Tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! My name is Jo and I live in Canberra and I actually like it! I do! Canberra gets a tough press! I moved here just over a year ago from a teeny tiny village in the Yorkshire Dales in England where I worked for a bespoke furniture design company who designed for big posh clients like Harrods and Selfridges. I love interiors and homewares so I’ve set up a little business in Canberra (with just the one employee - me!) making lamps and lampshades.
Can you explain your craft/art and the material you like to use? I’m a serious vintage addict. Always have been and I don’t seem to be able to kick the habit so I search out the nicest, bestest vintage fabric I can find as well as lovely, gorgeous new vintage inspired fabric. I also use a lot of reclaimed lamp bases from the 60s, 70s and 80s. They’re such cool shapes I can’t resist!
Where do you get your inspiration and what is your creative process? I love to combine old and new, vintage and modern. I love vintage and retro style but I find that sometimes it can be hard to integrate a vintage piece into your home without it sticking out like a sore thumb so I try to create items that are vintage inspired but have a modern, fun twist.
How long have you been creating and how did you get into craft/art? The Owls are Hunting has been going since around April 2009 so its all nice and new! I’ve always loved interior décor and always been really, really fussy about having nice lighting. I spent a lot of time in my old job in the UK sourcing props, including lamps, for photo shoots and it was always a struggle to find what I wanted. When I came to Australia I also struggled to find nice lighting for my own home so I figured why don’t I just design my own and thus it began…!
How did you come up with your business name? It’s from a line of verse in my favourite play ‘Under Milk Wood’ by Dylan Thomas.
What resources 'have or do you' use to help your creative pursuits (i.e. groups, classes, shops, websites etc)?
We have a fantastic fabric shop in Canberra called Addicted to Fabric so if I’m ever struggling for inspiration I head over there and always find something amazing. I also follow some great design blogs to keep up to date with current trends, and I’m slightly addicted to Twitter – it keeps me connected with other crafters and goings on in the craft world.
What's your best advice for someone starting up?
Be confident in your designs. Stick to your guns. Don’t under value your items – people who buy handmade are cool, intelligent people who want something unique and understand the time and effort and thought that has gone into an item. That’s why they’re buying it!
Do you have any advertising/promotion tips for sellers to be successful? Firstly: Photography. You need to really take the time to get decent photos of your items. I’m no expert at this at all and I’m still learning with each new picture I take.
Secondly: Take advantage of all the free media stuff that’s out there! Get a blog (I have one! It’s theowlsarehunting.blogspot.com), get a twitter account, get a facebook page, get a flickr account. The more places your name and pictures crop up the more people will find out about you and your lovely products.
Thirdly: Keep your madeit shop looking gorgeous and well stocked. Not only is it a great place to sell your items but it’s also a great place to be spotted by boutique owners, journalists and stylists.
Can you share any lessons that you have learned the hard way? Don’t leave a beagle alone in the same room as a frozen leg of lamb.
What do you like to do besides creating? Walking said beagle up large hills to work off the excessive calories that he’s consumed.
What is your favourite music, television show, film, book, website? Music
There’s way too many but I love these: Wolf Parade, Band of Horses, Electrelane, Laura J Martin (Check her out, she’s super super talented: myspace.com/lalajmartin), the Shout out Louds (I still LOVE Impossible).
Television
The Bill – Ha ha!!! No really. Ever since I left England I am strangely compelled to watch The Bill. Sad. Very sad.
Film
This is super easy peasy: Every single Wes Anderson film. I love Wes Anderson. The Royal Tenenbaums is my very favourite but Life Aquatic, Darjeeling Ltd, Bottle Rocket, Fantastic Mr. Fox... all of em. After that there’s Wings of Desire and Paris, Texas both by Wim Wenders, and after that there’s The Goonies - obviously.
Books
A Confederate General From Big Sur by Richard Brautigan, The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks, Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake, And the Ass Saw The Angel by Nick Cave, Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (hadn’t heard of this until I got to Australia but it’s a great little book).
What would be your perfect day?
At the moment I’m really missing rain so it’d have to include waking up to a grey, drizzly day and then donning a raincoat and boots and heading up the hill with the dog. I’d then get back home in time for a bacon and egg butty before heading out again to a lovely market for a spot of handmade clothes shopping. Then some more lovely food at a cute little restaurant before catching an awesome Laura J Martin gig. Perfect!
Who is one of your favourite madeit seller, explain why in less than 10 words? Pocket Carnival: Their designs are ace.
