We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Erin Clancy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Erin below.

Erin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

I think the biggest risk I’ve ever taken was starting Blue House Curio, my small business. I took this risk because I knew I wanted to create art and share it with the world but I didn’t know how. I had only ever worked “normal” jobs where I was told what to do and when to do it. I found myself in a position where I had to create work for myself and tell myself when, where, and how to show up. I had lots of days at first where I had to physically write down a schedule for myself so that I stayed focused and on task. Slowly, I got into the groove and created systems for myself to ensure success. Starting Blue House Curio was the best risk I’ve ever taken and still proves to be.

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’ve always been drawn to art. Whether it be creating art or learning art history, I was always here for it and I couldn’t get enough. I truly never thought I would make money producing art though.

Until one day in 2020, during the Pandemic, something clicked. I was the most depressed I had ever been, I was jobless, and I was churning out all kinds of art to cope. I had that “aha” moment where I thought, I can actually sell some of this. I did research and saw like minded artist in my community doing it. I felt hopeful for the first time in a while that maybe I could too. I started brainstorming and I felt as if all the positions I had ever held, my passion for art, and my degree had all finally made sense. My position as a Marketing Coordinator would help me in marketing my art. The knowledge I gained from my social media internship would pay off in managing my business social media accounts and my degree in Fashion Marketing and Management would help in almost every aspect of running my small business. It also turns out that that sales associate position I held at a local florist would really come in handy.

I started using what I knew. I knew I wanted a business name that wouldn’t tie my down to one medium and I knew I was creating art from my home. My house is actually quite unique in that the exterior paint is bright blue-primary blue. You can’t miss it and most people know it in my neighborhood or city. Thus Blue House Curio was born.

Then the product obviously had to come next! I started with what I knew again-clay. I began making clay jewelry for my friends and family. Seeing them wearing my art made me feel invincible. So I stockpiled some of my best pieces and opened an Etsy store. The orders came in! Commissions opened and I was booked and busy. I stepped into the local art market scene in the Fall of 2021. People were buying my art and liking it! I then branched out to resin and things really took off. The idea of marrying my love and knowledge of flowers with art made me unstoppable. I began preserving flowers in resin in every way I could. Wedding bouquets and boutonnieres for clients, memorial flowers for those grieving, and jewelry for everything in between.

I call what I get to do now “floral flare and whimsyware”. It truly encompasses all that I am lucky enough to get to do. Blue House Curio is alive and well still and I couldn’t be happier.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for Blue House Curio is through local art markets. Most of our local art markets are open to the public so anyone can walk up to the Blue House Curio booth. We then try and captivate these potential clients with our booth presentation, products, and a genuine “Hey y’all”.

How did you build your audience on social media?

We still have a ways to go but I believe that we built our audience on social media by being authentic and creative. We try and be thoughtful with each post, reel, and story. I think any advice I would give would be to harness the followers you have now and stay true to who you are as a brand and the followers will come.

Contact Info:

• Website: bluehousecurio.com
• Instagram: @bluehousecurio

Image Credits
All images by Sarah Coleman Photography