Entries Tagged 'Irish Craft Association' ↓

Starting out on your own….

If you are starting to paint professionally check out this site for basic information:

http://paintingprofessionally.wordpress.com/

If you are starting your own craft business, no matter how small check out:

http://startyourowncraftbusiness.wordpress.com/

Whether you have decided to make money from your passion, set up a market or fair, sell to the public for the first time or you have not lifted off the ground as you hoped, help is at hand.


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The enchanting fairy world of Gabriella Szabo - Artist

My name is Gabriella Szabo, a Hungarian fairy/fantasy artist from Dublin,

I’m a 100% self-taught artist, my chosen medium is the oil paint. Fantasys been always close to my heart, first of all because of the Celtic fairy tales.

I love nature , trees, flowers and their tiny protectors.. and as a respect for them I try to create their magical realm on canvas. My paintings were exhibited in the Expose Yourself Gallery in Dun Laoghaire, the Nora Dunne Gallery, and the D4 Hotel.

I’ve been featured in the Spring issue of FAE - Faeries and Enchantment magazine this year, and from now on my pictures are available on fabric blocks and iron on transfers from this site: www.katsmagicalpatches.com

Gabi

web: www.gabriellafaeries.com

ETSY: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Fairypaintings?ref=si_shop

contact: 086 362 5071

e-mail:    gaboca1111@gmail.com

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(Highly recommended Artist , I have a collection of her work! Karen)


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Popularity: 13% [?]

Ten Tips to Surviving 2011

Surviving 2011
With a year of a recession behind us, we are now getting used to the lack of sales from years before, the new amount of customers just looking and the customers you do have trying to get the best their money can buy them.
Below are a few tips to help you survive in your business for 2011

  • 1.       Be flexible, the old ways of doing things will not match the new way people are thinking, so be flexible.  See what works and does not work and suit your product to that situation.  If people want a cheaper version of your product, see how you can use a more efficient technique to make it, or a more cost effective way to package the product without undermining the product itself.  Comparing your business now to a few years ago is wasting your energy….remodel and rethink, give yourself a fresh start and new goals.
  • 2.       Branch out…instead of dropping the price of your product, why not resize it or make a new branch of your product where you can be more flexible on the price!  A small sale is better than no income at all!
  • 3.       Make something for yourself…..when you just love doing something you seem to do it no matter what the cost…instead of having a bad sale make it for yourself and keep in mind that the market can change again so you will have new opportunities to sell in the future.
  • 4.       Learn something new…….if you are out sourcing something for your product that you could learn yourself, then while the market is slow this is a prime opportunity to learn.  There are many night classes in basic computing, web design, photography, graphic design, paper making, crochet, felt making ….the list goes on.  Learn something new today, even if it is not related to your craft, it opens up your creative inspiration.
  • 5.       Safety in numbers…… Working in a group means that you get more people to shoulder the costs, organising and risks.  Instead of organising an exhibition of your work and having just your advertising , finance and style of stock for the event, if you have a couple of other people exhibiting with you, you can attract a wider audience with a collection of styles of work to suit many different types of customers.  Joining your mailing list with those that are in the group means you will get a much bigger group of customers to see your work.  Other people will bring different skills to the event, as everyone cannot be great at everything, so sharing out all the work to be done before you begin means that you can work on your product as well as having input to the event, without the burden of being responsible for everything.
  • 6.       Old Stock recycled or in storage…….if there is an expensive item that has not paid its way and you are about to give up on it, if possible could you dismantle it and make it into something new or many new pieces. If you are attached to something there is nothing wrong with putting it in storage….there may be a time that you know it is right to sell it or when you can cash it in.
  • 7.       Stop selling your gold…….have you ever wondered who is buying all your old gold????? You are selling something that is incredibly valuable.  Do not sell gold, silver or any other metal that is ‘lying’ around…….you are selling your wealth!  When there are shops closing all over the country, how are these shops opening up in the smallest corners in every town….you are under selling your metals and it is the only thing that is not losing its value…..never has and probably never will.  People are not buying shares, property or using the stock market….they are buying gold and silver coins, blocks or whatever they can get their hands on.  If you are not in need of the meagre 50 euro you are getting for you old gold chain then stick your gold and silver in your safe….and leave it there! That’s your retirement fund!
  • 8.       Teach, Share or work in your community….. When selling your product is not enough to earn an income why not spread your skills to help others grow.  People usually know if they are set out to be teachers so it will be easy for them to fall into this roll - whether you approach your local school or community centre and ask them about teaching weekend classes or night courses in your chosen field, or do a one-off workshop where people can come for a day to do a complete project and enjoy lunch with likeminded people while learning a new skill.         There is also the opportunity of working with an active retirement group, children, disabled people or people with learning disabilities.   

