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“Pobody’s Nerfect!”

29/11/2021

“Pobody’s Nerfect!” The Good Place Eleanor Shellstrop*

In the Summer when my studio was open to the public, I was really pleased with how I had set up my workspace.
I had sketched out a plan and after a few tweaks was happy with the outcome. I had thought of everything?
Or had I?

After the event there was an opportunity to get feedback on how we displayed our workspaces from a “secret shopper”.
Turns out I had planned for visitors viewing everything inside my space, but I had forgotten about the window that looks into my studio from the corridor.
Guess whose studio was used as a bad example of not making the most of the corridor window to present their work…… Yep it was Deco 22!
Inside the clutter had been hidden well. However, that corridor window view was just a pile of card and fabric rolls visible and my logo. It did not look great. I was not the only bad example, but I was the only one that had their business name visible.

Now my space is limited and although I keep trying I still have a lot of stuff ……(but not talking about that right now!) ……and there is nowhere I can put those things in the space I have.
So, this time I am trying something new.

The window has been covered with white paper so you cannot see my pile of stuff. This time instead of just my business name I have added snapshots of work in progress and some finished products.
Lesson learnt,
Nobody’s perfect and acknowledging your mistakes and working to improve them will always be a work in progress.

The next Cockpit Arts open studios in Deptford will be 3rd-5th December.
Fri 12-8pm
Sat & Sun 12-6pm
Tickets
£6 online- Click here to book
£8 on the door
£4 concessions

*The Good Place
2016 ‧ Sitcom ‧ 4 seasons

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10 years! How time flies.

1/11/2021

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I moved into cockpit arts just after the summer open studios in 2011. I had visited that summer’s open Studios to see how the other makers presented their work. My first thoughts were Eeeeeeeek! I am way out of my league here!
At that stage Deco 22 was a clothing brand and I designed and made coats and jackets but they were made to order. As the time drew near for my first open studios event I had very few products to put on display and was not sure what to do about that. Luckily there was also opportunities to have one-to-one discussions about my business with a member of the support team. During my first session I expressed my concern of the lack of products I would have for the December open studios. At that point I was making fabric bags for myself but had never considered those bags to be something I could sell, even though people had often asked me where I got my bags from. When I casually mention this in my meeting and pointed to one of my bags, I forgot the lady’s name but she kind of gave me a look and then said well why don’t you sell those. To be honest I don’t really think anyone would buy the bags I made but it was better than having a blank table, so I made a few bags.

My first open studios I hid all my machines behind fabric. I had a few of the coat’s samples hanging up and some of the bags that I had made were on the table, with bolts of potential fabrics for future commissions. I was really surprised that I sold some of my bags and the interest people had in my bags after that Deco 22 turned into coats jackets and bags business for quite a while.

For the first couple of years generally open studios was an opportunity to test some of my ideas and products. I noticed I was having more success with the accessories rather than my garments as people seemed less willing to pay the higher price bracket for made-to-measure commissioned coats and jackets. As my accessories products evolved so did my presentation of my work at open studios. I found it quite interesting a couple years down the line, when people would comment that this was the first time they had seen me despite the fact I have been there for years!

I have learned a lot about how to present my work from participating in the twice-yearly open studios and I am glad I photographed most of my displays so that I can now look back at how my presentation has evolved.
I no longer try to hide all my machines and equipment as this is an “open studios” event and I realised the fact that I make my products in my studio is part of my craft-based businesses story.

As always for a creative person my presentation will continue to evolve as my work is always a work in progress.

The next Cockpit Arts open studios in Deptford will be 3rd-5th December.
Fri 12-8pm
Sat & Sun 12-6pm
Tickets
£6 online- Click here to book
£8 on the door
£4 concessions

0 Comments

“Pobody’s Nerfect!”

10 years! How time flies.

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