5 Questions: LavenderAve; Thoughtfully Handmade

The first Baby Shower Gift that I received from the Etsy Baby Shower was from this fantastic shop. Jenn, the proprietor and creative mastermind behind LavenderAve has been on vacation, I wanted to make sure that you were able to view all the adorable and super comfy looking 'jamma's in her shop so I've waited until she returned before sharing her answers to my 5 questions.

Jenn was kind enough to send me and the Bean a set of adorable giraffe jammies that I think we'll be dressing her up in at the hospital. LavenderAve features both nightdresses (which I've found are so difficult to come by these days without being plastered with the likes of Hanna Montana or Dora the Explorer) and cozy looking pajammas as well as lounge pants and vintage look pantalettes for a little added sweetness underneath skirts and dresses. LavenderAve is a must visit if you've got kids to clothe for bedtime.

You can follow Jenn on her blog where she's recently been posting about getting organized as well as some of her projects. To keep updated on what's happening in her shop you can also find LavenderAve on Facebook.


Do you have any influences that guide your work?
My kids have been a huge influence on my work. I have made them PJ's for a long time, and it was natural to start selling them on Etsy. The nightgown that I currently sell was inspired by a friend who was looking for a simple white nightgown for her daughters and couldn't find one anywhere.


Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?
I usually listen to audio books. I have recently listened to Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan and am listening to American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson right now.
Sometimes I listen to music, my playlist is determined by my mood. Hooray for the ipod. I could be listening to ColdPlay, The Cars, White Stripes, Louis Armstrong or AC/DC depending on my stress level :). I like something in nearly every genre.


You have won a lottery, the prize is 3 items to furnish your dream studio space, what do you choose and why?
A brand new Bernina sewing machine so my old steady baby can rest sometimes, a serger because I really need one and a murphy bed to get the darn guest bed out of my way.


What was the last shop/ item you hearted on Etsy?
Yours, actually and CountryChicCottage and whimsyandspice. All of you on the same day.


Rock, Paper or Scissors?
Usually rock, sometimes scissors.

5 Questions: Colour and Crafting

My schedule for who is being featured when is a little off right now what with the busy holiday season and shop vacations. Add in my heaping schedule of Doctors appointments, daily life and getting ready for both the holidays and I've decided that I'm going to be flexible about who goes where which is why this feature is running a little earlier than I had originally planned.

Tracy of Runnerbean was the recipient of my Etsy Baby Shower Gift of a customized tree ornament and a baby buggy hand painted and sewn card. Once I saw her shop I knew I wanted to ask her 5 questions.

Tracy is a craft artist and graphic designer who loves color and creating with paper and her creations are full of whimsy and are delightful to behold. Tracy's love of colour jumps out at you as soon as you visit her shop. Her photographs pop with vibrant hues and adorable and elegant creations. With an inventory that ranges from flower fairy, Gurumi and mouse dolls to graphically striking pendants Runnerbean is a treat to visit. To see more of Tracy's intricate and amazing work you can visit her website. You can also check out Tracy's fabulous work in Graphic design on her other blog for Joia Design and of course I have to insist that you visit her Etsy shop too! You'll be glad you did.

Can you describe the palette you use to create with, what colours do you always "reach" for?

When presented with a full range of colors to choose from, and especially when I'm just experimenting with paper and seeing how far I can push it, I'm almost always reaching for the blues. I love to use colors that are right next to each other on the color wheel (e.g. blue, blue-green, and green), so you'll often see this in my pieces. I also love to choose one color and then find lighter and/or darker shades of that color and combine them into a piece.


Do you listen to music when you create? What's on your play list right now and why?
These days my background music is most often a baby monitor ( I have a 26 month old daughter and a 5 week old son!), but when I can I'm listening to VPR (Vermont Public Radio) or currently, here in December, I'm listening to Sufjan Stevens' Songs for Christmas. This is a set of 5 CDs and is full of his interpretation of traditional holiday songs as well as originals and is absolutely the best collection - beautiful music that I can sing along with or tune out as my mind floats and my hands work.


