Magic Markings Art

1) How did you hear about Etsy?
Etsy was featured on different television shows quite a bit during the holiday season last year. I remember thinking, "What's this?", looking up the site and thinking "Wow, this is amazing!" I researched the site last December and decided to become an "Etsy Artist".

2) How did you come up with your shop name?
Magic Markings Art is the name of my business ~ which I've had for about 6 years. I teach art classes to children and adults, paint whatever I can get my hands on - whether its canvas, paper, pottery, or my dishwasher :) It's all about marking the world with whimsy and color.

3) Is Etsy your only "job", or is it something you do on the side?
I am also an art teacher, having "retired" from the school system and now teaching classes out of my home-based studio.

4) What inspires you?
Wow, so many different people and things...the children and women I teach, my own children, other artists, anyone with a creative spirit.

5) What is the easist to make? The hardest?
The hardest thing for me is fine art painting - I can drive myself crazy trying to get the painting "just right". I have to work on a few canvas' at a time - that way I can set aside the one that's causing frustration, continue to work on another, and come back to the problem canvas at a later time.

6) What is your favorite item that you currently have in your shop?
My hand painted vintage vignette's on canvas. I spent a couple of days going through my mother's old photographs and had a delightful time reliving many memories with her and my father. Many of the photographs were in black and white so it's also been fun to add a touch of color and whimsy to these vintage pictures when I paint them onto a canvas!

7) What made you decide to use Etsy instead of sites like ArtFire and MadeItMySelf?
I think it was the site that, at the time I was looking, was at the forefront of news, and the one about which I had heard the most publicity.

8) Are you attending any art shows in the future?
I am currently in a local gallery, and am doing two shows the weekend of December 5 and 6th. One in Chesapeake, Va for the American Cancer Society. The other at the Contemporary Art Center of Va. in Virginia Beach for their Holiday Craft Show and Family Fest.

9) Any future projects?
Since I am so right brained that it's surprising I don't walk sideways, and since I have to continually come up with projects for my art students, there are always creative ideas running through my mind ~ especially at 3:00 in the morning!!!! This is why Etsy has been such a blessing...I finally have a venue for all these creative messes I love to produce!

Blog @ Magic Markings Art