Featuring LilaRubyKing and Artmind

 

Art Minis

Today, I'm excited to present the collaboration between Anna's shop, Lilarubyking, and Misty's, Artmind.  I came across both of these artists while searching Etsy for collaborations.  The following interview is from a press release prepared by Misty for just such an occasion.  Not only will you learn a bit about how their relationship began, it may just send you out to form your own.  Their story is inspirational and demonstrates that there are no limits if you are willing to explore the possibilities. 

 

Leaf Form Earrings

Around the middle of 2009 I was thinking how much I would like to have a go making jewelery using porcelain which I had just begun experimenting with. I had no idea where to start and thought I would ask my friend and jewelery designer, Anna from LilaRubyKing if she would possibly, maybe, perhaps, one day be interested in collaborating with me. Anna and I had become Etsy friends through the European Street Team, and many conversations discussing printed envelopes, our mutual affection for crackle glaze, and trying to work out if our paths ever crossed in Perth in 2001.  Anna was super keen and the planning began!

 

Art Minis

Interesting fact: Anna lives in Greece and I live in Belgium. We have never actually met but are living proof that collaborating over the internet is as easy as living next door. It feels like you have  a co-worker even though you never actually see each other. It's great to exchanges ideas and to inspire each other.

It started off in a chat room on Etsy. Anna made some visual aids.  Soon ideas began to flow.  We decided to keep our collaboration secret and I started referring to it as ‘the secret project on my blog’.  I started making samples in my studio, showed pictures and shared processes in my blog.   It was a way for us to work out ideas while trying to pique people’s interest. And it was great to see people were intrigued by the all that we showed, giving us great feedback. Since we both love textures and nature, it showed in the prototypes.

After a few months and trying out some bits and bobs on both sides, we set a date on which we would list our first items. The balance of who does what was never really a subject.  Anna takes the pictures, lists, wraps and ships the items. I take care of promotion, writing about the collaboration in my blog, and sending off the occasional blog submission.

All in all, we ‘met’ twice in a chatroom and chat via e-mail every day.  Exchanging ideas, blabbering about our cats and partners or doing more serious stuff like discussing pricing. We calculate our price based on time, material and artist value and we each get our share of that. Very fair!  It's a collaboration based on respect for each others work and for our friendship that developed throughout. 

 

Earrings

Exchanging ideas is super exciting and gives you a boost. It’s like wanting to dig into the clay right away or putting together jewelery when the mailman brings a box of goodies. Anna comes up with the most unusual ideas and makes me do stuff that I hate, like molding Barbie hands (not again!) but that makes it all fab and fun. The advantage for both of us is that it doesn’t feel like you’re working on an island. It generates energy and makes you try things that you never thought off before.  It’s opening up new doors to new adventures and it’s all super exciting.  The combination of porcelain and silver is not shocking or new but putting ideas on each other’s plate is a challenge.

I'm honored that you've taken this journey with me.  In the upcoming weeks I'll bring you more features as we continue to explore this series.  If you'd like to learn more about Anna, Misty or the European street team, please visit their links below:

ArtMind Blog
ArtMind Shop 
Lilarubyking Shop
European Street Team