Etsy PDX: Daogreer Earth Works

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My business name is Daogreer Earth Works - Works of art made exclusively on this planet. Yep, that's right. I don't make 'em anywhere else. Buy domestic. Shop on Earth. I guess you can include Earth among my affiliations. My specific location on Earth is latitude 45.523875, longitude -122.670399 - or Portland, Oregon. I love Portland. By many standards, it is the "greenest" city in the U.S. (go ahead, google "greenest city in US"). Having lived several other places, I'm pretty sure Portland is the place I will always come back to. Besides its greenitude, I love that it's big enough to have all of the amenities of a big city, but small enough to know people you pass on the street. In a couple of hours, I can be at the coast, in the mountains, in the desert, rafting down a river, exploring a cave, climbing a volcano or playing in the snow.


all the lonely purple - screenprint ACEO $5

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
I spend much of my time in the temperate rain forests in the area, teaching middle school students about their natural world, right there where the natural world exists. They learn how all things are connected, develop a sense of community and a sense of place, and get some authentic science practice in, to boot. Part of what makes Portland a green city might be that every 6th grader in Portland has been participating in this program for 40+ years. Otherwise, "creating art" seems to encapsulate nearly everything else that I do.


strung out - fine art photograph, 8x10 $25

What first made you want to become an artist?
I never wanted to "become an artist," nor would I describe myself as an artist first when introducing myself to people. All of my siblings and I have a pretty finely honed aesthetic sense, and we all apply it in different ways. My brother, Colin, is whom I always think of when I think "artist." He is a professional illustrator and has always wanted to be an artist. Check out his stuff here. Almost everything on that site was commissioned for something specific, like the cover of SF Weekly. So, my friends always tell me how artistic/creative I am, but in my head I'll never consider myself the "artist" in the family.


secrets from the past - hollow book $18

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
My art is completely random - I'm like a gnat in my creative process. I'll do something for a while and then I'll get distracted by the next shiny object and suddenly I'm into a new type of art. My materials include nearly anything that catches my interest. One type of art I consistently come back to is photography. I really like macro photography and unusual angles of familiar objects.


emperor's raw - fine art photograph, 4x6 $3

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
I don't know if I would consider these my influences, but some artist whose stuff I like include Leonardo DaVinci, Bev Doolittle, Andy Goldsworthy, Jan Vermeer, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Frédéric Bartholdi, and many more.


sparkle id wallets (solo in apple) $5 each

Where else can people find your work?
Daogreerearthworks on Etsy,at 1000 markets, artcardswanted.com, my Facebook page, and I'm on Twitter.


tiny ceramic bowls - set of 3 $36

This is my first post in the ETSY PDX series to featuring Etsy artists and crafters local to my area--Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest.

All images are by and copyright of Daogreer Earth Works 2009.

Artist Profile: Rosa Murillo

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Rosa Murillo, I grew up in Mexico City and I paint and create mixed-media art in North Carolina. Trained in Mexico as an architect, I then moved to the United States, was married, became a mother, and a freelance artist. I started a project called Found Art Tuesday, in which I give away art in unexpected places to unsuspecting individuals.

twist - original painting

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
I am a Mom and a Wife and it's a wonderful job to have. I love my family and I try to spend as much time with them as I can, but at the same time, having time to be alone with my thoughts and doing something creative gives me a sense of fulfillment, makes me happy and makes me feel like ME again, not a mom or wife, but just me. I've found that inspiration and creativity are always around but I need to stop and listen to them so that it can all make sense.

lazarus heart - assemblage box

What first made you want to become an artist?
When I was in architecture school I found that the part of the projects I enjoyed the most were the ones that needed illustrations, model making and design, that's when I discovered that there was more art that I wanted to explore. Life took me in another direction for a few years, until I decided to explore painting as a new experiment, and I fell in love with it.

superhero blue bird - print of original painting

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
Since I am a mom of two young kids my time to paint is seriously limited. I try to make time for painting whenever I can. The best time for me is when my kids are at school, and I aim to devote at least a few hours a week to the paintings that require more planning. I've been working on smaller projects in between painting and steal a moment whenever I can to play in other mediums. I recently discovered polymer clay and I can't wait to experiment with it more. The most challenging thing for me is not having enough time to materialize all of the things that fly around my mind--I know these ideas could become great projects if I had more time in my days to sit still longer than a minute!

