March 17, 2020
As things become more clear about the extent to which we will all need to act to prevent more COVID-19 infections and work to assist those in our families and local communities, I want to take a few moments to explain what we're doing here at Onetribe to stay healthy and keep production rolling.
My wife and I are both self-employed and work from home, so we are fortunate that social distancing is already in place and not a problem going forward. Our school district has closed for the foreseeable future, which means our 1st grader is now home with us as well. We are taking measures to largely avoid contact with others, and I am putting together a process for minimizing the touching of finished jewelry and disinfecting both surfaces and jewelry prior to shipment.
Our child is now home 24/7, which is great because they're rad! But it does cause schedule disruptions since we are homeschooling while working full time. Production will be a bit slower but I intend to continue working as much as possible unless one of us starts to feel ill. If that happens, I may temporarily suspend finishing and shipping until I can be sure we are not a danger to anyone else.
This time is going to hit small makers especially hard since a reduction in spending is inevitable. I ask that you please take a few moments a day, when you're already on social media, to comment, tag friends, or share anything you enjoy so that makers can remain engaged and busy and increase the chances of sales. This is going to be rough for many of us, self-employed or otherwise, and I believe this sense of community has the potential to keep us sane and even make the difference between staying open or going under.
Whether you agree or disagree with the actions being taken by localities around the world, the fact remains that this is a trying time and I ask that everyone stay mindful of being compassionate and kind while we're all stuck on this ride together.
Thank you, stay safe!
Jared Karnes (Owner/Ceramicist/Jeweler)
Suzanne Karnes (Ceramic Glazing/Administration)
Amanda Cleland (Customer Service/Order Workflow)
November 25, 2019
I genuinely enjoy working beautifully colored rare materials like chrysoprase, sugilite, and lapis lazuli. Still, there's something to be said for the idea of affordability and accessibility to color, and ceramic is the ideal material for that conversation.
