FEATURED ETSY SHOP - HAPPY MONKEY ART

MEGAN'S "LIFE" BOWL

Welcome Megan and Lori....the two fun artists behind the HAPPY MONKEY ART shop out on Etsy. These ladies sound like a lot of fun, and so are their artistic creations. Be sure to pay the HAPPY MONKEY ART shop a visit to see what they are all about. Before you pay a visit, let's learn a bit more about these delightful ladies....Lori, is the one who has answered the interview questions below.

LORI'S - "He's a Screamer"

OK, Lori...we all want to hear your thoughts and ideas!

What led you to start creating your art/craft?

Well at the tender age of six, my dad brought home a little yellow tub with a red top on it. I excitedly opened up this new present, and the wonderful aroma of play dough filled the air… and I was hooked ever since.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I have crazy dreams that have crazy things in them, and clay was the best way to make them a reality.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?

Working with my best friend on “clay dates”. Also, being able to put the ideas in my head, into my hand.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?

Tomato! It’s seen as both! I’m a rebel and still put it in the vegetable drawer in the fridge…Also Megan and I have very different artistic styles, we are a little of both. We are a little Fruity and always good for the soul.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?

Silly putty … it keeps going and going and going… bounces good and not so major if it hits you in the eye…. On a serious note I’d like to try T-shirt screening. Megan and I are playing with it a little bit… If our clay things are off the wall I can’t wait to see what we come up with to print, stay tuned for those little Gems!

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?

Do not, I repeat, do not get clay in your eye! And nothing is impossible with clay!

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?

Keep an idea book with you ALL the TIME! Most of my ideas come from crazy dreams I have or really random thoughts, if I don’t write them down I forget all about them.

Lori, I have no doubt you and Megan have a wonderful, fun time together creating your fun art. Thanks, for a refreshing view of what goes on behind the scenes at HAPPY MONKEY ART.
Treat yourselves to some fun and visit the HAPPY MONKEY ART by clicking on the photos or links below.

Lori, also has another shop out on Etsy called THRU ARIES EYES SHOP, where you will find her abstract paintings. I have also added her Etsy mini below the HAPPY MONKEY ART mini, so that you can visit both places.

BLOG

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - CRANBERRIES AND CHEESE

Kate of Cranberries and Cheese said that right now this was her "favorite" item in her Esty shop. I like really like how Kate captured the lighting in this scene. Once you visit CRANBERRIES AND CHEESE, you will see that Kate has a flair for capturing everyday scenes and making them stand out! She is also into more than one type of medium, so be sure to visit her shop, and see what makes Kate "tick" as an artist. Here, Kate will share some of her thoughts and ideas with us.

What led you to start creating your art/craft?
I have been crafting forever. I remember sneaking away with hot pink glue into my room trying to make a bunny rabbit finger puppet out of felt when I was about seven. I am fascinated by things a person can do by manipulating a medium with their hands. It gives off such a feeling of relief to work on something and get into that "art zone".

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
I learned to knit about five years ago, and finally figured out crochet about a year or so ago. There's something amazing about something starting out as yarn or string and ending up a hat, an animal, a scarf. As far as photography, my father is a photographer, and started teaching me when I was probably about six or seven, though I took my first photo at age two. (I was in disney world and took a picture of my parents sqatting on the ground, all you can see is up to their hips!) As far as clay or any other media, I decided to minor in art for college and really enjoyed everything I worked with. I hope, once I move on my own, to put together more of my own creations.

What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?
I love the end product, of course, but there's a certain zone I get into when I'm working, where I lose all sense of time and I get lost in thought and the project. The first time I threw a pot on the wheel there was a cd in the background. An hour later the CD had played out, and I hadn't even noticed the music stopped! Creating gives me a release, and also allows me to think about things while keeping my hands busy, a must!

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?
I will resist the urge to say cranberries simply because it is my company name! What pops into my mind is strawberries. They taste tart or sweet depending on the season and how you prepare them. Also, they are versatile! They can be used in a variety of dishes! I hope that my art is eclectic while still looking like it was made by me. You can have a strawberry smoothie and strawberry chicken and still know it involved strawberries somewhere.

If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
I don't like to limit myself to any one medium. There are so many things I love to work with (and hope to work with in the future), because there are so many ways people can express themselves. Besides, I don't have the wrists to just crochet! Eventually I would love to have a kiln and a centrifugal casting machine to do some casting and some ceramics, plus I would love to work with glass. Also I still love drawing and collage, and hope when I have my own place (and my own space!) to be able to devote a spot to my easel.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
I try to have a bit of whimsy in all my pieces. It's hard to explain, but my pieces tend to fall into three overlapping categories: serious and thought provoking, mystical and magical, and hilarity. I put a lot of importance on facial expressions if there is a face in my art (in fact there is a piece I am dying to start but need to figure out the right expression first!).

