Today we’d like to introduce you to Kinsey Fisher.
Hi Kinsey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Since I was very young, I’ve always experimented with different types of crafts… painting, drawing, embroidery, sewing… After graduating college, I started a fieldwork research position where I began collecting bones, dead insects, feathers and pressing/drying flowers. I started making and selling jewelry and shadow boxes with these materials which kicked off my art business online. Because I was using so many materials from nature, I wanted to find a way to give back to the ecosystems that provide materials to my art, so I began donating 8% of my proceeds to the North Carolina Botanical Garden. As the pandemic hit and I was spending a lot of time at home, I decided to pick up a new craft, which was stained glass. I bought a beginner’s kit and taught myself out of my toolshed through Instagram and youtube videos. I converted my tool shed into an art studio, and once markets started back up, I began selling at markets in Carrboro, Durham, and Raleigh and eventually joined the Durham Craft Market in 2022. Selling my art in person at markets in the triangle has introduced me to a whole community of artists and art lovers, which allowed my business to flourish into what it is today.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes and no. Yes, because I’m doing what I love, and I have had such a supportive community along the way that allowed me to push through any hardships. However, stained glass has a steep learning curve, and it took a long time for me to feel proud of the work I was putting out there. I am also a full-time grad student working on my Ph.D., which makes it extremely difficult at times to balance and prioritize my research and art.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I make a variety of crafts, most of which have the general theme of nature and wildlife. I make stained glass panels, windows, mobiles, and jewelry. I also make shadowboxes and jewelry out of bones, insect wings, and flowers, all cruelty-free. I typically use bright and/or iridescent colors, fun textures, and suncatcher gems that cast rainbows. I am probably best known for my jewelry and mobiles using butterfly wings pressed between microscope slides or stained glass. I have made a few large stained-glass pieces that I’m very proud of, such as a large snake, a tiger, a great blue heron, and a Luna moth window, all which can be found on my Instagram. All of my designs are original and drawn from hand. I think what sets my art apart from others is the incorporation of real materials from nature into the more traditional craft of stained glass…
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Durham is an incredible city for an artist. First of all, the location is excellent, being near both Chapel Hill and Raleigh. The community at the Durham Craft Market, where I sell my art most Saturday mornings, is such a wonderful and supportive community that has allowed my business and craft to become what it is today.
Pricing:
- Jewelry = $25-$35
- Stained glass ornaments and mobiles = $18-$40
- Stained glass honeycombs = $67
- Custom stained glass panels = $50-$500
- Shadow boxes = $20-$75
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinsey_arts/?hl=en
