Tuesday, November 01, 2016

november post 1: BTS jill draper at work

Just out-of-the-dye-vats yarn in Jill Draper Makes Stuff studio! I'm going for a strong start at my annual stab at daily blogging for November, NaPoBloMo
Here's Jill dyeing. If you want to know what her work day is like, check out her profile on Etsy's Quit Your Day Job feature recently. When I was contacted to photograph her for it, I was thrilled.  You want me to spend the day behind the scenes with one of my favorite artist dyers and see how the magic happens? Yes, please! 
Of course, I know it is hard work, not waving a wand.  It's her eye for color, and choices about yarns and her overall vision that is magical. It's running a business, and figuring out inventory and ordering and marketing and shipping and planning what turned out to be a stupendously popular open house in October, and juggling all the balls. Despite our photo shoot needing to happen in the weeks leading up to some of her biggest shows of the year, Jill was a wonderful subject.
It's invasive to have a photographer and her assistant in your face- and personal space- all day. Setting up lights, climbing up ladders to get a better view, asking you to ride your bike down the street a thousand times for the camera...when all you really want to do is get back to work for real.
Recipe book. These kinds of peeks into how others spend their days is the thing I love about my job. No surprised that my favorite book as a kid was Harriet the Spy.  On days like this one, where my subject is also someone I love to work with (and be a customer of, I mean, really, you need to look at her shop if you are not familiar with her yarn and fiber), well....I have to feel pretty lucky. 
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Jill is also a client of mine, have you seen her Rural Renewal collection of designs? Later this month I'll do a BTS on shooting that collection for her last summer. I've got plans for this daily blogging thing. Stay tuned!

7 comments:

Kym said...

Beautiful! Yarn. Color. Studio. Everything. (I really need to get my hands on some of her yarn. . .)

AsKatKnits said...

I love this peek into a "day in the life" of Jill Draper. This is also such a great reinforcement for the fiber community off how much hard work it involves!

Carole said...

Beautiful photos, you certainly captured her day.

Vicki Knitorious said...

So much color! Wonderful post - and start to NaBloPoMo! 😄

Mary Lou said...

So fun to see. I am sorry I didn't get any of her yarn at Rhinebeck. But I know where to find it online! And yes - Harriet the Spy!!

cal said...

it's always a treat to see a master at work! such a beautiful glimpse into Jill's workaday life. her sense of color is a wonder. beautiful photos!

twinsetellen said...

A friend and I once tried to be co-Harriets. We couldn't find any crimes to solve. We were kind of bummed about it, but in retrospect that was probably the best thing.