Many of you may know me as the founder and owner of Indygo Junction andThe Vintage Workshop, but I’d like you to get to know me, Amy Barickman, the person. I was lucky enough to grow up immersed in the sewing and crafting business, as my mother owned a creative arts shop in West Des Moines, Iowa. Even in high school I knew the direction my life would take – running my own Teddy Bear business. After graduating from the University of Kansas (Go Hawks!) with a degree in art and design, I knew I wanted to make craft and art my life’s work and founded Indygo Junction, a fabric arts publishing company, to showcase the talent of leading sewing and craft designers. Over the years I have teamed up with innovative artists to publish over 800 pattern titles and write over 80 books.
My mother also passed on her “collector gene,” bringing me to local flea markets, tag sales and antique shops. She instilled a life-long love of the hunt for vintage treasures. Over time, I amassed a vast collection of period artwork, especially vintage images. In 2002, I founded The Vintage Workshop so I could share my favorite images with other crafters.
One of the aspects of my business life that I have genuinely come to treasure is the entrepreneurial piece of what I do. I have, along with my talented staff, had tremendous good fortune – and a little luck – identifying dozens of designers whose work is simply exceptional. Over the years, we’ve licensed their work, given them a marketplace at IndygoJunction.com and featured them at trade shows. I was even fortunate to have this activity recognized by Country Living Magazine, which recently selected me as one of America’s most creative entrepreneurs. This side of me has become so integral to who I am that I’m exploring new ways to discover new talent, encourage their growth and bring them to people’s attention.
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