A WFDD Original
Meet the Small Business Owner: Hand Letterer and Calligrapher Emily Poe-Crawford
Many people hear calligrapher and think of a person with nice handwriting, but Emily Poe-Crawford knows that it is more than good writing - it's art. Emily is a hand letterer and calligrapher and sells her pieces on Etsy, an online store. This summer, she took off time from her schedule to talk to WFDD Radio Camper Quinn McCrea about her work.
Emily Poe-Crawford approached me from the opposite side of our meeting place and I could tell immediately from her face to her clothes - a gray t-shirt, shorts, and sandals - that she had a very relaxed personality. We sat down at a table and I asked where Emily learned to write so neatly. She said her amazing handwriting comes from her mom who also had neat handwriting. Emily explains to me how her experiences as a child led her to her career.
I have always really enjoyed making things for people, like gifts for friends. When I was growing up, instead of buying a card, I would make one, like for my mom or dad for their birthday or Christmas. So, when I finished my Master's degree and didn't really know where to go from there, I was like maybe I can use a skill that I know I have and turn that into a business.
When she first opened her store, it took off immediately and she told me that she knew running an online store would be easier than running a real one. Emily also told me how her pieces go from her brain to her hands onto the computer then the machine and finally a finished product. This is a process that can take days to weeks depending on how much she is doing at a time. But just like anyone else, Emily has her days when she just can't get it to go right. Her advice? Take care of the boring stuff and get some fresh air. She also told me about her inspiration.
So I have a Master's degree in English and I love reading. So a lot of my inspiration comes from books that I read. I'm also a big music nerd so if I hear lyrics that I really love or that speak to me, I'll sometimes just jot down a phrase that stuck out and try to use that somehow.
Emily Poe-Crawford is currently working on her creating her own website. To see some of her work, search EmDashPaperCo. on Etsy. For 88.5 WFDD Radio Camp, I'm Quinn McCrea.
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