“Spotlight Q&A” — Sheila Fendall — Copper Moon Jewelry

One of the many purposes of our “Spotlight” is to introduce you to some of Canada's lesser known artisans...

I recently had the chance to interview Sheila Fendall, a silversmith/jewelry artisan from the foothills of the Rockies, in Black Diamond, Alberta.

Sheila is one of those down-to-earth easy-going artisans who love what they do and have an endless passion for their craft. I encourage you to visit our current Feature Artist Profile on our site as Sheila just happens to be featured there this month, too.

DS:

Tell me about your start as an artisan… Did you have a passion for making jewelry right from the beginning?

SF:

I guess I had a strong desire to actually make something from ‘scratch’, since childhood. After trying to follow patterns, and never succeeding, I took a course in making beaded necklaces at a beadstore. That led to a pottery course where I made my own beads. Actually that was fairly successful, but still didn’t quite seem fulfilling enough. I wanted to use tools! I decided to try my hand at a silversmithing course through the Calgary Board of Education. I didn’t like the sawing at first, and was tempted to quit. What a wimp! I had always told my kids they had to finish what they started, so I had to be a good role model and finish the course. I took more courses after that and to make a long story short, here I am today.

DS:

Tell us about the kind of art you create.

SF:

I create one-of-a-kind pieces. A lot of my jewelry is Western and reflects a retro cowboy style. I may design a “series”, but the only thing they share is a theme. Each piece is unique. Actually, I would get bored making large quantities of one design. It’s probably not very practical in terms of making money, if I was looking to have some huge commercial business, but I’d rather do what I like. I’ve been blessed in that what I’ve been liking is what my customers have been liking, too…

DS:

I understand you have a busy life… How do you balance “working for a living” with doing your art, your craft?

SF:

I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve always worked part-time since becoming a mother. I've usually had at least one day during the week to cultivate my silversmithing. By the time my youngest was in school, I was becoming more serious about it, and so I was able to work during the time my kids were in school. When I moved south of the city, my schedule changed and I had 2 days at home during the week. It was great to be home for my kids after school, but have the days to myself.

DS:

You work out of your home… What sort of workspace or home studio arrangements have you made?

SF:

It’s funny because I do have a room set aside, but it mostly just stores my tools and equipment. I prefer to work in an area off of the kitchen with a huge window that looks out over pasture and into the mountains. In the afternoon, the sun hits it, and I bask in the warm sunlight, especially in the winter, and just go into my own little world where I am able to totally focus on my work. I might spend the day planning and preparing for projects, or actually getting out the tools and getting right into it.

DS:

Who or what has been most influential in your work? Any mentors? What has been your inspiration?

SF:

I guess Dee Fontans Lewton-Brain has been influential. She’s an instructor in Silversmithing at the Alberta College of Art, and she used to have a studio in downtown Calgary for anyone working at being a silversmith. For a fee you could have a certain number of hours in her studio where you could access all kinds of tools, as well as support and guidance. She was always very supportive.

My inspiration can come from anywhere. Sometimes I’ll be looking at something and see something entirely different that gives me an idea. I can be looking at a picture in a magazine of, say, a piece of furniture and I’ll see something within that furniture that provides me with a design or shape. Sometimes I’ll see a picture of someone wearing a piece of jewellery and at first glance I see something else. Then, when I look closer, I see that my vision of it was entirely different, but it was a good idea.

DS:

Talking about inspiration…you live in the Black Diamond area of Alberta, in the beautiful foothills of the Rockies, with a rich past of Western history… has this contributed to your style of art and who you are?

SF:

Moving to the country was one of the best things I ever did. I’ve always loved the whole cowboy thing. It’s just a feeling. As a child, I used to say I wanted to be a horse when I grew up. I’d always dreamed of learning to ride a horse, which I started doing before moving. Then I got my horse – a dream come true. Many of my pieces are Western. I’ve done belt buckles with horses and cowboys ropin’ cows. Also because turquoise is the one stone that always speaks Western, I use that stone in a lot of my work. I also like using symbolism. For example, when the woman who taught me how to ride, got married, I made her a silver eagle’s head, over a moon, symbolizing freedom to grow and remain independent, but then I attached some chain, to represent her ties to her new [and old] family. Living out here has definitely been inspiring. I don’t think I would have grown very much as an artist living in the city. It’s just a sense of freedom with few restrictions. For me, it was what I needed.

DS:

What challenges did you face in the beginning? How did you deal with them?

SF:

You know, my biggest fear was the torch. I had a terrible fear of soldering. Dee helped me a lot, but I felt inadequate on my own for a long time. Finally, I just had to learn to do it all on my own. Also, it was a little uncomfortable at first, wearing something I had made. I was a little afraid of what people were going to think. Eventually, it didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was that I was proud of the piece I had made, and I knew the amount of work that had gone into making it. It was a certain sense of confidence in my skills.

DS:

How has your work changed since you first began with your art/craft?

SF:

Well, I know my work has improved and my standards have gone up. I challenge myself more. If I have an idea or a request from someone for a certain piece, I’ll give it a try and often it turns out just fine. Early on, I would have just said that I couldn’t do it. When you’re just starting out you’re unsure of yourself and perhaps a little afraid of some criticism or rejection. But as you gain more experience and your craft improves you quickly learn what you’re capable of doing and you love to try new things.

