1. Your initial artistic background was based more heavily in music, with a degree in Computers and Music and a diploma in audio engineering. At what point, and for what reason, did you decide to redirect your artistic energy into creating glass jewelry?

I always worked in the business side of music and although I enjoyed it, at a certain point in my life I felt that I would like to be more artistic. My brother, Gary Palmer, urbancanvas.com, has always been an amazing artist/painter and a creative influence to me. I admired his lifestyle always working for himself, choosing his hours and travelling a lot. I was looking for a profession that could inspire me creatively and give me independence. When the label I was working for in Santa Monica went under, I moved into a warehouse in LA and worked freelance for Blueroom records doing internet promotions and I also hosted an underground party called Karma. After a year I was burnt out on the party life and needed a break from the city and the hectic music business. I moved to Oregon to a cottage in the woods to recooperate, I cut out the late night parties, became healthy and thought about what was next. I began making candles and soaps, selling them at the local farmers market, growing my own vegetables and generally chilling out. It was there that I met some glass blowers and I was fascinated with the mediium and loved to watch them make pipes. I tried my hand at glass blowing on a friend's torch and it felt good. Then I went travelling in Africa with my brother for a couple of months and I was ready to move back to LA with my new found profession, glass jeweler.

2. What are your influences when you design your jewelry? Are there any particular artists that inspire you in your own work?

I have always been into style, but not so much the current trends. Its more about what feels good to me. My style comes from within, it’s an intuition and feeling. I love to see people creating their own look with a freedom that shows their strength of independence. I especially love incorporating influences of other ethnic backgounds. Living in London gave me an appreciation for cultural mixing and independant self expression.

I love to make a piece especially for someone, meeting them talking to them and getting a feeling for who they are and then making the piece especially to fit their character. I recently met a singer at the United Divas/Mystik Alchemy party (Avalon May 2003) who asked me to make him a custom necklace and he told me his band was just about to release their first album with some african influenced rhythms. I made him a necklace of dark wood beads from the seventies to give some nostalgia, amber for confidence and creativity, and seeds from the sacred ebony tree I collected in Africa to relate to the African influence in his music. The glass piece was a deep, perspective, abstract of passionate, creative energy using green for peace and growth with pinkish tones for love on a background of brown to match with the wood and the seeds. He was amazed with it because he said it was exactly what he wanted. I love connecting with a person to inspire the intuition of creativity.

Now living in Venice I am constatntly surrounded by artists. All of my friends are very creative in various mediums, including photography, pottery, drawing and music. My brother, Gary, has always been my main artistic influence. He is very supportive of my creative endeavours giving me ideas and encouraging me to progress.

3. As both an artist and a business owner, how do you manage both responsibilities without running out of time to do your work? Did you have to take classes to help run your business? Do you have employees or a partner, and what do they assist you with?

Well, I have been doing everything myself but recently I have recruited some help from my friends. Eventually I would like to train someone to help me with the glass and I also would like help with the business side especially marketing and the accounting. I have never taken business classes, but I spent years working in business so I learned from that experience.

I feel that I have done all the hard groundwork for my business myself for the last 3 years, made the appropriate sacrifices. For example, I lived in my camper van for a year when I could only afford to rent a work space. I have had very little social life, and have had no romantic partner in my life until recently. I have been very focused and now I am finding it difficult to cope with all the hats I have to wear in my business. I am hoping the business is going to take off enough now to where I can employ some people to help me.

4. You travel a significant amount to many different types of locations. How does this affect your creativity? Your business?

I am saggitarius, I love to travel and feel free, it always inspires me creatively. I travelled in Africa and the experience gave me the inspiration and confidence to start my business . Then I worked solidly for 3 years and finally in January this year I felt able to take some time off. I went travelling in Central America by myself through Costa Rica, Belize and Guatemala for a couple of months. I fell in love with an amazing man who lives in Costa Rica and he is a great source of inspiration for me. He is very supportive and encouraging of my art and my business. Although its hard to say good bye and live in different countries it seems to working out for us right now. The thing is, when I’m home, I’m working non stop. I like to work very hard and then chill hard. I have always been an extreme person, all or nothing. I know that I am about to go into a very busy time with no breaks now until next year especially with the movie coming out in September and I have hired Lynn Hasty from Green Galactic to do the publicity. I am hoping to be very busy with orders this fall so I just took June off to be with my love and relax by the beach in Costa Rica, to give me the energy and focus necessary to put into my business through this next crucial time.

5. What advice can you give to other artists and small business owners?

Stick to your vision, don’t be distracted. Work hard to achieve your goals. I believe in Karma and what it means to me basically is we get out what we put in. Don’t be afraid to make sacrifices for your vision, I believe everything will come to those who deserve it. Enjoy it, have fun with it, stay true to your dreams.