Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Mathis.
Hi Amber, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I contribute my love for creating to my grandmother. She was an amateur painter, mostly of landscapes, often of the ocean. She was instrumental in instilling my love of the ocean and specifically of collecting seashells. Even though she left us over 20 years ago, I still display many of the shells she once had in her own home. I have always enjoyed taking creative classes like glass fusing, glass blowing, jewelry making, and so many others. In November of 2021, I took a resin class. I had done a ton of research on the process of creating ocean waves using resin, spending countless hours watching YouTube videos, and stalking the social media accounts of other resin artists. To say that I was uber-prepared for this class was an understatement.
My goal was to be able to make my bestie’s ocean charcuterie boards for Christmas that year. That mission was accomplished, and I didn’t want to stop creating. So, I didn’t. By the Spring of 2022, I had a bit of inventory on hand, and a husband wondering what I was going to do with it. Why not open an Etsy shop, right? Done. Keep creating and creating and creating. Oh gosh, this process is taking over the house. So, I began looking for other outlets to promote my business. And this is where the struggle came in.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe that most small businesses find that there is a struggle in their journey. For me, it has been finding a “home” to consistently share my pieces. Once I decided to consider other avenues to promote my business, I started applying to vendor opportunities in the Sarasota area; however, I found that I was late to the party for the season.
Most of the seasonal markets were already completely full or they were maxed out on the vendors in my category. I finally find a spot at the Meadows Farmers Market in Sarasota where I have a booth 2-3 Sundays a month. I have continued applying to other opportunities, and hope to find another market to call home. In the meantime, I will continue to fill in the gaps with pop-up markets that work around my pediatric home health nursing position.
Basically, I will continue to knock on doors and soon the right opportunity will present itself.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the artist behind Ambers Making Waves… the name really says it all! I am a resin artist who has taken my love of the ocean and infused it with my passion for creating beautiful, ocean-inspired functional artwork. Specifically, charcuterie boards, serving trays – both wood and ceramic, ornaments, and functional pieces for the beach-loving soul’s home.
I never set out to have a business. That certainly was not my goal when I took that first resin class. Sometimes, a business or a dream finds you. I have worked diligently to improve my skill in creating pieces, and I believe that the proof is seen in the products that offer. The simple words of a customer about the quality of my work always bring a smile to my face. I am doing it! I am creating something that others find value in. What a wonderful place to be!
I feel like there are two areas that set me apart. I have a strong ethical backbone, and I apply this to each and every purchase. I do my very best to make sure they get exactly what they are expecting when they order through Etsy, that it will be shipped in a timely fashion, and that communication exceeds their expectations. Customer service is very important to me personally, and thus, important for me to extend to others. It’s why I have been an Etsy Star Seller since the first month I was eligible for the title.
The other area that sets me apart is the artwork itself. There are many resin artists that apply the same technique to many of their pieces, yielding very similar outcomes. I am not that kind of artist. Each piece will have its own identity. No two pieces will ever be the same. I simply love that each piece is uniquely made with a bit of mermaid magic.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have always loved the beach, floating in the ocean, collecting seashells, and capturing thousands of photos of sunsets. After being a NICU RN in Boise, Idaho for over 20 years, my husband and I traveled the USA in our RV for a year, visiting as many beaches as possible, and avoiding snow the best we could. Unfortunately, COVID cut that trip short and left us without a long-term plan of where to plant roots.
We decided to give Sarasota a try and moved across the county to avoid another cold, snowy winter. Now we bask on the beach while our Idaho friends and family shovel snow. We are so blessed to live here and absolutely love our Florida life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AmbersMakingWaves
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ambersmakingwaves/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ambersmakingwaves
