Wednesday Indie Artist Fixx with Peggy Li

Today’s Indie Artist Fixx interview is with Peggy Li, who is a jewelry designer extradornaire. Peggy’s simple, yet elegant and contemporary designs, will appeal to those looking for signature pieces to add to their jewelry collections. Creating jewelry for over 6 years now, a far cry from her Chemical Engineering major at UC Berkeley, Peggy’s desire to make jewelry originally began with inspiration from the artisans on Berkeley’s famous Telegraph Avenue. She is now quite an accomplished artisan in her own right.

Read more about Peggy and her business in my interview with her below.

1. What’s the name of your business and what do create and sell?

Peggy Li Creations and I make handmade jewelry.

2. How did you get you start?

I was making pieces for myself and people at work and on the street would stop and ask me where I got my jewelry. I also sent my designs to Buffy, the Vampire Slayer TV show and they used my pieces on the show!

3. What pearls of wisdom can you share with newbie indie artists who are just taking the plunge?

Define your creative voice, vision, and business goals. Learn as much as you can about your business as possible. Be persistent, be patient. Understand your target market.

4. What’s your design process like?

I love fashion, art and nature and get a lot of inspiration from those sources. Often the materials I work with inform my design. My work is simple, feminine and modern, always wearable!

5. Tell us one funny/goofy/silly thing about yourself.

My boyfriend and I just sent in our applications to The Amazing Race. We want to travel and win the million bucks!

6. What’s the best thing about what you do? And the worst?

The best thing is that I have full creative control over my business. The worst — taxes.

7. What blogs and mags do you read and what shops do you shop at? List as many as you want.

I read Lucky, Instyle and People Stylewatch magazines. I love Elle Accessories magazine as well. I shop at Old Navy, Shopbop.com and small local boutiques.

8. Were you an artsy craftsy kid? If so, what kinds of things did you do?

Yes! I loved cooking, arts and crafts, and gardening as a kid. I was always making my own potpourri or trying to bake souffles.

9. If you could have one wish from a genie, what would it be?

To have many more wishes.

10. What does indie mean to you? You can give a literal definition, choose to be a little esoteric or a combination of both. 😉

Indie to me represents folks who do for themselves — they build their businesses without outside investors or ample resources or connections.

11. What are you reading, watching and listening to?

Reading: Fodor’s Guide to Paris 2008.
Watching: Project Runway (of course)!
Listening: Stevie Wonder

12. What are your inspirations?

Science, nature, femininity and fashion.

13. What future plans are you cooking up?

Did I mention The Amazing Race and the million dollars?