A STORY of not only the item being photographed but the story of your shop as a whole.  Develop a photo styling back pallet with similar background and styling in each photo so the brand feels cohesive.

KEEP PERSPECTIVE when you have products of various sizes by either emphasizing the size via a close up shot or showing multiple perspectives of each item.

Each image in a product listing should show a different facet of the product.  Your can photograph VARIATIONS of the product in color and style & in USE!

There is a wealth of information on the web about how to take great product photos, even with just a smartphone!  Check out these posts from Etsy and Handmadeology:

• Etsy: https://blog.etsy.com/en/tags/etsy-success-photography/
  
  
• Handmadeology: http://www.handmadeology.com/category/product-photography-tips/

Make sure you take a lot of photos and then edit & curate them down to tell the best story.  Always put the best one first as the thumbnail!   We are excited to see your product photos when you apply for Jackalope Art & Craft Fair!  

Now that a new year has officially begun that means so has another show season! Here at Jackalope we have both our Spring Fairs right around the corner. Fairs are a great way to expose your work to a wider demographic and increase shop traffic, but how do you better guarantee someone buying your product vs. just looking? 

First things first, they need to know about you.  In large part it is the responsibility of the fair organizer to advertise and ensure people come out to shop. However do not solely rely on the fair. It is also your responsibility to share your upcoming events with your current fan base. Not only will that help retain your current shoppers, but having 100+ people promote an event is better then a handful.   

Now that you got them through the door (or tent!) the trick is to intrigue the customer. Making sure you put your best foot forward in terms of booth display is important to first bring the shoppers in, especially when placed in a sea of booths. You can read more about our booth display tips and tricks on our blog post The Perfect Booth Display. 

Silver Spoon at Jackalope Pasadena, great use of space in creating her own brick & mortar store. 

So how do you intrigue the customer? People are more willing to branch out if they can try your product first. There are several ways to go about this. 

1. The first is by providing samples or allowing the customer to try on your product. Let them test your lotion, taste your chocolate, smell your candle etc. Having testers and products that are already open and accessible is helpful.  If you are a clothing designer, fitting rooms are a great option, even makeshift ones. For accessories include a mirror so the shopper can see themselves wearing your product! 

2. The next is by creating a price point that is comfortable with your newfound followers. That doesn’t mean lowering all of your inventory prices, but perhaps creating a product that will fall in a less risky price range. This could be a travel size lotion, a snack pack etc. Chances are they will run out and crave more! Varying price points will attract a magnitude of shoppers.

3. If you can’t create a smaller sampler, maybe offer a new customer discount or a special rate for Jackalope shoppers? Make sure to advertise this as well because your current followers may be more enticed to come and stock up.  As a thank you, you could include a code or coupon for returning customers. It doesn’t have to be huge, but make them feel special and want to hear more. 

Now that you have them hooked, make sure you stay in touch and keep them well informed of your whereabouts! Keeping a newsletter is a great way to remain active with your followers. To help obtain newsletter signups, we love an incentive! Get a piece of candy for signing up, be entered to win a free piece, this is a great way to introduce them to you. 

And most importantly, make sure to have a continuous smile on your face. You want to be approachable and available to help with each person that may come into your booth. Be attentive but not obsessive and anticipate questions. If you are having a bad day, it will show (even if you think you are hiding it) and the customer will feel that energy. At the end of the day we can get people to come out, but it is up to you to sell your product, no one knows you better then you!