Featured Artist: 1337art

Jewelry, Collage, & More

1. Tell me a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff).

Christina Moore. Gig Harbor, Washington. I've been making jewelry for a couple of years, and I've been making collages in some form or another since high school. Art is a wonderful thing to be apart of, and I hope to one day be able to run (CM Designs dba) 1337art as my main and only job. I have so many notebooks and loose pages full of ideas and designs I want to produce.

2. What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?

Colors, shapes, textures, music, and just about anything. Sometimes I sit down with supplies everywhere and pick up a couple things that I like and find a way to incorporate them together.

3. What is your favourite thing in your shop and why?

My Gambler's Bracelet. My fiance inspired me to make it for his work's Christmas Party last year. He looked me in the eyes and said he really liked it.

4. If you had a client who had unlimited money, what would you create for him and why?

I would create anything (to the best of my abilities) that his heart desired. I would definitely make it something both personal and truly one of a kind.

5. Why should people buy handmade?

Because you can't find something at a department store that was handcrafted by someone's own two hands with love and pride.

Etsy Shop: http://1337art.etsy.com
Blog: http://elite-art.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: GilBea

I used to be a watercolors painter, but a few years ago I discovered silk painting, and now I'm hooked to it!!!

For a few years I have been seriously working on silk fabrics, making all kind of different stuff, from silk paintings that hang from the walls to silk scarves or brooches and t-shirts.

Right now I'm experimenting with new things for this next season: Spring/Summer 2008. Silk bags, shirts, headbands, and a big etcetera. Come back again in a few months to see my new creations!

For more information visit my website:
www.gilbea.com

Etsy Shop:http://gilbea.etsy.com
Blog: http://gilbea.blogspot.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gilbea

Featured Artist: Glory2727

Let me share my joy of painting with you

What inspires me as an artist? I would have to say everything! I am always amazed at cloud formations. I look at this all the time. The flowers with delicate petals of color are considered God’s Art- work. The beautiful birds and butterflies could give anyone a color theory lesson. My slogan for my business and my work is “Let me share my Joy of painting with you”.

I work each year on a technique of painting. So far I have done oils, acrylics water color, pen and ink with watercolor wash, colored pencil, and one stroke painting. I am having such a good time with my pursuit of colored pencils that I shall work with them for now.

I got started late in life on an art career. I am a widow and have battled with cancer and a handicapping accident. Art has given me a new purpose to get up each morning and being glad to be alive. What more does anyone need in life?

I have my own hours, eat when I want, watch TV programs I like, sleep when I want, get on the Etsy forums anytime I like , and travel and share with my daughter and friends. And I will have to say the mother and daughter roll has switched. My daughter is my roll model now and she inspires me and encourage me in all that I do.

Etsy Shop: http://glory2727.etsy.com
Blog: http:/www.frommybrush.blogspot.com

Featured Artist: cserpent Designs

Hi my name is Susan and I'm the creator of cserpentDesigns! My husband nicknamed me Sea Serpent during our scuba diving days (picture a tall person in a purple and black drysuit with a pink flotation vest coming out of the water with big black fins on her feet ... yep sea serpent fits!). He even got me a sea serpent stamp to use for my "signature" on my hand made cards.

I got started in jewelry making when one of my soccer teammates got me to go to a wirewrapping class with her. I made my first bracelet in that class (and as I look at it now I want to take it apart and redo it to look a lot nicer!). I then saw a beaded watch band in a magazine and figured I could expand on that idea and make myself a cool beaded watch band in PURPLE! (my favorite color). I started the watch band using gold plated findings, finished it up at another wire wrapping class and got interest from many of my friends and family in having jewelry made for them. I still was just dabbling and got really mad when the gold plated findings started to tarnish in a very short amount of time. From that I learned my lesson about making things that last - don't make them with gold or silver plated parts if you want them to last a long time and remain beautiful!

That 2nd wire wrapping class really drove my interest in making jewelry with beads. I took more classes in basic jewelry making (stringing, knotting, ...) and have been making jewelry for family and friends and other customers for 4 years now. My jewelry designs are also for sale at a gallery in La Jolla, CA - Art in 18K - so I'm starting to expand my sales base.

I have a great time buying the parts needed to make my jewelry. I REALLY like the gorgeous artisan lampwork beads that are available through etsy as well as other online sites. My "inventory" is quite large so I really have to get designing more so I can share these beautiful beads with others. Sometimes I'll find one interesting bead or gemstone and that will be the kick start for a piece of jewelry. I really enjoy the creation process and get excited when I finish a piece and can share it with folks I know and with Etsy I can now share my creations with a much larger family.

I'm a member of several Etsy street teams. I'm a member of CCCOE (California Crafters Club on Etsy), JET (Jewelry on Etsy), etsyBEAD (bead lovers of all sorts), BeadHive (started on Ebay and has now joined Etsy a group of jewelry artisans who all use high quality components to create artisan quality jewelry) and TBO (Tranquil Beading Oasis). In these groups we share ideas, provide support to one other, teach and learn all in the name of continuing are respective handmade crafts.

Etsy Shop: http://cserpent.etsy.com
Blog: http://cserpentDesigns.blogspot.com