John is a full-time photographer and has been exhibiting fine art prints of his work for over 20 years. He started out as a writer for a newspaper, but was captivated by photography while in college. "When I saw that first B&W print come up in the developer tray I was hooked," he admits. Like many artists, nature's beauty is a huge inspiration to him. He is also interested in architecture - especially rural churches. "I like to imagine the people of a small town coming together to build their church and I find that many of these churches are simple and beautiful, made of wood and made with love," he explains. "I try to show the world as I see it," he says of his craft. Etsy has been a great opportunity for him to reach a wider audience and he is "excited to be a part of that creative community." He advises his fellow artists to "keep to your vision and create work that excites YOU, because that excitement always shows in the work." Please check out his shop: http://deepcreekstudios.etsy.com/
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Meet Etsy Artist: DeepCreekStudios
Friday, March 13, 2009
Meet Etsy Artist: DanaLaymon
North Carolina native Dana Laymon has a full time job, but hopes to eventually make her art her career. Like many artists, she finds inspiration in nature. "Cute married couples in love" are also a source, she admits. Her laid back, ethereal style creates windows in time - immortalized in photographs - although her favorite pictures are candid glimpses of people. "I've been doing photography ever since I was young, but really became serious about it about 6 years ago," she explains. "I realized I wanted to do it for a living." By day, she's a wedding photographer - and by night, an artist. "I take my camera with me everywhere I go." Please check out her shop: http://danalaymon.etsy.com/, Blog: http://danalaymon.blogspot.com/, and Website: http://danalaymon.com/
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Meet Etsy Photographer & Artist: MKMcKenna
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Meet Etsy Artist: elsiee
Elsie Echevarria is the talent behind Etsy shop "Namaste Designs" via her user ID elsiee. "My daughter is an amazing artist and beautiful soul, who has been my biggest source of joy and inspiration for the past 20 years," she gushes. And her mother is "a super independent, strong, fashionable, jewelry collecting, travel crazy woman." When her daughter left for art school in Vancouver her mother asked her to join her on yearly trips and "two big amazing changes in my life came together – I started attending jewelry making classes to fill my achingly empty nest and my mom and I started traveling to exotic places together." In the last two years they've been to exotic locales such as Egypt, South Africa, India, and Nepal. It was the latter that captured her heart. "My Etsy shop Namaste Designs opened when we returned from Nepal in June 08," she explains. "It was the trip of a lifetime (happily my daughter and husband joined Mom and I on this trip)." With her long time love of Buddha and goddess imagery - and "never )having) met a chunky stone or bead (she) didn’t love – Nepalese and Tibetan crafts struck a chord and inspired her to share her jewelry via Etsy. "I’ve never thought of myself as crafty or much less artistic, I’m the stereotypical 'can’t draw a straight line' girl, but sometimes, when I look at beads and stones, they become images of fantastical jewelry pieces in my mind," she admits. "Sometimes the entire design comes together in my head while they’re still on their original strands...sometimes the beads put up a valiant fight, but making bold beautiful pieces brings me so much joy, it keeps me up late many, many nights." As dedicated as she is to her new joy, by day she is a Marriage & Family Therapist with her own private practice. While she doesn't have any immediate plans for her Etsy shop, she hopes to "continue to befriend and be inspired by all of the crazy amazing local Etsy women that I’m so blessed to be surrounded by." Please check out her shop: http://elsiee.etsy.com/
Monday, November 24, 2008
Meet Etsy Photographer: Photopia
Vanessa grew up in Hong Kong, but later moved to Vancouver, BC for high school. She moved yet again t0 Berkeley, California for college and has been there ever since. "My full time job is in a field that is completely unrelated to creativity," she explains. "I am a health care finance consultant working for corporate America. Despite my career choice, I feel that deep down inside I am a creative soul." Aside from photography, she is an avid knitter (knitopia.etsy.com), but it is her ethereal photos that caught my eye. "I think because I have lived in different places and have been exposed to different cultures and the fact that I love traveling really open(ed) up my mind to new ideas and new perspectives. When I travel to new places is when my creative juices start flowing - unstoppable," she jokes. "There is so much beauty in this world. In the traditional sense, we have sunsets, natural landscapes, amazing architecture, all of which I love to photograph. But I also find beauty in the mundane, be it (the) flicker of a candle, a single rose, or even a cup. A