Your Full Name
Tasha McKelvey
If you have a bachelor degree/education background; what is it?
I received my Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from Mary Washington College in 2000.
I started my Ceramics career at 16, as a Potter’s Assistant and I started selling my own line of Ceramic work in 1999.
I went back to school in 2006 at the University of Richmond and received my Teaching License in Art Education in 2008.
Tell us about you
I’m 31 years old, I make things out of clay, I’m married to my very own computer geek & we have a very spoiled Beagle. I grew up in the country and now I live in the city. I’m compelled to create & make things.
Where are you located?
I live near the James River in Richmond, Virginia.
What do you do when you are not producing artwork?
I enjoy hiking the trails along the river near our house with the dog. I also spend a lot of my spare working in the garden or on projects around the house.
What drove you to become a product designer?
I have always loved to work with my hands and coming up with ideas for these to make. I fell in love with clay when I was in college. I knew I wanted to make my living in clay and the best way to do that was to start selling my work.
How do you promote/sell/showcase your work?
There are a fair amount Craft Shows where I sell my work. I sell online in my Etsy shop. In the last year, I have really been able to expand my offerings to the wholesale market – I use WholesaleCrafts.com, Trunkt & my own website to promote my wholesale line of Pottery & Ceramic Jewelry to buyers. I use my blog, Facebook & Twitter, to a small degree, to promote my work as well.
What’s your way(s) to balancing work and life?
Balancing work & life can be really hard when you work from home. I try to set up different chunks of time during my day to do household, fun & work related tasks. I also schedule time for me away from the house, when you live and work at the same place it is easy not to leave for days at a time – which can lead to burn-out.
A great product designer is . . .
Someone who thinks about how things are used and can put themselves into a potential user’s shoes effortlessly.
Who is a designer/ artist that you look up to? Why so?
There are too many to choose from – right now my big inspiration comes from the Indie Crafts Movement – I love that there is a new generation of crafters & designers finding new ways to reach their customers by creating websites, online communities & putting on their own Indie craft shows.
What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting the creative business?
The Internet has completely changed the business of art just during my short 10 year career. The way artists & crafters used to sell and market their work has changed in some pretty big ways.
We use the web to promote yourselves with our own websites & blogs, to find shows & galleries, communicate with buyers, sell our work directly online. When I think back to how things were done just ten years ago, it amazes me. As an Art Educator I tell my students that in the future we will all be responsible for representing & promoting ourselves, no matter what career choice we make, but especially in a creative career.
What music are you listening lately?
Mates of State, Flaming Lips & Sun Volt.
Name 3 your favorite art books
The 500 Series from Lark Books (i.e. 500 pictures of Teapots or Cups), The Penland Book of Ceramics & Crafting as a Business by Wendy Rosen.
What do you like the smell of?, i.e. coffee brewing, morning grass, etc. Why so?
The smell of ginger or garlic cooking (especially when I’m not the one doing the cooking) – it just smells so wholesome & yummy.
If you have online portfolio (website/awards/credits/client’s showcase), what is the URL?
http://www.tashamck.com
—–
—–
[.]
