Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Bramlett.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in a small town, with no significant access to the arts. I can sketch and paint pretty well, but aside from art class in school, I was creatively sheltered. I was in my 20’s before I ever set foot in a craft store.
In the early 2000’s I was living in metro Atlanta with a cousin who worked at Michael’s. For my birthday one year she gave me a gift card and a scrap booking starter kit from there. That set off my many creative endeavors. I wanted to make everything. I have since shopped from every single aisle in Michaels.
It took me a while to settle on a medium, as I was inspired by, and wanted to try so, many. But eventually settled on polymer clay.
It started with Christmas Ornaments. Our dad is a bit Christmas crazy. He would put up the tree while handing out Halloween candy, because he was always competing with our florist neighbors to get our Christmas decorations up before they did. One year he was pulling out salt dough ornaments he made with my grandmother when he was a kid. He made some comments about me not having kids (I’m the oldest), and who knew when/if he would ever get to make ornaments with his grandkids. I told him he can make them with his own kids, and I went straight to the craft store and bought all the supplies. The first time making ornaments was with my dad and my two siblings. (Mom supervised).
From then on I made them every year. Sometimes we did it together, sometimes we weren’t able to. But I always did. Even when I didn’t have a Christmas tree of my own, I made them and gave them to clients as gifts(I’m a hairstylist). In 2015 I had a client that wanted multiple ornaments, and insisted on paying me for them. He also encouraged me to sell them. After that I really dove into the medium, watched tutorials, and learned a lot by watching others. I also started making hair accessories, seeing as I’m a hairstylist and have clients at the ready to model my wares. But the holidays are still the busiest time of year for me.
Aside from hair accessories and ornaments, I’ve also made nursery mobiles, plant stakes, brooches, and ring dishes. This year I started making earrings. I resisted earrings for a while because it seemed like a saturated market.
I still have so far to go, in regards to growing my little handmade business. I’m nowhere near having it be my sole source of income, and it may never be. But that’s not why I do it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Consistency has always been a struggle for me. There isn’t a switch for turning creativity/inspiration on and off. And I can sometimes get overwhelmed during the busy seasons of my day job. I went 6 months without making a single thing last year. But I eventually got back to it.
I mentioned earlier that I just started making earrings. I made some at Christmas just for stocking stuffers, but once I started, the ideas and inspiration started flowing freely. So I just followed it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I typically get ideas when I’m cleaning and organizing my work area. I’ll find things that I forgot I had. I don’t feel like my work has a true signature yet. Maybe it never will. I like too many styles. I love the three dimensional sculptured pieces with flowers and mushrooms. But I also have a lot of fun with patterns and prints. Sometimes I feel like my work is pedestrian, other times I can’t believe I created something so incredible.
I’m proud of how far I’ve come in my skill. Looking at earlier work, especially some of my first ornaments, I’m almost embarrassed. I thought they were the greatest thing ever.
I’m also proud to not be a gate keeper of knowledge. I’ve seen people online refuse to answer questions about their work or process, even tools they use. I’ve never understood that. Like, they learned the hard way, so everyone should learn the hard way.
Art is meant to be shared. Ideas are meant to be shared. Creativity is not a finite resource. Even in monotizing one’s craft, everyone draws inspiration from somewhere. And there’s enough to go around. I will always help people improve in their craft if I can.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Perseverance. The desire to keep going. I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve made some not so cute wares, but I never stop. I keep going. Keep learning. Keep trying.
I’m constantly having to remind myself that the artists I admire are further along than I am in their journey.
“Keep going until you get where you want to be”- Me (haha)
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