Local's Gallery Artist Spotlight

Each month Local's Gallery would like to feature one of the Local's artists.  An online interview so to speak, so that the other artists can get to know them.  This month's interview was with Barbara Lundeen.  At the young age of 86, Barbara hand crafts beautiful jewelry.  Below is her interview.

LG:  Barbara, what has been an inspiration to you and your work?  Why?

Barbara:  I have been creative since I was a very tiny girl.  My grandfather was a very successful artist and built a small easel for me in his studio so I could “paint” with him.  He encouraged my intense love of colors at a very early age.  I spent my youth and middle years trying every creative art and craft that came along but I always came back to creating jewelry.  I love nature and the beauty of our planet and I try to incorporate as much of that beauty as I can into my pieces.

LG: Are there themes that consistently run from one work to the other such as colors, style, etc.?

Barbara:  Perhaps my style, which seems to remain somewhat consistent no matter  what I'm working on, is the theme.  I prefer to keep things somewhat clean and simple so that the beauty of the components can be seen.  I especially like to work with jasper and agate stones and use them as pendants in the majority of my necklace work.  I did discover chainmaille a few years ago and enjoy making earrings from patterns I develop as well as some of the basic weaves.  Now my interest includes wire wrapping and it fits in nicely.  Many of the stones I use as pendants are now wrapped and it only increases the interest.  Of course, color is the most important and driving part of everything I do.

LG:  What do you look for in deciding on what to make? 

Barbara:  My workbench is against the window at the foot of my bed.  When the sun comes up in the morning it shines there directly.  I usually awake about 6am and the first thing I see is the glitter of crystals and stones and aluminum rings and I can't wait to jump out of bed and start working.  Sometimes I don't even get to the kitchen for coffee until after noon {grin}.  I have boxes and boxes of stones and every time I look through them I find something else that jumps out at me - “use me, use me” it cries.  Sometimes my ideas don't pan out like I think they will and I have to start over and sometimes the idea creates itself and is done to perfection in a flash.  I really never know ahead – I get so excited that I just go ahead without any preparation and that doesn't always work.  I am a perfectionist though so when an idea is not working to my liking it doesn't leave the workbench until it has been redone.  I love to do special requests from my customers – They tell me what they want and I get to create if for them.  It's exciting when I get it right and they are thrilled with the results.

LG: If someone were asked to make a comment about your work as a whole, what do you think they would say?  What would you say about your work?

Barbara:  Many comments I have heard refer to my workmanship being good.  This pleases me as workmanship is one of my highest criteria in a finished piece.  I love it when people ooh and ah over the beauty of a stone or finished piece – even when they are just looking.  Mostly, my customer, many of whom are repeaters, and I all agree that my work is a bit different and unique.  There is a lot of jewelry being created and offered at shows so it behooves me to always be experimenting and finding new ways to put things together.

LG:  What do you see, or have experienced, as the most effective way for you to market and promote you and your work?

Barbara:  Oh gosh, it's definitely word of mouth and repeat customers.  I have such a loyal following and they are all so wonderful about spreading the word and even bringing their friends to my house to look at what I have made.  Shows are fun but, as I'm getting a bit ancient, I have to look for indoor venues as I'm kind of unable to handle a so-called “EZ-up” necessary for outdoor shows.  That being said, I'm hoping to have more in-home and group shows in this coming year.   

LG:  From what I can gather, you do use social media platforms.  Which social media platform do you find to be the most successful for you? 

Barbara:  I had a website but took it down as it was almost always out of date.  I'd rather be creating than all the other stuff that has to be done.  I do take pictures of all my pieces for inventory purposes and it's easy to shoot those over to FaceBook where I have a page (https://www.facebook.com/beadsbybarb/) which I'm trying to get a store set up on.  Pictures, unfortunately, don't do total justice to jewelry unless they are done professionally and, with over 250 pair of earrings and 50 necklaces, pendants and other pieces at any given time, I'm pretty much limited to taking my own.  I use my cell phone mostly and that makes it really easy to upload to FaceBook and share.  I'm also on Etsy but, again, my Etsy store is sadly out of date and I really don't have the time or resources to keep it up to date and promote it so that it gets seen.

LG:  Just to wrap up this interview, do you have any final thoughts about you and your work, that you think would be important for others to know about?

Barbara:  I think of all creativity as art rather than a craft and I honor and respect all who possess creative genes.  I thank my wonderful grandfather for the genetics that allow me to be part of that group.  I'm told I should charge more for my work but I take great pleasure in knowing that my prices allow people from all economic stratae to enjoy beautiful things. My ultimate goal at age 86 is to sell enough to enable me to buy more stones and components to make more beautiful things.