We recently connected with Haley Holden and have shared our conversation below.
Haley , appreciate you joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your creative career?
I am so grateful to have started my career as a music teacher. Teaching in the classroom taught me so many valuable skills. Staying organized, being prepared, thinking through logistics, technology skills, people skills, and the ability to break a task down and explain it have all been valuable tools as I have pursued a career as a full-time artist. In teaching you juggle so much at one time, and as a business owner I feel like I have many areas that need my attention.
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 started my career as an elementary general music teacher. I was using my voice and was making music all day, but wanted a creative outlet in the evenings that didn’t require using my voice. I bought a set of markers and started hand-lettering. That turned into working with watercolors which turned into wheel-throwing pottery classes. During Covid I started experimenting with making polymer clay jewelry. I started doing in-person markets as we returned to in-person events, and I found that my earrings were my best sellers, so I started focusing on creating polymer clay jewelry.
I strive to create earrings that are wearable pieces of art. I love color and try to incorporate as much of it into my home and my wardrobe as I can. Flowers also tend to be a recurring theme in my work. Polymer clay has really allowed me to develop my artistic voice. I want my earrings to be colorful, beautiful, and comfortable pieces that you will reach for again and again.
One of the things I love about polymer clay is how accessible it is. Anyone can make it in their own home. I have started teaching polymer clay classes (like a paint-and-sip class) where I walk students through the process of making their own polymer clay jewelry, and students leave the class with two pairs of earrings that they made. I love seeing students really get into the process of creating. If you can’t make it to an in-person class, I also have a podcast – The Polymer Clay Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-polymer-clay-podcast/id1640897253) where I discuss different tips and tricks to working with polymer clay. I have seen the benefits that being creative has had in my life, and I am happy to share what I have learned so others can enjoy being creative as well.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the creating itself. I love to see my designs come to life. Mistakes are always a learning opportunity and a chance to try something differently the next time. I love playing with color and learning more about it. I also think it is rewarding to look back at past pieces and see how my work has improved and changed over time. I always have a bunch of ideas of what I want to do next, and it is exciting to pursue them and see the finished pieces enter a collection.
I also love interacting with people at markets. I love talking with people about how I made different pieces and seeing what pieces people respond to. Markets are also a great place to meet other artists and exchange ideas and business strategies. I have learned so much from other artists and I am so grateful for all of their support.
I have found that there’s always a new skill to learn, and I find that really exciting. There’s always things to improve – from product photography to streamlining my website. My other artistic pursuits do help with my polymer clay practice. I’m currently working on making my own silkscreen stencils. It all ties together, and that has been another rewarding part of being an artist.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I’m not sure where I heard this, but I have heard that if you are facing a problem or a task, and you don’t know how to solve it, then it isn’t the right problem to tackle right now.
I feel like this mindset has helped me continue to be resilient with my business. Problems can either be broken down into smaller chunks, or I can pivot and focus on growing a different aspect of my business and then return to the problem when I have a little more experience.
I had a very hard time syncing my website with Facebook and Instagram shop. I tried for a couple of weeks on my own to try to figure out how to make it work, and I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. I sought advice, but the solution offered was way out of my budget. I took a break and approached the problem again a few weeks later. I was able to get help from a different source and I was able to make everything work. I feel like I have decent technology skills, so I was really frustrated that I couldn’t figure out how to solve the problem. Taking a step back allowed me to gain a little perspective and to research and consider new solutions.
I’ve tried to implement this idea where I can when I am feeling overwhelmed in my business. If I can’t solve it, I try to solve a different problem. It will be waiting for me when I return. And when I return I will have more experience to help me solve it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.HoldenANote.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holdenanote/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoldenANote
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@holdenanote The Polymer Clay Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-polymer-clay-podcast/id1640897253
Image Credits
Haley Holden