DS:

What do you currently enjoy most about your art?

SF:

I think I enjoy the creative part. I get a little adrenalin rush when I have an idea and sketch it out and plan it. It’s also pretty exciting to see it all come to life, too.

DS:

How do you determine what your next art piece will be? Do you have a theme or purpose beforehand?

SF:

Sometimes I have a theme, but most often, it’s just something I want to try.

DS:

What, if anything, would you change about being a “creative person”. If you had your “druthers” about anything in your artistic journey what would you like to have changed or done differently and why?

SF:

I wish I’d found my creative self earlier. I would have liked to have gone to the College of Art full time and been totally absorbed in the creative life, way back before I had kids. I just think it would have been great to experience that.

DS:

Being an artist requires not only creativity but it also takes some ongoing effort… Do you ever experience burnout? How do you handle it?

SF:

I don’t recall ever having experienced burnout. If anything, my jewellery making has helped “ground me” and kept me sane through some bad times. It’s been like a friend. It’s in my soul. Maybe I also don’t experience burnout because I don’t work on it every single day. Since I also have a part-time job, I have certain days that are designated for silversmithing, and the weekends are usually for family. The only exception is if I’m working hard for an upcoming show, then I sometimes carry over into my weekends, but it's only for a limited time.

DS:

How did you get started selling your work? Where?

SF:

Actually, when I started, I used to have great sales at work. They were my biggest fans. It became an annual event in the Fall. With changes and moves at work, I don’t have that anymore. I have had my work in variious ‘art-related’ stores in Calgary, Black Diamond and Nanton. I find my jewellery does very well in funky little places that cater to promoting and selling artists’ work. I enjoy doing art shows, but sometimes they end up being more for those looking for paintings on canvas and people don’t expect to see jewellery. There are some artisan shows I’m looking at getting into where there’s likely to be a greater variety of customers and art or craft types.

DS:

Who is the market for your work? And how do you market your work and price your art?

SF:

My market is anyone who wears jewellery, either for themselves or as a gift. Guys have ordered belt buckles and rings.

I haven’t really marketed my work, in the truest business sense. Most of my marketing is done by placing my product in some good stores and local shows and by word of mouth. I base my prices on the cost of material and what I think is a fair price. Sometimes it’s a hard decision. Some pieces require more effort, or are more challenging to create. Others may carry a sentimental value that’s hard to put a price on. But when you get some good sales and great customer feedback you know you’re in the right zone…

DS:

How do you decide which art or craft events to participate in or studios or galleries to exhibit your works in?

SF:

Again, it’s often difficult to know which ones to participate in. Often people just associate art shows with paintings on canvas, or sculptures. I hope one day that expands to include a wider range of art and serious craft. Maybe that’s something some of the members of A&CNet can work at. Maybe some of us could get together and plan a show of "other"art to open people’s minds a little… The mainstream gets no shortage of attention, but it would be great to showcase some of those other less familiar or well-known art forms… If any of my peers out there are interested, give me a call.

DS:

Sheila, where do you expect to go from here in your artistic career? Or as I jokingly say in my life’s journey, “what do I want to be when I grow up?” What do yet want to be or do in your creative life?

SF:

Well, I think it’s time to be a little more serious about my artistic career. It’s always a challenge juggling a day job, your family and your art… It would be nice to be "successfully" creative enough where it would become a more serious part of my income and not just icing on the cake. I think a short-term goal would be to participate in more shows. As I mentioned, it would be great to put together an art show that showcases my work and other kinds of art out there – not just painting on canvas. Plus, it would be nice to have a website to sell my pieces from, too.

DS:

Can you offer any creative advice to artists or craftspeople who are aspiring to sell their work?

SF:

It’s always a struggle. For metal work, there just doesn’t seem to be any magic key. Keep in touch with others in the arts community. It can be not only stimulating, but very validating as well. The really secure, confident people will have an endless supply of support and guidance.

DS:

And finally, what, in terms of business insight or some tips for readers, have you learned to do or not to do over the years?

SF:

I’ve learned many things over the years but one thing I learned from Dee was to "be prepared", sketch and plan before attempting to make something. I didn’t like that at first, because it seemed too restrictive, and I didn’t consider myself good at drawing, but it has turned out to be a very useful thing to do. It also serves as a record of my ideas and consequently my progression. You can also keep notes about what worked and why and what size gauge was used in a piece or any other details for future reference, etc. Looking back over your sketches can serve as a time-line and measuring stick for your own creative growth.

Editorial Comment:

• We’d like to thank Sheila Fendall for giving us the opportunity to get to know her. We thank her for sharing her experiences and some good solid tips.




• As Sheila mentioned, she doesn't yet have a website, but it's something she's planning to do. A website can be an essential sales & marketing tool and excellent vehicle to help any artist or craftsperson showcase and sell their art. A&CNet offers a full range of Web Design and Hosting Services. We have several website templates, packed with features, at very attractive prices... Or we can custom develop a website for you. We also have skilled technical people who can optimize a website you may already have, to ensure you are ranked high in the search engines and always found when potential customers are searching.

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