cafe latte - digital file of original painting

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
I like to follow other art and illustration blogs because I feel inspired from so many things that people create. Bloggers usually write about the things that motivates them and what they are interested in--it's a positive drive that I love!

cigar box assemblage supply kit - finished boxes by Rosa

Where else can people find your work?
Along with my Etsy shop, my website includes a selection of my past work and links to my blog where I share the pieces that I create. I also share my process and the things that I've learned along the way. Like many blogs, there's also a number of random things I like to write about besides my art since I have so many interests. My Flickr stream is where you can view my entire portfolio. My YouTube channel features a few instructional videos I designed about epoxy resin, polymer clay and collage. Last but not least, I've also been bitten by the Twitter bug!

My goodness, where am I not--that's the real question!

Photos are by and copyright of Rosa Murillo 2009 - all rights reserved.

Artist Profile: Meagan Claire Hall + Sasha Barr = Wonder Thunder

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
Wonder Thunder is a collaborative effort between Meagan Claire Hall and Sasha Barr, two Tennessee transplants living in Seattle, WA. We're proud parents of a grey tabby cat named Fatty, Sr.

happy vegetable reuseable bags - red

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
We enjoy fermenting pickles, making yogurt, baking, summer bike rides, planting plants, and trips to Goodwill. Sasha has a BFA in Printmaking from the University of Memphis, works as a freelance designer/ illustrator, and is part of the art department at Sub Pop Records. Meagan has a BFA in Fibers from the Appalachian Center for Crafts, is currently studying herbal sciences, and runs another Etsy store, Asteria Gems.

mini prints - set of 9

What first made you want to become an artist?
It runs in our families. Meagan's mother is a metalsmith and her father once moonlighted as a blacksmith. Sasha's parents have degrees in printmaking and ceramics. It's in our blood.

little forest pillow - orange

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
All of our illustrations start out with pen and paper, and are digitally manipulated for screen-printing. We buy fabric in bolts and screen-print our illustrations directly onto it. The fabric is then ironed, sewn, and assembled into the finished products.

carrot placemat - set of 4

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?

Obviously this could be a HUGE list, so we'll keep it short and simple. Jim Henson creations, Edward Gorey, Evan Hecox, Tyler Stout, Cayce Zavaglia, and Harry Whittier Frees!

mini octopus pocket friend plush

Where else can people find your work?
We currently sell online, in our Etsy shop and in a number of stores across the USA:

20Twenty- Ballard, Seattle, WA
Bluebottle Gallery and Store- Seattle, WA
Fontanelle, Portland- OR
Sugaree's- Murfreesboro, TN
Renegade Handmade- Chicago, IL
Schmancy- Belltown, Seattle, WA
Tender Loving Empire- Portland, OR
Wholly Craft- Columbus, OH
Young Blood Boutique and Gallery- Atlanta, GA

Visit the Wonder Thunder Blog

All photos are by and copyright of Wonder Thunder--they were real nice and let me borrow 'em--thanks, guys!

Artist Profile: Lara Medina - Artful Memories

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Lara Medina, I live in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with my husband, our 4 children and our Boston terrier. We are all creative. All of our kids love different aspects of art. Some of my guilty pleasure TV shows are Housewives of OC, Make Me a Supermodel, Peter Perfect, We Mean Business, and My Name is Earl.


squooshie button kit - 10 pack

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
I am a stay at home and work at home Mom. My hubby and I run a photography biz from home, so we are able to be here with our little guy and for our kids when they get home from school. It’s awesome. I love to cook, paint, and play “Lips” with my kids on Xbox. Shhhhhh, I can’t sing, but I love to pretend I can, and recently I have become addicted to Twitter.


lovin' life 12x12 paper art kit

What first made you want to become an artist?
I think I have always had a creative side to me. When I was younger I was not sure what medium I should focus on. I discovered scrapbooking and creating handmade albums a bit by accident. A few years ago, I had a prolonged illness and decided I needed something to take my mind off of it. My kids and I visited the craft store and picked up some card making supplies. Since my husband is a photographer we had many photos to experiment with. I used some of the card making supplies to create an album layout and I was hooked. My first few pages were horrendous! Eventually, I found my style and began to grow into it. I have created pages and albums for friends, family, and eventually, I opened my shop on Etsy.