good photographer can also turn something ugly in the traditional sense into a meaningful beautiful image capture." Photography has always fascinated her. "As a kid, without proper guidance and exposure, there were more disappointments than success," she remembers. "A big part of it was also that in the old days good quality photographic equipment was much less accessible to the general public because of price and technology; nowadays with the advent of digital photography and falling prices, it is relatively easy to get hold of reasonably good equipment, which in turns enables me to improve at a really fast pace." Surprisingly she took a break from her first love - and has only rekindled it fairly recently. "I have had my Etsy store since February of this year," she is proud to say. "Since it has not been that long, I honestly am still trying to find my own style and niche." While she experiments with a wide range f subjects, she admits she tends to gravitate toward "minimalism and simple geometry and lines within each frame." The peace and serenity of zen-like natural motifs also show up in her work. "Have confidence in your art and don't ever give up," she reminds her fellow Etsians. Please check out her shop: http://photopia.etsy.com/
Monday, November 10, 2008
Meet Etsy Jewelry Artist: chendric
Cheryl Hendric is a "chronic wanderer, settled for the meantime in Boston with my boyfriend and two cats." She's originally from the Midwest, but studied abroad in Denmark and has even worked and volunteered in Thailand and Nepal. Her current work will lead her to Africa later this year. "These places I’ve been and the people met along the way continue to inspire me and my designs," she explains of her fascination with exotic landscapes and cultures. Her interest in science and nature can also be seen in some of her metalwork. "I love the versatility of silver, but I also need color in my life - bright color." She aims to keep her designs simple enough for every day wear, but still unique, "whether that be through the use of an unusual stone, intriguing texture, or bold color." A lifelong crafter and artist, she recalls the unfortunate incidents where she played a role in her second grade teacher having her lamination privileges revoked. "I had her laminate so much of my artwork," she jokingly admits. She has "experimented with pottery, pastels, candle making, soap making, and bookbinding, but my love for silver and gemstones has kept drawing me back to jewelry." In regards to her photographs, she has always admired her fellow Etsy artists, but "it wasn’t until my trip to Nepal that I decided to share my photographs with others; the country and the culture were so amazing that I felt guilty not sharing some of the images that I had captured during my time there." Etsy started out as a hobby, but she soon realized how satisfying it was to create for others. "Although I consider this a business, I do have a day-job working on malnutrition research and interventions in Africa as part of a large international development project," she says. She hopes to share her work with the world through Etsy - "and it would be nice to sell more than I buy on Etsy." Please check out her shop: http://chendric.etsy.com/
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Meet Etsy Photographer: jennifersquires
Canadian photographer Jennifer Squires was born in Toronto, but now lives and works in London, Ontario. She is inspired by her surroundings and uses photography to "search for simplicity and meaning in the everyday." She finds beauty in everything - and elegantly captures it in her work. "I’m a very creative person and I tend to think outside of the box in almost everything I do," she says. "I grew up in a very small hamlet so I was always looking for ways to make things more interesting." Since she always had a camera in hand, she decided to study photography in high school and college - and has turned her hobby into a full time job. "I’d like to be the person people come to when their walls need to be refreshed," she admits. She recommends her fellow artists "spend at least as much time advertising off Etsy as you do on Etsy." Please check out her shop: http://jennifersquires.etsy.com/
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Meet Etsy Collage Artist: IslandSong
Canadian artist Kate Iredale lives on an island with her husband and "a very hairy (but beautiful) Sheltland Sheepdog named Molly." She was fortunate enough to retire early seven years ago and is finally able to take time for herself and "explore (her) long dormant creative yearnings." As her gorgeous collages show, she is definitely making up for lost time. "My creative thirst took a back seat for too many years while my three children were young and growing up," she explains. "Around the time they were leaving home to follow their own dreams, I began working at an Art and Design Institute in Vancouver, Canada. This experience opened my eyes to the excitement of the creative process and the passion with which the students embraced their love of art. When the opportunity came for me to leave work, I began delving into photography and that drifted very naturally and easily into a love of digital