Caitlin Holcomb

I'm such a huge fan of Caitlin and her beautiful etsy shop NICE - sooo excited to finally have her on the site. I bought one of her Mini Deer Plaques several months back and it is THE cutest thing in the world and has become one of my most cherished Etsy buys.

Random facts about Caitlin >>

I was born in Michigan. We moved to Illinois from outside of Detroit when I was 10. I have a huge soft spot for Michigan.
My nickname is Cake. When my brother and I were little, he couldn't say Caitlin, so he called me Cake! Family and some friends still do, but 70% of the time it's in cards and emails.
I love the smell of hardware stores
I love the name Nice because I think it's visually appealing as a word. NICE, nice, Nice
I often relate real life to funny shows I love: 'This would totally be in (insert very funny t.v. show). It's a weird thing to do, I know.
I have a pretty big collection of vintage lighting. I dream of owning a house some day where I can use it all!

Work Space >>

This is my current set up. I really need to be surrounded by inspiring things when I work, hence all the...I don't even want to call it clutter! haha.. I am working on a custom banner, so you can see bits of that. I was also drinking a big glass of water and eating Cutie oranges when I took this photo.


What inspires me...




♪ ♬ Playlist >>

This is seriously hard! I have a playlist that I am always adding songs I like to. If I'm not listening to that while I'm working I tend to listen to things like Colleen, Cocteau Twins, Auburn Lull, Pocahaunted, Beach House, The Nightblooms, and I always have something very poppy- right now it's Ladyhawke, and early Janet Jackson songs. Music is a huge part of my work. Feel free to join me on Lastfm.

Some pretty random songs I'm enjoying lately (or always):

Pocahaunted - "Ashes is White" or "Dreamtimes/Machine time"
Slowdive - "Shine"
Midnight Star - "The Midas Touch"
Deep Purple - "Anthem"
Charlie - "Spacer Woman"
Beach House - "Holy Dances", or "Turtle Island"
Chromatics - "In the City", or their "Running up that Hill" cover
SWV - "Right Here (Human Nature Remix), or "Use Your Heart"
Broadcast - "Where Youth and Laughter Go"
Can - "I Want More"
Chapterhouse - "Breather"
New Colony Six - "Things I"d Like to Say"
Cloudland Canyon - "You & I"
Dana Gillespie - "Pay You Back With Interest"
Ladyhawke - "Back of the Van (Fred Falke Ultimate Beverly Mix)"
Ozark Mountain Daredevils - "Jackie Blue"
Vivian Girls - "Where Do You Run"

We just had to know...

By the looks of things in your shop N I C E is doing quite well. Can you give us some advice on the best way to get noticed? Is it just a matter of luck and good timing or do you have a recipe for success?

I think it's this magical and lucky golden thread that winds around so many internet sources and connects us all! Lately, I've had random luck with features on blogs and things- that's always a nice surprise! I can be a bit timid, so I tend to only contact my favorite blogs when I have a significant shop update of new work or special finds. I also maintain a mailing list that people can sign up for on my blog www.nice-etc.com, and I recently set up a Facebook page. A "secret" might be to always be sure your tags are spot on so people can find your items (I use Etsy, so I'm speaking of my experience on there), and be very strict with your product photo standards (I get restless with this sometimes, but if you're strict, it pays off).

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I think it was passed on to me by my Mom. She is very creative herself. Ever since I can remember she's been making things for little boutiques, and now she has an Etsy shop www.ohmerci.etsy.com! She'd always encourage my younger brother and I to make things on our own and be imaginative. I have such fond childhood memories- I could really go on and on about the neat things we'd make and the games we played. I am very connected to those memories, and they are always the foundation of the things I make today!

One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look? What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Well, I think an artist's style and look comes pretty natural, but maybe sometimes it's a matter of realizing and fine tuning it. If you're having trouble, one way to help your style emerge might be to sort of shut off your brain to things that might be over stimulating you (for example, every now and then I know blogs or magazines can effect me this way). Really take the time to listen to your own thoughts and what it is you want to bring to the creative world! Think about things you enjoy, and also things you may not enjoy so much. I'm sure the universal rule is to be true to yourself and make sure you're creating with that mentality. When you do something out of love it shows and adds the absolute most important element to your style! aww ;)

Thanks Caitlin!!