Happy Feature Friday!
Today we’re featuring the work of Nat Guinamard and we think you’re going to love her incredibly expressive illustrations! Nat was kind enough to share some details on her Drawing a Day Challenge, her artistic background, and her knack for drawing faces. She also answered some of our questions too! So keep reading to learn more about her work and creative journey.
Happy Maker Monday!
This Monday we are featuring Danaye Shiplett of young@art! We love how Danaye speaks through her art. Her pieces are an expression of herself as well as a story she’d like to tell. The imagination behind Danaye’s work leaps off the page. Each character has personality and a message for the viewer to interpret, an attribute that is sometimes lost in more commercialized art. Danaye stays true to her artistic roots and desire to create for herself, and gives her customers the opportunity to share in her creative journey- something we think is truly special about maker’s shops! Read on to learn more about Danaye and how young@art came to be.
: Tell us a little about yourself.
: Every introvert’s dreaded nightmare! (Kidding.) So, my name is Danaye Shiplett and I am a 30-something geek, bookworm, introvert… well, you get the idea. I’m married, live in the South (though I was raised on the East coast), and have two adorable fur-babies. I can’t have children so they really are my kids. (I don’t dress them up or anything, though. Promise.)
: How did young@art get started and what was the process behind getting it off the ground?
: young@art stemmed from my desire to create a professional brand around my art. Something that people see and immediately get a sense of who I am and what I create. It fits me. I am a huge kid at heart and my creations (I hope!) reflect that sense of wide-eyed innocence and wonderment that we have during our early years. I like to think I’ve kept a little (lot) of that even as an adult.
Today we’re excited to hearing from Rosanna of Ever After Enchanted Decor! She works alongside her husband to create beautiful reclaimed wood decor to really spruce up your home! Their pieces are the perfect way to show what your family is all about or add some inspiration to your walls. We love how passionate Rosanna is about creating pieces that are of amazing quality and bring joy to customers just by looking at them! The way her and her husband transform these pieces of wood, there’s no way they wouldn’t bring joy! We think you guys are going to love what the two of them create and we can’t wait for you to hear their story! Keep on reading to hear more about the brand and see some of the amazing creations Ever After Enchanted Decor offers.: Tell us a little about yourself!
: Hi, my name is Rosanna, I’m 39 years old and I have two boys, a 6 year old and a 19 year old. My husband and I have always been big dreamers and have wanted to have a business together where we could create beautiful things, express our creativity, and spend more time together. I’ve always wanted the freedom and excitement that come with having my own business. In 2015 I decided to open an Etsy shop. I wasn’t happy at my job and I wanted to start this shop with the hopes that it would grow and that I could do it full time. The company that I worked for was bought out and I ended up being laid off from my corporate job. To me this was the perfect opportunity to put all I had into the business. Our goal is to take this business on the road: travel in our RV, book shows all over the country to bring our décor to people, and have fun doing it. My husband Eric currently has a full time job and is in a punk band with his brother and friends called TLB.
: How did Ever After Enchanted Decor get its start?: I had the idea for my business when my husband and I were finally able to purchase our home. My goal was to have a home before my oldest son Ethan would leave for college. This did happen! We purchased our home his senior year of high school. I was so happy and I didn’t want to go to the store and buy just anything to fill our home with, I wanted to create beautiful décor that was special and meant something to me. I purchased some pieces from other makers on Etsy that I really loved, but I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so I was inspired to create my own pieces. Once I started painting and creating things I just kept finding more inspiration, and one day it just hit me: start a shop that has beautiful décor, inspirational, magical, feminine pieces that are close to my heart.
Continue reading “Feature Friday: Ever After Enchanted Decor”
Happy Feature Friday!
Today we’re excited to feature Lizz Klaras of LK Custom Creations! We love how she took her love of painting and turned it into a career — making her work stand out by using glass as her canvas! Her pieces are not only unique works of art, but are also completely usable! She’s truly inspired by her surroundings, creating glassware that has amazing depictions of nature and animals — they’re sure to make a statement in your own collection! Her brand’s story will definitely inspire you in your own creative pursuits, so keep reading to hear more about how she got her start, and to see the gorgeous transformations she gives these glasses and plates!
: Tell us a little about yourself.
: I am a freelance artist from a very small town in Illinois. My husband is in the military so we are currently stationed in Chesapeake, VA and we love it! I have a five year old daughter who is very interested in art and is often found in my studio acting as my assistant.
: How did you get started with LK Custom Creations and hand painting glassware?: For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a freelance artist but it took a while to figure out exactly what I could create that would be unique. LKCC originally started out as a custom invitation business. I thought that combining my illustration skills with custom invitations would be a great fit. I loved the design process but assembling them became a very daunting task for me. I missed painting so much and I wasn’t about to hand paint hundreds of invitations! I began to look for anything I could produce that could still be custom, yet outside the world of traditional 2D artwork. Once I learned to paint on glass I was hooked! It was usable art and that is what I loved most about it. I started adding glassware designs to my Etsy site and instantly the glass art began to attract customers.
Happy Feature Friday!
We’re so inspired by today’s feature with Becka from Everduring Designs. We love how much meaning goes behind all of her products and even into the name of her brand itself! Her custom journals and handlettered wood signs all focus on some of life’s most important things and are perfect pieces to celebrate your marriage, new baby, or faith! Becka loves to use her pieces to connect with others, and we think it’s amazing that she really thinks about the person or family that will be enjoying one of her creations. Keep reading to hear about her artistic process, why she loves to create, and some advice she has for anyone looking to start journaling or even pursue a creative endeavor or their own!
: Tell us a few things about yourself!