What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?
Try to have meaning in your work. If you make something that evokes in you something you cannot describe with words, you have truly expressed yourself! Don't be intimidated if someone asks you what you mean and you are not sure how to answer. Also, in your art, if you want to be humorous, make sure that you're funny! If you want to be serious, avoid the compulsion to be too trite.

THANKS for sharing Kate!! I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts and ideas. I'm sure you will never run out of things to create and interest you!

KATE'S BLOG

FLICKR

FEATURED ETSY SHOP - CREATIVELO by Lois

I'm happy to present CREATIVELO, delightful clay artwork by Lois as a featured Etsy shop! I love mermaids, and it is always fascinating to see the works of other artists who create them, and in different mediums. Here you can read what Lois has to say about herself and her delightful creations. Be sure to visit her CREATIVELO shop out on Etsy to see more of Lois's work.

Hi! I'm Lois! I'm a retired elementary school teacher, and proud of it! Art is my PASSION! (Second only to love and laughter!) I became obsessed with pottery about twenty years ago. Now I have an art studio in my VERY PINK HOUSE, and a kiln in the back shed. I sell my work at galleries in the area and local shows. I especially love making whimsical items, and specialize in mermaids and water related pieces. Recently, I've added cats to my repetoire. They're way fun!

What led you to start creating your art?
I guess I just loved it; was drawn to it! I started doing art as a child- drawing, painting, and creating multi-media pieces. I also took art classes as I was growing up, and then continued after I'd gotten my degree to teach elementary school, plus a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education. I was given incentive to make a higher salary by taking 60 credits past my Master's Degree. I did it all in art, including getting certification to teach art.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
That's tough because I love it all! But once I started working with clay, it seemed to have more possibilities, and I became obsessed with tons of ideas I wanted to explore! I felt there'd never be enough time to try all the things I was imagining!

What aspect of creating your art do you find the most enjoyable?
There are no rules! The imagination and creativity have no bounds. One thing leads you to another, moving you in new directions, causing you to grow and change. With change, there is excitment, and feeling good about oneself for each success at having found a new place.

If you had to choose a fruit or a vegetable to describe your work, what would it be and why?
Probably an onion. I don't eat them much, but they are layered and can be pulled apart, revealing yet other layers as is true with the exploration I experience over a period of time with my work.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art?
That life is fun and full of possibilities. That it's OK and good to be different and original, and show who and what really makes you tick. That ALL human beings need to , and should, express themselves artistically, be it with music, dance, writing, whatever, with no concern as to whether or not they do it "well". It is the emotion behind it and the process that truly matters! Let out your feelings! It's healthy and theraputic!

What advice do you have for other artists?
Do it! As a hobby or a career, for yourself or for others, but just DO IT!

Thanks, Lois, for taking the time to share your thoughts and art with us! LOVE YOUR ANSWERS! You can click on any of the photos below to go directly to that item in Lois' ETSY shop CREATIVELO, or click on the link below the photos to go directly to CREATIVELO

Featured Etsy Artist - BLOSSOMS by Debashri

I was totally amazed when I realized that these flowers were made of clay!! How fantastic is that!! I thought they were real! What a talent this artist has! The details and shapes are so exquisite. Flowers that will last forever! Read below to hear what Debashri has to say about her work, and how she got started on this wonderful adventure of creating flowers. Below is a closeup of the "Fall Colored Wedding Bouquet" shown above.

What led you to start creating your art?

I have always loved flowers. When I was a kid, I used to get my mom wild flowers. When I started working, I got her flowers on every payday. My favorite gifts to people have always been flowers. My only complaint against real flowers has been that they dry up. So, I had tried to create long lasting blooms using paper and satin in India. When I came here and was without a job, I decided to take up making flowers again and came across a DECO Clay book. When I looked at the real-looking clay flowers, I knew at once that this was what I wanted to do.

How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?

I did not choose the medium. The medium chose me, I'd say. I just wanted to create flowers. Having made flowers from satin and paper back in India, I wanted to keep making flowers. When I came across DECO Clay and realized how real the flowers looked, I couldn't resist the medium. It pulled me to it.

What aspect of creating your art do you find the most enjoyable?

To be able to make people happy - I love the way children's faces light up when I give them a flower. They protect it like it is a piece of precious jewelry! Personally, it relaxes me - unlike my previous corporate jobs, what I do now is not stressful. Its a stress buster really, and I love that aspect of it. Also, having my own hours allows me to spend more time with my husband.

If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art, what would you choose, and why?

I would say Tomato - Weird as it may sound, I think my craft is 'juicy'. Its got a lot of spunk, like a raw tomato. And when my flowers dry, they become all the more irresistible.

What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art?

I always wanted to spread the message of love and equality through anything that I did. My art allows me to do that effectively. Flowers are great equalizers. Everybody loves them! They break down barriers between people.

What advice do you have for other artists?

Don't let anyone or anything stop you from doing what you love to do!

Debashri, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and fantastic flowers with us! If you'd like to see more of Debashri's work, be sure to visit her Etsy shop below.