Today we’d like to introduce you to Atlas Faeryn
Hi Atlas, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I wanted to be a full time artist since I was little. I finished up my bachelor’s degree at Antioch College last year. During my two years at Antioch, my Etsy shop selling dollhouse miniatures was paying for most of my bills. I decided that in my final co-op semester I would expand my business so I could run it full time after graduation. Once I committed to this path, I feel like I had a series of lucky breaks that allowed me to expand quickly and grow my business and skills. I began doing in person events to sell my miniatures. I pretty quickly realized that it was a great expansion in addition to my Etsy shop and would allow me to support myself. Now I have built a career around things I love and have been lucky enough to pay attention when good opportunities present themselves. In 2025 my biggest step will be taking over as the show promoter / organizer for the Midwest Miniature Showcase that happens in the Dayton area at the end of July.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I am not sure I would call the road as a whole smooth. I feel like the past year of being a career artist has been much smoother sailing than I would have expected but I have to keep reminding myself that this year came on the heels of almost a decade of me pouring passion and energy into a side hustle that many times felt like more work than it was worth.
I think perhaps the biggest obstacle that I, and many other creatives, face is the glass ceiling that we build ourselves by listening to people tell us how difficult or even impossible it is to be a successful artist or creative. As a child and teenager, I listened to friends, family, teachers tell me how difficult this would be. Unfortunately, I took their words to heart more than I should have and it instilled a great deal of doubt that cost me a lot of years to undo, so that I could step into my art as a career confidently.
If I have learned anything its that I have to have unwavering faith in myself and my work, after that, so long as I show up for my work, things tend to fall into place
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a miniaturist specializing in polymer clay work. My business has a couple different types of products.
Some events I sell at are specialized in doll house miniatures, and I am selling my handmade 1:12 scale food. I am known for my attention to detail and excellent color matching. In these shows, I try very hard to work on items that are not seen often. For example, two of my best sellers are s’mores and candy corn.
I also travel to nerdy conventions to sell my Foodie Familiars. The Foodies are handmade, one of a kind creatures that are food / animal mashups. These little guys are up for adoption at these events, complete with names and adoption certificates. My husband and I dress up and decorate our table to look like a magical pet shop. We have become really iconic at events, and I get really excited when I meet someone that says “You’re here! Where are the foodies?”
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
My favorite book that helped me immensely as a creative person is The Artist Way by Julia Cameron, and I would recommend it to anyone with any type of creative practice. I have a copy of the book that I reread every couple years, it’s covered in different colors of highlighter and notes from the past decade of reading.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktree.com/krystalinestudio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystalinestudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krystalinestudio
- Other: https://krystalinestudio.etsy.com
