Marketing at Spring Arts

Thank you to many new customers who found us at the Spring Arts Festival today. We've had enthusiastic feedback about the quality of our work and Ned's engaging salesmanship.  We'll be here until 5:30pm today, and again on Sunday noon to 5:30pm.

At the Spring Arts Festival we've launched our new line called "Rock Recycled."  We select stunning and durable pieces of granite, transforming each remnant into usable art. 

Mindy Kiker

mkkiker@gmail.com

(352) 281-1196

Satisfied Customers

One of our satisfied customers sent us a picture of her recently-purchased hook board holding her bracelets. She loves her one-of-a-kind piece of Florida Cedar with iron hooks.

Spring Arts Festival 2015

Come visit us at the Spring Arts Festival this weekend, 11-12 April. We are next to the fountain at the Thomas Center.

What motivates Nate?

 

 

I enjoy creating: taking something in its raw form that is neither beautiful nor useful and making it into an object of value. Applying my skill and my vision, when I'm done with my labor, people like the result. I am pleased that my effort creates usable art available to others. Knowing that I rescue a piece of wood that otherwise would simply decompose and disappear, I transform it into a useful object that can be handed down from generation to generation if desired, then I am satisfied.

 

 

 

What inspires Ned?

 

 

I like seeing how a piece of wood develops and what it turns into when I process it from a rough, log into a refined and usable board. When we go through the stages of milling the log, planing, sanding, and finally applying the first coat of varnish, then I have my reward. To see the grain and color come out of the wood is truly inspiring. When someone loves one of my boards, I feel that my work is a pleasure indeed.

Business Analysis

We sat down today with our business mentor, Jenny Kochert, to reflect on our experience this weekend at the Tioga Art Festival. We looked at our sales and synthesized the many comments and suggestions from both shoppers and other vendors. After much analysis and brainstorming, we have put in place achievable goals and have lots more to research and ponder in the coming month.

We presented a combination birthday and gratitude gift to Jenny: a personalized board of course! We appreciate you, Jenny. Thank you for sharing with us your deep entrepreneurial experience and inspiring our plans for success.

What a brilliant first show!

We enjoyed our weekend at the Tioga Arts Festival, and now we can call ourselves "Award Winning Artists," having been recognized for our "Outstanding Achievement in Art Production: Youth Exhibit" by the Gainesville Fine Arts Association (GFFA).

We have many supporters to thank, particularly fair director, Karen Koegel, who is a whirlwind of inspiration. She enthusiastically supported the first flight of our entrepreneurial wings. Limor Herb of the GFFA coached us in the art of engaging customers and marketing our work to patrons at the show. Thank to Dustin Adams, Curriculum Specialist for Alachua County Schools, who saw the benefit of including homeschoolers in the show for the first time this year; and Sunny Heo who provided on-the-ground coordination.

Numerous other artists at the show praised the quality of our work and our conversant ease in talking about our art. Chris Tatum of Tatum Custom Woodwork took a personal interest in our work and has offered to mentor us in our development as woodworkers.

Don Geiger also gave us useful tips, and has put us in touch with The American Association of Woodturners.

Many hopeful customers signed up for our Free Give Away. We drew a name out of the crystal bowl, and have put in a call to the winner. Hopefully we can soon post a picture of her receiving the winning piece, a beautiful cedar serving board.

Many thanks to the support of family and friends on Facebook and all those who stopped by personally. Building a business requires perseverance and persistence. We were exhausted by Sunday evening after talking and smiling for fourteen hours throughout the weekend.

Our gratitude also goes out to Jenny Kochert, our faithful business mentor and return customer who believes in what we do and who we are.

And lastly, where would we be without Mom and Dad? Well, we wouldn't even exist for starters, but beyond that, they support our passions, making the way for us to develop nobility of heart and hand, and grasping every worthwhile opportunity that this life has to offer. This is just the beginning....