What got you started?

I originally started working with paper after seeing some paper filigree work on a cake topper in a Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. I fell in love with the incredibly intricate art and purchased a starter kit shortly thereafter. It was a few years before I began to really experiment and play with the paper. Most of my experiments and pieces come from sketches -doodles- and from things I encounter in life that I want to try in paper form. I've created a paper pendant inspired by the path I took through my house while pushing my daughter in a stroller to get her to take a nap; my Gurumi paper dolls were inspired by Amigurumi crocheted dolls when I couldn't crochet, and often I'm just challenging myself to see what is possible - how small can I make something, or is it possible to recreate that doodle shape in paper, or how many strips of paper does it take to make a 2" diameter solid roll?



If you were granted 3 wishes to furnish your dream studio space, what do you choose and why?

1. Light! I'd want big windows for lots of natural light and also to open to let in air and a breeze, and good lighting for working after dark. My current space has one window, but it doesn't open easily or let in enough light. And the lights are not quite right - too harsh or too dim - I need a professional to help me light the space right.
2. Lots and lots of storage (with space leftover to fill). Open shelves for the neat and pretty stuff, cabinets with doors and drawers to hide the messier stuff, and a good space to store works in progress (I always seem to have 4-5 projects ongoing). I have the opposite of this now and am always wishing for a better system.
3. Big, flat, open work surfaces. Although I work really small, I always have a lot of tools and supplies in use. It'd be downright luxurious to be able spread them all out.



Which Children's book character would you be and why?
I'd be the mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - racing from project to project, easily distracted and moved to action and inspired by things I encounter along the way. I also love to wear overalls. And to eat cookies.

5 questions: Little Clay Houses

I seem to be drawn to some of my fellow Canadian artists and artisans lately and wow are there ever a lot of great Canadian artists and artisans!

As I've mentioned here before, my goal for this feature is to put the spotlight onto some of the shops on Etsy that I have either spent my money in, or who I would love to buy from.

I initially came across the little red door shop through twitter, she's on one of my lists of super creative people and I've always loved her avatar. I've been known to laugh out loud to some of her posts but this feature is all about her super awesome shops and not her super awesome Twitter posts.

So I initially found her shop ages ago and then found her vintage and craft shops from there. Of her three shops SpaghettiJones is the least active with only one item for sale at this moment but her shop tag line is worth a visit and the cute robot greeting cards listed there really made me smile. Little Red Mercantile is chock full of amazing finds and well worth a visit.

When it comes down to why I love her shop I have to say that I just love tiny things. There’s something about the intimacy involved in both the making and the owning that really appeals to me. One of the main critiques I had in art school was my penchant for the small, while I’ve branched out size wise with my own work I covet it in others. From her signature tiny clay houses to tiny bowls, ninjas and an assortment of ceramic pendants and rings there is lots to choose from; and her colour palette is in a word divine. Plus, how enchanting would it be to give out tiny little clay houses as party favours for your next big event? Let me answer that for you: very enchanting.

As always each image in this article is linked back to Little Red Door's shop. See something you like? click on that puppy and get more information!

Can you describe the palette you use to create with, what colours do you always “reach” for?

I use mainly primary and other bright bold colours with white and black. I'm not a huge fan of pastels. My signature colour is of course red. I'm of the opinion that most everything goes with red.

Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?

I listen to music all the time but most essentially when I'm creating. Without it, I'm in for a long lonely day of pottery.

My music collection is best described as varied. I like everything.
If I shuffle through my Ipod here are the next 10 songs that come up:

Sam Malone - City And Colour
Your Man - Down With Webster
Goodnight Goodnight - Hot Hot Heat
Rapture - Pedro the Lion
Hard Road - Sam Roberts
Tonight She Comes - the Cars
Time to Switch to Whiskey - Corb Lund Band
Sweetness - Jimmy Eat World
Just A Girl - No Doubt
Walls Fall Down - Bedouin Soundclash




What got you started?

