Local Makers: Emma Kenney of The Busy Bead Shop

Meet Emma Kenney of the Busy Bead Shop! She makes beautiful jewelry inspired by nature. Grateful to have her along for the Maker's Mash this Saturday from 5-8. Swing by Reformation to shop and sip with us. (Psst. She's my mom. So you know we're going to have a great time! :)

Local Makers: Emma Kenney of The Busy Bead Shop

What do you make?

Handmade beaded jewelry, and a starting a line of yoga specialty pieces.

How did you get started making?

As therapy for my busy life: full time mom, wife, and nurse.

Local Makers: Emma Kenney of The Busy Bead Shop

What does your average day look like?

Depends on the day! Now that I've retired, I look after my grandchildren (2 year old twin boys) one or two days a week. Between that and keeping up with my life, I try to spend some time in my studio whenever I can.

What inspires you to keep making work? 

I'm inspired by nature: by its colors, textures, and combinations. Such beauty! Just sitting in my studio inspires me, and when in a "rut," being there can ease me out of it!

Local Makers: Emma Kenney of The Busy Bead Shop

What is the hardest lesson you learned through your business/creative process?

Learning when to walk away! Sometimes, taking a break can make me more productive and efficient, and the solution to a problem will often come to me when I'm doing something completely unrelated to my "studio work!"

What's the best part about making what you make?

The peace it brings me.

Local Makers: Emma Kenney of The Busy Bead Shop

What are you working on now?

I'm working on a line of yoga-inspired pieces. The roll-on bracelets are perfect to stack,and some have lava beads incorporated into them for use with essential oils. I also am making Zen hand-knotted malas, using gemstones to inspire peace and creativity. And, I'm learning to make Sami (or Nordic Tin Weave) bracelets. Their understated elegance makes them perfect for combining with other pieces, or as a stand alone statement.

Shop The Busy Bead online on Etsy. See you at the Maker's Mash on Saturday!

Local Makers: Jessica Collins of Sunny in Georgia

Meet Jessica from Sunny in Georgia! Holy Sunshine - she's lovely! Swing by and hang out this Saturday at Reformation! (RSVP on Facebook here.)

What do you make?

Apparel + accessories.

What does your average day look like?

Coffee, keeping up with my 3 crazy kids, more coffee, maybe an idea or two, an IPA, then bed.

What inspires you to keep making work? 

My kids inspire me to keep on going... I want them to be proud of me. When I'm in a rut, I need to leave where I am and stop thinking about it so much. Ideas are born when you least expect them (like driving over railroad tracks).

What is the hardest lesson you learned through your business/creative process?

You need to trust yourself. Become friends with your mistakes and fears. Always ask questions, always listen.

What's the best part about doing what you do?

I know a little part of my life is in everything that is produced. When people smile when seeing anything of ours, I am happy.

What sorts of new things are on the horizon?

While I do have new graphics that are coming...I am currently reprinting some of our original graphics in new colors!

Local Makers: Meredith Bradley of City Sloth Ceramics

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Meet the wonderful Meredith Bradley of City Sloth! Meredith and I met a while back through another Maker's event. I have loved seeing her style grow and change over time. (Dusty and I are lusky enough to own a few of her pieces. Love!) There's always something new and interesting to find at her booth. Come take a peek this Saturday at the Maker's Mash!

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What do you make?

Porcelain wheel thrown, screenprinted functional ceramics

How did you get started making?

I first became interested in making in high school through the three dimensional AP art class where I was able to explore different mediums, techniques, and overall processes. At this time I was mainly creating mixed media figurative sculptures that had ceramic elements. Once in college, I landed at MudFire, community ceramic studio in Decatur, GA, where I currently work as a resident artist. Here, I have been able to explore functional wheel thrown forms, while incorporating other elements of design through screenprinting.

What does your average day look like?

My average day entails juggling a lot of different things - from working on my own pieces and forms, developing new screens and designs, learning marketing necessities for a small business, working on shift at MudFire or at my part-time marketing job at a local start-up, and everything in between.

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What inspires you to keep making work?

Staying motivated and inspired to continue pushing out work is definitely hard to keep up consistently. I often turn to my studio mentors and fellow residents at MudFire to stay motivated - we’re each others accountability partners - and I think it’s important to have someone to bounce ideas off of and help you out during slow creative making times.

What is the hardest lesson you learned through your business/creative process?

Throughout learning how to run a ceramic business, I have found that patience and timing is something I run into too often to ignore. With ceramics, coordinating the timing for making attachments and screen printing the pieces is always a difficult task, especially since it is almost always inconsistent. It’s a hard lesson in ceramics, but with running a business as well. Learning everything necessary to run a business takes time, and a lot of patience.

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What's the best part about making what you make?

I enjoy surrounding myself with objects reminiscent of the home which brings motivation to make pieces for others to enliven their personal spaces. Sharing this same comfort with someone else through my work is the best part about making.

What are you working on now?

I am constantly looking for new inspiration for my screenprints - right now, I am narrowing down on my forms and focusing on a new direction for my screenprints.

Can't wait to see! Keep in touch with Meredith on Instagram and on her site too! See you this weekend! :)