The internet! I’ve always been interested in doing something creative,
but it didn’t even occur to me that I could make a living as an artist
until the internet really took off. I’d never allowed myself to even
*dream* of becoming an artist! Then all of a sudden you didn’t need to
live in New York and have gallery representation to sell your work.
When I discovered Etsy, it was love at first sight. I started my shop,
was invited to sell my work at a local craft market a few weeks later
and the rest is history. I’ve been working as a full time artist for 4
years now.

I know that name must mean something! Where did it come from?

My initials are the letters K.G.B., so of course I had to play with
it! The little bee girl has become my mascot, of sorts – though she’s
probably more cute than cagey!

Is being a crafty entrepreneur the only way to go? What is the best
thing about running your own biz?

It’s definitely not for everyone, but for me, being a crafty
entrepeneur is the only way to go. I work insane hours. I haven’t
taken a day off in…years! But I love what I do and feel incredibly
grateful that I get to do this for a living.

The best thing about running my own business is having total control
to try new things. If I have an idea, I can decide on Monday to buy
supplies, experiment with making something new (like 1″ buttons or my
silver pendants), then have the new product ready for sale by the
weekend. There are no hoops to jump through or manager approvals or
focus groups. The downside is – I have piles of leftover supplies from
projects I tried and then eventually scrapped!

What does the future hold for A Cagey Bee?

More paintings, for sure. I’m trying to find balance between handling
all of the “work” tasks and carving out time to actually paint. I’m
also really excited to travel and take this show on the road. I’ll be
at Make It Edmonton this spring, my first market outside of BC!

Why do you think people love buying handmade so much? Is it here to stay?

Technology has become such an important part of our day to day lives
that I think it’s spurned a desire to return to our roots in small
ways. I love touching things that have a story, that have a connection
to the past and to its maker. I think people who buy handmade want to
own things that are unique and special. Who wants to walk into
someone’s home and see the exact same Ikea furniture that everybody
else has?

I think the handmade movement will always have strong supporters
outside of the mainstream culture. Though it’s hard to say what will
happen after the zombie apocolypse.

You are going to be at both Make It Vancouver and Edmonton! What is
your favourite thing about the show?

My favorite thing about Make It is the entire shopping experience.
Such amazing vendors selling incredible stuff you never see in stores,
the music, the wine – awesome!