We were lucky to catch up with Greta Weisser recently and have shared our conversation below.

Greta, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve known since childhood that I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path. Art class was the only subject in school that had my full attention. I used to be so drawn to our school’s art supply closet, dreaming of all the things I could create from the materials at hand and wishing that art class could last forever. It felt natural to get lost in my creative projects and lose track of time. I craved that boundless creative freedom from such an early age.

After graduating high school, my first “big” job was at a corporation. I was told this was the path to finding security in life. Within those five years I went through eight different departments because I could not stay occupied nor fulfilled. Sitting in that bland, beige cubicle with blinding fluorescent lights sucked the creative spark right out of me. I ended up spending most of those work days staring at the cubicle walls, dreaming of pursuing my creativity as an aspiring full-time artist without even knowing what medium of art I would choose.

Around that time, I taught as a craft director at a kid’s camp two summers in a row. I was in charge of coming up with the daily projects and instructing the children. One project that I chose was metal stamping which really piqued my interest. After showing the kids what I knew about this medium, I felt myself yearning to learn more. In my free time, I began exploring metal stamping- buying different metal stamp shapes and letter sets with different fonts. I began stamping quirky and inspirational sayings on keychains and creating jewelry. I even started to take on custom orders for my friends and family.

I gave my business a name in 2018, when I decided to sell my metal stamped art at a local farmer’s market. I went with Eclectic Pearl Crafting – because I am an *eclectic* individual, my name Greta in German means *pearl*, and I decided on *crafting* my own career path from then on. I focused on building my side hustle from the ground up while I continued working full time for a few more years. After selling my work at many craft shows and markets + teaching numerous metal stamping workshops to my local community, I finally took the big leap in July 2021 to work for myself as a full-time metal stamping artist and have been self employed ever since!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Greta Weisser and I’m a 28 year old metal stamping artist, located in Southwest Michigan. Eclectic Pearl Crafting (est. 2018) offers one-of-a-kind handmade treasures. I breathe new life into locally-sourced vintage silverware, creating spoon rings, silverware bookmarks, silverware garden stakes, and much more. I also offer hand-stamped metal bracelets, rings, keychains, magnets, and dog tags for your pets. All of my creations are made with love, and make the perfect gifts for yourself and for someone special.

I attend markets + craft shows throughout the year, setting up my market display and selling my metal stamped treasures to the public. This is one of my absolute favorite environments because I get the opportunity to meet other creatives and vendors, and meet customers face-to-face, sharing my story and passions with them. The charming phrases and sayings that I stamp onto my artwork reflects my sense of humor, which tends to captivate and bring laughter to my customers as they browse and shop at my market booth. I also love stamping messages of hope onto my artwork to inspire the public and encourage others to believe in their capabilities.

*For all custom order inquiries and wholesale/retail inquiries, please contact [email protected] or visit https://eclecticpearlcrafting.com

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to ensure that I operate my business sustainably by making the most out of the materials and resources available to me. For example, I create art from vintage silverware that I’ve collected from local auctioneers who come across boxes filled with tarnished and neglected pieces. I take great satisfaction in cleaning up, restoring, and transforming these historic pieces into works of art, breathing new life into their existence. Additionally, my market display features vintage suitcases passed down from family members, antique silver platters from various antique stores, and cherished old books from my late grandparents’ childhood. My mission is to continue putting the “eclectic” in Eclectic Pearl Crafting by sourcing and repurposing the materials and resources that are all around me.

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

I believe we’re witnessing a big societal shift, where individuals are recognizing their ability to forge their own path in a creative career and find stability, achievement, and alignment independently. This is what I’ve accomplished for myself and what I aspire to inspire my community to do for themselves. It is indeed possible to earn a livelihood from your artistic calling and creative endeavors, and I believe we need to encourage our communities, from youth to adults, to embrace this possibility. To be daring enough to believe in your creative visions, to express your unique voices and perspectives, and to continue connecting with the humans around us. This is how we will provide support to artists, creatives, and cultivate a thriving creative ecosystem.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://eclecticpearlcrafting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eclectic_pearl_crafting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EclecticPearlCrafting/

Image Credits
Dominique Wise at Coco Studios Harleigh Racine Schaffer