Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Gruden.
Amy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m Amy the maker and face behind Indigo & August. I’m blessed to have the chance to spend my day making, creating, and building my small business.
In my early years, I was a licensed Cosmetologist and from there I went back to school for Interior Design. During that time I worked on commission jobs decorating children’s rooms with a side focus of painting wall murals, canvas name art, birth announcements, and growth charts that I sold on Etsy.
I felt the pull of wanting to be there more for my children and turned my focus toward my family. Throughout the years I filled my creative spirit with projects as we remodeled our home and in my spare time, I would find some little art project to work on. “MoM” as my main title, I couldn’t help feeling the need to concentrate on my unsettled dreams. With the support of my wonderful husband and family, it was time to start pursuing my dream of a small business which is something that had always been a passion. Art, fashion, and home decor are all things that I feel passionate about, and knew that was the direction I would head.
In 2018 I began the beginning stages of creating Indigo & August and by the spring of 2019, I did my first market. I have a really great studio in my home where I create ocean wave art/charcuterie boards, fluid art, and resin/wood jewelry. I also do custom laser engraving and gifts for weddings and babies. At Christmas time, I do a lot of custom Christmas tree ornaments and personalized gifts. My laser machine is my right-hand man and my assistant is my little Yorkie dog Sadie.
I sell on Etsy and go to markets and soon will be launching a website indigoandaugust.com, One day I hope to have a studio/boutique in a brick-and-mortar where I can share all that I have learned with others and empower them to dig into their own creativity.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Well, like life there are many peaks and valleys in a small business. I try to just ride with the ebbs and flows, so much is out of our control with small business. When things like covid hit you just hang on and hope that in the end, it all works out. There were many learning curves getting things started, and I am still learning as I go. I find the biggest struggle is social media and all that goes along with that. That, too is unpredictable and out of your control. For creatives and small business owners, we count on social media to help promote ourselves/business, but the algorithms make it feel impossible to grow. You are not sure or certain that your post are even being seen. I am also trying to get my footing doing all the things that come along with managing a small business and be a maker at the same time. It is overwhelming at times. I was lucky enough to hire someone last year to assist on the business end to help me through my busy season.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My main focus is on ocean resin art and fluid mixed media art. For the resin art, I mainly make charcuterie boards, trays, misc. home decor and earrings. I do have a laser machine and do some laser work on my boards for customized pieces. The laser machine came first along with the wood and resin earrings. I soon fell in love working with the resin and started to learn other techniques. I found a love for pouring on the charcuterie boards and loved the fact that they were a way for people to buy a piece of functional art. One of the most sought-after boards is the mitten. People love that board, and they can have a custom heart engraved for a special location. It is fair to say that people now call me the ocean wave girl. I also pour on trays, furniture, and misc. home goods.
I have worked hard to find a sustainable product to use for my boards. I am super proud and excited to share I have found a company that will share in my vision for my boards, and they have been great. The mitten was a custom board they created for me so I could offer it as an Indigo & August piece. These boards are beautiful with a grain that is like no other, and they have the most fantastic smell. The boards are a full inch thick which has been something that my customers have been asking for. I carry 6 different styles at the moment and hope to introduce a few more styles in the upcoming months.
I think that the love and care I take in creating these art pieces along with the new boards that I am offering is the thing that sets me apart from others. I take pride in the crafting of these pieces and am very particular. They will be getting a one-of-a-kind piece that will surpass expectations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://indigoandaugust.etsy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indigoandaugust/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoandaugust/
