Today's featured artist is handmadebyansan! Her shop offers a lot of cute and pretty jewellery so check it out!

Tell us a bit about yourself:

look at me here!

What is your background?
Where did you come from? What are your training, your education, and your experience in your niche? Did you change careers when you got started in your current niche, or did you grow up doing what you do now? Where does your background fit within your brand?
I was born and raised in New York. My brother and sister were always drawing or making something, so naturally I would tag along with them. I loved to draw fashion figures and from a young age decided I wanted to become a fashion designer. I started taking classes at FIT when I was in my early teens, and later went onto getting my BFA there, specializing in Apparel Design. I worked in apparel industry just over 10 years when I decided to try designing jewelry. I think that my background in fashion goes hand in hand with my jewelry collection. The traveling, inspiration, details, and taste level developed over the years has enabled me to apply it to whatever I am designing.

What hobbies or interests do you have?
I love to cook, sing, and make music on the piano and guitar. I would love to learn how to use Garage Band on my Macbook but that will have to wait for now! I love to walk and people watch. I love coffee, watching Netflix videos, and love to spend time with my husband.

Is there a specific design style that you really like?
Do you prefer modern, futuristic, minimalist, or some other design style? How does the style you prefer compare to the style preferred by your audience?
There are many styles that I like, and it is a combination of them that inspire me to create. I like Art Nouveau, Art Deco, but also like Minimalism and Surrealism. In terms of fashion, I love designers: Lanvin, Jean Paul Gaultier, Prada, Yohji Yamamoto, Rodarte, Alberta Ferretti, Dolce&Gabbana,

What drives you?
Is there an emotion, need, desire, or past event that motivates you to take action? How can you infuse some of that energy into your brand? I love working with my hands to create something that did not exist before, combining the urban+modern with the nostalgic. I believe that every piece I create is an infusion of my energy-from at one point not existing, to being a wearable piece of art that someone can relate to. In a way it is how I communicate with the world. I love that when someone buys a piece of my jewelry, they are buying something that I touched and poured my energy into. It begins a dialogue.

look at me!

What are you passionate about?
I get excited about finding new materials I can use. I love finding vintage components for my jewelry that is limited in quantity or OOAK. I think that this can be seen in my line. On a deeper note, we live in such a broken world and it makes me sad to hear about hunger, poverty, natural disasters, and abuse. I have strived to play a part for change in sponsoring three children through World Vision since 2001, as well as being a goodie bag sponsor at the YWCA Annual Summer Soiree in New York City 2010. In 2006, I traveled to work with the Priscilla Centre women's ministry in Northeast India to help develop their handicraft product line. They empower women by training them with weaving, sewing, and money managing skills so that they can make a better life for themselves and their children.

Why did you choose your career / niche / topic / market?
I started creating jewelry as a side hobby from my full time job in dress design. Designing jewelry gave me another voice with which to speak. It gave me freedom to create and express myself. I am very passionate about building up my brand, and am looking forward to taking the next steps whether it be to broaden my design skills, or to invest in a trade show, or showroom rep. There is so much to do!

What are your goals?
What are your plans for the future, and how does your brand fit into that picture? My goal is to continue to design and create, and build my brand through Etsy but also through outside channels whether it be to sell in boutiques, or department stores worldwide.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I hope to have accomplished my above goal!

Tell us about your shop:

look at me!

How do you describe what you do and why are you doing what you do?
I design and sell a collection of urban, vintage inspired jewelry and I do this because I LOVE IT!

What difference do you want to make in this field?
I want to bring my unique design perspective to this field and empowering+accentuating the beauty of my customer.

Describe your ideal customer & the world they inhabit.
My customer is female, mid twenties to mid thirties, girly but with an edge, lives in the city. She is a smart young professional, career driven, with a great eye for fashion. She is a foodie, loves going to concerts, and shopping!

What do you want to be known for in your business?
I want to be known for unique handcrafted designs and great quality.

What 5 words best describes your aesthetic

  • urban
  • nostalgic
  • romantic
  • edgy
  • whimsical

What is about your shop that is unique? What makes your shop different?
What elements of your personality, experience, skills and niche can you blend together to put a fresh spin on your topic? How can you build a brand around that uniqueness? I think that my growing up in New York CIty, travels to Europe, and experience in the fashion industry allows me to understand what urban women are looking for, and I believe it shows in my collection.

look at me!

What’s your story & why should I buy from you?
I once dreamt of being a designer, and it came true, and now I can design beautiful things for beautiful women to wear and directly connect with them through my collection!

What event or need causes them to search for what you offer? Which problem do you solve?
I make beautiful, unique jewelry for women to dress up their everyday, to complement their effortlessly chic wardrobes, and add a discerning sparkle to their lives.

What is your message?
I would like my audience to see a combination of beauty and strength, modernity and nostalgia at the same time–remembering a moment from when they were a little girls playing dress up.