June 3rd, 2008 WendyLee
What is your business name?
Studio Luna – Bianca Velder
What is the significance of this name?
I named my business Luna (Italian for moon) because I like the idea of reaching for the moon, something just out of reach and yet visible. It is also related to being a bit moon struck, a bit crazy, luna. I believe a little bit of crazy is good, it gets you out of your comfort zone and into a place where creative things happen.
How long have you been in business?
I started SL in 2004, mainly to be able to market some of my beads and components. In the first year, I had predominantly jewellery for sale, wearable art. The focus has changed to components and beads. I have been teaching for apporx 4 years.
What made you decide to start selling beads?
Initially, I did not sell beads or components at all, I used them in pieces and jewellery. But I found that at shows and events there were a lot of requests for the beads, not for the jewellery and to be honest, I was making so many ceramic and glass beads that it almost automatically grew into the selling of beads.
How did you start selling?
My venture into beading and beads was around 9 years ago, and had humble beginnings. I just had the uncontrollable urge to create, to fabricate and experiment. Beads and beading grabbed me from day one, and never let go. In 2003, I was asked to participate in a small bead show in Adelaide, a bit of a combination of exhibition and bead fair. I decided to give it a go and also demonstrated bead making. It just took off from there.
Why do you work in your chosen medium:
I work in my chosen media (clay, glass, seed beading, knotting) because they are old techniques, and asides from a few tools, don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to enjoy. They also help me express what I am trying to say as an artist, part of being an artists is social commentary, observations and expressions of thought.
What do you love about your medium:
I love the connection with the past, with the bead makers who came before and the ethnical and cultural links with our history. Clay, glass and knotting has been around for centuries, in fact, are probably as old as mankind. It is the challenge to apply them in a contemporary way.
How has your stock varied over the years?
I don’t really have an extensive stock, my ceramic and glass collections are very exclusive. I create small series of themed beads and tiles, as well as glass and PMC beads. Over the years the work has evolved from very artificial polymer clay to natural clays, porcelains and experimentation with fine silver and metal oxide glaze over earthenware pieces. The experiments in glass have found similar expressions, the use of metals, acid and precious fuming produces incredible organic reactions. You will find a lot of abstract work in my stock, and from time to time I offer an outlet to other bead artists who do not have a store.
What is your favourite thing about running your own business?
I love having to think about who I am creating for, the artist who likes to use unusual products in their work. I also like having the freedom to decide if and when I want to offer a range for sale. This keeps the work exclusive and coveted and I find that I have a loyal customer base who do not mind waiting until the muse strikes.
What is your least favourite thing?
My least favorite is website maintenance and of course the paperwork. It is extremely challenging to keep those two areas up to date.
How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by seeing the reaction to the stock, by the responses from customers and by staying true to the exclusivity and that hand made component that I believe are vital to my work. Motivation comes from success and from recognition, by setting small goals I can achieve, I am able to overcome those dreaded creative draught moments.
Do you work in your pjamas?
Of course! Albeit that my PJs are a pair of old tatty shorts and a ratty t-shirt. It has holes in it from sanding silver, and it is soft and makes you feel comfortable. You need to be comfortable to work.
Do you have a neat and tidy desk or a messy one?
A very messy desk. I have areas for paperwork, publications, materials etc but my work desk is a mess. I find that order and neatness prohibits my creativity, I need to see elements together, out of the box, to understand what they need to become. I do clean up, but find that I need a certain creativemess to function.
What is the one thing that you cannot live without in your daily routine?
I would say my connection to other artists and the creative world – my laptop. It is a repository of many things – files, ideas, letters, invoices, emails, photos, web site and of course is the portal to access materials. Definitely a staple.
What qualifications do you need to teach:
I see a lot of folks dive headfirst into teaching way too soon, I suspect a certain amount of experience is needed as well as a significant amount of time finding your own voice. Having an indepth knowledge of the subject and being able to apply techniques creatively. Those skills come with time and a lot of mistakes, when I see folks start to teach 5,6 months after the start of their beading career, I wonder if this does the students any justice. It means they are not teaching their own techniques, but those of others. That is why it is so important to find your own creative voice first.
I believe the most important qualification is the ability to convey ideas in a clear and concise manner and breaking the workshops into logical segments. I have undertaken a few professional trainings in facilitation and training which come in handy for my artistic classes. Patience and tolerance is another important qualification as well as the ability to walk a mile in your students shoes.
Why did you decide to teach:
I was asked to teach at a few special events in the Adelaide bead scene, and found that I really enjoyed that. I continued teaching partly because it would be a shame to see some of the techniques and skills of beading disappear, and also to help beaders develop more maturity in their skills. The other reason is that I believe we have a duty to transfer knowledge.
Where do you teach:
I teach mainly by request, larger classes are held in community centres, smaller one on one classes may take place in my studio or at a local bead shop. Once in a while I teach at the Bead and Gem shows, or other bead shows – just keep an eye out.
What do you love and hate about teaching:
I love seeing students gain confidence and walk out the door with a bit more than they bargained for. I try to incorporate some bead history in the classes to help students understand that beading has been part of human culture for a long time.
I don;t like having to cancel classes due to a lack of interest. Unfortunately that does happen.
What has been the highlight of your teaching career:
I have been able to offer several workshops by renowned American Bead artists Cynthia Rutledge in South Australia in October 2008. This is something I am rather proud of as it is not easy to attract sufficient support for teachers of that caliber. What I enjoy most is teaching kids, I love what they come up with. I am not sure I have reached my potential yet as a teacher, so watch this space.
What can we look forward to from you:
A book is in the cards, probably not as an author but a contributor. Artistically more glass and ceramics, more tutorials and project work for magazines and I am working on engaging some of the international bead artists to teach in Australia. In a deep dark past I ran conferences and training and I believe there is a niche in Australia in that respect.
Bianca can be contacted at Studio Luna – Bianca Velder
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