Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Emma Moore and I’m a local Maker and watercolour painter in Toronto, with a love of plants and all things handmade.
I also have the privilege of working at Makers Market during the week, and have previous experience working with artists and makers. I graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design with a BFA in Drawing and Painting and have continued to be involved in the Toronto art scene.
I’m so happy to be working in such a positive, happy, and inclusive environment at the market and love getting the opportunity to chat with other artists and makers, as well as taking part in the many opportunities the Market has to offer.
As a practicing artist something that I have always found difficult to navigate is the world of social media. The idea that likes and follows equal to a successful business or art practice has been something that over time I have come to realize for myself isn’t necessarily true. Don't get me wrong, I love sharing creations online and following along on other creators making experiences. That being said I truly miss the personal interactions, art shows, fleas and markets that the city usually has to offer this time of year making my shop space at Makers Market all the more special to me.
But, as we all know, things have changed and so have the ways of touching others with our work and handmade creations. So I decided to give the world of social media more of a shot. I tapped back into my Facebook, and have started posting regularly on my Instagram account again, and even dabbled in a Pinterest account, a website revamp and an Etsy shop. My next goals are to tackle Twitter and dive into the world of TikTok.
It’s definitely been a learning curve, so this month I decided I really wanted to focus on understanding all the functions, benefits, and ways I can use Instagram to my advantage. On October 31st, I did my first Instagram Live with Makers Market and truly enjoyed chatting with other makers and friends live on the platform. Figuring out a tripod setup and ways being able to read comments while painting took some time to get comfortable with. This experience opened me up to new possibilities and different ways of getting my work out there. Filming myself painting and creating short videos or stories is definitely something I want to try and play around with.
In the end tackling social media can be intimidating at first, but breaking it down and taking it one step at a time has been helpful for me. What sort of social media platforms do you use, and what has helped you get your work out there? I would love to hear about your experience as a maker and a small business owner. Share your thoughts and ideas in our next newsletter. We would love to hear from you.