The Byram Interview

Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2003
2:54 PM

Finally! Summer!

I went back to Fells Point on Monday. This second trip went much better than the first, thankfully. The owner was out getting supplies so I didn't see her but the business consultant was there. Fortunately, she seemed to be in a much better mood this week and was much friendlier. I'd lowered the prices on some of my pieces by a little bit, and while she didn't say whether she thought they were still too high, she did take them all to sell. So we'll see how they do and hopefully people will buy my stuff. I have some other ideas for things to make that might be more cost-effective that I think they'll like. I feel much better this week and very relieved.

Did I mention that Genie's the bomb? She sent me flowers last week after hearing my sad saga. That was so cool! The bouquet included yellow lilies, pink and white snapdragons (I love lilies and snapdragons), some pink daisies... and some other pink stuff... and some things... Thanks, Genie, you rock!

Ok, so I asked Byram to send me some questions mainly because I was curious as to what he would ask me. I guess it's only fair of me to answer them now. ;-)

1. What do you find to be the most difficult thing to deal with about Kevin? What is his greatest strength?

Wow, that first one is a loaded question, isn't it? Honestly, whatever is the most difficult is between him and me - I'm not trying to get out of answering the question, I'm just not sure it's fair to him for me to talk about that in a public forum. I'll say it's that he doesn't replace the toilet paper when he uses up a roll. He doesn't put new sodas in the fridge when he takes the last one out either.

His greatest strength is his generosity and hospitality. He is so giving, to me and to all his friends. He would literally give someone the shirt off his back if they were in need. He loves to cook for people and will do whatever he can to help someone out. There have been times recently that he hasn't been able to give as much as he would like, and I know it frustrated him.

2. What movie is most like your life? Explain.

That's a tough one. I like a lot of movies, but I don't relate many of them to my life. Movies are all about escapism, that's why I go to see them. I like the movie Pleasantville, though, because it's all about an awakening to the notion that life is not all perfect and ordered. It's messy and colorful and amazing.

3. What advice would you give an aspiring artisan that is just beginning their path?

I would tell someone just starting out to make sure they're having fun, above all. If they're truly impassioned about their subject, that will take care of itself. I would tell them to learn as much as they possibly can, to track down obscure sources and experiment with techniques, materials, whatever. That's the best part of the journey, and the thing that keeps me going as an artisan. Find other people who do what you do and geek with them about it until everyone else has lost interest or is rolling their eyes. Don't be afraid to change your interests, if something no longer does it for you, try something else. It's all about having fun and getting jazzed about something cool.

4. Who is most likely to give you an honest assestment of you without sugarcoating it � your mother or your father?

I think maybe my mom, though my dad wouldn't really have a problem with that either. Neither of them would be mean or anything, but Mom can defintely tell it like it is.

5. You have had an interesting journey as an apprentice. What advice would you give to new apprentices?

Funny, I was just giving advice to an apprentice-to-be not too long ago. =) My main advice to anyone considering a Laurel/apprentice relationship is to make sure both parties are completely clear on what is expected from them. It's imperative to make sure that both are ready to enter into such a relationship - not just the apprentice, but the Laurel too. I think a lot of people think (myself included at one time) that the instant someone gets elevated, they are automatically completely clueful and wise, and ready for anything. It wasn't until later that I figured out that Peers often need an adjustment period before they are ready to handle their new role. This is an important thing to know, especially when considering becoming an associate to a new Peer. Obviously, this is a wide generalization and does not apply to everyone. I'm just speaking from my own experience.

Thanks Byram!

Ciao!