I actually managed in creating my dream job -- Anna Siivonen

Welcome! Our October featured artist is Anna Siivonen from Sweden. Exotic, fairytale-ish (if there is such a word), dreamy ... are the words that wandering in my mind when I wow over Anna's wearable art. Here is an inspiring story on how she pursuit her dream since 6.

Serqet Scorpio Goddess Statement Necklace by Anna Siivonen

I have been dreaming about working with art since I was a kid (after I gave up the notion of becoming a princess or a hockey goalkeeper). I took a ceramic clay class when I was six years and I continued for about fifteen years, my favorite thing was to sculpt small figures. From an early age I felt that I had good creative ideas, but I lacked in confidence. I could not get in the right art schools. So I studied at the not so popular school but after having completed university I still could not convince anyone to give me a job that was the least bit creative. I came to the conclusion that I´ll have to create my dream job for my self, nobody would just give me that. So I settled on a job that was offered and I started a company on the side as a creative outlet.

In my company I did all kinds of sculptures and projects that went nowhere. I painted and wrote a children´s book that suck but had great pictures. I did a cow for Cow parade in Stockholm (that somebody massacred in a week). After two years I stumbled upon silver clay which was unheard of in Sweden so I taught my self everything about it, and I wrote a book about it that no one wanted to publish. So I taught my self about publishing, layout, photography and I published the first Swedish silver clay book, later on published also in Finland. Because of this I got to teach a lot of silver clay classes, but still I had not much luck in selling my art. Then I found Etsy and through Etsy I found my style and a method of creating efficiently. I started thinking in terms of product development, and nowadays when I create I have a plan on how to efficiently reproduce an item even before making it.

Statement Ring Skull Ring Knuckle Duster by Anna Siivonen

The good thing about being a self-employed designer is that I can go a bit crazy without being interrupted. I can create things I find fun and don't have to dilute my inspiration to make it mainstream. I won't sell hundreds of a design, but the few ones that I do sell are treasured. I can have an idea, make it, put it up in my shop and sell it, all in one day. What makes my business special is not one product but my productivity and the uniqueness of my designs. I communicate with customers and sell all over the world. I customize things to their needs and I use their input to evolve my business further. I sell my handmade things, items made in Sweden (a country with really high taxes where most companies outsource their products to Asia and India) to Asia and India, Russia, Azerbaijan, US and Mexico (mind blowing to me). It took me quite a while, lots of detours, but I actually managed in creating my dream job. And the funny thing is that what I´m doing today is what have been my favorite thing since I was six years old, the thing I would have said I wanted to do when I grew up if I ever thought a job like that existed, I sculpt small figures.

Fathers Cuff Links Boy and Girl by Anna Siivonen

A lucky winner will have the choice of prize:

1)

Bronze skull pendant hair tie pony tail holder

2) 

Honey bee knuckle ring

or 3) Both of the prints here.

Top: Girl with balloons, collage print  Bottom: New best friend, collage print

Here are the rules to enter the MCHs blog giveaway:

Every person is eligible to enter the blog giveaway with up to FOUR (4) entries. How can you get an entry? You can do any of the following and then let us know that by leaving a comment here so we can keep track.

1. Follow our blog = 1 entry
2. Check out featured artist and post favorite piece on the blog = 1 entry
3. Heart featured artist’s shop = 1 entry
4. Follow featured artist on Facebook = 1 entry
5. Make a purchase = 2 entries
6. Refer a friend = 1 entry
7. Tweet about the giveaway using key word metalclayheads = 1 entry
8. Share the Metal Clay Heads blog giveaway link on FB (Go to http://www.facebook.com/MetalClayHeadsTeam and click Share) = 1 entry
9. If you voted and commented on our last challenge = 1 entry

The giveaway will run for two weeks. We will announce the winner on October 29th. Good luck!