Meet Etsy Artist: rivermoonblossom

The talent behind Etsy shop rivermoonblossom is artist Strawberry Curls. She grew up in a bohemian artist household, "moving all over the place like traveling gypsies." They finally settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico where they found a thriving community of artists. "Because my parents are artists, I have been creating and making art as far back as I remember," she explains. "One of My earliest memories is drawing and collaging in my play area, which was under my mama's sewing machine. We used to sing folk songs together as she sewed her soft sculpture dolls." At the tender age of 10 that she made her first ceramic tile, but it was not love at first sight. "I was taking a children's artist workshop from a famous New Mexican artist, but the class was in an old, drafty warehouse and had no heat, so my hands were like ice on the clay..it was no fun...it took me another 16 years to find my way back to ceramics, but once I did, I was hooked." She draws and paints mystical designs with glazes on her handmade red clay tiles, firing them at a low heat, which brings out the vibrant colors she is known for. Much of her inspiration comes from her passion for world goddess traditions and women empowerment stories, although they are usually tempered with southwest culture and color. While Etsy is currently her hobby, she is working to make it a full time job, although she admits that she would feel compelled to create even if she made no money at all. She hopes to begin 2009 with the addition of prints of her fantastic tiles, paintings, and collages. "Treat Etsy like the friendly community that it is," she reminds. "Look at other shops, not just related to your medium. Mark favorites, chat in the forums and chat rooms, make treasuries, look at the most 'successful' Etsy shops to see what they are selling...make yourself visible and accessible." Please check out her shop: http://rivermoonblossom.etsy.com/
-Wendy Baylis
Dharma Designs
http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/