rustic 2-sided file tabs - set of 32

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
I have a small craft station in my home office. My supplies are organized but my table top is usually covered with works in progress, kits I am putting together, and my new Etsy purchases. I create when I have time and inspiration--often these do not happen at the same time. I try to accomplish something everyday--research, buying supplies or just gaining inspiration from others. I use many handmade items purchased from Etsy shops in my projects. I also love using recycled items in my albums and kits. I currently store about 30 boxes under my desk waiting to be turned into journaling spots or other embellishments.


crate paper 12x12 paper & ribbon kit

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
Ali Edwards, for her clean, simple design, Elsie Flanigan whose work is cute and quirky, Teresa Collins for her edginess and so many people on Flickr have inspired me to create.


wanted - custom altered 12x12 canvas

Where else can people find your work?
My work can be found in my Etsy shop, my blog, Flickr stream, and maybe one day I'll be featured on Martha Stewart! I can dream, right?!

Photos in this post are by and copyright of Artful Memories.

Artist Profile: Melissa Beach - Scent of Rain Designs

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Melissa Beach and I live in Santa Cruz, California. I live in a great apartment with my fiance and our four year old daughter. I am a senior at the University of California, Santa Cruz majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Art History. I began taking pictures with a Roloflex SLR (aka Rollei) when I was about 10. My father, grandfather, and several on my uncles are or were photographers. So when I expressed an interest in photography my dad didn't think I needed to start with a point and shoot. Once I learned to use a camera I never left it at home. I still use that Roloflex and it is still one of my favorite cameras.

surfer's church

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
When I am not taking pictures I am reading one of the 10-12 books and 30+ articles I have to read for my classes at UCSC each quarter. Intense! I pull myself away from work as often as I can to play with my daughter or hang out with my fiance who is still my best friend. When school is not overtaking my life my two favorite things to do are cook and grow my veggie garden.

reaching for sustenance

What first made you want to become an artist?
I remember going to my grandfather's home one Thanksgiving. He was a painter, photographer, inventor, and print maker and his house was covered in his works. Family members have told me that he was the artist behind the Otter Pops characters and he invented several board games and the 100 sided dice. He and my grandmother had luxurious taste so even though they lived in a modest apartment it was decorated with lots of velvet on the couches, a formal dining area. I remember their big lamps with all the crystals hanging off of them. The largest painting in that room was a gigantic tiger, painted with Gouache. That painting mesmerized me and when I found out my grandfather was the artist, I decided I wanted to be able to paint like that too. My grandfather died when I was about 13, and I didn't know him very well, but I feel like I did. My family often tells me how much my art resembles his. I like to think that he sends me inspiration and helps me along my own path as an artist.

plum zen - set of postcards

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
I use four different cameras in different ways. My Nikon D70 is my main digital SLR. I also use a small Panasonic Lumix and, of course, my Roloflex. I recently began exploring Through the Viewfinder or TtV photography and I am using my grandfathers Kodak Dualflex 3 as my bottom camera and my Nikon D70 for the top camera. I love that I am combining our two cameras to create new pictures.

I am drawn to bright colors and the order of nature. I like the idea of a natural perfect ratio or Pi. So I look for that to show through in my photograph's composition. Mostly I want people to walk away energized by the colors but in a peaceful and somehow relaxing way. My black and white prints are also inspired by order and shapes as well as light and shadow. I like my black and white prints to be really dramatic as well as aesthetically beautiful.


secret garden

Most of my printing is done through professional printers who specialize in photography. Occasionally I get access to a real darkroom and I can process and print my own film. Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more rare.

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
As I mentioned before I am really inspired by my grandfather and my father who taught me to use a camera. There are several photographers who are on Etsy and Flickr and who have blogs that are very inspirational. When I am in a rut I love doing personal photo challenges. I've experimented with shooting 100 different pictures while standing in one spot or taking 20 pictures using negative space. Often some of my favorite photos come from these challenges.

leaf drops

Where else can people find your work?
I have a website which is just getting up a running, my Etsy shop, Scent of Rain Designs, my Flickr stream, my photo blog, and I write a craft blog, Elemental Stitches.

All images displayed in this post are by and copyright of Scent of Rain Designs, all rights are reserved.

