Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey Baker
Hi Audrey, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been an artist my whole life. It’s the best possible outlet for the emotions that cannot be spoken aloud. I’m bad with words, so expressing myself via imagery is what I need to not feel like a turtle caught in a plastic bag. I’ve been drawing since I can remember, painting since I had fine motor control, working with clay since I got some for Christmas a couple of years ago, and dabbling in everything else in between.
I remember painting a real emo picture of a bloody smiley face in middle school, and getting a sarcastic response of “wow, that takes real talent,” from my stepmother (the source of such cliche preteen angst). Thankfully took me a few years to realize what the tone meant, otherwise it might have stunted my growth as an artist. All this to say that listening to the positive, and not the negative comments on your art is the only way you can move forward. Easier said than done, but subtext is overrated anyways.
I started making jewelry in high school. I found some tiny flocked bears in the dollhouse section of a craft store and thought, “these would make awesome earrings.” I brought them home with some eye screws and dug them straight into the wood with my hands for about two hours – I didn’t own a drill. I wore them to school, got a ton of compliments, and ended up with about four commissions for more pairs from my peers that day. After that I thought, “why buy jewelry anymore? I can just make my own!” And thus, The Shiny Stuff Store was born.
Since then, I’ve experimented with beadwork, wire wrapping, ceramics, and soldering (in that order) in my pieces. Looking back and seeing the progress I’ve made over these seven years is the best motivation a girl could ask for.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think that my struggles, as many could probably relate, are rooted in the capitalist system. I think that given the opportunity, most people would choose to live in a way that centers their passion and creativity. But, when you are part of the working class, that’s not always an option. Although I am grateful to be working through my art to make an income, sometimes it feels like an abuse of passion to make my pieces for money. In a perfect world, I would create for the love of it, not to pay rent.
The feeling that I need to make art – not because I want to express myself, but because I need to work – definitely stunts my inspiration. The time between markets is filled with anxiety over whether I have enough inventory, which leads me to make smaller, simpler pieces rather than the big, delicate, detailed things I want to work on. Time is fleeting and I can never forget it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I make jewelry. I specialize in making unique, one of a kind pieces that I rarely duplicate. I’m known for my work that combines a variety of techniques; they change with the season. I love to make use of all the different skills I’ve learned over the years, and I hope to continue learning for the rest of my life. I’m most proud of the progress I’ve made thus far in my journey with soft solder. It feels like a gateway into a brand new kind of art that I’ve been looking for for a long time. I want to eventually branch out into bigger works; decorative pieces for the home, rather than a neckline. I’m currently working on a large piece like this that I hope to reveal soon.
I am also a painter, a potter, and sometimes a sculptor. I like doing anything I can with my hands to put the image in my mind into real life. Whether that image comes to me before the process of making or during it varies.
How do you think about happiness?
I think the thing that makes me happiest is spending time with the people I love, making art for the sake of creation, learning new skills, and being an active part of Knoxville’s LGBTQ+ community. I love volunteering at Knox Pride (better described as hanging around) and spending time with friends at South Press.
Meeting new people at markets is always such a dopamine boost for me, whether it’s other inspiring makers or customers with great stories. All in all, the things that make me happiest are the things that make us human. Spending time with other people, learning from their experiences, and making art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theshinystuffstore.bigcartel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshinystuffstore?igsh=MWk3b2xwMzFudnhwdA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theshinystuffstore?_t=ZP-8tyrG9YdksA&_r=1