art." Her inspiration often comes from words. "My work usually evolves out of something I've read or heard. Words from a conversation, a quote or a song will catch my attention and I write them down in my journal as soon as possible," she explains. "Often I'll see an image in my mind of how the words could be visually expressed and then I start searching for photographs to alter and manipulate until they begin to morph into my mental vision." Her intricate designs are very spiritual, "but not in a religious or dogmatic way, but rather through nature, beauty and through my own personal search for joy and peace." She believes that creating art comes from the heart and reccomends we nurture our inner artist. "That little child who eagerly held up her drawing to the class, only to be told that grass was never, never orange but always green, needs you to believe in her. Encourage rather than critique this inspired creator insider of you. And have fun with the process!" Please check out her shop: http://islandsong.etsy.com/
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Meet Etsy Photographer: jhartphotography
J Hart has been a vegetarian for over 15 years. Aside from photography, she also plays the guitar and used to write poetry, but is currently suffering from writers block. "I'm also mother to a very artistic 8yr old daughter and a 5yr old son who has a great affinity for sports." Her husband recently relocated from Houston to Austin with a new job, but she stayed behind to "sell the house and let the kids finish out the school year." She is often inspired by her feelings, which she feels the need to express through her art. "Self expression is very important to me," she explains. "Sometimes just saying something isn't enough... though most of my images may not be so explanatory in regard to what they mean to me." She's more than fine with that. "I find that most people who admire my work find their own emotional connection. We all desire connection in some form or another. I'm happy to have my images be a conduit whether the connection is with me, or just between the image and the person viewing." Her work tends to have a dark edge to it. "I don't typically do happy, bright, pictures. While I'm very drawn to lighthearted things, all my photos tend to reflect my inner psyche in some way or another. Not that I'm a 'dark' person, but any need for self expression I have does tend to express the darker side." She recommends artists "FOLLOW YOUR BLISS. Do what you love. Be genuine." Please check out her shop: http://jhartphotography.etsy.com/
Monday, April 7, 2008
Meet Etsy Artist & Photographer: NorthofFebruary
NorthofFebruary is a husband and wife team that specialize in chainmaille and jewelry, but it was this stunning photo that caught my eye (it is now part of my collection). I had the pleasure to converse with Aisling...
-Wendy Baylis
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Meet Etsy Photographer: organicstills
Natalie grew up in England, but is now living in California with her new husband. "I've been interested in photography for about 4 or 5 years and have been branching out into other crafts (i.e. digital art, knitting, jewelry, collage art etc.) for the last year or so," she explains. "I'm constantly looking to learn something new." Her photographs tend to capture a moment in time, opening a window to her world and her soul. "Being able to share it with others is a wonderful feeling." She enjoys experimenting with new concepts and ideas. "As the name 'Organic Stills' suggests, my photography is organic - I try to keep it natural and unaffected. I don't post-produce my pictures, preferring to show them exactly as they were the moment I took them." She does, however, work on specifically digital art pieces, such as the one above. She hopes Etsy will allow her to share her art with the world. "I love knowing that there are people out there with a photo that I took on their wall and that they get enjoyment from looking at the view through my eyes...I enjoy the fact that Etsy is a forum for the little guy, like me, to have a voice." She advises her fellow Etsy artists to "decide what you really want to get out of the site. Whether you want to make a living out of it, or just want to use it to showcase your hobby, think carefully about the different ways to market yourself and explore those possibilities. Building a business, no matter how small, takes time and dedication, so give yourself a chance to become seen." Please check out her shop: http://organicstills.etsy.com/
Friday, March 14, 2008
Meet Etsy Photographer: pmgraham
