Interview & giveaway! Alisha Louise Designs
Tell us bit about yourself, your company.
ALD: Hi, I'm Alisha Pogue, owner and designer of Alisha Louise Designs, a handmade jewelry line featuring enamels, gold fill and sterling silver components. I started my business in 2005 after testing the waters with a few craft shows and working as a production assistant for local jewelers. I learned all of my metalsmithing and enameling at Pratt Fine Arts Center, an amazing local resource for anyone interested in starting out in the craft game.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
ALD: When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer living in New York City with a red '57 Chevy. I don't think I grasped the reality of the parking situation there at the time.
Is there a certain person, place or object you draw inspiration from?
ALD: I always love going to Powell's when I'm feeling uninspired and flipping through everything from art books to short fiction. I particularly like the modern and regional craft books I find there. There are so many amazing design blogs out there these days that I can't keep up with awesomeness they uncover. I know everyone says this, but nature is a constant source of interesting patterns and color as well.
If you had no boundaries: money, time, space, support, etc. what dream project would you pursue?
ALD: The most immediate would be finishing my home studio in the style I dream of--fancy European skylights, all new electrical, piped in water, surround sound, gorgeous original art! I would also love travel further and wider than is currently realistic. I'd like to take a handful of advanced classes and launch a fine jewelry line.
What’s your favorite thing to do to kill time? Any secret Internet time wasters, guilty pleasures?
ALD: The Internet is a constant source of time wasting housed as research. I can go down the rabbit hole veeerrrry easily! I also love to read, but my #1 procrastination technique is house cleaning. At least something productive comes of it!
Where do you like to go when you just want to get away? A beach, a mall, a market? What’s your favorite type of spot to go unwind.
ALD: I love being outside and Oregon has lovely, nearby getaways spots. Hiking in the Gorge, a day trip to the coast or just tooling around Forest Park with my French bulldog, Auggie. It's a real reset when you work from home and spend a lot of time in one place.
If you only had one more meal to eat on this world what would it be? (It can be several courses)
ALD: Sushi followed by homemade cookies with grilled fruit and ice cream. Then popcorn. Oh, and champagne.
What do you love most about UCU’s Summer Show?
ALD: I've never participated in a summer show before and am hoping the crowd is ready for color. I'll be bringing a ton of it! I'm also debuting lots of new designs and a wider assortment of sterling silver and gold fill pieces since the response during the holidays was fantastic. I also love any excuse to visit beautiful Seattle in the summer. I hope it's warm enough to swim at the Lincoln Park Pool in West Seattle!
Alisha is generously offering a lovely pair of her disc earrings in the color of their choice. She is also offering a little something special to her mailing list followers who visit her at the show, so sign up to get in the know!
