What led you to start creating your art/craft?
I have always done something as far as arts and crafts go and have dabbled in many crafts. The jewelry obsession started when I purchased a beading kit for my daughter's 13th birthday. She had shown some interest (anything that will hold a 13 year old girl's attention for more than 30 seconds AND is creative and/or productive is to be encouraged by any means, lol, so I went ahead and got it for her. She decided that she really wasn't that interested, so one night while watching TV I picked up the beading kit. That was pretty much it for me, I made 6 pairs of earrings and a necklace that night and haven't looked back since.
How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
Well I have narrowed it down to three different main techniques that I want to focus most of my energy on. Metal smithing, wire wrapping and Lapidary (cutting and shaping stones from rough rock). These three techniques should allow me to take almost any design from start to finish with little or no dependency on commercial findings. (Barring glass beads, I haven't learned how to make those yet lol)
What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?
All of it! From that first look at the stone, beads or whatever to the finished product, I love the entire process. Oka,y I would be happy with a little less sanding and making of headpins but other than that I love the whole process.
If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?
This is going to sound kind of bizarre, but I am going to have to say a potato. Mostly because it is such an earthy vegetable and all of the basic materials for making jewelry come from the earth, the metals, the sand for the glass. Plus potato's are a very versatile product, so many yummy things can be made from them.
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
Sketching or painting, because there are no restrictions to what your mind can apply to paper or canvas.
What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
That inspiration and beauty can be found anywhere and transformed into something else beautiful.
What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?
Make what you love and make it well. Always, always work on improving your work, there is always the next level of craftsmanship to attain.
Sonja, thanks for a delightful interview, and for taking the time to give us a little bit of an insight into you and your lovely jewelry! Be sure to take some time to visit Sonja's Etsy shop and her other links below.