I've always been a maker of things, since I was in grade school. Embroidery since I was 7. Drawing & painting in my teens. Cross-stitch in my early 20's. Papercrafting & photography since my late 20's. I'm approaching 40 and I've been working with clay now 7 years. I am one of those people that must create. It's my raison d'etre. I think everyone should make something everyday.



If you were granted 3 wishes to furnish your dream studio space, what do you choose and why?

1 - floor to ceiling shelving
2 - packaging area
3 - lots and lots of windows

I think they're all self-explanatory

Which Children's book character would you be and why?

Little Red Riding Hood. She wore an awesome hoodie and loved to visit Grandma.

5 questions: *hollyhawk* Handmade Leather Cuffs, Purses, Accessories

So last winter, while searching for some unique items to gift our teenaged and young adult nephews I came across Holly Strate's shop; Hollyhawk. I was making an effort to shop locally as well as handmade and did a search within my province and Hollyhawk stood right out of the crowd, so much so that I was wishing we had the budget to allow for me to buy myself a gift.

We decided on an iphone case for one of our nephews and I sneakily asked him what type of colour combination he'd like most (which was good idea on my part, our original choice was not what he preferred). Holly sent out the case quickly and when I opened it up I was so blown away by her excellent craftsmanship.

I shouldn't have been surprised, since Holly finds working with leather extra appealing, which always means that there is a great deal of passion involved in the work. She says that there are so many interesting things that can be done with leather like dyeing, printing, stitching, embossing, molding, carving, painting, riveting... Holly transforms the material into unique, snappy wearable and useful items, and boy does she ever do a fabulous job.

What drew me was the combination of fresh colour choices (red, turquoise, purple, chartreuse and dusty sage) with beautiful, organic and modern graphics printed in ink. We went with the rotary phone graphic for the tongue in cheek factor.

Holly is trained in Fashion Design, and she learned about leather work by apprenticing. Through experimentation, she became really inspired to make pieces of her own design to share with the world. to find out more about Holly and Hollyhawk you can find her on Facebook and Twitter where she keeps her fans up to date in what's going on; like the recent addition to her family in the form of a handsome baby boy. Holly also has a website that lists where you can find her accessories, purses and jewellery for sale and she has a blog where you can get more information too! As always; if you see something you like, click on it! All images are linked to Hollyhawk.

Can you describe the palette you use to create with, what colours do you always “reach” for?

I love the contrast created by combining bright colours with more muted ones. I can’t always reflect this in my work though, being somewhat limited in the leathers that I can source out, but then it’s more of a challenge. There’s just something about working with leather that really appeals to me. It’s quite versatile and one of my favorite material to designs and create with.

Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?

When I’m feeling creative I to listen to Luke Vibert, his music is this amazing collage of sounds and beats, very inspiring and you can bob your head to it. When I need to get stuff done on the assembly line I usually listed to CBC radio, it’s made me an expert in useless information.



What was the last shop/ item you hearted on Etsy?
The Strap Less Dress in Golden Apples by LesEnfantsSauvages.

I like to eat fruit and nut chocolate bars while watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer; what’s your guilty pleasure?

Dipping dark chocolate in tea so that it gets all soft and melty, but I don’t feel guilty about it.



Which Children's book character would you be and why?
Pippi Longstocking, when I was a kid I wanted freckles more than anything in the world, just like Pippi and my Mom would braid my hair into piggy tails all the time. She didn’t have anyone telling her what to do. It wasn’t as though my parents were strict, but I’m a Sagittarius and we love nothing more than freedom to explore.

Months have passed

since my last weekly 5 question feature.

Doing a weekly feature was taking a lot of time away from my own creative practice so I took a break from it for a little while to focus on doing my own things.

Of course I never considered completely giving up the features, they're one of my favourite things to do on this blog but I think a break was necessary for more than one reason. I put a lot of work into each 5 question feature I do here mainly because the artists and artisans I feature are some of my favourites and I'd love to be able to help them succeed, even if it's just in the form of someone visiting their shop after reading about them here. Putitng one of these features together each week became a pretty daunting task what with contacting artists, compiling links and adding photos not to mention the research I put into the features, I was working in some cases a month or more in advance of a post which meant that I was working on more than one feature at a time which really became overwhelming.

