Indie Archives- Interview With Infivision March 2009

I had the pleasure of catching a great interview with Infivision an amazing indie photo artist:)

1. Introduce yourself

Howdy. Yep, that's what we say here in the mountains of Virgina. I'm M. Adam Kendall, and I run http://infivision.etsy.com and the famous Etsy favorites organizer,
http://www.etsyfeeder.com

2. What led you to start creating your art/craft?

My wife really inspires me every day. She is an amazing woman who has battled with Agoraphobia, (an anxiety disorder often precipitated by the fear of having a panic attack) yet continues to try to create and deal with the public at large. I had been taking photographs for myself for years, and have always had an artistic background. I finally completed a bachelors degree in Fine Art, and after my wife prompting me, I decided to start selling on Etsy.

3. How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I love photographs. There is just something about being able to capture an image for eternity, and relive that moment over and over again. That's the magical thing about creating things. They will outlive you and last lifetimes.

4. What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

I think the most enjoyable part to me is knowing that I am creating something from nothing. I do that on a daily basis in my "day job" as a software developer, and while it may not be "art" the final product is always worth it. I love to be able to provide things that people will use and enjoy.

5. How did you come to find a home on Etsy? do you sell anywhere else?

Etsy has been a long time venue for my wife, and I have followed their rise to success since their very beginnings. Once my wife finally convinced me to share my photographs with the world, Etsy felt like the natural place to do so.

6. What is (are) your favorite pieces in your Shop

I would have to say that my favorites have to be my "Car Porn" series of prints.

I've always been into classic vehicles, having owned my first one at the age of 17. Classic vehicles are the ultimate subject of recycling for me. You can find the whole series here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6657760&section_id=5820679

7. What is the best piece of advice you would like to give other give other indie crafters?

I think the best piece of advice I could give is don't sacrifice your art. Sure, you may not be the most popular seller here, or there, or anywhere, but if you don't enjoy the final product yourself, then the passion won't be in the piece. This definitely shows in the final product.

8. In your opinion, why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?

I think the real value in the handmade movement is getting back to the roots that drove the greatest generation, the WWII generation. We are creating a society of folks to that are relying on technology, not themselves. We are creating young men that have never seen a tool like a wrench or a welder and are baffled when their 3 year old stops the toilet up with too much tissue. The more interest there is in handmade items, the more we can reach out and show folks that if you have the desire, anything is possible. Do things for yourself. Learn. Enjoy creating new things.

9. Tell us about EtsyFeeder.com

Etsyfeeder was originally created to provide RSS feeds, otherwise known as news feeds, for shops that included pictures of their items. Etsy does provide feeds, but it is only text. Folks can't get an idea of what you are selling with just text, so I decided to provide this feature for the community. From there other things somewhat escalated into providing other things that Etsy wasn't providing and that I had the know how to do, like organizing favorites, and a prettified iPhone interface to Etsy. I'm sure that once Etsy releases their official API (programming interface) that more and more cool tools like etsyfeeder will come on the scene.

10. What are your goals for 2009

My goals are pretty simple really, and have nothing to do with selling. I plan to be the best husband I can to my wife, the best father I can to my stepson, and the best person I can to anyone else.

Come follow along on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/infivision for both shop updates and updates on EtsyFeeder

Thanks so much M.Adam@ Infivision ..we look forward to seeing more of your work! Happy
2009