Meet Etsy Potter and Artist: GinPins

California artist GinPins is a phenomenal potter and artist, who "highly values a humorous perspective on life." She feels her upbringing has influenced her whimsical art. "My Grandmother taught me so much, even before I started kindergarten---basic sewing skills, knitting, crochet, various crafty pursuits involving lots of felt, sequins and glitter (my Barbies tended to dress like they had jobs as showgirls in Vegas), rudementary baking and some gardening. My Dad also shares a love of making things (although things of a different type) and passed on to me his affection for careful craftsmanship---thanks Dad." It wasn't until nine years ago that GinPins fell in love with clay when she took a required 3-D art class in college. It was love at first sight. "Me and the mud, we've been inseparable ever since!" Believe it or not, the picture for this post is not just a mug, but a teapot - the "spoon" is the spout. Her eclectic style is often "exacting (and) sometimes funny." She is interested in so many artistic endeavors that they often influence one another. "My love of knitting often shows up on ceramic ware as texture from stamps I make from swatches I knit for just that purpose. My love of ceramics shows up as buttons for my knitted and sewn items, or as jars to store my knitting needles. And, since I am also a painter, my felt pincushions get a bit of painting to enhance their realism." She's a self-admitted "goofball," who loves to amuse people with her work. "I think that careful attention to craftsmanship works to keep the humorous edge from becoming trite. I do produce more serious pieces from time to time, I just don't take myself too seriously." Although she works in a college ceramics & art department, she manages to find time to earn an edequate income from selling her work on Etsy and in local galleries. She plans to offer more functional pieces on Etsy. "I've been selling for almost 6 months on Etsy and started out a bit frightened of the shipping issues related to the fragility of ceramics, so have held off on listing that type of item. Eventually, I'd love to be selling 5 or so items per week." She suggests ne Etsians join a street team that reflects their craft. "I'm a member of the Etsy Mud Team and being on the team has enhanced my Etsy experience in ways I could not have imagined when I joined. Team membership has brought more visibility to my shop by allowing me to collaborate on group projects, as well as participate in challenges and promotions. However, it's the comraderie among the team members that really makes my Etsy experience so special. Our team's forum thread is a perfect blend of encouragement, advice and laughs. Yay mudders!" Please check out her shop: http://ginpins.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/