Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Reese Arnott. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Reese, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I began beading in 2020 when I found myself with more time on hands due to Covid. I had always been a “crafty” person, and insisted on DIY-ing everything. I’ve crocheted, knit, painted, upcycled furniture findings, and everything in between. I had always hoped to have something to put my creative energy into, and then I found beading. I saw some beautiful beaded fringe earrings out and about somewhere and thought I had never seen anything like them. That was the beginning of “Drips Like Honey’. I remember buying cheap beads and supplies off Amazon and watching Youtube tutorials to try and figure it out. Having crocheted before, the beading patterns came quite naturally to me, and I found it very therapeutic in a time when I really needed that kind of outlet.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I remember having a table at a pop-up market one day, and a girl came up and saw my beadwork and display and said “I love your display – it reminds me of Anthropologie,’ and that is, to-date, the best compliment I have ever received. Anthropologie has always been a huge inspiration for my work. When I design, or scour suppliers for new bead colors, or assemble new color palettes for designs, I always think of how I feel when I walk into an Anthropologie. To me, it feels soft, feminine, boldly creative, and also earthy and natural all at once. That’s how I hope the art of my beadwork comes through. I want women to wear my work and feel beautiful, creative, and unique. I want my art to tell the story of who they are.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
One thing I have noticed in this journey is how important it is to find the right customer. I’ve had countless experiences with customers walking up to my booth and gawking at the prices. Or saying things like “this much for a pair of earrings?”. Though I understand and can definitely relate to having financial priorities, I think people can work to appreciate the art of the maker. When something is handmade it took more time than anyone could ever imagine. Not just to make the piece, but to design, to attempt different colors, to photograph, edit, list, come up with names, create descriptions, post on socials. There is SO MUCH a customer will never see that goes into this art. Creative work is so unique to each maker, and the value is in that – the beauty of their art and handiwork. I wish more people understood that.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
One interesting thing about me is that I have a full-time career and run Drips Like Honey on my nights and weekends. That being said, there is nothing that compares to the satisfaction of earning from your art. To have someone value my work and want to purchase something I made by hand is an absolute honor.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dripslikehoney.shop
- Instagram: @dripslikehoneyshop
- Facebook: /dripslikehoneyshop