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

Alright, Sheila thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

After teaching upper elementary school for three decades, I discovered my passion for metalwork from a high school class. Upon retiring, I enrolled in a silversmithing course at the local community college and quickly fell in love with it. However, my journey was interrupted by the onset of COVID-19, leading to class cancellations. Undeterred, my husband gifted me a beginner smithing setup for my birthday, and I delved into online tutorials on YouTube. With dedication, I watched numerous instructional videos and honed my skills in the garage. To pursue my creative endeavors, I invested in additional tools and materials.

My friends became interested in my jewelry creations, so I started giving pieces to those who showed a keen interest. This led me to eventually sell my work to friends and family. As my inventory grew, I realized that in order to sustain my craft, I needed to sell these pieces to fund more materials and equipment. I ventured into local vendor markets, which prompted me to obtain a business license and tax number. Additionally, I recognized the need for a website to improve my marketing strategies and offer customers a platform to browse through my creations as I continued to make them.

Surprisingly, my passion for silversmithing never waned, and I continued to progress and refine my skills in this craft. After exploring various options, I now choose to participate in around 8 markets annually. Through experience, I have identified the markets that align with my style and attract individuals who appreciate my work. While friends suggest different markets, I have become selective about the ones I engage in. Although I have experimented with placing my creations in physical stores, I find the market experience more fulfilling, despite weather challenges. Over time, I have cultivated a loyal customer base that continues to expand each year. Through word of mouth, as well as platforms like Facebook and Instagram, I have garnered a dedicated following of customers.

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?

Ever since my childhood, I have had a keen interest in arts and crafts. In fifth grade, my mom introduced me to sewing, and my grandmother taught me how to knit and crochet. During high school, I gained experience in leather tooling while working at Tandy Leather, which sparked my passion for craftsmanship. This interest evolved into silversmithing, drawing parallels between the two. I also enjoy working with polymer clay, exploring painting, and mixed media projects.

Another long-standing hobby of mine is rock and gem collecting, particularly for jewelry making. I take pleasure in sourcing beautiful rocks, such as turquoise cabochons, opals, boulder opals, chalcedony, white buffalo, moonstone, and abalone, to create eye-catching pieces. Choosing unique gemstones is vital to my creative process.

I have made a deliberate choice not to accept custom orders as it stifles my creativity. While I discuss personalized pieces with clients, I prefer creative freedom in the design process. Each gemstone inspires me, guiding me in crafting one-of-a-kind pieces tailored to its unique characteristics. My work philosophy centers around creating individual pieces, not mass production, ensuring each item reflects quality and craftsmanship.

The pride I take in my work is evident in the high standards and attention to detail I uphold in every piece I create. The commitment to crafting each piece individually contributes to maintaining exceptional quality standards, evident in the fact that I have never had a piece returned due to any defects.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As previously mentioned, weather plays a significant role in determining the success or failure of a market. The market season in the Arizona desert falls between October and April. At times, the strong winds force me to physically hold down my canopy. In the initial years of attending markets, I noticed a direct impact on my sales due to this weather condition. There were occasions when I was tempted to skip markets if windy forecasts exceeded 20mph. Surprisingly, on one windy day, I experienced one of my best sales days ever. The valuable lesson learned was to persist through challenges as rewards often follow. Even today, I continue to have successful market days despite adverse weather conditions.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My business, Desert Wildflower Art, symbolizes a significant shift in my journey. Initially, I sold watercolor paintings, which I painted inside during the summer, while pursuing silversmithing in a cooler garage workshop during the winter. Managing two sets of display items for art and jewelry at markets proved challenging, especially with wind and dust affecting the artwork. Customers often praised my versatility in both fields, yet it may have diluted the seriousness of each craft. To streamline my focus, I decided to discontinue selling artwork and concentrate solely on jewelry. With an air-conditioned workspace, I now create jewelry year-round, simplifying my market setup and enhancing customer response, leading to improved sales. Currently, I am rebranding to Desert Wildflower Artisan Silver Jewelry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.desertwildflowerartbysheila.com
• Instagram: desertwildflowerartbysheila
• Facebook: Desert Wildflower

Image Credits

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