Do you like handmade design? If so, you need to know about Boston Handmade.
Boston Handmade, founded by local photographic mixed-media artist Jessica Burko in 2007, is a consortium of handmade designers “who support one another in the pursuit of creativity made by hand.” There are currently over 25 member of Boston Handmade, from fields as diverse as photography, clothing, jewelry-making, books and paper goods, and more. All members are registered Etsy sellers and based in Massachusetts.
The members do a lot of cross-promotion online. Aside from each artist’s site, there is a Boston Handmade blog they maintain as a group, as well as profiles on Twitter,Facebook and Flickr.
Want to see what they make firsthand? As a group, Boston Handmade puts on shows, like the Boston Handmade Downtown gallery over the holidays. They also take part in shows around the city, such as the Bazaar Bizarre Boston and various open studio and art walk events.
The members support each other one other way, too. With every piece they sell, each artist encloses information about all of the other artists in the shipping packaging.
Many designers I speak to admit that they don’t often think about the marketing end of their businesses. If that’s you, take note: Boston Handmade is a great example of the collaborative ability of small, independent designers to work together to improve their marketing message and visibility. It’s also a great way to meet and interact with other like-minded people, something that is great for all creative people.
