GILT GOODS

INTERVIEW WITH CARY WALTERS OF GILT GOODS


Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, personal stuff).

My name is Cary Walters, I live in a small rural mountain town in Northern California.
I'm married, with a 4-year old son.

Are you a full-time artist/crafter?

Well, my part-time day job is doing graphic design work, and when I'm not busy with my kid, I'm usually crafting something. So I guess you could say I'm always creating or doing artwork of some kind.

What percentage of your income is from "online" sales?

At this point, a very small one! Maybe 1%? I also sell my stuff during the summer at our Farmer's Market and various craft shows, where I make many more sales than I do on-line. I think my work really does well in real life, where people can pick up and hold the items, and see the detail that went into it.

Please share why "buying/selling handmade" is important to you...

I've been a crafter all my life, and I love the touch of the human hand. As my high-school art teacher used to say (and it's stuck with my all this time!) -- "You are not a machine, why should your lines be perfectly straight?" And I think that's an idea that should be promoted to everyone -- that imperfection is human and beautiful. Our society has such a strange dichotomy of individualism and yet conformity at all costs!

Furthermore, I think buying and selling handmade supports those activities that are traditionally done by women, and it's important to me to support anything empowers women, especially mothers who want to work at home.

What do you utilize most for INSPIRATION?

Definitely the natural world around me is an inspiration. I'm lucky to live an a mountain paradise with trees, streams, meadows, deer, butterflies and more all around me every day. I try to capture some of that peace in my work. I also love children's book illustrations, graphic design from the 30s and 40s, vintage textiles, and of course the whole world of reference books.

What do you love most about what you make?

I love the colors, the sweetness, the hope and joy I try to convey. I'd like to introduce just a little magic and whimsy into our everyday life, which is so often full of tedious details.

Do you offer any services such as, wholesale, custom orders, swapping or bartering?

Yes! To all those things!

What advice can you share with other artists/crafters?

The thing that makes me keep going is the thought that I'm doing work I love, and getting better at it with every piece I make. And -- you have got to keep with it! Don't give up!

Do you have studio tips on staying organized, and working efficiently?

Um, not really. I basically create in a mess, but I like it. As my nephew says "Chaos is an information-rich environment." Isn't that a great quote? However, I do know where everything is, even if no one else does. So it works for me. The only thing you can't be messy with is records. Keep good records, and you won't worry at tax time.

Where would like to be in 10 years?

I'd like to have a small business that supports my family, maybe with a few employees, doing my artwork. Ultimately I'd like to go into the supply side, focusing on design work, which is my true love, and not do so much production. For instance, I'd love to market my exclusive heat transfers.

MORE WAYS TO FIND CARY WALTER PRODUCTS ONLINE
WORLD OF GILT GOOD BLOG
CARY'S FLICKR PORTFOLIO
& HER WEBSITE...GILTGOODS.COM