Elegant Hand Carved Calla LilyI'm very happy to have Amy and her Etsy shop THE MEDICINE WOLF on DZFANTASY as a featured artist! I am always amazed at the wide variety of jewelry artists out on Etsy, and Amy's creations are truly delightful. Be sure to pay her shop a visit!
What led you to start creating your art/craft?
I started out making seed bead bracelets in high school for an art project. Then one day out of the blue I woke up with an addiction to semi-precious stones! I would buy them everywhere I found them (much to my husband's dismay!) Eventually I figured I'd better start making something out of them instead of squirreling them away!
How did you decide what medium you wanted to work with?
I have always loved stones. When I was little I would collect every pretty rock I could find. I even had one of those little rock tumblers! It just amazes me the beautiful colors and intricate patterns Mother Nature can make!
What aspect of creating your art/craft do you find the most enjoyable?
Oh, most definitely the shopping aspect. Don't get me wrong, I love to come home after a long day and unwind by making something beautiful, but boy do I love a good bead-binge! I love finding new stones I've never heard of and finding out all the folklore about their usage.
If you had to choose a fruit OR a vegetable, to describe your art/craft, what would you choose, and why?
Banana plant! Come on, just say it... banana plant... It's fun! But on a more serious note, I found out that when banana plants have bananas (like babies, aww!) their life is over. They die after they bear fruit! I don't feel as though I *die* after making a piece of jewelry, but it definitely clears my head and lets me relax. I guess you could say my stress and worries die, and something beautiful is born!
If you had to choose one other medium in which to display your “creativity”, what would that be, and why?
Music. I am a flautist, and when I play I feel transported to another world. Everything around me fades to black and it's nothing but me and the sweet music; the vibrations of sound, the trill of notes. It's breathtaking for me!
What message, if any, do you want to convey with your art/craft?
That nature is beautiful! Everything I make/do is thanks to nature. I might as well be a little wood nymph for how much I love everything outside! The trees, the mountains, the streams... it's all so beautiful. Everything I do/make in some way honors the earth.
What advice do you have for other artists/crafters?
Do what you love! Don't be shy. Don't waste another minute doing something you hate to do. And never worry about what someone else will think. It is more important that you have made something wonderful with your own two hands.
Great interview, Amy! Love your answers, and your jewelry is beautiful! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and creations with everyone!
