Meet Etsy Painter & Artist: MWiebe

Michelle Wiebe is the astonishing talent behind MWeibe. She has only recently made a point to paint every day and build her business "as opposed to consigning (her work) for someone else to sell." She is a busy stay-at-home Mom of three and admits every Etsy sale helps her family. "My husband pays the bills and I pay for the icing on the cake," she explains.

She often finds inspiration in music. "Sometimes I'll put on something and my heart just soars. Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead, Nick Cave - those usually put me in the mood to paint." She also enjoys other atrists' work - and reading their blogs. She describes her style as impressionist "because (she) really likes to catch the realism of an object or scene without the stuffiness that can so easily happen when you get really technical."

As a child her parents encouraged her creative spirit. "My dad used to bring home reams and reams of old dot matrix computer paper. I would hide out in my room and draw for hours. I absolutely loved that. Once I picked up a paintbrush and really got into it, I knew that I was most definitely a painter." She has been nurturing her talent for fifteen years.

Michelle plans to turn her talent into a full time job within two years, so that she'll be financially set when her youngest starts school. Eventually she hopes to become fully integrated with the Etsy community. "Selling is one thing, having a group of artists and artisans with whom you can talk shop with and share tips is priceless." When time allows she visits the forums and acknlowledges how important it is to build solid friendships with her fellow Etsians. "Make friends, comment on stuff, heart stuff, most importantly look at stuff. We have such a great site here and by telling all our friends and family about it, we can all keep each other in business." She cautions that quality is key "even if it means asking a bit more for your item. Unlike other sites where auction mentality = low ball bargains, etsy customers are, for the most part, willing to take a second look your unique piece even if it costs more than a mass produced item. We have something special here with the buy handmade mentality." Please visit her shop: http://mwiebe.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com

Meet Etsy Artist & Painter: canvasworks

The artist behind Canvasworks has been living in her quaint Vermont house for 13 years. "My husband, daughter, and I moved here in search of a quiet life where I could create, paint and sit quietly," she says of her small-town paradise. She finds inspiration in the beautiful surrounding countryside. "Moose, deer, herons, foxes, and turkeys entertain me." She describes her whimsical style as "folk art with a geometric twist." She is drawn to natural, earthy colors such as the historical palette used in her 200 year old home. Although she has been creating since she was a kid, she narrowed her business down to floor cloths and folk art in the last 14 years. "I would love to see my Etsy shop take me to a looser style. I see my Etsy shop full of fun paintings that make people smile, or relax, or a little of both." Please check out her Etsy shop: http://canvasworks.etsy.com/

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/

Meet Etsy Artist & Painter: gigibutterfly

Canadian painter Gigi Butterfly lives in the closeknit art community of Halfmoon Bay in British Columbia. "It is very artistic here, and it's wonderful to be around so many like minded artisans, which is why I love Etsy so much," she admits. Like me, Gigi finds inspiration in exotic cultures and faiths. "I Love to travel. I go to places that are rich in color and culture, like India, Morocco, (and) Vietnam. There is so much to learn from their cultures - I like to infuse what I learn while traveling into my own life." She finds beauty in everything and always has her camera in hand to capture it, so she can paint it later. "I was painting away, and one day, had a brilliant idea of painting one flower on one giant canvas. Suddenly everyone was comparing me to Georgia O'Keefe." Her contemporary style wasn't always encouraged, though. "I went into the world of business and was miserable. I decided to pack up my life, became a scuba instructor and got a job in Trinidad and Tobago. From there I backpacked in South America for 14 months and when I returned in 1999 I stomped my feet on the ground, like a kid having a tantrum, and advised my family that I was going to be an artist and that was that. And that's what I've been doing ever since." She has successfully turned her art into what she calls a "gratifying and enjoyable job." She strives to be appreciated by fellow artisans. "I want my artwork to bring happiness into peoples lives. Vancouver can be so dreary in the winter, grey and rainy, so to bring a flower painting into a persons home can really brighten it up." She advises her fellow Etsy artists to keep at it. "Don't quit, don't give up. It's not necessarily about the sales. Follow your passion." Please visit her Etsy shop://http://gigibutterfly.etsy.com

-Wendy Baylis

Dharma Designs

http://dharmadesigns.etsy.com/