Q: If you are not a native of Portland - what drew you to this city?
A: I actually moved to Portland to help my daugher run a women's clothing and accessory boutique; we hosted local and indie designers, eco-friendly fabrics for clothing and accessories, and won an award as one of Portland's 10 up-and-coming green businesses.
Q: Are you a full-time artist, or do you have other jobs as well?
A: I am a full-time artist and I have a part-time job teaching water aerobics. I'm happy with my current schedule; I exercise every day and I have time to create my art.
Q: How are you evolving your business practices to grow with the explosive trend of selling handmade items online?
A: I have been learning how online selling can be a great way to reach a multidimensional audience, and I think it's terrific. I've just started my Etsy.com store and hope to learn how to really make it work for me.
Q: What are your business goals this year? What challenges do you face? Do you feel that you have the resources to meet those challenges?
A: My goal this year is to earn at least $25,000. That may not seem like much; however, when you have been living on less than half of that amount, it's huge, and it's a start. My biggest challenge is opening my mind to all the possibilities and then playing with those possibilities and turning them into wonderful artworks. Sometimes I don't know if I can achieve this, but it's fleeting and no reason to stop trying.
Q: Please share any recent press or publicity you've received, or any success stories related to your art and/or your business.
A: I wish I had some publicity to share - the only thing I have is a recent email I just recieved for an art show I participated in. It was, above and beyone all recent art shows, a lot of fun - the crowd of people who kept coming and coming were nice folks, they seemed happy to support the arts (we were all recycled/reclaimed materials artists). The artwork was great. The artists were interesting. The way the show was operated was just terrific. Here's the quote from Cracked Pots:
Dear Elissa,
Thank you for being a part of the first UnGarden art show. We couldn't have done it without you. By being there, you played a vital and important part in educating the public that recycling can be meaningful and beautiful. We got wonderful feedback throughout the day and hope this will be the start of something lasting. We hope that you were rewarded by the experience.
In gratitude,
Cracked Pots
Random Peyote Stitch Bracelet in Sunburst Gold by Elissa Tree
Q: How has Trillium helped to make a difference in your life?
A: Trillium has helped me learn to use the internet, opened up selling opportunities, sold my items online through their websites, and most of all has supported me through all my trials and tribulations, uncertainties and triumphs - they have been there to help me in any way I seem to need. I can't say enough about Trillium Artisans.
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more artisan interviews in the near future!
To learn more about Trillium Artisans, please visit our website at www.trilliumartisans.org.
