Life and Work with Nat Standiferd

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nat Standiferd.

Nat, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Honestly, my story is a long one but I’ll try to keep it short.

How did I get started? Art, its always been there! Since early childhood, I have always looked at art as a way to cope with life. I enjoy the solitude, working with different mediums, figuring out what and why I want to make things.

My older and only sister Julia was always drawing and painting she has been a huge influence on my art. Without her, I may not be where I’m at today.

I started selling jewelry my freshman year of the all-girls high school I went to on the Southside of Chicago where I grew up. I sold things in and out of high school for a bit and it was a fun hobby.

Then, I spent some years in college and working and working and working. After really trying to find my life passions and really wasn’t too pleased with the ‘money-making’ bits that I found myself engaged in. I was floating. Mainly trying to heal. I have had not the most pleasant cards handed to me but within all of those tender times, I found something. I found my voice within my most beloved form of coping—> within the arts.

And that is when I started Ghost Eyes in 2015. I dabbled around for a couple of years AGAIN- trying to figure it all out. What are things I am proud to make and that also make me? Where is the voice that was lost? I needed to find a platform for my work yes, but also where I could shine a light on sexual violence, inequality, and racism. I found myself within the beads again and then I moved into sequin land. And that’s when I found it: A sustainable handmade brand that I cherish dearly. My goals are to help others heal by sharing my story and my art of mainly hand-beaded jewelry. I put so much time, love and tears into my work and I am so proud of it. Ghost Eyes is loud, shiny and powerful and so am I.

I am a queer fiber arts maker and I am proud to be here.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If the road is smooth then you’re traveling on someone else’s path. Which is fine if that’s the route you want to take. I, however, wanted to create something different. Something wild, weird and wonderful.

It has definitely NOT been easy. Nothing good is easy. I’m not settling for good either, I want something great. Its- excuse my language but it’s a sh!t-ton of work. The hardest part is being vulnerable, putting yourself out there. There’s also trusting yourself, trusting that all things are a process and being patient. I am still a small maker- I know I will keep growing and getting better at all things. I will not keep growing if I don’t allow myself time.

These are all notes for all people just starting out ^^^^ I think the biggest thing to keep in mind is being kind to yourself.

But also some tough love is advised as well—-> You will not over-night your way into becoming the next biggest Instagram-famous-small-business owner. I’m sorry but that’s not how it works. It takes years to build a business that people can trust and rely on, that you will be good at doing. Not all people are good at business or with customer service. Know yourself and your boundaries in and out. You may not have all of this figured out (and you won’t) because it’s all a process but take the time to learn. Also, a huge amazing resource: talking to all and any other small business owners!

Please tell us about Ghost Eyes.
I am a fiber arts maker, but I am also so many things as well. I illustrate, paint, make jewelry, sew, hand-bead, embroider, weave and knit. I cannot pick a lane! My main specialty is hand-beading jewelry. I have been jewelry making for a very long time but more so as a hobby. I found myself with 100’s of seed beads (tiny, tiny, tiny beads) and I did not know what to do with them. The first piece I hand-beaded was a ‘NO’ crop top. Because ‘No Means No’ a huge part of Ghost Eyes is based on advocating for an end of sexual violence.

And it evolved from there into what is Ghost Eyes now. A colorful wonderland of sequins, fringe, and beads! Of fruits, animals, bugs, shapes, and bodies! All jewelry is hand-beaded by myself- all self-taught and nothing is out-sourced. And nothing will be out-sourced.

On another note: Sustainability is the only way to a healthy future. We have a major climate crisis and we NEED to only help our planet in any and all ways we can. How does Ghost Eyes help a sustainable future?

I use felt that every piece of hand-beaded jewelry I make is on is 100% PET plastic which is recycled from plastic bottles. I source most of my beads, paper products, thread from a lovely 100% donation-based art store in Chicago called The Wasteshed. I also search eBay, thrift stores, antique stores etc for these items as well. I am also working on sourcing my sequins from PET plastics as well- very minimal market as of right now.

I wanted to make jewelry that I wasn’t finding ANYWHERE- sick of the safe. I’ll make my own funky jewelry! And so, I did.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
Finding a mentor is huge! Find someone you can trust that will have a positive and healthy impact on yourself and your work. Meghan Lorenz of Cities In Dust is my mentor and my light in this small business/maker world and I am so grateful to have her in my life. She has guided me and always been there for me as a friend and as a mentor and I really don’t know where I would be without her. Build community within whatever world you’re working in. It’s important and needed. Start dialogues with all people you interact with – you never know what advice you can gather from all people. Everyone’s voice matters.

Also, I suggest practice- with events, social media, dialogue, finances, etc., you have to practice all of these things- all of it is scary at first and that’s ok. Be patient!

Contact Info:

• Website: ghosteyes.net
• Email: ghosteyesnat@gmail.com
• Instagram: @_ghost_eyes_

Image Credit:
1st photo, No Tee Photo: Model Christina Marie Photographed by Bethany Puterbaugh
4th photo, Banana photo: Photographed by Bethany Puterbaugh
5th photo, Leopard Print Dress photo: Model: Shaina Photographed by Genevieve Pascolla
6th & 7th photo, Moody Fruit pics by Amber Halaka and Ray Nilsen
8th photo with flowers: Model: Peyton Stewart Photographed by Bethany Puterbaugh
9th photo Tampon: Photographed by Bethany Puterbaugh

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.