Meet your {NewNew}
I had the privilege of sitting down with Lisa Toff of myconey. Here's our interview:Tell us a bit about yourself: I work in Coney Island and share a studio space with my musician husband. I was in fashion for five years and decided to leave it last summer to pursue art of my own making. I work on prism POP, p*Charming and I freelance as a graphic designer / fashion illustrator.
What is your shop name? I have two:
prismPOP : prismpop.etsy.comprismpop is devoted to being eco-mindful while maintaining a commitment to design. prismpop focuses on paper products including postcards (my favorite correspondence), art prints and gift enclosures.
Why the 2 shops? Why not just run one shop? I struggled with whether or not to keep them separate or together. I started with p*Charming and when i decided to create prismPOP I didn't want to confuse the customer with a completely different product. I wanted to be sure each shop maintained it's own synergy. I still question whether it was the right choice.
Materials: For prismPOP i use 100% recycled paper and soy ink. For p*Charming, I use so many found items that it varies - brass, Swarovski crystal, silver plated and glass.
Married? Yep - I work in Coney Island and share a studio space with my musician husband and no kids - been married under a year, so I guess we are still considered newlyweds.
What part of your life do you find is/was the most creative? Do you think back to these times when creating your work? I really think I've maintained the same creativity throughout my life - I like to draw from modern influences - I love the ever-changing nature of art and it completely inspires me to create!
What is your creative process when making your product? I will feel inspired from an art exhibit or something I've seen in and around the world - I'll note it , mentally or jotting it down or photographing it and then later I will typically have another creative burst that seems to work well with the initial inspiration. I work on the computer to mix the two together; it feels rather serendipitous.
When you get stuck, how do you get out of it? That's the great thing about doing prismPOP, p*Charming & freelancing, I can easily work on a different project and still maintain my productivity.
What is something about yourself that surprises people when they find out about it? Probably that I'm married...that i live in Coney Island...that I speak Russian...that I had meningitis in college - maybe I'm predictable? That I lived in Ghana for 3 months?
What inspires you? My husband, street art (Judith supine, os gemeos), Brooklyn, Manhattan, traveling - definitely other cultures and local artisans.
What is the first thing you remember making? I was obsessed with balloon animals.
What are your current projects and what is on the horizon? I'm looking forward to expanding prismPOP with new designs, creating more products than I currently have, and outreaching to venues beyond NYC. 
Why should people buy handmade? I think it's important to support artisans to continue crafts and traditions. If we rely on machines too much, the beauty in creating might be lost. I think the old tradition of apprenticeship is so valuable - learning how to create with your hands is a wonderful experience.
What handmade possession do you most cherish? I love a doll I picked up at last year's renegade craft fair.
Apart from creating things, what do you do? It's my life and right now I'm adopting a puppy - but otherwise that's what i do!
In ten years I'd like to be... In ten years I'd like to be as happy as I am today - I'd like to have a bigger family and continue my passion for traveling.
What are your your best-selling items? Best selling on-line is the cutlery necklace. . . and in person the individual letters (which I do not put online because they are often one of a kind) - people love personalizing by adding a letter to a necklace. 
What item are you most proud of? I'm not most proud of any item but more that I am making it on my own - having worked for corporate America for so long, it's nice to be independent.
Last words? I love creating and I love inviting others to create as well - in fact I have a swap listed on my blog encouraging others to be in the process!
In conclusion, I'd like to add that I found it very inspirational to be able to sit down with a trained artist who works on her art for a living. Being not so far from Coney Island, I find her endearing, and inspirational. We should all strive to be inspired by our work and not be so focused on sales that we forget about our art. That's what I got from my interview with her.
-The Craftaholic
Sweet Buddha Designs
