We were lucky to catch up with Diane Kremer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Diane, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I started my career as a computer engineer and I worked in high-tech for 20 years. I always enjoyed being creative, but did not have a formal arts education. I made jewelry as a hobby and loved learning new techniques. Life took a sharp turn when I was laid off during the great recession.

I spent some years as a stay at home mom, but eventually my daughter went off to college and I had to decide if I wanted to go back to high-tech or try something different. I was lucky enough to have a couple of jewelry-making friends who already had their own businesses and were willing to mentor me. I took a leap of faith and decided to turn my jewelry making hobby into a full-time vocation.

The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was my own mindset. I didn’t think of myself as a “real” artist because I lacked a formal arts education. I took a lot of classes with renowned artists and that helped, but ultimately to get over this insecurity I just had to “fake it until you make it”. I joined a few local arts organizations and started calling myself an artist, even though I didn’t really believe it. The more I associated with other artists the more I realized that MOST of us have imposter syndrome, and it’s an ongoing battle for many of us. I am definitely not alone in this struggle.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I work full-time as an artist and am selling my work at juried art fairs, in local galleries, and on my website. You can find my work at Lincoln Gallery in Loveland, CO, R Gallery in Boulder, CO, the Firehouse Art Center in Longmont, CO and 3 Square Art Gallery in Fort Collins. I was also thrilled to be included in the Museum of Boulder’s exhibit Drawing Parallels: Community Art and Artifacts from 2020.

I create jewelry with gemstones, metal and various mixed media, but my primary material is polymer clay. Polymer clay is an artist’s dream. It’s compatible with so many products from across the mixed media spectrum that the sky is the limit, creatively speaking.

Although polymer is gaining wider acceptance as a high-end art material, it is still fairly unknown to the general public, which can be both a pro and a con. Some customers are delighted by my jewelry because it is new, different, and unexpected. Others are uncomfortable with it for the same reason. Although my materials are non-traditional, my designs very wearable and accessible for most women. My business tagline is “Art Jewelry for the Inspired Woman”. Women who have a little bit of a playful or creative spark in their souls usually enjoy my work.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I am lucky that I have a formal business education. I got an MBA many years ago when I was working in the computer industry, so I understand business fundamentals. When I started my creative business, however, I was at a complete loss about how to market my business on social media and the internet generally. I started watching YouTube videos to educate myself and eventually I found a paid educational program that taught me what I needed to know. There are many YouTube gurus out there and I’m sure there are many great (and not-so-great) programs. The one that I am using is from business coach Mei Pak. It is called Creative Hive and it teaches creatives how to market their work online. I highly recommend it! Mei also has a bunch of free videos on YouTube that are very helpful.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The truth is, there is very little money in art. It is impossible for most artists to make a living doing what they love without significant support. And society needs artists and creatives to do what they love, because it enriches all of our lives. It’s important for government agencies to subsidize arts organizations that work on behalf of artists. I am a member of a few nonprofit arts organizations that have provided opportunities for me to participate in studio tours, pop up shops and art shows. I hope your readers will patronize local artists, donate generously to the nonprofit arts organizations in their areas, and vote in favor of ballot initiatives aimed at increasing funding for the arts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dianekremerjewelry.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianekremerjewelry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianeKremerJewelry/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianekremer/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dianekremerjewelry8378