Swe3t Tooth
Alexa (she/her) & Colleen (she/they)
Handmade and up-cycled works of art such as clothing, jewelry, and more!
Interview (Alexa)
What inspires your work?
"A lot of my work is inspired by punk and alternative fashion, which I have always been drawn to ever since I was a child. My aunt was my live in babysitter and was super emo. She would constantly dye her hair or shave her head. She would also show me her favorite types of music like My Chemical Romance, blink-182, and Placebo. Music is a huge part of fashion culture, especially with alternative fashion music was my and still is my life finding new genres and incorporating that into my art and fashion is a great way to keep things unique and a great way to find things that inspire you. When I was very young I was around a lot of my aunts friends who had some of the coolest fashion ever. A lot of them were trad Goth or a part of Other cool punk and underground scene communities. A lot of that definitely translated into my fashion when started growing up and definitely how I like to create my artwork and clothing now."
What is one thing you wish you had known before you started selling your work?
"Something I wish I knew before I started selling my work is how to price things comfortably. It's definitely something I've learned a lot over the past year. A huge key to it is where you are basing your markets out of or where you're selling your item from (instagram, depop, Etsy, etc.). Whenever we sell our work in Iowa at very small events, we tend to do a lower prices. When we go to other states such as Minnesota, we tend to have to raise our prices just because cost of living there tends to be more expensive, so people tend to make higher incomes. At the end of the day, I do like to keep my things fairly affordable, so no matter what I try to base my work off the value that others put into it and the time I spent. Colleen and I do price our things a bit different just on time spent. Colleen tends to take a lot longer to produce pieces where I tend to produce them in a shorter period of time so prices do vary individually."
What is your favorite piece you have made and why?
"My favorite piece I've ever made has to definitely be the rat dress. It is a showstopper whenever I used to bring it to markets it would always draw people to our booth because of its uniqueness and honestly stupidness. It has since sold, but it'll forever be in my memory as my most favorite thing I've ever made."
What is the biggest challenge you have faced with this career?
"The biggest challenge I face is trying to keep everything I do completely original. A lot of people like to be inspired by others, including myself, which I think is amazing. But keeping my artwork 100% my own and not referencing others or trying to base it off of what makes me the most money is the most important to me. I want to make artwork that I find myself proud of not that I know I can upcharge extra for. At the end of the day, I know if it's something I enjoy making and put a lot of thought into. It will always give back to me no matter what so I like to keep it true to myself."
Is there any advice you would give to other artists?
"If I had to give someone advice I would tell them it's OK to ask questions and not to be shy networking with people. The best way to learn is through your community and I found meeting other artists and seeing what inspires them and seeing their work processes can really help you find new methods and ways to make your work more enjoyable to produce."
Is there anything else you would like to add?
"Having a small business at such a young age, (I'm only 23) I have learned so much about meeting people and building connections. It's definitely so much fun but an unbelievable amount of work. It's always good to stay consistent as well, if you have a few weeks off, it will show within your business. It's always good to stay productive and treat it as if it's a real job that you're clocking in and out of. Also, it's so important to produce work that is not just for your business. It's good to maintain a sketchbook and to create art just because you enjoy it, not because of needing to produce something."
Interview (Colleen)
What inspires your work?
"Partially what's inspired my work has been the drive to want to become a better, more well-rounded artist, and have my art be the way I can sustain myself financially. But mostly for designs and work that I create I try to adapt that childlike wonder state. I found that I use a lot of stars and swirls and bright colors within my pieces. I just know that ever since I was a kid I've always drawn and painted and loved anything that had to do with creating so I try to tap into that when I am making things now."
What is one thing you wish you had known before you started selling your work?
"I've always been told this growing up, but I'm a perfectionist and my parents always tried to tell me that you know don't strive to be perfect, but strive to be good. I've definitely made things that I don't necessarily like how they turn out in the end, but I just know that someone else will see the beauty of it and I'll sell it and I wish I could go back and just tell my older self that it's OK to be rejected, not everyone's going to like your work but that's OK because your art isn't for them. It's for the people who do understand it and see the beauty in it even if I'm not totally happy with how I finished something."
What is your favorite piece you have made and why?
"As of right now I am really proud of a canvas painting I did a couple of days ago. Alexa held a paint n pints on how to paint Totoro at a local bar in Ames & I was her helper. I got to paint for free since I helped out, and I actually really enjoyed how it turned out. I hadn't painted on canvas in a really long time, so getting back into that, and ending up really liking the finished product makes me want to practice on canvas again."
What is the biggest challenge you have faced with this career?
"I think going back to the perfectionist in me, I will spend hours and hours on something that doesn't need to be as detailed and then I'm stuck with having to price it a little lower, because Alexa and I like to keep our things reasonably affordable for our audience. So definitely with working on time management and how long I should spend on something and having that ultimately determine the price of my piece. A lot of times I spend what I feel like is too long on a project and then I go to price it, and I feel super conflicted due to putting time and effort into something but also wrestling with the fact that I want my art to be available to anyone and everyone."
Is there any advice you would give to other artists?
"Have the number one thing you do if you're looking to make an actual small business is to get all of your legal assets in order such as your LLC and your permits and have documentation of everything. I know this small tip would've helped me and Alexa save hours on going back and looking through stuff if we had started organizing, documenting, and getting to know the right people to help us with the legal stuff at the beginning. But now we know, and we've gotten very lucky I would say with knowing a lot of people in our lives, who can help us with the legal aspects of owning a business. Also on the aspect of asking advice, it's OK to ask for advice from other artists whom you respect and look up to, who have possibly been doing this longer than you have whether it's a full-fledged business or not I found that connecting with people within the community has helped Alexa and I not only with the business part of things but also us as artist as well. We've grown so much in many ways and I like to think it's because of the people we've gotten to know."
Is there anything else you would like to add?
"I would say to anyone who is looking to sell their work but are either scared or not sure where to start, get connected with friends and people who know what they're doing and do it! The world needs more artists, the world needs more people doing what they love because they love it and not for any other reason. I know that, although this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life thus far I wouldn't change it for the world, it has gotten me to where I am today and for that I'm very grateful. I've definitely grown the most as a person, an artist, and now a business owner due to Alexa and I taking a leap."