Peter Graham has been an American transplant in Vancouver, BC three years. His love of travel and hiking is not only an inspiration, but enables him to indulge in his art. "As you can tell from my shop, the natural world is almost exclusively my inspiration and subject matter," he explains. "When you live in a place like BC, it's hard not to want to capture as much as possible." He admits that he is not a "photographic purist," but rather likes to create "colorful, saturated images, and I certainly don't shy away from digital processing to maximize my images' impact. Plus it's fun to push an image to the edge of realism." In fact, the digital manipulation is as fun much as taking the photographs. "I've recently started creating what I've - for lack of a better term - deemed 'digital collages' with some of my flower photos. Basically I use photoshop to frame the image and bring in some simple texture elements." His feels artistic sensibilities are enhanced by his past experience with painting and ceramics. Right now his art is a hobby. "By day, I work as a research scientist at the University of British Columbia where I'm an inorganic chemist - which believe it or not also has a creative side to it. I basically try to make new chemical compounds that might be useful for turning petroleum products into more useful chemicals." He hopes to keep himself motivated to improve and to "participate in what I think is one of the coolest places I've ever found on the web - I never really considered selling my photos until I ran across Etsy." Please check out his shop: http://pmgraham.etsy.com/
-Wendy Baylis
Monday, March 10, 2008
Meet Etsy Photographer: JaredKS
Aside from being an excellent photographer - something he's enjoyed since he was eight - Jared is a math teacher from northeast Kansas. His inspiration comes from natural beauty - which he often finds in his own surroundings. "I love to explore the natural world and look to find the unending number of beautiful things that are all around us, all the time." He also finds beauty in music, books, films, and people. "It's everywhere." He describes his style as "endless experimentation and occasional success," but I think he's a little too hard on himself. His photos take on an ethereal beauty that speaks volumes while lending a peaceful solitude at the same time. Dynamic, just like Jared. "I have a lot of creative outlets that I tend to bounce back and forth from," he explains. "For a number of years, I would only shoot two or three rolls of film per year. Digital photography has opened the door for me to take thousands of photographs, whenever I feel inclined to do so. It's been a real blessing." So has his insightful photos. "Whenever I notice myself thinking of (my art) like a job, I try to take a step back," he admits. "I personally find my photographs less interesting when financial thoughts start to creep in while I'm shooting. I have a lot more success when I'm just creating for creation's sake." He'd like to remind his fellow Etsy artists to always "have fun and do what you love. Set your prices where you're comfortable, even though some will say they're too high and others will say they're too low. Try to post on the forums at least a little bit each week - the community aspect of Etsy is one of its greatest features." Please check out his shop: http://jaredks.etsy.com/
Friday, January 25, 2008
Meet Etsy Photographer & Artist: MaggieDeePhoto
Maggie Dee was born in Scotland, but later immigrated to Canada where she currently resides. Photography started out as a mere hobby for this phenomenal talent. "I used to shoot models for fun (I have an extensive background in fashion)," she explains. "After a couple of years, I realized it was more of a passion than a hobby and I took the plunge and went pro." She's compelled to shoot personal creative projects, expressing her ethereal style - and one titled "A Millennium Prophecy, a return to the Source" was recently exhibited. "It was a project of words and images, projecting there is no religion without science and vice versa, with lots of anti racism thrown in." It received many accolades and some of the pieces are available in her Etsy shop (i.e. the shot of the Angels and Spacemen). "I believe it is important for a photographer to select their own personal projects, something other than their everyday professional work," she says. Her inspiration for her spiritual art comes from within, "from the source." Please check out her shop and website: http://maggiedeephoto.etsy.com/ www.maggiedeephotographer.com
Friday, January 18, 2008
Meet Etsy Artist: DharmaDesigns (me)
Wow - I am so honored! NatureAllWell did a lovely feature on me for her blog. Here's a link: http://myartyboudior.blogspot.com/2008/01/jewellery-with-asian-feel.html
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Meet Etsy Artist:Madelaine
Monday, December 3, 2007
Meet Etsy Artist & Photographer: Aephemera
Ever since she was three years old Kate E. Austin, the talent behind Aephemera, has aspired to be an artist. "I went to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Mendon, Vermont with my mother - I saw the art for sale and wanted to sell mine!" She grew up in Killington, Vermont, where she didn't feel like she fit in. "I graduated in 1999 and went to Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York for two years for art, then dropped out (what do you do with an art degree, anyway!) and joined AmeriCorps for two years, working with at-risk youth in Rutland, Vermont." She now resides in Glens Falls, New York, where she has a studio in The Shirt Factory, an artists' community. She also maintains her own website, http://www.aephemera.net/.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Meet Etsy Photographer and Artist: StoopidGerl
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