Artist Profile: Michaela Dawn - Skinny Swallow

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff...
My name is Michaela Dawn. My family and I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I am a mother of two little ones, a self taught photographer, designer, and accredited drafter by trade. Once in a blue moon I am contracted to do some architectural projects, but mostly I am a stay at home mom who likes to take photographs and create in her spare time.

a little bird told me necklace

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
I’m usually running after my kids, but I also run for pure enjoyment. For solace I crochet, knit, or read. Life is pretty simple and pleasurable around here.


adventure beanie dusky pink - organic cotton

What first made you want to become an artist?
I think its inherent for each one of us to create either with our hands or in a pouring of our soul into something unique and individual... for me this is just the natural coarse of being.

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

I suppose I’ve always enjoyed the application of crafting with my hands. Where I live, I’m surrounded by the splendor of nature in all its seasonal diversity, and it moves me. I also like combining the nuances of my favorite things into something practical, having been environmentally derived, timeless, something others will be able to enjoy. Authentic stones, pearls, natural fibers, rich woods, and silver are some of the materials I enjoy using. Texture and color are inspiring and I am interested in color therapy and its psychology, so my items usually pertain to a specific chroma which then invokes meaning for those who choose to capture it and make it their own.

andromeda wristlet in sage

The heavens are also an inspiration, the small twittering avians who fly in the sky and the stars above fascinate me. Out here, the wide open space lends itself to plenty of bird watching and star gazing...lots of dreaming. I create every spare moment that I can...usually the most productive time is late at night when the laundry has been folded, dishes washed and put away, the house clean, and the kids are in bed.

Because I believe in building without incurring debt I’ve incrementally been adding items long since inspired. I started my Etsy shop with $40 and some yarn given to me as remnant castaway. The first ten beanies I created I sold locally, which helped me pay for processing my photos. The boards which I put my photos on were all reclaimed from the farm. Every spare dollar was stashed in a ball jar and every penny pinched has gone into my work and now its finally blossoming into my wildest dreams. I still have a few more items to release by the end of summer before my collection is complete and then I can start releasing larger batches at one time. I've also enrolled in photography classes for next year at University.

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
My father for one, who was a silversmith jeweler. One can find some of what he created here. I am utterly inspired by Shabby Chic design and my favorite author Alice Hoffman, if I could translate Rachel Ashwell’s decor or Alice’s words into my jewelry or photography it is what one may see in my creations as of now.

nebula eardrops in amazonite

I read in obsessive "tifts and bouts" and can usually devour a book in a few days by stealing moments in between daily duties and such, therefor I am influenced by the printed word and its reference to mood and symbolism. I favor vernacular architecture and find Jeremiah Eck, Sarah Susanka, and Ross Chapin’s minimalism, philosophy of design, and aesthetics encompassing. I like to incorporate these ideals into my design. The Arts and Crafts movement and Fauna and Flora wildlife capture my soul...it places a zeal upon me...I then must keep what I make fairly simple and pure.

My family, my friends, past instructors and professors: they have been inspiring as well, and utterly supportive of what I do...often being the ones that propel me further into productivity with their praise of my work and gentle nudges of exposure...as I’ve been pretty shy about pushing my product. Which, oddly, brings me to where I will be selling my items...

storm's a comin' - fine art photos, set of 4 - 5x7 prints

Where else can people find your work?
I will be selling locally at our Farmers Market this summer, and other than that I sell exclusively in my shop, Skinny Swallow, on Etsy.

Visit Michaela's blog: Where Has the Wind Taken You.*

*To subscribe/follow please contact Michaela via her Etsy shop!

Images displayed in this post were used by permission and are copyright Skinny Swallow 2009 - all rights are reserved.

Artist Profile: Emily Poe - Sparrow Nest Knits

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff...
My name is Emily Poe, but people usually call me something along the lines of Em, E. Poe, E. Pizzle, or Pizz. Rumor in my family is that we're related to Edgar Allan, which would explain my pale complexion, dark hair, and slightly morbid sense of sarcastic humor. I came to Greenville, SC in 2004 to go to Furman University, where I graduated last May with an English and Spanish major.

