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You are here: Home / Handmade / Studio Peek Interview With Artist Laura Fetterley

Studio Peek Interview With Artist Laura Fetterley

by Tazim Damji

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Looking at handmade products online, on such sites as Etsy, Artfire and Zibbet, one only sees part of the whole picture. Who created those unique objects, and what went in to their production? These are questions I ask myself when I am looking to purchase something handmade. The story behind the handmade object is important to me. Laura, the artist behind Laura Jean, Laura Jean, let me share with you these great pictures of her studio space in her Ontario home, and also answered a few of my questions about herself and her art practice:

Laura Jean Banner

Tell us a bit about yourself and your family!

My name is Laura Fetterley and I live in Cobourg, Ontario (one hour east of Toronto) with my cat, my bunny and my boyfriend – my biggest fan and partner in crime.

I have always been a maker of things and knew that I would one day go to art school. My parents encouraged me to follow my dreams. I received my BFA from York University where I soaked up all things art – painting, printmaking, sculpting, art history.

My sisters are my biggest supporters as well as my biggest critics. They will tell me if I’ve just made something that sucks.

Carving Laura Jean

Studio of Laura

How did you come up with your shop name?

My shop name is laurajean, laurajean.

When I was a little girl my dad made up a song about me that began with “Laura Jean, Laura Jean…” He still sings it to me now. My parents have always called me by both my first name and middle name. I was named after my paternal grandmother, a woman who was strong, smart, capable and generally awesome. I have a lot to live up to. I think I could out-curse her, though. She would be proud.

Where do you create your items?

I have a studio in my backyard and I am fully aware of how absolutely lucky I am to have it. I’m currently trying to re-organize it in a way that I can work on both woodworking and painting. Sawdust is not friends with paint or freshly printed ink.

print

What is your favorite item in your shop and why?

My favourite item in my shop is usually the newest one, I’m fickle that way. But I do love the woodland critter lino-prints. I’ve done 8 critters so far in the series – bunny, chipmunk, fox, owl, deer and fawn, wolves, ducks and a mother bunny with kits. They are the types of images that I would have loved as a kid. They’re small and inviting, little teensy glimpses of nature.

Apart from creating beautiful pieces, what else do you do?

As for “real jobs”, I’ve had a number of gems over the years.  I curated a small gallery, worked in a bookstore, worked in the publishing industry in the areas of publicity, marketing and production. The one with the most cache – I was a pioneer at a historical museum for many years. I learned to dye, spin and weave wool, set lead type and print it on a nineteenth-century flat-bed press, turn wood on a treadle lathe, and cook on a wood-stove. I could totally survive an energy crisis. Currently, I’m about to start a new job at the Library. I can’t escape books.

prints

As for interests: traveling, (recently drove from Ontario to Whitehorse, Yukon – a trip which has inspired me to do a whole series of Canada lino-prints, we live in such an amazing country) biking, kickboxing, obsessive reading, thrift store shopping, eating cheese, art history discussions with my sister, and drinking wine on the patio.

Any advice on selling things handmade?

I always think about items that I would want to buy, then I make them. If I can look at something I’ve just made and say, “Yup, I would buy this,” then I feel confident that I’ve succeeded. I’m my own worst critic. I think the most important advice I could give would be to make high quality products that you yourself are proud of.

In terms of promotion – good friends and family who support your work are invaluable. The internet has made so many things available to us now that it’s a bit overwhelming, and I think a lot of people, including myself, base their decisions on recommendations from friends.

Also, participating in local arts and crafts shows is the best way to get your name and work into your community.

Prints by Laura

Why should people buy homemade?

I always think back to earlier times when people could identify each and every object in their household and know exactly where it was made. If they hadn’t crafted it themselves, they most likely knew the person in the community who did. It’s such a great feeling to possess a one-of-a-kind item, to know exactly where it came from, how it was made and to have a connection with the person who made it. My grandpa made me some carving knives that I use all the time and each time I pick up one of these knives I think of him.

Our lives are often cramped with mass-produced stuff so it’s amazing to have access to unique, meaningful, hand-made items.

Any works in progress?

I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have works in progress…

I am excited to get back into some woodworking projects. I love woodcarving. I’m currently working on a small treasure box with intricate woven foliage around the edges. I’m still deciding what to carve in the middle, probably a pair of bunnies. It will be finished with white paint, shabby-chic style.

I’m also *this close* to completing a set of lino-prints that are inspired by William Morris. There are three prints in the set featuring Canadian birds and wildflowers.

I’ve also instituted a daily drawing regime. As you would guess, I try and do one small drawing each day. There are no restrictions in terms of subject matter. I’ve done unicorns, abstract patterns, squirrels, tiny abandoned cottages…

I’m also about to start a series of large oil paintings featuring animals in precarious scenarios…

displayed framed works

Any other sites you can be found on?

 

ETSY

FLICKR

MY BLOG

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Filed Under: Handmade Tagged With: best, feature, handmade, interview, prints, stationery, studio

About Tazim Damji

Tazim Damji is a permaculture gardener and certified holistic nutritionist from Vancouver, Canada. She is passionate about photography, vegan food, and gardening. Read more posts by Tazim. Visit her food and adventure blog Celebrate Life's Adventures Connect with Tazim via Twitter or on Facebook .

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Being Tazim Blog Vancouver Canada Lifestyle BlogI'm Tazim, a 40-year-old Vancouverite who is passionate about adventure, learning new things, and making connections. Content on Being Tazim ranges from smart ideas for plant-based cooking and baking to ways to enjoy life's experiences, to inspiration and information on attractions and travel destinations near and far. Read the full story here.

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Hey there! I'm Tazim and I'm a lifestyle, food, and travel writer and photographer. I inspire, motivate, and encourage my audience to explore their immediate surroundings and those further afield. I do this by sharing plant-based food recipes, ways to enhance my readers' homes and lives, and local and other attractions/travel destinations I experience. You can find my stories and adventures on my other blog Celebrate Life's Adventures Read more about me. . .

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