GoVanGo
shop . profile . contact
_____________________________
The featured shop this week is GoVanGo, based in Dallas, Tx. The shop features a variety of ridiculously cute kawaii items including brooches, purses, accessories, cards, collages, stationary, prints, journals...is there anything Van can't do?! If you love what you see (and why wouldn't you!), you can also check her out on blogger, twitter, flickr, myspace, and facebook.
INTERVIEW
Tell us who you are (name, location, affiliations, etsy teams, personal info)
My name is Van Huynh and I'm the proud owner of govango.etsy.com. I'm a 20-something freelance graphic designer and avid crafter from Dallas Texas. I recently graduated from college for communication design in 2008 and started up my etsy shop only two or three months ago as a fun way to start my own "brand" of fun, kawaii-inspired stationery, handmade accessories, and art. -
Other than creating things for etsy, what do you do?
Right now I'm your average struggling freelance graphic designer. I design logos and graphics for various small businesses and projects, but would love to eventually intern or work for a really good design studio.
What first made you want to become an artist?
I've always been creative since I was a kid. In elementary school, I was always voted "Most artistic" so I guess it was already in my genes. I have a powerful need to CREATE something and a pretty vast imagination to boot. Also, growing up my family didn't have alot of money and it was just easier to entertain myself with doodles and cheap craft projects at home. I'd like to think becoming an artist was partially out of passion but also out of sheer necessity.
Describe your creative process and the materials you use.
My creative process is always different every time! On personal projects, I usually just let my mind wander off and whatever sparks my interest and imagination is usually what starts the ball rolling. On more focused projects, however, I can be extremely strategic and literally map out what I want to do. But as long as I have the inspiration, I have to stop everything I'm doing and focus on finishing that project until my vision is satisfied. The first materials I reach towards when I'm working is typically a pencil and paper. Then I move towards the Mac laptop where Adobe Illustrator is always open. I also use felt quite a bit for accessories. I love sewing.
What handmade possession to you prize the most?
My mom made me this green striped dress when I was a girl. She made alot of my clothes but that dress was my favorite and I still keep it in my closet.
Top 5 websites you visit besides etsy?
Any advice you have for new etsy users.
Be persistent. Once you stop listing new items and lose interest in your shop, so will everyone else. It takes awhile for your shop to evolve into a real shop. :P
What are your favorite features of etsy, and what new features would you like to see?
I love the chatroom feature. Its so fun to just sit back and talk about anything with fellow crafters. I don't know if this would ever be necessary, but a personal instant messaging system would be cool.
How do you promote your shop/work?
Right now, its mainly through word of mouth with friends, posting endless images of my products on flickr groups, and making twitter/blog updates regularly.
In ten years, where would you like to be?
I'd love to actually open my own shop along with other artists in my community as well as start a small design studio. It feels like that would take lightyears from now to actually achieve that, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
No comments:
Post a Comment