Date joined etsy - 7/31/07
Sales to date - 320
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.My name is Jesse Dornan, I live in Cincinnati, OH, my wife and I are art teachers and have two lovely little girls.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
I spend my days teaching metalsmithing to high school students at a local high school. Actually, two of my students just found out that they won national awards for jewelry that they made in class. I just got back from a fundraising dinner to help send them to New York for their big awards ceremony!
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
I have always enjoyed art, especially drawing. While in college I decided to take a jewelry class for the heck of it. I had no real idea of what I was getting myself into. Once I started working with metal I was hooked. There's nothing like trying to make items look organic and delicate by using such a rigid material as metal!
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
I found out about etsy through a friend. I was selling my work in small stores around Cincinnati and a friend turned me onto the idea of selling online through etsy.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
I believe it took about a week until my first sale. It was to someone in the U.K. and I was enthraled with the idea of that I just sold my art online (and to someone overseas)!
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
Let's see, top 5 foods:
Cookies, Cookies, Cookies, Cookies and more Cookies!
Top 5 tv shows:
Honestly, I enjoy watching sporting events the most. If I get a chance, I enjoy watching Dirty Jobs on Discovery, and Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel!
Top 5 Bands:
I enjoy listening everything from Jack Johnson to Metallica. However, the radio is usually on a country station when I'm working on my art.
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, an instrument, etc.
Woodworking is something that I've been putting into my work for about a year now. I took a rustic furniture building class with a friend and really enjoyed the challenge of bringing the two materials together (wood and metal). I'm always into trying new things with my jewelry. Especially anything that is nature related....lately I've been working deer antler and deer hide into some of my work.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?
For new etsy sellers I think the most important thing to do is to find a couple of pieces that are your gimmicky pieces. I remember when I started there was a soap maker that was creating "beer soap". I thought that was one heck of an idea! I started dabbling with making leaves out of metal with a heat patina and that became my niche! It has also helped me that I've been creating pieces for gallery and museum shows. Building my resume this way seems to help in people trusting the quality of my work!
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
SarahHoodJewelry
HarrieteEstelBerman
daniellejewelry
By the end of 2010 I would by happy to have over 400 items sold
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Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)
