Thursday, May 12, 2011

Member Spotlight - Tink's Treasure


Tell us a little about yourself
My name is Debi Doyle Brown. I am from the beautiful Hudson Valley in New York State. I grew up in Fishkill and now live in Beacon, for the past 19 yrs.

What is your professional background?
I am a self taught Jewelry Artist.

What led you to your current craft?
I saw a Breast Cancer Survivor Bracelet in a boutique and I thought it would be nice to give it to my Sister In law who is a survivor, on the occasion of her 1st survivor walk. It was expensive. I've always been kinda crafty, so I decided to try to make her one myself. I did and when I showed it to some friends they started ordering them from me. Each time I made a bracelet or necklace someone wanted to buy it or one similiar. So I started making jewelry for people. I found that women commented a lot on how difficult it is to put jewelry on by themselves and started addressing that issue by using larger clasps, toggle clasps, front closures, magnetic clasps and slip on designs. This was appreciated by my clients and they told their friends who also bought jewelry from me. It just kept growing, until it turned into a business.

How do you feed your creativity?
My creativity comes from the strangest places. I was in the waiting room at the Drs. once and a woman nearby was wearing a sweater in a big bold print of aqua, brown and cream. I couldn't get that pattern and colors out of my head. A few days later I made a Russian Spiral Necklace in those colors.

As crazy as it sounds, I also dream quite a few of the pieces that I make. I believe these Dream pieces to be my best work.

How do you work deal with a creative block?
I don't try to force anything. There's always plenty of other work to be done to keep the business running. So if I don't feel creative I use that time to catch up on the more mundane stuff.

Describe your work area.
I have a small room I use as my studio. It has excellent lighting. I use my Dad's old Rolltop desk as my work surface. It's perfect for jewelry making with all the little drawers and cubbyholes and I can leave a project open on it and roll the top down to keep kitty thieves out. On another wall I have a smaller desk and it is set up to do photography. The 3rd wall is an old TV/stereo unit that I use for storage. My grandmothers sewing machine is along side of that. Adjacent to my desk and within arms reach is a small bookcase I got roadside and all my bead trays are stacked in it.

Favorite time of day to work?
Mornings, I like to be up early and feel more creative 1st thing in the morning

How did you end up on Etsy?
A client told me that I should be selling my jewelry there.

Other than your supplies & materials, what do you want with you on a stranded island?
My family, my bible and my pillow.

Any guilty pleasures?
Beads, beads and more beads. I can't stop buying all the pretty beads! This is my goal for 2011. Stop buying every pretty bead I see.

Words of wisdom for aspiring artists?
Trust in yourself and make what you love. I feel that confidence in our own art form is imperative and often allusive.


Follow Debi and Tink's Treasure Handcrafted Jewelry at the following links:
Artfire, Etsy, http://www.tinkstreasure.com/, Facebook, Twitter

2 comments:

Princess Daffy said...

Debi, you are such a treasure! What a privilege to get to know more about you :o) You are awesome and so gifted!
Thanks for sharing here!
Love you girl :o)

xoxo, Daff

Unknown said...

Love this Debi! Thank you for being so great to the team. :)

Marilyn