: Hi, there! My name is Becka and I am from the Houston area. Currently I am a master’s student studying health promotion and nutrition. I opened up my Etsy shop as a creative outlet and a much-needed break from staring at computer screens. I have always loved writing names, scripture, and quotes in an aesthetically appealing style. Now I feel so privileged to be able to create personalized journals and wooden signs for homes, weddings, nursery rooms, etc.
: We love your shop name, Everduring Designs. We know how tough it is to create a brand name! Explain the meaning behind it, how it came to you, and how you think it fits in with what you create.
: In college I had a professor that shared something that impacted my perspective on the meaning of words. He said that every soul was eternal. So then when we speak to another person, our words do not have a temporary effect but rather an eternally significant impact. This helped me realize the weight of words and the necessity for compassionate thoughts and intentions behind our words. With this everlasting significance of words on my mind, I sought out the find a meaningful name for my shop. I knew I wanted to hand-letter words onto products that would exist as keepsakes or a meaningful piece in the home. I wanted the shop name to reflect the importance of those words. I took a chance and searched for some synonyms of “everlasting”. I found the word “everduring” which is an archaic form of everlasting. It is obsolete and we no longer use the word “everduring”, which I found to be ironic. I actually loved the irony that word which was meant to signify “never-ending, everlasting, and enduring” was not enduring in our modern language. I loved that it was rare and unique, so it was definitely a keeper!
Happy Maker Monday!
This week we are featuring Kate Tangney, a letterer and abstract artist! We love how her art expresses the ups and downs of life and how they connect. There’s a lot of heart and meaning behind her pieces and we think that is something that is often overlooked with abstract art. Kate also finds a way to make it happen when it comes to creating. The general responsibilities of life can make little time for many artist’s creative process, but Kate has found a way to work together with her busy schedule to be an even more productive artist. Her creative journey tells a similar story to her paintings as they both reflect creating beauty out of difficulty and finding space for your passion to flourish. Read on to learn more about Kate’s story and work!
: Tell us a few things about yourself!
: Hi there! I’m Kate, and I am an abstract artist and hand letterer, living just south of Boston, MA. I was born and raised in the Boston area, and I have the accent to prove it! I’m married to a wonderful guy and we have two little kids (my daughter is 5 going on 15, and my son is one). I’m also the middle of three sisters, and I live next door to both of them, as well as my mom. So it’s usually very busy around our house! Other than that, I am pretty much a big dork, and love classic rock, watching cheesy action movies with my husband, and buying houseplants that I will never remember to water.
: We absolutely love your hand lettering and abstract art. How would you describe your style and the theme behind all of your artwork?
: Thank you so much! My inspiration generally stems from the idea that life is raw and it’s hard, but there’s also a lot of beauty and resilience there. That juxtaposition tends to be reflected in both the texture and composition of my work. Each piece is a combination of raw, unrefined marks, and some sort of graceful lines – either using detail work or lettering.
BY CAILIN BURKE
If you haven’t noticed by all of our Feature Fridays, we are huge art lovers so if there’s ever a chance to check out a new artist or head to a museum, we’re there!
One day while scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon Omi International Arts Center and it looked incredible! Even better, it was located in NY! It wasn’t too far of a drive, so one weekend we headed there to check out all of the art in their Fields Sculpture Park.
We had always passed Storm King Art Center on our drive to college and wanted to go check out the huge sculptures, but never had the chance. So when we saw that the Omi Center had a similar concept and admission was –FREE– we had to go! It’s basically a huge outdoor area with different sculptures strewn throughout the premises.
Continue reading “Exploring the Omi International Arts Center”
Happy Feature Friday! Today we’re so excited to feature the work of Danilo Dos Santos of ArtDanilo! We love the central theme behind his art, as it all displays the most beautiful biodiversity of Brazil! Between the colorful birds, turtles, and mammals he draws, you’re able to really see and feel the beauty of his country! Plus – it’s amazing how he uses his work to bring awareness to the importance of nature! His online store is filled with these works of art, so keep reading to see more and hear about how he got his start!: Tell us a few things about yourself!
: I was born in a city that has the name of a plant, Dracena. Here in Brazil we are surrounded by nature on all sides, even our money has drawings of animals. This is my first memory of drawing something, I loved to draw animals from the bills of money and books.
: Your illustrations are beautiful! What made you decide to focus on biodiversity and portray it in a minimalistic way?: Thanks for the compliment! I decided to work on this topic in the first place because it interests me a lot, and also because it is very good for people to know more about the biodiversity where they live.
Happy Feature Friday!
This week we are featuring Jessica of Oh Jessica Jessica! She is an animator, character designer, illustrator and Etsy shop owner! Although she may be wearing many creative hats, all of her work is thoughtful in detail and meaning. Jessica hopes that all the characters she creates connect with people in some way. We love Jessica’s style and story, and if you’re on the search for some awesome pins or illustrations, look no further than Jessica’s shop!
: Tell us a few things about yourself!
: Hello! My name is Jessica Harris and I’m a Melbourne-based animation artist focused on narrative storytelling. I love bright colour, changing my hair style, and listening to songs on repeat. I live in a tiny one bedroom apartment with my partner, Adam, and right now my art studio is crammed into the corner of our lounge-room.
Happy Feature Friday!
Today we’re featuring the whimsical works of Lauren Lee, an illustrator who works in advertising by day but creates amazing illustrations every free chance she gets! We are in love with the characters and scenes she creates in her work – honestly we’re crossing our fingers a coffee shop gets her to design their cups, because we’d be there ASAP! Keep reading to hear more about her creative journey and see her fun coffee cup and sketchbook illustrations.
: Tell us a little about yourself.
: I’m a twenty-two year old designer working in the crazy world of advertising. I use illustration as a way of release. Outside of design, I love animation films, re-reading Harry Potter, and binging title sequences.
Castle Foundations 