“I truly believe that right now, people need art in their lives more than ever.” Skya is a Boston area artist who uses fibers and found natural elements to create small wall hangings. “Having something beautiful, something meaningful, in your space counters so much stress and negativity.”
One source of stress and negativity for Skya, and many other working artists, is shipping artwork to customers. “The internet is great, Instagram is fantastic. People encounter my work on there and say I want to buy that,” they explained. “The issue is that my work is very fragile. I work with dried flowers, butterfly wings, the tiniest little branches – all of which can’t handle rough treatment.”
Shipping fragile artwork successfully requires the right cardboard shipping containers, packing materials, and a good deal of know how. Skya found all three at the Boston shipping store. “I don’t want to have to figure anything out,” they said. “I just go in and say “Ship this one here, this one here, and that one there.” They do the rest, which is good, because everything needs a different size box.
Some people want insurance on top of what I normally offer, so they handle that. It’s really critical to have some kind of coverage in place because in case of damage, my work is really one of a kind. Irreplacable. How would I find that exact plant or insect again, I can’t. As an artist you’re also a business person, which means trying to avoid having anything go so wrong you can’t fix it.”
Find a Team You Can Depend On
“I also think it’s important for artists to be connected to their local business community,” Skya said. “If you’re in a position where you’re shipping multiple packages every month – or even every week! – then it’s smart to invest in that relationship. Be choosy. Pick the shipping store that treats you as an actual person. You want someone who cares packing up your artwork.”