  • 9.       Staff is your biggest outgoing cost……Having been an employer and an employee I understand both sides of this story.  All employers want their staff to be happy….happy staff work harder and are more effective and efficient when they are appreciated.  Employers know that staff need to be paid to keep them, but also know that wages are the biggest outgoing  and are the first thing that need to be cut to help a business survive.  Instead of letting your staff go,  by asking them to sub-contract themselves to you, you  are paying them for the work that they do for you, and you are allowing them to be independent if they can get other work too.  It is very hard to let good staff go, but if there is no business left for anyone then cut backs need to be made.
  • 10.   Don’t take it personally……you are only responsible for yourself.  You cannot make decisions for anyone else.   Take advice, criticism and help when you can and most of all listen to yourself.  We have got where we are today by experience and taking chances that feel right for ourselves. Listen to your gut feelings and most of all keep going…!

Karen Harper


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Expose Yourself Gallery online

Finally Expose yourself Gallery artists you are all up on the web…(that is if you sent me your images)

Check out www.exposeyourselfgallery.com 

Anne Louise came to my rescue and has put you all online and has connected your pages to your own websites.

Your contact details will be added shortly.

Karen


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Popularity: 9% [?]

How it all started - what happens next!

Seems a lifetime since I started Noticeboard -  craft newsletter althought it is only 14 months ago.(May 07)
Then in October 07 I started this blog  www.irishcraftupdate.com/blog, and soon followed with  setting up the Irish Craft Association*,then started monthly meetings called Feedback*for artists and crafts people to meet and get together to network and move forward in their businesses. (1st Thurs of each month in Blackrock)

On 13th December 07 I opened up the Expose Yourself Gallery, displaying art and photography from emerging and up and coming artists that were willing to get out there and sell their work!

On the 19th of January I took on the Craft Rooms* in Blackrock for people to use to teach from and on the 31st of January I opened the Gallery craft shop in DunLaoire.

It has been a busy 14 months!

The Gallery closed as did the craft shop due to rent negotiations going badly and so I took the bull by the horns and contacted Ben Dunne – knowing he was interested in looking after the ‘young artists’ .
After a meeting I am now running the Nora Dunne Gallery* in Terenure!

Nora Dunne Gallery
What a magnificent building – 5000sq feet, with 3 teaching rooms* above it! (I divided upstairs as the space was big enough for there to be more than one class running at a time.) The teaching rooms* are perfect, all having a large sink with ample lighting for big and small classes.
The Gallery will still be looking after the emerging artists, with many well known names thrown in.
I am also doing the interior design of the Gallery and have input on all aspects of the build, to make this the Gallery to be in.

Coming from an interior design background I am making it spacious but also using the huge building to its capacity. Great 4 meter high ceiling in the main Gallery, with the most modern gallery lighting system.

We have an exhibition space* that a person can rent out. It is so big we can divide it for two people to use at the same time and also make it more cost effective for the artists..

So when does it open I hear so many people ask??

We are aiming for late October, but Ben Dunne will make sure everything is right before we open the doors…and I have to add his builder is one in a million so I have no doubt that it will be spectacular!

This goes back to the comment I keep saying that all the experience you have in your life will be used again. I have just finished the logo and the design of the reception area. The Interior design years, the renovation years, the CAD courses and managing the Bar in town, and clothes shop in London have all been great experience. All I have to do now is find the perfect staff, enough art and crafts to fill this space and keep coming up with  all the ideas I had before.  The times I walked around introducing myself to people at Art Ireland, Craft Fairs and Stephens Green are all paying off as I have a huge selection of people I would love to display work for.

The Nora Dunne will have the same principles as I had before.
Artists will be paid for their sold work quickly (within 14 days).
• There will be a small commission (25% on artwork) so the customer gets a good deal and will make the artwork sell quicker.

• We will have a short hanging time to let the artists be in full control of their work, as I believe that artists are all self-employed and should be not be tied down to long commitments.

The Nora Dunne Gallery will still have friendly staff that will be on hand to give advice and assistance with all queries to artists and customers. It should be like calling into a friends place and being able to see fantastic art hanging for all to buy!

What can I say, an amazing opportunity, I had asked for someone to come along and give me a building and let me keep going as I had been, but this is better…..be careful what you wish for!

