This week's featured artisan is Sarah of Menacing Pickle. A long-time Twitter buddy, Sarah (who has been incredibly patient when it comes to this feature - thank you!) creates super fun, bright, creative and playful kids' outerwear.
Tell me a little bit about you and what you do.
I was trained as a costume designer for stage and film and worked in the field until the schedule became too difficult due to my having Lupus. I apply those skills to making outerwear for kids in entertaining fabrics that requires effortless care. When I am not designing I am either talking about food, reading about it, or stuffing it in my face.
What 3 words best describe your work?
tasty
amusing
expressive
What inspires you?
Hunger, and the desire to let kids dress in fun and unique creations.
What drives you to create what you do?
People do. I love hearing about creative themes people wish for in children's clothing. I think the clothes we dress them in are like little billboards for our lives and there is no better way to say "I love this hobby, food, sport!" As adults there are so many factors that restrict our being able to dress ourselves with such freedom; dress codes, social expectations. etc. But kids can pretty much wear whatever they want, so let's have some fun with it and express ourselves at the same time!
What makes your work unique?
I didn't want to make little versions of grown-up clothes. I dislike seeing that. I wanted items that are fun and comical while still being functional and safe.
What role does your work play in your life? What role would you like it to play?
Everything in my life inspires my work. I like that my job is fun and creative. I love meeting with other kid's product designers and working on collaborative projects so we can expand our customer base and have a great time doing it. I would love to have more opportunity for these collaborations.
How do you see your work and/or your business evolving in the next five years?
My business took a big hit because of CPSIA. My plan involved promoting and selling my items through stores. Now I am working on improving my online presence. Since I no longer am concerned about pricing for retail, I look forward to reaching parents of all economic levels and being able to offer them unique products they desire and can easily afford while still offering a self manufactured (hand made) item.
Where can we find you on the web?
BLOG: menacingpickle.blogspot.com
WEBSITE: menacingpickle.com
ETSY SHOP: menacingpickle.etsy.com
Are you an artist or craftsperson? Would you like to be featured here? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment here with a link to your shop, and I'll be in touch about future opportunities.
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