Raleigh Artisans Find Success on Etsy

Above: Steampunk Vintage Cufflinks by Curious Goods Curios

Raleighites take their creativity to the social commerce site.

Call it a craft fair gone wild. And high tech. And global. Artists, clothing designers and multi-talented crafters have been taking their creative flair to the web to sell their creations on the popular commerce website, Etsy. Raleigh and Triangle artists are among the thousands and thousands of sellers on the site, retailing their products across the country, and around the globe.

Etsy, launched in 2005, is a social commerce website specializing in handmade arts and crafts as well as assorted vintage clothes and oddities. Over the past five years, Etsy has grown to be the premiere site for makers and sellers of handmade goods on the internet, featuring hundreds of thousands of sellers in over 150 countries around the world, according to Etsy’s website. The site’s mission is simple: “to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.”

Local artists and artisans have taken advantage of Etsy’s easy start-up process, utilizing the site as a far-reaching outlet to advertise and sell their creations.

Triangle Etsians created a street team in 2008, in order to connect local sellers with one another and share information about area arts and craft shows, retail opportunities and Etsy selling tips. Explore the Triangle Area North Carolina Team and discover hundreds of local artisans.

Etsy features a wide range of categories of items for buyers and sellers, from art and photography, to handmade clothing and even edibles and bath and beauty products. Many sellers believe the broad array of products offered on the site contributes to Etsy’s large audience and consequently aids in boosting their own sales.

Jill Davis, a local photographer who sells her work on Etsy, said she believes having one central website that sells an eclectic mix of goods encourages the shopper to browse through items they otherwise would not have noticed.

“By having a unified location for customers to shop, our work is more likely to be found than from a search of the entire internet,” she said.

Davis sells her work on Orange Cat Art, and offers fine art photography of landscapes, nature and an assortment of sites in North Carolina. She is a licensed vendor of photographs featuring landmarks on the campuses of UNC, Duke, and N.C. State.

Ashley Worley, the woman behind the Dynagirl Vintage – an Etsy shop featuring “uncycled” handmade clothing and jewelry, agreed with Davis, noting how Etsy has “without a doubt revolutionized” small business for artisans.

While Worley prefers to sell her goods at craft shows and locally owned stores such as Stitch in downtown Raleigh, she also enjoys the “huge target audience” Etsy draws.

Elizabeth Boyette, one half of the husband-and-wife team behind the handmade card shop, DapperPaper, believes the Etsy’s shoppers are looking for something unique that they would not be able to find elsewhere. Boyette and her husband make distinctive greeting cards and paper goods for weddings and pride themselves on creating a product that is hand printed and modern, with “a vintage twist.”

“We don’t use stock images or pre-made graphics,” she said. “We draw and professionally typeset all of our pieces.”

While some artisans and crafters depend on Etsy as their primary source of income, most sellers view their online sales as a chance to share their passion and art with others, while hopefully making a few bucks in the process.

Melissa Lopez, owner of WhimsyPics, a shop featuring handmade greeting cards, gift tags and other paper crafts, views her business as an outlet to express her creative talents and regards her sales merely as bonuses.

“My shop is successful by my standards, but it will never pay the mortgage,” said Lopez. “And that’s okay. WhimsyPics is mainly an outlet for my creativity.”

Davis agreed with Lopez, noting her shop provides her with an opportunity to display her photography. “Orange Cat Art gives me the opportunity to create the images that I am passionate about,” she said. “And hopefully make a living, as well.”

Despite many local sellers viewing Etsy as a way to express their creative side, local artisans have found abundant success, not just locally, but internationally as well.

“I’ve been thoroughly surprised to have Etsy customers from all over the US, Canada, and even New Zealand,” Davis said. “Especially given the North Carolina-centric nature of my work.”

Other artists have experienced similar international success.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that my items are in homes in Australia, the United Kingdom, South America, and throughout the United States,” Lopez said.

Raleigh Etsians may be shipping their creations worldwide, but they find inspiration for their work right here in the Triangle. Boyette finds inspiration everywhere she goes and says she is constantly jotting down ideas that she gets from nature, movies, magazines, and local art.

“Raleigh is definitely an inspiring place to live because there is so much style and character,” she said.

Davis also finds inspiration for her photographs from her home state.

“North Carolinians are so proud of the natural beauty of our state and the variety of environments here,” she said. “Much of the connection people feel with my photography is that it takes them back to a favorite place on the beach or in the mountains.”

The demand for unique, handmade goods continues to increase, and with the growing demand comes more variety, creativity, and a larger selection of products for the shopper. Lopez believes Etsy has helped to push handmade products into direct competition with the mainstream market, creating a new era of online shopping.
“I love the idea of a ‘handmade movement,’” she said. I am always amazed at the level of creativity that can be found here.”

Meet Your Crafty Neighbors:

Ashley from Dynagirl Vintage

“I love to make new things from old things. I make new dresses and skirts from gently used t-shirts, as well as, new necklaces from vintage earrings and brooches.”

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Jill
Orange Cat Art

“I worked for years as a studio manager and producer for other photographer doing editorial and commercial work before deciding to venture out on my own.”

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Melissa
Whimsy Pics

“My name is Melissa and I’m a 36 year old stay-at-home mom to two beautiful children. I sell cards, gift tags and other paper crafts in my shop.”

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Chris & Elizabeth
Dapper Paper

“Our stuff is unique because both of us help to make a complete design: Chris loves typography and layout and Elizabeth loves illustrations. So you get the best of both worlds.”

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Sherri
Belle Blossoms

“All of my blossoms are handmade with the highest quality materials and the greatest of care. My hope is that they will not only bring a smile to your face but to everyone that sees you wearing one.”

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Catrena
Curious Goods Curios

“Most of my pieces are dark themed and I really like Steampunk. Recycling old, non-working clock parts is a great way for people of the digital age to appreciate the craftsmanship that went into making mechanical watches.”

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Check out hundreds of other Raleigh sellers on Etsy.

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Crafts Crafters Crafty ETSY

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