On Folklore, Antique Art And Small Business Grants: Desert Selkie
Today, we’re chatting with one of The Front Market’s Fall 2022 vendors Jennifer of Desert Selkie.
✰ ABOUT JENNIFER
“I was inspired to start Desert Selkie from a love of making all sorts of things and feelings of fatigue and stress from working in the service industry during covid. The name ‘Desert Selkie’ comes from folk tales I loved reading as a child. A Selkie is a shapeshifter, like a mermaid but instead of a tail, she uses the skin of a seal to transform. I called my business Desert Selkie because when I moved to Texas, I felt like a fish out of water; a woman who had lost her Selkie skin. It’s also a fun play on words. ”
Q: Where do you source your materials from?
A: All of my materials are authentic antique or vintage pieces. Most are dead stock and sourced from closed factories and from friends overseas in Europe.
Q: What are your goals for Desert Selkie in 2023?
A: My dreams for Desert Selkie in 2023 is mainly being able to shift into a more settled studio space to expand my product lines, increase my online following and online sales, teach small classes and continue to find new things to be inspired by.
Q: Do you have any advice for creatives looking to start their own small business?
A: I encourage creatives starting their new business journey to find the intersection of their passion and underserved categories in the market and artistic realms. It’s important to have an ethical product line you believe in and you’ve got to do your best to create that with a range (or even just one or two products) that you can create in high demand. (Often, this is much less glamorous than one might imagine.)
Q: Our latest market theme was “Metaphorical Community Garden.” What does this mean to you?
A: I see myself delving into more online and focused community efforts into helping small businesses, as well as helping BIPOC and LGBTQIA people gain access to grants and funding for their small businesses. No one is doing this, and it is so daunting to find where to look. Often, there are so many grants and funding available free for those who can find it!