While I was focusing on my own work, I made a few decisions about how I wanted to do these features and I'm happy to announce that 5 questions will be returning at the end of this month as a monthly feature instead of a weekly so that I can keep up with the momentum I've built up over the last few months with my own stuff. I'm also hoping to keep you all informed about my own processes, tragedies and triumphs too, so if you think I'm a little behind in sharing feel free to give me a nudge...

There's a ghost in the house

My giveaway on Mrs. B's 31 days of Halloween was a great success, the feedback on my photography was very confidence boosting, to say the least. I have the winner's mailing address and I'll be sending off her photograph and a little something extra by mid-week.

Speaking of Mrs. B's Halloween giveaways; way back at the beginning of the month I entered one of the many giveaways and I won! OK, I'll admit the giveaways have been so good that I've entered to win almost all of them. I've been fortunate enough to have won two of the giveaways and I'm so excited about both.

I've received one of my prizes in the mail already and he's a welcome addition to our spooky decor. So what did I win? Who is hanging in my window? First things first: Jenny at Sneddonia is an Artist and Designer/Maker based in the UK, she works in a variety of media, and she learned many of her skills on a BA Hons Design: Crafts degree. One of the great things about her work is that she uses reclaimed materials in her work; scouring second-hand shops for old jewellery which she repurposes into new creations. You can expect to find reused chain, beads, and other found materials in many of her pieces.

You can see more of Sneddonia's work on her website, and on Flickr, where can also check out her studio. You can also follow her on Myspace, linkedin and on Facebook. She's a fabulous artist and craftswoman and I have to say that I am a teeny bit envious of her education, the opportunity to add as many techniques as possible to the artistic toolbox is worth a it's weight in gold. Her Blog; Sneddonia Designs is also well worth a read, not only does she showcase her finished work but also her process; in one post she even gives us a peek into her sketchbook which is an incredible way to see an artists' process.

So back to my prize: I snagged a Ghost Hanging Decoration. The package was very well put together, with three fun jack-o-lantern stickers on the outside. The Ghost was wrapped in lavender tissue and well protected. Jenny also included a lovely hand written note and some business cards to pass along to friends and family which I will be doing for sure. I'll be hanging the postcard up in my workspace too!

As for the little Ghosty; I love the expert craftsmanship that was put into his creation. Her bead placement is deceptively simple, you can tell that a lot of time and thought were put into the design. We've hung him in our kitchen window where he keeps us company as we eat, craft and make our own art. He's also keeping a ghostly eye on the many crows, black squirrels and the skunk who make our backyard a part of their daily destination.



I'd like to thank Mrs B for all her hard work so far this month and Jenny for including such a fantastic decoration in the festivities.

5 Questions: ♥ unique, ♥ handmade

Mitsy of ArtMind is one of my most favourite Etsy artists. My wish list has more than one of her fabulous creations on it; some of them are pictured here.

I first came across her in the Etsy Virtual Labs where she was sharing her 99 Feelings project. I was so inspired by her feelings and so excited by them I was sharing them with anyone who came within ten meters of my computer. I started following her blog to see how her Feelings project was progressing, and soon I was dropping in, on a sometimes daily basis just to see what was new. Her collection of feelings has a strength to it that really speaks about emotions and how we relate to them.

In addition to her feelings, Mitsy is also adding new an exciting items to her shop all the time. From post cards and magnets to 3D felt greeting cards and even a new secret project. Mitsy is one of those people who seems to always be creating and someone who I would love to emulate just because of that creative lifestyle.

Mitsy can be found on Flickr, where you can see her works in progress, check out some of her tutorials and her favourites. You can see what she's tweeting on Twitter and get more of all of the above and then some on her blog. Read on to see what tidbits ArtMind tossed my way:

What has surprised you most about selling your creations online?

Definitely the feedback I get on my work. The response to my '99-feelings'-project has been amazing and I'm delighted to know that it touches the hearts of many.

