John D. Wiltshire Interview | Respect The Pinmaker Interview
What is your artist name?
Well my name is John D. Wiltshire which is where I started my own account and business under that name and then created another account branched off of that called The Pin Studio focused only on my enamel pin series.
Tell us the story behind your artist name
The Pin Studio came from the idea of having one spot on my shop focused only on pins. Since I was very art focused at the time, the idea of a studio space just for pins seemed to make sense for me. So the logo and branding all have The Pin Studio by John D. Wiltshire ‘here is where you can find all my pins’. I have always enjoyed logo and branding design, so this gave me the chance to build on that more which led to creating and growing an account specifically for The Pin Studio.
Where are you from?
Born and lived in MA for most of my life but last year I was lucky enough to buy a home in upstate NY which is where I live now.
How did you get into pins?
The collecting of pins came hand in hand with creating for me. Trading my first pins and creating great relationships with other pin makers, many of who are great friends now.
What made you want to start creating pins?
Working for a long time in Retail and clothing, there was a lot of exposure to accessories and pins. In 2013 I started seeing some artists making logo pins and decided to make one based on my moth logo. From there I continued between art style and pop art inspired enamel pins.
What was your first pin purchase? / What were the first pins to really spark your pin collecting?
I honestly can’t remember at this point between fashion and art pins but I do remember one of the best art trades that started this whole ride; my trade with Cultural Void. We both had moth pins and Michelle was and has been a great friend and pin maker since.
How many pins do you have in your collection? / What are your favorite kinds of pins to collect?
I easily have over 3k pins at this point from trading and collecting officially since 2013. Currently I am in the process of finishing a 10 feet by 5 feet cork wall in my studio while also having 3 24x36” locked cases of specific collections. For the most part I have some major collections of Batman (BTAS), Alien, My Hero and Harry Potter though I am open to almost anything.
What advice would you give you someone that wants to create pins?
This is a tough one. The most important points I can think of are 1. Not to do it for fast cash or fast profit or you’ll be disappointed a lot faster and probably just close shop. 2. Build your own substantial brand, idea or ‘image’ to grow. Lots of new people just see someone successful and copy/paste what they can see without taking into account what’s being done behind the scenes. This can also lead to a lot of frustration and giving up. It may seem like a cliché, but putting in the work of research for branding and design pays off in the long run but once again this is if someone wants to create a real brand and product.
Hard or Soft enamel?
I don’t think one is better than the other, it comes down to the design and how the materials are used for it. Some designs are better in Soft Enamel with more details and shapes. Others really work off the smooth finish of the Hard Enamel though that limits the use of all metals.
If you had to choose one franchise to make pins for officially with full creative range, which would that be and why?
That’s an easy one; Universal Harry Potter pins. There is so much potential for so many designs, especially if there is access to their resources. Let me make your pins Universal!
Where can people find you?