This year, while I'm waiting for my boyfriend to graduate, I'm working for Greenville Literacy Association through a government program called AmeriCorps VISTA (it's cool--look it up if you have a chance). My workdays are spent teaching adult education or ESL classes, helping out in our computer lab, working on outreach campaigns, etc. I share a cute little apartment with two good friends from college and two pets, a rabbit named Einstein Jones and a cat named Eli the Barrow Boy (who usually just goes by "kitten cat," "shmitty kitty," "shmitten," "dumbass," and so on).


twiggy scarf - blush (eco)

It's hard to sum yourself up in a little blurb like this, but if I had to try, it would look something like: Vegetarian, slightly perfectionist, freethinker with mild asthma, Reynaud's (another interesting thing to look up), and the tiniest bladder known to man, who is obsessed with Felicity, recycling, music and books of all sorts, Indian food, coffee, earth tones, Gilmore Girls, the mountains, thoughts of travel, and ridiculous hypothetical situations.

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
I'm a huge book nerd, for one thing. I just finished How We Are Hungry, a collection of short stories by Dave Eggers, and now I'm reading his novel called What is the What, which is great so far. I also love listening to music, cranked up really loud, while I lie on my stomach with my ear pressed to the floor. My favorite bands are Cloud Cult, Frightened Rabbit, Metric, and Mates of State, slash anything bluegrass or indie pop. Sometimes I use Finale [software] to arrange music for the acappella group at Furman that I used to direct, stuff like "Semi-charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind, "Buddy Holly" by Weezer, and "Criminal" by Fiona Apple.

On Tuesday nights I play trivia at this Irish pub downtown with some friends, and on the weekends I enjoy contra dancing, hiking, cooking with my roommates, and going to Falls Park downtown to enjoy the nice weather. Oh, and right now my friend Jen and I are working our way through a season of Dawson's Creek on DVD. So emotional!


modern stripes scarf - midnight/charcoal (eco), appleseed headband - charcoal (eco)

What first made you want to become an artist?
Well, I don't even know that I'd call myself an "artist," because I'm really just a girl who knits a lot, likes to sew and paint sometimes, and looks at everything with the mindset of "what can I make with that?" But that issue aside, I think the identity of "artist" isn't one you can decide to take on--true artists are just born with that predisposition to think more creatively.

For me, it started with music: my mom is a church musician and private piano teacher and my dad is a singer and floutist who has built and taught himself to play a hammered dulcimer. It was rather inescapable: I've been singing since I had a voice and playing piano since my mom finally gave in and starting teaching me at age 6. At my visual and performing arts middle/high school, I learned violin and started dabbling in sculpture and 2D drawing. Around that same time, my friends and I got into sewing and clothing reconstruction and I really started enjoying knitting and crocheting, which my grandmother had taught me when I was younger.



twin rivers scarf - merlot & violet (eco), twiggy scarf - ocean (eco)

On top of the creativity that runs in my family, I've just never been able to see myself in a "normal" job where I have to sit in a cubicle and stare at a computer screen all day. The idea physically repulses me; I can't stand artificial light and office drama and 9-to-5 schedules. My brain doesn't work that way. I have this weird need to be making beautiful things with my hands, even if that means living quite modestly on whatever I can earn by selling those things.

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
My creative process is all over the place, really. A lot of times I'll see something, knitted or otherwise, that sparks an idea, and I'll sit down, sketch something out, and go, "okay, how do I make this?" Then, I usually find that whatever I'm trying to do requires a new technique that I haven't mastered yet, so I'll do some research and figure it out so I can make whatever it is I wanted to make.

That's pretty much what happened with double knitting; I had been making simple scarves for my shop and wanted to do something a little more complex, with patterns and different colors, but I knew that stranding wouldn't work because a scarf doesn't have a "backside." So I ended up learning about double knitting, testing it out, and running with it. I now have a couple of scarves for sale that I knitted this way. More recently I've been focusing on circular knitting, which I learned how to do when I decided to make some fingerless gloves and wrist cuffs.



warm fuzzy scarf - sandstone, autumn tree scarf - twig/natural (eco)

Now that I have a few new techniques under my belt, I have plans to drastically expand my horizons, project-wise. In terms of materials, I have made a deliberate effort to be eco-friendly when I create. There's this yarn I use a lot that I really love, that's a blend of acrylic and polyester fiber made from 100% recycled plastic bottles--it's affordable and really soft, and also green, which you really can't beat. I've also used bamboo and alpaca, both of which are earth-friendly and a joy to work with. Next on my list to try is hemp, but I'm worried it won't be very soft. We'll see.

