Get To Know: The artist behind Cloudery

Our next sponsor interview comes from an artist who is the owner of two great shops.

Meet the artist behind Cloudery:

Business Name: Cloudery

Where are you located?
Oakland, CA

What is it that you design and create?
Pen & ink drawings

What is your favorite part of the design process?
My drawings are completely spontaneous; no advance planning, no sketching, neither pencil nor eraser are used. I like seeing where the pen goes. It generally surprises me.

How did you come up with your business name?
My first drawing was “Spiderling Cloud,” so I wanted a memorable one-word name that had to do with clouds. I came up with Cloudery to suggest a shop that produces “clouds” (as a metaphor for doodles). Only after I opened the shop did I Google it, and found a definition in the Urban Dictionary meaning a bunch of clouds: “My, that is some beautiful cloudery.” That works just as well.

Where/How did this all begin?
My parents tell me that from the time I could sit at a table I had a crayon in my hand. My first Etsy shop sells chain maille jewelry (Crescent Maille). After a year of Crescent Maille, I decided to establish a second shop motivated by giving back—in this case, to First Book. First Book is a nonprofit organization that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. With the sale of each drawing I fund the donation of anywhere from two to ten new books. The customer knows how many books are donated with their purchase, and confirmation of the donation is included in the package.

Who or what inspires you?
My sweetheart inspires me every single day.

What advice would you give other independent artists who are just starting out?
Practice patience. Find as many ways as you can to promote yourself or your shop. Care about your customers and their shopping experience. Love what you do enough to do it every day.

What is your favorite indie purchase or trade?
Plush creatures by Èveluche.

What’s on your iPod/music player right now?
Spoon, Eels, Iron & Wine, The Fratellis, Wilco, The Raconteurs

What t.v. shows are you currently hooked on?
Dexter, Life on Mars, The Simpsons

What was the last movie you watched?
The Visitor

What’s your favorite food?
The food at Little Diner in Canutillo, Texas.

What’s your favorite candy?
Good chocolate combined with grey sea salt.

What store could you walk around in for hours and be happy?
I really don’t like stores! A museum bookstore, if I have to pick one.

If you could be a superhero, what would your name be and what would be your superpowers?
I’d simply like to be the proverbial fly on the wall.

Favorite Holiday?
Halloween.

2008 is coming to an end. What are your plans for the rest of the year? And 2009?
In 2009, if I could sell one drawing a week, that would mean donating a minimum of 100 books for the year. That’s something to aspire to.

Thanks so much. Cloudery is doing something great and I hope we can all show our support. Visit the Cloudery blog and gallery as well for more info. Oh, and chocolate with salt? I’m all over that! Here’s a few things from the shop…

Pod: $35.00; Spiderling Cloud: $35.00:

2009 Digital Calendar of Art: $7.00; Leaving: $40.00:

Sea Star: $30.00; Cephalopod: $35.00:

Until December 31, Random House Children’s Books is matching every donation made to First Book book-for-book. Buy a drawing before December 31 and I will donate an additional book as well. That means a “2 book” drawing will be worth 6 books, or a “3 book” drawing worth 8. Just mention “Mixed Plate” at checkout.