Check out the entire interview below, including the unique reason that the Artisan Candle Company was started!
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Tell me a little bit about yourself!
I’ve been a very creative individual since I was a young child. From Jr. High through High School I made sure I immersed myself in any and all art classes available to me. Photography, woodshop, drafting, painting, art, ceramics … if it allowed me to tap into my artistic mind and create something with my own two hands I made sure I was involved.
Where did the name of your store come from?
I decided on the name Artisan Candle Company to convey not only my artisan heart, mind and soul but also the fact that all of our products are carefully handcrafted and hand poured to precise perfection … by a true artisan.
Why did you start making goods for Artisan Candle Company?
Working monotonous desk jobs most of my life really hindered my insatiable creative spirit which unfortunately was never utilized in the workplace. In 2009 the company I worked for folded and I, like millions of others, found myself unemployed and unable to find full-time work. To break up the monotony of applying for full-time work I would immerse myself in creativity. Wood work, sketching, drawing and painting, just about anything to keep my mind busy. It was in the summer of 2012 that I discovered my new creative path in life. I went to visit my mother in Northern Arizona and one afternoon during my visit mother lit a candle that I quickly noticed burned extremely fast and had virtually no hot throw (scent output when lit). My creative wheels began to turn. I began asking myself, “How hard can it be to produce a good quality candle at a decent cost?” Once I returned to my home in California I began research on the candle making processes, styles, wicks, fragrance oils and types of waxes. For a couple months I worked diligently on creating a great candle. After countless amounts of trial and error, formulas and working with blends of waxes I finally created a candle I was proud of. After all the research and trial I decided on the use of natural soy wax. My little creative hobby was just that, a hobby. I wouldn’t know for sure how well my candles would sell until I tried so I booked myself for a small Farmers Market out of Yorba Linda. That first weekend was amazing. Although I only had a 10 scent variety and 1 size candle available the candles sold out. Had my creative hobby turned into something more? You bet! My little hobby was blooming into something fast. After talking to my partner, we decided to create a company and in August of 2012 Artisan Candle Company was born. In the short year and a half Artisan Candle Company has been in existence, we have grown to a successful small business which now carries over 72 fragrances (and growing) and candles available in a variety of sizes from small tea lights to large 25oz 3 wick candles. Among some of our most recent successes, we have been a 2013 featured vendor at Williams-Somona Artisan Markets at both South Coast Plaza and Newport Coast almost the entire year, attended countless festivals and fairs and now have a successful and permanent store located at Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles.
What is your favorite item?
I honestly love all of my candles. Each fragrance has its own unique bouquet with intriguing and distinguishable top, middle and base notes which make the scent really stand out. If I had to pick one favorite, it would have to be our Vanilla Bourbon from our Masculine line of candles. Fantastic base notes of Vanilla Bean with sweet middle notes of a smooth southern bourbon. It’s a hit with both the guys and girls alike.
What is your most popular item?
Our most popular scent of candle really varies with the season. Florals are popular like our Tuberose, Arabian Jasmine and Hawaiian Breeze during the Spring. The Fruity and Fresh scents of Cucumber Mint, Peach and Melon for the Summer, Woods and Foodie scents like our Pumpkin Pie, Autumn Woods and Cranberry Chutney for Fall and festive Berry and Evergreen blends of Victorian Christmas, Holly Berry and Frosted Mulberry for Winter.
What makes your store unique?
What makes our store and products unique is all of our products are hand poured. We also do not add synthetic dyes or enhancers to our candle wax resulting in all of our candles being a pure, clean, natural color. Our end product is a clean and chic high quality artisan product for any home.
What is the toughest part about making your goods/your artistic process?
The science! Because we pour our candles in small batches the most difficult part of the candle making process would have to be ensuring the consistency of the product is the same as the last batch of that exact scent. Each batch of candles requires a specific and accurate ratio of wax to fragrance oil and it must be applied at the correct temperature. Too hot of wax and the fragrance will burn off. Too cool and the fragrance oil will not bind to the wax molecules.
Do you take custom orders?
We are more than happy to fill a custom order. Custom orders through Artisan Candle Company involve personalized labeling for weddings, showers, birthdays, anniversaries and even large corporations who give use our customized candles as promotional marketing gifts.
Where can I see more of your work and buy a gift?
Website: www.artisancandlecompany.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artisancandlecompany
Instagram: artisancandleco
Are you going to be at any shows soon, so I can see your work in person and say hello?
You can find us at our store located at Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles http://craftedportla.com/
and at the Downtown Anaheim Art Crawl (A.C.E.).
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Happy shopping!
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