I'd like to introduce you to John Byrne of Feral Glass. John works with glass and makes the most amazing garden glass. My favorite is Harbor Dawn. The colors work great together. I'm not exactly a green thumb with the flowers if you know what I mean, but these pieces from Feral Glass are sure to bring vibrant color to any garden. Stop by John's shop and take a look-see!
**If you'd like to be one of my featured artists, drop me a line!**
Feral Glass
Who are you?
John Byrne, d/b/a Feral Glass
What is your Etsy Shop Name/link?
What tag categories do you specialize in?
art, glass
Do you create for children or adults, women or men?
My creations are enjoyed by all ages...While most of my Feral Glass pieces are made for outdoors, I also have hanging sculptures for your windows or smaller pieces for decks or high-rise balconies. Even urban dwellers can enjoy Feral Glass. Perhaps I can help your mind escape from captivity and run wild as well ;-)
What do you like about Etsy?
I like two things the most. First, it is easy for the customers and provides a clear, clean and easy to use format for presentation and for transactions. Second, it is such a great community of supportive and intelligent artists. As a newcomer I had a million questions about how to set up a shop and how to manage it for best effect. The Etsy community has been there with me the whole way. Very pleasant people with very creative ideas.
What do you like about creating?
There are several steps in the process. The one I like most is when a design "comes together". It is not a rational thing, but more of a visceral "feeling" of warmth right in your solar plexus. A yoga friend of mine said that makes sense because of where the "creative chacra" resides. You can be staring at your piece and trying a few different things, and then all of a sudden, by adding or moving one small element, the whole comes together as a strong, flowing statement. Cool feeling. The other aspect of creating which I enjoy most is the joy it brings to others when I show them my work. I have given quite a few pieces as gifts and now for sale. It feels good when someone comes up to me at a craft fair and says the piece they received as a Christmas gift is so beautiful and adds so much to their yard.
Is your Etsy business part time or full time?
I do my art as a full-time endeavor. Etsy is a new part of that mix. To set up the shop and learn from the Etsy user forums, I spent some long days and nights on-line. Now I can get back into the glass studio and create, knowing I have a good showcase for the pieces when they are complete.
What do you love about your Etsy business?
Of course I like the sales. But I also get a boost from the nice email comments from people or from being "hearted". Hopefully some of the "hearts" will become sales as the holidays approach.. My garden glass looks great in the snow.
What is your favorite product right now?
Of mine? I like the tall garden spirits, especially when there are three or more in a grouping. Feral Glass looks best when traveling in small herds. For what you pay for one painting on your wall, you can have 4-5 feral works adding interest to a large swath of garden or lawn. Other people's products? I love the beautiful dichroic and fused glass jewelry I see on Etsy. But I am "between girlfriends" right now, so don't buy much jewelry.
What makes you unique at Etsy?
No one else makes this outdoor garden sculpture. Not only are the technique and designs unique, but it also puts art into unexpected places. Whether it is mid summer or mid-winter, these make great splashes of color and form where least expected (but most enjoyed). Most stained glass leads a tame, domesticated life atop your lamps or staring wistfully out of your windows. Feral Glass runs wild on legs of brass.
What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
I am new to having a web presence, so my Etsy site is the best showcase of my art. However, if you want to see photos of my studio, my self and my beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mts from my studio, check out the albums in www.myspace.com/feralglass *********************************************************