When people purchase a feeling, they often tell me why they buy it, and many of those stories just give me goosebumps. It's also fun to know that sometimes people write me to tell how they feel about a certain texture or that they feel completely different than what I named the feeling and I love it when people do that.

It has been such a personal journey that every texture can feel different for other people, so when people actually do tell me how they feel about a certain feeling, I'm happy to know that they are trying to feel in their own way...


What is your ultimate creator’s block cure?

Without a doubt: nature!

As many artists I suppose... nature is just healing in many, many ways. It inspires and clears my head.


What got you started?

Anything can get me started!

I get very easily distracted and you will find me doing one thing and another thing the next minute. I blame it on my unquiet mind - it's always in search of new and exciting things to do.

My hands can't sit still, nor can my brain. It tires me sometimes but it also makes me happy to be able to do it all!


Do you have any influences that guide your work?

When you look at my shop at the moment, there is really only one answer to this question: babuschka's... It all started with an assignment at the academie of fine arts where we were asked to make a selfportrait. I thought that it was easiest done by using the shape of a babuschka and since then I just love it.

Rock, Paper or Scissors?

Paper! Because it's vulnerable & strong at the same time. It can tear but also cover. It is flexible and can be colorful. It's a lot of things I am I think...



As always, if you've seen something you like or simply have to have click on any of the images to find out more. As always, your thoughts and comments are more than welcome, they'll put a smile on my face. If you want to make me jump for joy, head over to ArtMind's shop and buy one of her fab creations, I swear I'll do a little dance with my very poor robot moves thrown in, extra special to make the Peanut laugh.

5 Questions: A rabbit girl art

When I was very small, my Dad used to recite the poem Wynken Blynken and Nod to my sister and me at bed time. When I was pregnant I wanted to make it a part of the Peanut's childhood too.

So I painted her a small picture illustrating Wynken Blynken and Nod for her room. I was quite pleased with it, but I would have loved to have done half as good a job as Arabbitgirl's collage of the same name; It's so full of whimsy and has the dream like quality that I was working for in my own painting but didn't quite reach, I love it and am currently coveting it with a passion.

And that's what Karen Preston, the artist behind arabbitgirl wants her work to be known for; beautiful, day dream inspired, digital collage prints. Browsing through Karen's shop is an invitation to step outside of the mundane and marvel at the sublime concoctions that Karen has included there.

With subject matter that spans fairy tales, the circus and vintage engraving collages as well as pencil and digital drawings, Karen's art has an innocence juxtaposed with a delicious edge which brings your eyes back again and again.

In addition to arabbitgirl.etsy.com you can also view Karen's work on Flickr as well as on Trunkt.org . Karen also writes Life & Art of a Rabbit Girl a blog where she shares her work in progress, snippets from her personal life and some of her favourite Etsy items.


What got you started?

I suppose being born got me started. I believe that we all come here with a preconceived plan.
I have always felt a need to create. Its just something I have to do to be happy.


Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?

Sometimes I listen to music when I create. Right now Tom Waits is on my playlist. His music can bring me to the place I need to be. It's so full of magic. I like to fill my work with the same type of magic his music holds.

Do you have a Etsy Shop that you drop in on to see what’s new?

There is no one shop I drop in on. I often browse through the vintage shops.

Which Children's book character would you be and why?

Oh boy thats a tough one. There are far to many children's book characters that I love.

Charlie Bucket - because his eyes and mind are so open and impressionable his adventure so fantastic.

Willie Wonka- because he is so confident in his craziness.

A Who in Whoville- because they are always kind and generous and know the true meaning of Christmas, and they know all the words to that great Christmas song.

Pippi Longstocking- because she is brave, she has a monkey for a pet and she makes her own rules.



Rock, Paper or Scissors?
Paper

Did you see something that you simply must know more about? Click on any of the pictures in this feature to find out more! As always your thoughts and comments are welcome, plus they'll put a smile on my face. If you want to make me jump for joy, head over to Arabbitgirl's shop and buy one of her amazing prints, I swear I'll do a little dance.