Since I have a full-time job, I basically have to do my knitting around my work schedule. This generally means that I'm thinking about projects in my head all day and the minute I leave the office I'm headed home to put some of my ideas into action. I'm sure my boyfriend and roommates get sick of me always knitting, but hey, I like keeping my hands busy and it sometimes brings in a little extra money, which is nice!

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
I'm inspired by many of the knitters (and crocheters!) on Etsy. Some of them come up with the coolest ideas! I particularly love shannongerard's stuff; she does these crocheted mustaches and mature finger puppets that are just great. And actually, my boyfriend gave me one of her crocheted anatomical hearts for Valentine's Day this year--I was pumped. I also like the knitted/crocheted jewelry that I've seen, like yokoo's Sweetheart Chain.

It's incredible what you can make with yarn if you really put your mind to it. Whenever I'm feeling uninspired, I can also check the forums for EtsyKnitters Team, which I'm part of. There are always new ideas and words of encouragement there.


appleseed scarf - sunflower (eco)

Where else can people find your work?
I really only sell my stuff on Etsy at this point, but I'm hoping to start attending craft fairs sometime in the near future. I have a website, too, where you can read my blog and see pictures of my currently available items (I link to Etsy for purchases). Check it out and tell your friends!

Visit Emily's Etsy shop HERE.

Artist Profile: Justine Turel - Crown of Storms

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
Well, my name is Justine. I live in Scarborough, Maine, with my fiance, Nate, and our two kitties! We both work at the same hardware store, which is surprisingly fun (both working together & working at a hardware store). We're both huge dorks who love Star Trek: The Next Generation and Battlestar Galactica, as well as being obsessed with David Lynch and everything the man does. We're getting married in September and I am absolutely overwhelmed (in the best way) with the planning process - it is so ME to be creating little checklists and coming up with crazy ideas I'll never be able to bring to fruition.


let down and hanging around

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
Well, it being winter in Maine right now I spend most of my free time inside, unfortunately. I spend alot of time with my brother, he's 17 and the absolute coolest person I know. We like to watch cooking and travel shows (Anthony Bourdain!), come up with tattoo ideas (we're getting matching ones on his birthday) and generally vandalizing the corporate world. I also read alot - a little bit of everything. I watch a ton of movies, cruise the Internet more than I'd be willing to admit, and bake. Mostly muffins and cookies right now but I'd love to eventually branch out into more adventurous cooking projects.


i'm instantly your biggest fan

What first made you want to become an artist?
This is a funny question, because I doubt most people have a point where they 'want' to become an artist. And to be perfectly honest, I don't consider myself an artist even now. I see things I like and I take photos of them, and I mostly do it to document moments in time. I am very much into documenting everything -- keeping journals, writing lists, trying in any way I can to capture moods and feelings and senses of well-being. Or senses of despair.


and everything i touch turns to stone

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
Honestly, I think the best thing one can do is carry your camera with you wherever you go. My camera is with me at least 90% of the time, just in case. I keep it in the car with me and I bring it to any kind of family gathering or friend get-together, no matter how small or informal. I take photos of everything from lighthouses to a piece of trash on the street or in a lake. I use a Nikon D40X, which is not the easiest camera to tote around with me, but it's important to me. Like I said, I see something that appeals to me in some way -- the positioning of it, contrast, comparison, the way the light pours in the room -- and I capture it. Very little is done in post-editing, aside from an occasional cropping or some light contrast work.


magic school bus

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
No one person inspired me to pick up a camera in the first place. I could say that my Dad, who passed away when I was 15, was my inspiration -- he was a photographer as well -- but I don't truly believe that. It was just something I wanted to try. Anyone who snaps away with their camera more than I do is an inspiration. Anyone who will bring their camera with them no matter how difficult is an inspiration. Anyone who is able to bring out the pure beauty in things so often overlooked is an inspiration.


you're living in a fantasy world

Where else can people find your work?
Primarily in my Etsy shop, of course, but also on my Flickr stream!

Images displayed in this post are by and copyright of Crown of Storms.