What's an Etsy?

For some reason, I am always surprised by the question. Why? Well, first of all, it's an e-commerce global store of approximately 800,00 shops. Secondly, it's been online since 2005 with sales topping $700 million in 2012. Perhaps that explains my surprise at the question. Statistics aside, my favorite part of the question, "What's an Etsy?" are the shop owners.

Shop owners are artists, artisans, crafters and, more recently, sellers of vintage (more than 20 years old) items. As Wikipedia states, "...  in the tradition of open craft fairs, giving sellers personal storefronts..."

There are highly talented visual artists and photographers, the most clever crafters and upcyclers, and a wonderful mix of fabric shop owners creating everything from clothing to quilts. Personally, I'm always delighted with all the original and creative work that I find on Etsy shops.

With so many shops, how is it possible to be noticed? What to do? Artisans could be alone with their little store front trying to get noticed. That could be very frustrating. That's where the genius of Etsy comes into play.

Etsy encourages shop owners to join a team or teams. There are teams for  shop owners' type of products, interests, or locations. Some teams welcome anyone and some have criteria. The genius is that in the team environment, everyone mutual marketing by promoting each other. It's the action of reciprocation.: "I scratch your back and you scratch mine"

For example, I belong to a few teams: one promotes education for maximizing Etsy computer applications, another is a Northwest team and, my favorite of all, a local Eugene Team. It's my favorite because we meet once a month and I personally know many of the members. As artisan-entrepreneurs, they have lots of energy and can-do resourcefulness.

Eugene Team on Etsy members are also ambitious to reach the local market. To that end, they are inaugurating a local vendor fair.
Additionally, in keeping with the sense of local community, the vendor fair partnered with of a local charity that teaches parenting skills and provides support to families with young children. That is what Etsy is and the genius of mutual marketing.


Note: The Artisans & Vintage Spring Fair and Fundraiser for Parenting Now! (formerly Birth To Three) is Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 10:00am to 5:00pm at Valley River Inn, Columbia Rooms, 1000 Valley River Way, Eugene, OR 97401. (Each Team vendor is donating a work for the fundraiser drawing.) (click image to enlarge)

My shop?  atencioannex.etsy.com

Art... or Craft?

Artists often get into a discussion as to where the line is between art and crafts. This thought occurred to me as I looked at the papel picado (Spanish for "perforated" or "punched" paper) of Carmen Lomas Garza.

Lomas Garza is, by her definition, a Chicana artist. Born in Texas, she paints scenes of Mexican-Americans' everyday lives and special occasions. She made her decision to become an artist when she was 13. Over time, she has taught art, written books, and had countless exhibitions. Her qualifications as a painter are indisputable. She also makes papel picados.

If you've ever been to a Mexican-themed party or tavern, you may have noticed paper banners with cutouts on them. There is a very long folk tradition dating back to the Aztecs in making paper banners for religious celebrations.

Nowadays, the painstaking process involved in handmaking has been largely replaced by manufacturing. Lomas Garza is one of the artists who is keeping the finest examples of this ancient tradition alive.

As you look at the complexity of her papel picado keeping in mind that this is considered to be part of folk tradition, what do you think? Is it an ancient craft or is it an art?