North Carolina mosaic artist Elizabeth Newton originally hailed from Augusta, Georgia. Much of her inspiration comes from fairy tales ("especially the lesser know ones with really oddball morals at the end") and her travels to "odd" places. She also has a fascination with renaissance fashion. "No, I don't hang out at Renaissance fairs," she jokingly adds. However she does dabble in many other art forms, including painting and jewelry making. "I love making really large stained glass mosaics just for the wow factor because they are quite impressive in person," she says. Although she's been honing her craft for 5 years, she's been a lifelong artist. "I guess if I can count crayoning on the walls and making my mother insane." While her art is just a hobby right now, she hopes to turn it into her career - if she can get over her shyness and start promoting herself. "I just signed up for my first (craft show) in Thomasville, NC on May 2 and I think I'm already having mini panic attacks about it," she admits. "I actually kind of miss things when they sell and I have to send them off. Please check out her shop: http://TheArtisticNewts.etsy.com and Blog: http://theartisticnewts.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Meet Etsy Artist: TheArtisticNewts
Monday, April 6, 2009
Meet Etsy Artist: MrBenWu
Ben Wu may just be a pen name, but it suits the artist perfectly: a fusion of East Meets West. "I'm a 31 year old white guy in love with all things Asian," he jokes, "and I live in the rural depths of Tennessee, dangling somewhere just southeast of the Bible Belt." He already has three "traditionally" printed books (The Macabre Alphabet, An Ivory Chopstick, and Very Naughty Figs) as well as "some privately printed and bound volumes that I sell exclusively on Etsy or just to friends/fans." He has also done illustration work for several websites, including goreydetails.net and logospilgrim.com. "My first art-love was medieval art," he admits. "Strangely enough that lead me to Aubrey Beardsley. Which lead me to Edward Gorey. That is where the bones of my art technique came from." Around the age of 20 he "fell head over hills in love with China (and Japan to a lesser extent), not just the art, but the culture." He explains, "Chinese art, calligraphy, Peking opera, Chinese classical novels and philosophy all play a part in my life and my art." His love of Asian cultures in showcased beautifully in his intricate drawings. "I rely heavily on cross-hatching," he says of the process, "and I love to fill every inch of the page with something: weird details, hidden names, and faces." He started his artistic pursuits at the tender age of 4 while in the hospital with cancer. "I'd draw dinosaurs on my father's Styrofoam coffee cups," he admits. "From then on, I never stopped doodling on any scrap of paper that I can find." While his art has been a good source of income he is eager to find something outside his own creations. "I have spent the last ten years working on my books and my art in seclusion. Now, I want to get out and reintroduce myself to the world. I've sort of missed it." Etsy has been a great place for him to meet fellow artists - and buy handmade. When asked if he had any advice to share, he joked, "No matter what group of people I'm addressing (be it prostitutes or preachers) my advice is always the same: be persistent. If you don't get any nibbles on your hook, change your bait." Please check him out on Etsy: http://mrbenwu.etsy.com/ and on his website: http://ben-wu.com/. He also has a LiveJournal for his Studio of Little Consequence, which he maintains mostly for friends, but adds, :However if anyone wants to add me (and bear the horrors of my personal ramblings), I will usually add them back." http://jade-teacup.livejournal.com/
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Meet Etsy Potter & Artist: sumiko
Sumiko has "had a love affair with all art forms since (she) was a teenager." Born in Kumamoto, Japan, she began studying fine arts while in High School. In 1958 she traveled to Italy and studied under local artists. She got married while in Naples and "put (her) artistic endeavors on hold while (she) raised (her) family." She eventually made her way to the US and lived in Washington, D.C. and Honolulu before settling in San Diego, CA. "I became serious with art as a student at Miramar College where I received an AA degree in Fine Art," she explains. Later she attended a class at Mesa College and "found (her) calling." She studied ceramics, sculpting, and glaze technology under Dr. John Conrad, a world famous author and a Master Potter. Please check out her shop: http://
sumiko.etsy.com
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