Featured Artist Interview: The Yellow Umbrella

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Shop Name:
The Yellow Umbrella 

What you like to go by: 
Anna Denise 

When did you start your shop? 
Nov 27, 2008 

Is this your only job? 
Nope. I also work as a program manager for a cultural house where I organize debates, talks, lectures, meetings, tours, and exhibitions.

When did you realize you had this talent?
From the moment I could hold a pencil, although I never took it very seriously until recently.

Where do you find your inspiration?
In museums, books, walking through cities, traveling, and lots and lots of websites (including Etsy).

Who has been the most supportive of your work?
Eh. Me? And my boyfriend. He's been awesome and has really been pushing me to take the time to draw more.

What is one thing you would like to accomplish that you haven't yet?
I'd like for my journals to get published and also I would love to eventually work somewhere whereI can express my artistic side a bit more.

What are your other hobbies?
I blog, write, take pictures, do a lot of bikram yoga, play the silverflute, and I'm pretty good at Rockband.

What are your words to live by or favorite quote?

"The most important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."
~ Charles Du Bos

Where is the farthest you have traveled?
Westwards: California
Eastwards: Indonesia

Featured Artist Interview: Jo from Bits off the Beach

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Shop name: JosJewelryDesign

What you like to go by: I usually go by Jo... Since that's my name, but I answer to most anything

When did you start your Etsy shop? I started my shop last fall and have been working steadily to add more pieces to it.

Is this your only job? I have been working retail in a ladies accessory dept for the last 25 years... I am officially RETIRED and will be able to devote myself full time to my jewelry. YEAH! I can't wait.

When did you realize you had this talent? I took my first jewelry class in high school art. I have always enjoyed creating things, from pottery to knitting to sketching to making my jewelry it seems I have always enjoyed seeing what I can do. Other than a few classes and reading everything I come across it is mostly trial and error and self taught.

What are your other hobbies? Other hobbies I enjoy... Sounds odd? But I love entering contests and sweepstakes. I love the excitement and dreaming about the great prizes and trips waiting to be won. My best prize yet has been a car... My oddest prize was a stuffed toy of name brand hotdog, but I still have them both.

Where is the farthest you have traveled? My furthest travel... I spent 3 years in Germany with my husband when he was in the service. My favorite places to travel, would be anywhere with palm trees and a beach. Tulum Mexico is a favorite, (my banner in my shop is a picture of the beach near there.) Maui is another favorite that we love to return to as often as we can.

What is your favorite quote? I don't have a favorite quote. I always hear great ones but then can't remember them when I need to. Maybe " you're as young as you feel" in honor of me retiring.

Featured Artist: ookysNcutes

Amy has gone through something very few of us have. Her story is amazing if you take the time to read it. She has felt the pains of life and made it through some rough times. Some of us would have just given up, but she pushed her way through and made some magic out of that. Here's to Amy's trials and tribulations! Amy you are a wonder, and I hope you succeed! Your drawings are beautiful!

What you like to go by: Amy Brenna
When did you start your shop? Sept. 30, 2011

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Is this your only job? No, I work full-time as a Patient Care technician at a hospital.

When did you realize you had this talent? I had studied art in college (who didn't?), but hadn't really created anything I felt as proud of as my "ookys" until December 1997, when I was stranded at a relative's home in Iowa during a snowstorm.
There was paper, markers, and a radio. And nothing else.

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Where do you find your inspiration? The boyfriend I had at the time was a big inspiration, although not in the traditional way: I was in Iowa dropping him off at his father's house because he had developed paranoid schizophrenia and needed professional care. During his illness, he became preoccupied with eyes, and as you can see (pun!), that is a consistent theme in my artwork---which, despite having rather dark roots, rather tend to come across as cheerful creatures. I'm naturally upbeat, and I believe that comes through in my work.
Who has been the most supportive of your work? Over the years, my friends have shown the most support in being very vocal in their praise.

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What is one thing you would like to accomplish that you haven't yet? Being able to create full-time.

What are your words to live by or favorite quote?
"I insist to be happy, mad, sad, stupid, brilliant, genius, imbecile, horrible, mean, happy. ... I make an effort not to forget all these different colours," bjork