Check out Amber Bingham’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Bingham.

Amber, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My story is interesting because I really just stumbled into making baby goods. My grandma was always into making blankets and such, sewing and crocheting. One day I bought a sewing machine thinking it might be a fun hobby for me to pick up and something my grandma and I could do together. After I bought the sewing machine, I didn’t even touch it for about the first two years! But once I started using it, I found it to be really fun and fascinating to learn about things I could make. I started out making moccasins and pajamas for my own kids, and quickly it grew from a hobby to a passion, then ultimately into a business. Now I have three different kinds of sewing machines, a heat press, several other gadgets and machines, and a whole section of our garage as my work area.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do? Why? What do you hope others will take away from your work?
I make all sorts of goods for babies and toddlers: blankets, teethers, headbands, bibs, clothing, etc. I felt like making high-quality, handmade goods for kids was something that was rewarding because I wanted them for my own kids but didn’t know how to distinguish between which ones were great and which ones just looked great on a website and I wanted other people to be able to have these sorts of things for their kids. It’s gratifying for me to have customers who love what I make for their kids. But my inspiration is really my own kids. Recently my one-year-old, Andrew, was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called neurofibromitosis (NF1). While there is currently no cure for NF, cutting edge medicine is exploring gene therapy, which someday could lead to a cure. That’s why I donate 25% of all proceeds from my sales to research to find a cure to NF. Hoping that I can contribute to a cure to my son’s disorder is a huge inspiration to me, as is watching him grow and develop into the happy little boy he is today.

The stereotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
I am fortunate because I have a very supportive husband and we don’t rely on income from my business to support our family. However, I can appreciate how financial challenges place pressure and strain on anyone trying to start a business from scratch based on their passion. My best advice is just to stay focused on what you can control and try to separate the part you love–your passion–from the part you might love as much–the business side. Trying to make business decisions from an emotional place can lead to skewed judgment and get your business in trouble, so work to stay within your means and accept that while progress may sometimes be slower than you want it to be, any progress is good!

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Well, the best way to see my work is to go to my website: https://binghambliss.com. You can view all of my products there as well as buy them! I offer 10% off someone’s first order for online sales through my website. I also periodically do shows around the Phoenix area, including ones in Gilbert, Glendale, Phoenix, and Scottsdale.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://binghambliss.com
• Email: binghambliss@yahoo.com
• Instagram: bingham_bliss
• Facebook: @BinghamBliss
• Other: www.etsy.com/shop/binghambliss

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