Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Bryan.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carol. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My family has always been creative. My grandmother was an artist as is my sister Nancy. My mother started my sisters and I on needlepoint when we were very young and we would also make very elaborate Christmas ornaments every year for the tree. When my kids were born I got into scrapbooking and documenting their childhood and growth. My oldest sister Norma who has always been an influence in my life got me into card making and later turned me on to jewelry and that’s when I was hooked. I started just making Beaded jewelry gifts for family and friends but soon I had so much inventory I knew I needed to find a way to support my hobby. I started doing small local craft shows at churches and schools and it has steadily grown from there.
I worked in the travel industry for 35 years which allowed me the ability to fly all over the world to attend lapidary classes with some of the greatest instructors, always learning new skills and developing my style. Every year Norma and I go to the gem show in Tucson to look for new tools and unique cabochons for my creations. Cut and polished stone are fascinating to me…Mother Nature is awe inspiring.
Norma and I also go to the north Georgia Mountains and attend William Holland School of lapidary arts every summer. Kind of a summer camp for likeminded adults! I’m always learning new techniques that I carry over to my work.
I am now retired so I can devote full time in my jewelry business. I’m on Etsy and also do fine art fairs all over the US with my “logistics manager” husband Jim. He has been so supportive in my craft, I couldn’t do this without him.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There are always bumps in the road to success. As a small home based business, Time management is always a factor trying to juggle work with family obligations, deadlines and website management. I can spend many hours in the day photographing and posting to my online store which leaves less time for the fun stuff!
I also travel to art shows and there are weekends where sales are dismal and I start to doubt myself and my work. But then the next show is a big success and I’m rejuvenated. I’ve learned to take the good with the bad and which venues work best for me. Jewelry business is very competitive and I’m always being judged against others in my craft. Art is in the eye of the beholder and I think there is room for everyone.
The biggest struggle I have is putting my business out there. I’m pretty much an introvert so it’s very difficult to promote myself and my work. I have just started using social media but it’s still hard for me.
Adornments by MuyiFabu – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Norma and I started our jewelry business MuyiFabu about 15 years ago. The name MuyiFabu was her idea. It’s a mixture of Spanish and English to mean “very fabulous”. While she is no longer a part of the company, she still encourages me and is my number one fan.
I love rocks; each stone is unique and quite remarkable in its own right. I choose my stones based on the richness of color, design and beauty incorporated in the stone and create my pieces of art jewelry from there. I try and let nature inspire and my years of Metal manipulation guide me through the process.
What sets me apart from others is my Constant exploration of techniques that has resulted in work that is always evolving with a “lighthearted” approach that is synonymous with my life.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I get immense pleasure when someone lights up when they put on a piece of my jewelry. It still amazes me that something I am passionate about can also bring pleasure to others. To me that is the ultimate definition of success.
The objective is to make money from my art so that Jim and I can fund our travels throughout the world. We just returned from a 22 day European cruise funded solely by Muyifabu and I am working towards our next adventure to Australia and New Zealand.
Of course none of this would be possible without the support of my husband Jim, kids Kelly and Steven and my friends who have encouraged me throughout this journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.etsy.com/shop/adornmentsbymuyifabu
- Phone: 8179190599
- Email: muyifabu@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muyifabu/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/muyifabu/
- Other: https://www.rubylane.com/shop/muyifabu
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