We recently connected with Aimee Omohundro and have shared our conversation below.
Aimee, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
No matter how long I’ve worked with resin art, every time I go to a craft show, I feel like an imposter. Every time, the beautiful comments and encouragement from buyers and friends shows me that I am wrong. As I’ve worked through these feelings, it has encouraged me to improve my craft and continue to learn new techniques. I strive every day to make more beautiful and intricate pieces.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In my everyday life, I am a mom, a wife, a friend, and a USDA Rural Development employee. I love my family and my home! My job is wonderful, and I am so lucky to have great virtual co-workers, but there is not a lot of room for artistic expression. When COVID hit, and we were all locked in together, I desperately needed something fun and creative to brighten my days. I started working with concrete, making skulls and painting them by hand, but I had always been interested in but extremely intimidated by resin art. I bought a little starter kit, and I was hooked. I soon had so many items and such enthusiasm for my new hobby, that I needed to find my pieces new homes and fund further supplies! Craft fairs quickly became a staple of my life. I have had such a wonderful time meeting other crafters, chatting with customers, and really pushing myself to be more extroverted. Not only have I learned and improved my skills as an artist and crafter, I’ve pushed my boundaries and become much more social and outgoing. I’ve made new friends and strengthened existing friendships by asking my friends to come assist me at shows. Getting to steal away a friend for an entire day as a craft fair helper means many more hours of valuable conversation than I would have a chance at in my normal day to day life.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
On my journey as an artist and crafter, the three most important skills that I’ve developed are creativity, extroversion, and tenacity. After working on a computer day after day for almost twenty years, my creative side had all but vanished. Working with resin art, I’ve had to keep learning and growing and creating in order to keep my work exciting! I’m always looking for new methods and inspiration for my art. Working at craft fairs, social media, and with special orders, I’ve had to come out of my shell and learn skills of small talk and self promotion that do not come naturally to me. It has made me a friendlier, more open person, which is the most valuable result of all of my hard work. Finally, tenacity is key! I have had plenty of craft shows where I have sold NOTHING! I have had pieces that I made that I thought were beautiful sit in my stock for months and months. I never gave up. I worked more craft shows. I made better pieces. I talked and smiled more! I still have craft shows that go poorly, and I still make mistakes, but I know that I will have great shows and make more beautiful pieces! Never give up on your dream. When you get discouraged, look back to the times where you blew it out of the water, and keep grinding!
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The most difficult problem that I’ve come across this year is time management. As I’ve signed up more more craft shows, I’ve realized that not all shows will be a good use of time. This year, I officially made The Clever Bat into an LLC. As an official company, I wanted to really focus on getting to as many craft fairs as possible, so I signed up for pretty much anything that I came across. This was a mistake! Not all craft shows will be worth my time. Living close to Topeka and Kansas City, there are shows pretty much every weekend that need vendors. I have learned to do my research and make notes for the future for which shows have the most traffic, and which places that my art seems the most appreciated. Going forward, I will be more selective as to where I choose to sell.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.facebook.com/thecleverbatlfk
- Instagram: thecleverbatlfk
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thecleverbatlfk
