FRINGE FORTY FOUR
MAKER: LIZ KEEHNER
Each piece Liz creates inspires me to be more of my creative self. Her handmade, dip dyed, one-of-a-kind tapestries give me all the boho dreams. I basically need one in every room!
WHY DO YOU CALL AUSTIN HOME
My husband and I moved to Austin three years ago from Iowa, after we finished college. When we visited Austin in 2014 we fell in love with the culture, the weather (warm winters, yes please!) and the music scene. We moved here a couple of months later and hope to be here long-term!
FAVORITE SONG/ARTIST/ALBUM FOR A SPARK OF CREATIVITY
Andrew McMahon – ALL of his stuff is my go-to!
BIGGEST DEBATE OF ALL: COFFEE or TEA, BE SPECIFIC ;)
Tea! I love coffee but when I need a pick-me-up I do black tea. It gives me a great boost without the jittery feeling that coffee gives me.
WHO DO YOU FOLLOW FOR INSTAGRAM INSPIRATION
I get most of my inspiration from Pinterest. A lot of my ideas spawn from photographs of travel, interiors and artwork.
FAVORITE LOCAL FOOD TRUCK
T-Loc’s on Burnet! Their Sonoran hot dogs and fresh watermelon-flavored water won’t disappoint.
WHERE DO YOU CREATE BEST? EX: HOME, STUDIO, NATURE, ETC.
My home studio.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EXCITING MOMENT SO FAR OF YOUR CRAFT
At the BossBabes’ CraftHER Market a couple of weekends ago, a couple came up to my booth saying they came to the market just to see my tapestries. That was a very surreal moment for me, and the most exciting so far.
AS A SMALL BUSINESS, HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOUR BRAND STANDS OUT
I try to make my brand more about an overall sense of style than just a product. Hopefully my artwork and tapestries can speak to that and create a differentiation.
HOW HAS SOCIAL HELPED YOUR BUSINESS, IF ANY
Social media has helped me to gain exposure. Marketing is not my strong-suit so I am still learning the ropes with social, but the interactions and support in that space have been incredible.
HOW IMPORTANT IS SHOPPING LOCAL TO YOU
Very important. I grew up in a small town so I understand the value it brings to small businesses and the local economy.
WHY DID YOU CHOSE TO BE A MAKER
I love the freedom creativity gives me. I’ve always loved to paint, but when it came to decorating our home, painting limited me as far as my personal style went. Creating a tapestry blended my style and creativity effortlessly, and bringing that unique artwork and style to other people is what I love about being a maker.
HOW HAS THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY SUPPORTED YOU
The support I’ve received thus far has been tremendous. I did the BossBabes’ CraftHER Market a couple of weeks ago, I’ve worked with designers on staging projects and I’ll be doing a pop-up at West Elm on April 29th! People here are very open to collaborating if you just reach out.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOUR DESIGNS
Each tapestry is handmade and one-of-a-kind. One piece can take anywhere from 12 hours to 2 weeks to create.
MUST-SEE RECOMMENDATION FOR THOSE TRAVELING TO AUSTIN
Mt. Bonnell
WHERE CAN SUPPORTERS FIND YOUR CREATIONS
I’m currently selling my tapestries in my Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/FringeFortyFour
