Commission

3 little birdies were commissioned. I posted them out today.

word cloud

dear blog and etsy shop - I have been neglecting you - but not in my mind and heart. Sometime soon I will get back on track.
Until then, here is a word cloud for you.

Featured Artist, Artmind

Artmind is Mitsy's Etsy shop where colorful felt and intriguing clay creations are fresh and fun. I love the clean bright design of her shop and blog which not only presents her work perfectly, but also reminds me of everything that is so attractive about modern european design; the quirkiness, the colorfulness and in some ways, the understated minimalism.

In my own explorations of the creative process I have discovered over and over that keeping things simple, especially complex ideas, thoughts and feelings, is quite a challenge. How to fit an emotion into a single color or element? Mitsy's work is sophisticated and in it I see elements that have been explored since ancient times, yet her pieces are so direct. Her necklaces are joyful and powerful while being soft and gentle, her greeting cards deliver a palpable sentiment and her clay emotions seem to speak intimately of the things we all grapple with.

This necklace is one of my favorites because it reminds me both of flames, and of seaweed or coral, and I've always loved exploring the juxtapositions of opposite elements (in this case fire and water):

Below are some items from her shop as an 'etsy mini' and followed by a mini interview in which Mitsy replies to some of my questions about the everyday themes that go on in an artists mind.


what do you love to make for your shop the most?
Tough question as I'm utterly in love with felt, paper and clay. I think it depends on my mood. Felting makes me relax, playing with paper is fun and claying is giving me peace of mind. Hard to choose which one I like best...

do you work on things that you don't list in your shop, if so what sort of items?
At the moment I'm working on mini-feelings in clay. These are like the ones posted in my shop but only very little (8cm or 3,15 inch). I once had a plan to make a set of 99 feelings but I never got around doing it. So I started it recently. I love to create these mini-feelings. They might be in my shop in fall though...
I love to make guestbooks and photoalbums too. I make 'em out of paper and felt. They are sober yet whimsical and different.

which colors are you enjoying the most right now and why?
I'm into lime and turquoise at the moment. They are happy and bright colors and they make my day look brighter.

what inspires you when you make your items?
I'm easily inspired by nature and people around me. I love to discuss my and other people's work because that makes it grow. I especially feel an urge to discuss my claywork - the interaction leads to more ideas and more creativity.

thank you Mitsy!