FEATURED ETSY ARTIST - YONPLI MOSAICS

Let's welcome Bethany of Yonpli Mosaics out on Etsy. I've browsed through her shop, and found a great selection of mosaic pieces ranging from pendants, framed mosaics, bottles, balls and more! After reading below to hear what Bethany has to say about herself and her work, be sure to pay a visit to YONPLI MOSAICS.

What led you to start creating your art/craft?
I have always been crafty and loved art – I can’t really say where it all started.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
I have always loved glass. When I was little I collected sea glass at the beach. When I was older, I developed a “glass problem.” I had a bunch of wine bottles in different colors and could not throw them out for recycling. I wanted to make something with them and didn’t know what. Then I discovered the art of mosaics, and the rest is history. (But I never did use those wine bottles because I discovered beautiful Italian vitreous glass!)

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?
I love the feeling that I’m painting with glass. I get so involved in my mosaic that I forget the stresses of life for those few moments . . . or hours.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?
Ummm, I think a kiwi – not sure why, but a kiwi sounds good.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
I think I would put a modern twist on traditional quilt patterns.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
Mosaic is the art of imperfection and irregularity. In my work, each piece is broken using a pair of nippers. No break is completely perfect and no piece is laid in the mosaic perfectly either – that is impossible. But each piece is shaped and placed well. And mosaics are beautiful because of both the skill and talent of the artist, but also the imperfections that give the mosaic character and a touch of the artist’s humanity. True beauty is not complete perfection; it is being able to put all the little imperfections together into an amazing whole.

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?
Find an art or craft that you love – the rest doesn’t matter so much as long as you absolutely love what you are doing.

THANKS, Bethany for taking the time to share your thoughts and work with all of us. I really enjoyed being able to learn a little bit about what makes you "tick" as an artist. Great answers....especially what you had to say about what "message" you want to convey with your art. You can also see more of Bethany's work out on her Flickr site.

FLICKR