Making an Art Website

 Coast Chimes' Website Banner

A website for me is a constant work in progress

I'm proud to not only make all my works completely by hand using techniques mastered over many years of study, trial and error, but also to have learned how to manage all other aspects of running a (very) small business.

This includes taking photographs, managing supplies and stock, finances and taxes, Etsy, and building my very own website— the focus of this post.

Somewhere around 30 years ago, a very savvy fellow artist on eBay warned me that things were changing, that eBay could not be depended on in the long term, and that I should make my own website. I knew literally zero about that, other than that my internet provider at the time included a small amount of space for people who wanted to make a website. I found a little more information about that space, opened it up, and stared at a completely blank screen! Welcome to HTML.

I fortunately do have determination. Thinking back, I have no idea how I managed, but somehow I cobbled together an very basic website (back then, tons of sites were like that.. well, maybe not quite a bad as mine, but bad). Most remarkably, some orders filtered through!

As time went by, and I would nibble away at improving my site. I learned a bit more, and a bit more, and it got better (but still really bad!). Eventually, I moved on to using commercial software (Rapidweaver), which produced a huge bump in the quality of the site. I went through a number of versions using that software, always somewhat happy at the conclusion of the latest revamp, increasingly unhappy as time went by (time for another revision!). And always learning.

Finally, cloud based solutions clearly seem to reach a point to be a viable option. So I moved over to Shopify. Another steep learning hill. I am still with Shopify, and still learning. The one thing that I know for certain is that the more I learn, the more I realized there is a lot more to learn!

I'm never going to be a pro. Not a chance. I rely on the extensive available documentation, and even more so on forums, where usually the latest mess I make already has someone who has encountered the same mess, and skillful people have offered solutions.

Most recently, as I get a bit braver about digging into the actual code, I have found ChatGPT to be a lifesaver. For example, I did not like that the theme I use had an automatic 'hover to zoom' effect. I looked far and wide, and could not find a way to disable this feature. I did find through a forum the likely section of code responsible for this zooming, but I did not feel comfortable simply erasing it, because doing something like that can have unintended sad consequences. I provided ChatGPT with the code, and it confirmed it was responsible for the hover to zoom, and provided a clear simple way to disable it. Best of all, it worked.

So now, after spending several weeks putting the latest version of my theme in place, fixing all the pictures (over a 1000!), adding Alt Text to every picture, fixing the banner (see above), re-writing the descriptions, and many other changes small and big, I plan to take a break and start making new things to get restocked. In the mean time, please visit my new and improved site: Coast Chimes 

Savary Island, Cottage Website Launch www.savarybc.com

It was a pleasure putting together this new website for my friend, master woodworker Andrew Van Wersch. He is building such a neat cottage on Savary Island (also known as paradise!), a Gulf Island off the Sunshine Coast. To see a lot of neat pictures, including a mini-portfolio of the amazing cabinetry and furniture Andrew has made, Click Here.

I really enjoy making websites. It's very different from my usual work, working with my hands. Website design calls for such intense concentration. But maybe that's just me. I love to see how even a minor change in color can so dramatically change the look of a site.

This Savary Island website was really nice to put together. Working with such beautiful pictures, both of the fabulous cottage Andrew is building, and his portfolio of high-end furniture and cabinetry work, meant that things would look great almost despite what I did in site design.

It still took many hours to put it all together. Plus I have been renovating the shack behind our house, turning it into a snazzy workshop (more on this later). So it's time to get back to work and make some neat wind chimes, before the next fistful of bills comes. It's so much fun to work on these other things, it's easy to forget about business! Tomorrow, cutting copper chimes.

Website updated ~ special offer

I have updated my website (finally!), and all the works are now current, and available.

There is also currently a special offer. When you buy two wind chimes, you get 50% off a second wind chime of equal or less value. You also save a lot on combined postage, so this is a really great deal!

Here is the new homepage:
















And here are the wind chimes currently available:
























To visit the site, click on either of the images above, or Click Here. Enjoy!

Web Site Update ~ At Last!

Due to high demand, I just never had the time to update my website. A shame, since it is really best for me if people buy from my own website, instead of eBay or some of the other sites.

At last, I have taken the time to update the site. And I cut it way, way down. I now feature only wind chimes. A nice selection! And for those who read my blog, a special deal! Buy two, and pick a third for equal or less value and receive it for free!* You can email through this blog, or through my website, if you have questions. By the way, you also save some dollars with combined shipping for several items. With the holiday season coming up fast, and shipping taking longer from Canada, act now. Three for the price of two? What more can you ask for?

So check out my new, simplified, improved website by clicking here. Thank you!

*offer valid from November 9 through December 12, 2007

'Push, Push, Push'

You're too late! You missed the boat! This one sold yesterday. But don't despair. There are more beautiful works at my website.

A reviewer of my blog just wrote they liked the ‘push, push, push to try to get people to buy.’ That got me thinking (oh, oh).

It’s tough making a living selling art or crafts. You can make all the amazing things you want, but if you can’t sell, the dog’s not going to eat.

As the reviewer noted with approval, I am upfront, and don’t sneak up on people. I believe in my work. It’s a big part of my life. it’s what I do. Along with pushing.

I thank the reviewer for not being annoyed and for an honest, thoughtful assesment of my blog and my new web site (the appearance of which has now been vastly improved from when he or she saw it— I hope).

Now if I could only think of more ways to push...