5 question: that most curious of birds

One day while browsing through my blog list, I came across a tutorial on how to do a tutorial, this post was in support of a blog exchange program on Totally Tutorials' Blog, where Etsy Suppliers offer free samples of their supplies to blog writers who are willing to use these materials to produce an art or craft tutorial linked to the supplier's shop and the shop owners blog.

The first thing that entered my mind after "Wow I'd like to get a piece of that action" was "What a great way to kick start some creativity!"

At the time I was going through a bit of a creative drought and had been in one for a while (hence my 5 questions question about getting out of a creativity block) so I kept my eye on the exchange program in case something that I could work with popped up.

Enter MagpieMine and her digital collage sheets. I was one of the lucky recipients of the exchange, and I've also become a customer too. There is such a wide selection of collage sheets in MagpieMine to choose from that the ideas come fast and furious as soon as I start browsing.

Maggie, of MagpieMine is (as she mentions in her profile) like that most curious of birds, the magpie; always on the lookout for interesting, shiny objects. She collects images and squirrels them away in case they are needed someday. In most cases these images and ideas end up on her amazing digital collage sheets.

Maggie claims to have too many ideas and not enough time to create all of them, which means that there is never a shortage of collage sheets in her inventory. I picked up the Elves and Fairies in the Woodland page and a few others to finish off the backs of my hand sewn greeting cards

Up until now, I'd been using decorative papers and in some cases small hand sewn pieces to cover up the reverse side of my cards which is time consuming and expensive. I can use Magpie's medallions printed onto adhesive paper and stick them over the loose threads to finish off my cards with ease as well as an added decorative flourish.

MagpieMine's collage sheets are a perfect first step to getting creative. They can be used for collage projects, jewelry and in some cases, they can be printed out and framed just as they are (yes, they are that well designed).

You can follow Maggies tweets on Twitter and if you want to learn more about Maggie you can also read her Blog, The Magpie's Nest where you'll find some of Maggie's favourite picks from Etsy, a sneak peek of new work, and of course links to some great tutorials featuring her work (stay tuned for my tutorial in the next week or so).

Magpie allowed me to pick her brain with 5 questions: here are her replies:


What has surprised you most about selling your creations online?

What has surprised me the most is the huge number of artists who create gorgeous pieces with clip art or collage sheets. Prior to making and selling collage sheets, as a graphic designer, I used clip art very occasionally when designing an ad or magazine feature or catalog page. It was kind of the last resort if I couldn't find or create the art I was looking for, and I always considered it not the most creative option. Since becoming part of the Etsy "family", I've been surprised to discover artists who create stunning collages, jewelry (charm bracelets are my favorite!), altered art like books and assemblages, all with heavy use of collage sheet art and clip art. The finished products are ultra-amazing! Luckily, with Etsy and other sites showcasing art, I doubt I will run out of new discoveries any time soon!

The other thing that has surprised me is how much I love thinking up new ideas for collage sheets! They just pop into my head, and I probably have forgotten more of my ideas than I have actually used! Got to start writing them down...




Do you listen to music when you create? If yes, what's on your play list right now and why?

Actually, I feel terrible admitting this but, no I don't listen to music when I am working. What?!? Un-American!! My favorite atmosphere when working is: nobody home but me, windows in my office open if it's nice outside, listening to the birds and the sounds of the neighborhood, with one of my cats lounging on the other desk by the window. I am just a peace and quiet fan. Today is one of those days, lucky me!



What got you started?

I have no first memory of discovering art; I was probably born with a Crayola crayon in my hand! I'd like to think it was Jazzberry Jam, but they didn't have that color back then! I've been a painter and a sketcher since I was very small.

What got me started selling online was a suggestion by a coworker that Etsy was a place to make some extra money. I had never heard of Etsy! But within a few weeks I had joined up and started making collage sheets.

So now, I have quit my day job, have let my housework go to pot, and spend way too much time at the computer. (No, the Storque will not be looking to interview me for Quit Your Day Job; I think you have to make enough to support yourself which I don't, though I am extremely fortunate that my great hubby picks up the slack, at least for now!)

