March Artists of the Month - Pigment Project

March Artists of the Month - Pigment Project

Hello! Glad you found us via Hattie Rex!

 

Top 3 interesting things about Pigment Project:

  1. Two of us loom-bead our earrings: We're both graphic designers, so naturally we love keeping up with color and pattern trends. We're constantly inspired by the other, and our own designs are evolving quicker than if we were just working alone.
  2. Pigment Project began as a hobby in 2012: At a ladies craft night, Jessica "dusted off" her vintage handmade loom crafted by her late father and given to her in 3rd grade. Initially, Jessica and Jillian passed the loom back and forth to make earrings for friends and family. Slowly, word began to get out and sales began to pick up. 
  3. For the number lovers: We've threaded over 30,000 needles and loomed over 1,500 pairs of earrings. Since each pair takes between 1 and 2 hours to loom, we've spent more than 2,250 hours of our life looming. It's safe to say we've watched a whole lot of tv, listened to a whole lot of podcasts, and taken our looms on a whole lot of roadtrips.

 

Top 3 reasons why we love loom-beading:

  1. Seeing our earrings adorning others. Due to the power of the global marketplace, we’ve seen strangers in other cities wearing our earrings! It’s such a thrill to see, whether or not they’re a stranger or a good friend.
  2. Creating endless designs and color combinations. Most of our earrings are one-of-a-kind which keeps us from getting bored. All styles have a unique name, and often, a fun backstory. 
  3. Being part of the handmade community. Whether networking with other artists via social media or handmade fairs, we love belonging to the creative community. We also enjoy encouraging hobby artists to start selling their products. It’s been a fun journey that we want others to experience.

 

Top 3 FAQ's:

  1. What is the looming process? First we pick out our colors—primary and accent. Then we let the colors dictate the pattern and shape of the earrings. We warp our loom, loom-bead the earrings, selvedge the edges, attach the findings, sew in the warp and weft threads, package the earrings, and ship them off.
  2. How did you learn to loom-bead? Jessica learned to loom-bead as a child, probably via one of those Klutz kids books. But it didn’t end there—Jessica was lucky to have a Native American bead store in her hometown and the store clerks were eager to give her looming tips and tricks. In fact, Jessica and Jillian are still using the beeswax that she purchased there 20 years ago. Jessica and Jillian then refined the looming process when they started the Pigment Project and the rest is history!
  3. Where do you sell your earrings? We sell both online and in stores. In addition to Hattie Rex, we sell at Frayed Sew in Helena, MT and at MADE in Jackson, WY. Follow @pigment_project on Instagram here!

 

Thanks and continue to support local!

Jessica and Jillian

 

    

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