This post is part of our Artisan Profiles series, promoting authentic artisans and their products. Artisans: get your store featured by joining our free Buy Handmade campaign. Read the others here.
Danielle of Autumn Phoenix Designs creates a range of nature-inspired stained glass and wire-wrapped art and jewelry. Her goal is to create beauty that brings people joy and healing, hence Autumn Phoenix’s tagline, “Beauty medicine for the world.”
Welcome to Artisans Co-op, Danielle!
Artisan Interview
What’s the name of your business, if you use one? Why did you choose it? – What do you create/sell?
The name of my business is Autumn Phoenix Designs. When I was in high school and AOL Instant Messenger was new, I wanted a creative screen name. It was fall and I was going through some big changes, so I came up with Autumn Phoenix. When I started to sell my art (wire wrapped jewelry, wire art, and stained glass) in 2019 and needed a business name, I came back to that moniker and tacked the word “Designs” at the end.
Do you currently have a shop or website up and running? Where can we find you?
How long have you been creating? What made you want to start your business/start selling your art?
I have been creating things since early 2019. I posted pictures of things on my personal Facebook page, and many people took interest and encouraged me to start selling things. I started with local events and then added items to Etsy from there. I was really surprised by the success of my online presence, which encouraged me to continue to create and sell more.
What part of creation do you enjoy the most? (The process, seeing the finished product, seeing people’s reactions to receiving the art/product, etc.)
I really enjoy the process of taking inspired ideas and making them into tangible items. Sometimes things just pop into my head, and I feel so much excitement around new ideas! Of course, things don’t always work out the way I “see” them, but when I have a really successful creation, it’s extremely satisfying.
What is your Number One piece of advice for fellow artisans (biggest lesson learned)?
It’s easy to get burned out. Be sure to keep an eye on your energy levels and your attitude towards your craft; for me, I have learned that when I start to get really avoidant of a project, it means that I need a break from it. Be willing to take breaks from your creation as needed, as it is so hard to work from an empty cup. I understand that this can be very challenging if you rely on your art as your sole source of income; if that is the case, channel some of your creativity into figuring out how you can make space for yourself to recharge. This will prevent you from ultimately tanking.
What is your biggest inspiration?
I draw a lot of my inspiration from nature. However, a lot of inspiration just randomly comes to me as well. I might be in a craft store looking at random objects, and out of nowhere, I get an idea for how to use those objects.
What do you hope to gain from joining the Artisans Co-op?
I hope to have a more community-based, people-minded (not just money-minded) experience.
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