Details from Grungy Inchies in Jewel Colors Collage Sheet

Which Children's book character would you be and why?

Well, I guess I would say Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz because no matter where I go I always feel that there's no place like home! Haven't found the Emerald City yet though...



Rock, Paper or Scissors?

Definitely paper! The best things are on paper (sad for someone who works almost entirely with digital files, right?). I love books, magazines, paper beads, papier maché, paper airplanes, paper bags, and origami; not to mention watercolor paintings, scrapbooks, doilies, sticky notes, paper dolls, and I hate to say it but I use too many paper towels! You have to watch out for paper though. It piles up and takes on a life of its own! Sometimes I think I am drowning in paper, since I hate to throw anything away.

detail from Birds, Gators and Hedgehogs Collage Sheet

Did you see something that you simply must know more about? Click on any of the pictures in this feature to find out more! As always your thoughts and comments are welcome, plus they'll put a smile on my face. If you want to make me jump for joy, head over to MagpieMine's shop and buy one, two, three or more of her great collage sheets!

5 questions: I am a weirdo

Before we get started, help me celebrate one whole year on Etsy and enter my giveaway!


One of the things about Etsy I like (and there are a lot of great things I like about Etsy) is the favorites feature; not only can I keep track of the fabulous products I drool over and covet almost jealously, but I can find my favourite artists and artisans with the click of the mouse. In addition I can also check out some of the artists and artisans who also like me. This is how I found Susarto, this weeks featured artist.

Susarto also goes by the name SusanMoloney. She calls herself a painter, a weirdo maker and a thing creator and there could be no better way to describe her or her shop; full of lush paintings, prints of her original paintings, the most adorable plush creatures, which she calls the Weirdo's and an assortment of photographs, magnets and bookmarks as well as the most amazing hand bound zines about life in Ireland through the eyes of an American. Browsing Susarto's shops and blog is an exercise in inspiration.

Susarto belongs to the Etsy Plush Team and the IrishRougeArtisans on Etsy, she has exhibited in local galleries and has work included in a number of private art collections in the US, Ireland and England. In addition to Etsy and her blog (which features some of the most amazing art), you can find Susan on Flickr and twitter. I was very interested to see how Susarto would answer my questions and I was not disappointed:

What got you started?

i have no idea what started me...i know that i would draw and draw since i could hold a pencil (or crayon). i always said i wanted to be an artist as a kid. always.
my dad was a "commercial artist" (that's what they called graphic design back then i suppose) but i didn't know what that meant. i thought he was like picasso or something.
i would give him a paper and pencil and say "draw."
i wanted to see how to draw things.
he did, a little reluctantly, but he really wasn't bad ;)















Do you listen to music when you create? What's on your play list right now and why?

i always listen to music when i work.
my very favourite singer is chris cornell...so i have a lot of him on my playlist, soundgarden, audioslave...
but i love tom waits. he's very inspiring to work with.
stevie wonder, jane's addiction, massive attack, tool, and on rainy days, i like to listen to billie holiday :)
why would be a tough question...music sets the mood for art i guess. and paintings seem to look like the songs.
i listened to tom waits mostly when i made my train paintings. they are sort of tom-ish i think :)







What is your ultimate creator’s block cure?

go out!
look at stuff.
notice what you notice, and all of that...

i love going to the mutter museum in philadelphia (and old medical museum) and/or taking little adventure walks by the canal up by new hope, pa. my husband has a motorbike and we go on little trips through beautiful back roads. stuff like that.
if you can't get out, look at stuff on the internet. you can see most of the world that way ;)




What life or art lesson have you learned that has shaped your work?

i think life just shapes your work whether you like it or not. but i recently have learned to just go with what feels natural to me.
i used to think i had to be able to be really good at oil painting...otherwise i wouldn't really be a "painter", but i don't always want to do that. so now i do what i feel the need to do. i'm much happier that way, and i get better results.

Rock, Paper or Scissors?

whenever possible, i'll take all.
if i can only pick one, paper.
you can make almost anything out of paper.
even rocks or scissors.


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