(Yes Ben Dunne is a great guy to work for, very fair, open to new ideas, a business head like no other and has the ability to get things done!)

Bang…just landed on my feet! Hard work pays off.


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Thursday Night - All welcome!

An open night is happening in Dunlaoire Shopping Centre at the Expose yourself Gallery….everyone is welcome.

Invaluable information available for anyone interested in setting up a blog, setting up an online shop, needing professional photography of their craft done at very reasonable prices, prints made of their original art work, framing, guidance on pricing their work both craft and art , information about the RDS shows (showcase, Art Ireland, National craft fair), packaging, wholesaling, markets etc etc…
The list is endless!

The night will be held for anyone that would like to visit the Gallery and meet a huge amount of people with a wealth of information and experience in the craft and art business.

Meeting at 7pm on level 3

All are welcome and we will go to Lime Bar after for a couple of shandys and nibbles!


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Irish Craft Association

The Irish Craft Association has now got many people looking for
membership and it is on the way. I am just putting together the final forms
with membership cards to send to those interested.

There will be more posted about the aims and purpose of the
Irish Craft Association over the next few days.

Basically it is a user friendly service to help you in your
craft or art business. Services and suppliers will be members
too and it will provide a clear path to getting you moving in your chosen path.

For more info you can email me directly on
Karen.noticeboard@gmail.com


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Irish Craft Association

IRISH CRAFT ASSOCIATION

The Irish Craft Association is to support, assist, and help artists and craft people move forward in their business.

It is set up for everyone from students to ‘been around for a while’ creative people. It is also interested in having craft/art suppliers and services as members.

FEEDBACK meetings are run by the Irish Craft Association, a casual meeting of like minded people, helped along with refreshments. It is definitely not a lecture or formal affair.
It really works on the individual and their needs.

FEEDBACK meetings can be:  meeting others to discuss what is going on for them, to getting pointed in the right direction for a good course or supplier and even connecting with the mentoring section of your local enterprise board.

When people come together there is always a vast amount of experience that everyone can benefit from.

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This association is set up with the intention of looking after every aspect of the craft industry.

Not only is there membership for crafts people and artists, but suppliers and services for crafts and arts are also invited to join.

There will be many data bases compiled out of this.

• A section will be dedicated to fairs, markets, outlets for crafts.

• A section will be dedicated to suppliers, so they can be available directly to their customers, and the craft person has a list in front of them to access good suppliers that will look after all their needs.

(with your membership card you can get a reduction from the suppliers that display the Irish Craft Association discount sign)

• Services will also be covered, with things like book-keeping, taxes, web building, blogging, setting up on-line shops. Insurance.

• Direct links to the association, guild or society that caters for your craft.

At the FEEDBACK meetings there will always be application forms for the Craft Council of Ireland and help if needed to fill out the form.

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WEBSITE

The Irish Craft Association website will be built with the intention of being a one-stop-shop for all the craft person and artist needs.

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OFFICIAL LAUNCH

The launch of the Irish Craft Association will be at the Christmas Party for NOTICEBOARD (in January when the madness dies down! Dates to be confirmed, looking at January 18th upstairs in 4 Dame Lane, Dublin City Centre.)

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MEMBERSHIP

To open with a bargin is always appealing and will help the ball rolling, so there is an early bird membership fee.

If you join before the official opening in January then the fee is only 50Euro. You will receive your membership card that will allow you to use the discounts in the listed suppliers.

Insurance is available to you and the feedback meetings will cost you the price of a cup of coffee and biscuit(s).

NOTICEBOARD has to become a business that pays for itself, and so as a member, from the opening date you will get 4 noticeboard adverts a year. Non-members will have to pay 20Euro per ad.
There will never be a cost to receive the noticeboard.
Space on the website is also included, you get your own page, pictures of your product, every detail about you and how to contact you.

The directories of fairs, suppliers and services will be readily available and constantly updated for members.

After the launch membership goes up to 70Euro to join.

Events will come up that you can avail of like a questions and answers session with an accountant, so you ask exactly what is relevant to you about tax, sole trading etc.

THE ASSOCIATION HAS YOU AS THE SOLE INTEREST.

The meetings are called FEEDBACK, because unless it is meeting all your requirements then it is not functioning properly. At the meetings you are directing the next topic to be covered, your feedback is vital.

Feedback meetings will be announced though NOTICEBOARD.
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If you would like more information about the Irish Craft Association, please feel free to email me personally…

karen.noticeboard@gmail.com  or  irishcraftassociation@gmail.com


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