INCrowd Interview, 1/17/09 - Charles and Jeanette Cobb, aka ChuckEByrdWallArt

I had the best time shopping online before the holidays. I didn't spend anything, but I learned so much about many new INCrowdteam members. ChuckEByrdWallArt's pieces make me laugh most of the time, though some are just touching or awesome. Regardless, get to know this wonderful shop by reading what the co-proprietors have to say. They prefaced with this sweet note to me when they submitted their answers:

We feel very honored that you asked us to be interviewed for the INCrowdteam blog. "Chuck E. Byrd Wall Art" is the collaborative efforts of Chuck Cobb and wife Jeanette Savina Cobb. We work together in our studio in DeMotte, Indiana. Most folks only see the "Chuck" in Chuck E Byrd Wall Art, but without the "Jeanette" there would be no Chuck E. Byrd Wall Art. We are a team and therefore we filled out this questionnaire much like most everything else we do..."together." So here goes.

Where were you born & raised?
Chuck was born just across the state line in Illinois but raised in NW Indiana. Jeanette was born and raised in NW Indiana.

Where are you now & what led you there?
11 years ago we met on-line (Yahoo), met in person, fell in love, got married and Jeanette moved from Lowell Indiana to the house that Chuck built in DeMotte, Indiana, where we eventually built our studio/shop next to our home.

What types of creations do you sell in for your Etsy shop(s)?
Chuck E. Byrd Wall art is Vinyl Wall art creations for your home or business. Jeanette also has stores that sell Glass art such as Lampwork Beads and Jewelry etc. and a Paper craft store.

What's your educational background, as it relates to your work?
Chuck, (an architectural woodworker) studied architectural drawing in school and is more symmetrical in designing his art work. Jeanette took formal classes in glass art and graphic design and has more of an abstract and geometrical flair to designing art.

How'd you get started creating?
We both come from creative families. Chuck, being a woodworker, made and sold wood crafts at arts fairs and craft shows and also tailored his talents toward building mostly custom furniture, cabinets and high-end commercial mill work. When we opened the glass studio and wood shop, Chuck leaned more toward glass etching and sandcarving in stone. Years earlier he bought his first vinyl cutting plotter to make signs for a company we previously owned. After joining a sign makers forum, and with the assistant of a few "masters of the industry" from that forum, he expanded his vectoring and designing skills. After a few years he was asked to assist in moderating that forum. With the skills he learned at that sign makers forum, and having a vinyl sign plotter, it opened the way to other things, such as making signs for other businesses and also to making interior vinyl wall art and wall sayings that seem to be very popular these days. We now run 3 plotters in our 1900 square foot shop/studio.

Jeanette creates many graphic designs for stained glass, glass fusing and paper crafts, and this is very helpful when it come to creating unique and custom designs in Vinyl wall art.

So how did we come up with "Chuck E. Byrd Wall Art"? In the architectural woodworking field, close bonds between co-workers/friends are created. Chuck was given a nickname by a co-worker who often bestowed animal nicknames to all his co-workers. Somehow, Chuck became, "Chuck E. Byrd", so much so that visitors to the shop thought his real last name was "Byrd." When trying to think of a name for our shop, Chuck wanted a name that was warm and whimsical to reflect the vinyl wall art that we create. Thus the name.

What's your muse, or what turns that little creative light inside you on?
Chuck is inspired by the unusual and unique. Taking elements and ideas from several designs to make his own unique creations.

For Jeanette it's "Color". Having a Hispanic heritage, the need to see color in everything is just in the blood. When Jeanette sees a color combination she likes, she tries to incorporate it into her lampwork beads, or printed paper creations.

Do you belong to any Street Teams (other than the INCrowdteam)? If so, which ones and why?
Chuck belongs to the Design Style Guide team (interiordesignteam). Why? To expand in knowledge and design abilities, and to assist where he can.

Jeanette belongs to the Creative Glass Guild of Etsy team (CGGE). Why? To help where she can and get inspiration from fellow glass enthusiast.

What's your favorite thing about selling on Etsy?
Since the competition is so great for the fields we're in, we get such a thrill that customers preferred our wares over the masses.

Recommend your five favorite shops on Etsy.
TeriPersing A wonderful and talented lampwork artist in NW Indiana [ed. note: also a very popular INCrowder].
trolltracks A great polymerclay artist.
boxesbycarl Beautiful Bandsaw boxes.
jimjenkins510 Beautiful and very unique bandsaw boxes
timothyadamdesigns An artist that takes metal jewelry making to a higher level, and who is dedicated in helping the Etsy community though helpful marketing tutorials and tips.

Show us pictures of your three favorite items from your own shop.

Hang in There Frogs - vinyl wall Decal Sticker- Plus Free Gift

Birds on a Wire

Birdcage Trio - Vinyl Wall Art Decals Graphics Stickers - PLUS FREE GIFT

Anything else to brag about (shows, newspaper or magazine interviews)? Brag on!
Jeanette was featured in Stained Glass News #59 on the front page with her Piano Rose Stained Glass panel and also in Aanraku Stained Glass Table Lanterns pattern book #4 as one of the contest winners for her design of Asian Moons stained glass table lantern.

After moderating the sign makers forum, Chuck realized that there was a need for a helpful forum for Glass/Stone etchers and sandcarvers. With the assistance of a very close friend (Ron Farmer of Atlanta GA) Chuck started a very helpful forum called Cutting Edge Sandcarving about 5 years ago. We now have more than 1650 members.

Thank you so much for asking us to be in the INCrowdteam's blog. Have a wonderful day.
Chuck and Jeanette Cobb

Well, thanks for your wonderful work, and for your membership in the INCrowdteam. You give us depth and make "incrowdteam" tag surfing on Etsy that much more fun.

Carolynn