Featured Artist: Jesse Mosher.etsy.com

(c)Copyright of this work is retained by the artist and is not transferred upon sale.

Jesse Mosher Rock n Roll Folk Art Paintings on repurposed wood.

Why spend your life making art? Many people have art as a part of theirs, While for me it is the moon, the stars and nearly everything inbetween. I've been making pieces for sale continuously, without a break since sept 1998, selling over 14,000 signed prints and originals since those days. The reason I can't stop is that I feel myself becoming part of the long history of american art and culture that streches as a continuous line from Buffalo Bill Cody to modern times. Each of the 450 or so different people I've painted help fill in the picture of what and who we are as a culture, as a people, and what it means to dedicate a life to the pursuit of art and music, daring to express their vision as individuals and groups.

(c)Copyright of this work is retained by the artist and is not transferred upon sale.

My Etsy Shop: http://www.JesseMosher.etsy.com

My Blog: http://www.myspace.com/jessemosher

My youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thUps-FMvVM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUC-VSs_Ffk

Featured Artist: DZFantasy

About 14 years ago, with no formal training in art, I was inspired to start designing and creating my one-of-a-kind fiber fantasy sculptures. It was through my love of nature, working with unique fabrics, yarns, colors, and fantasy which resulted in the creation of my Fiber Sculpted Fantasy Figures.I first started out selling my work in craft shows back in 1997, when I was creating more "doll like" figures, whose clothes I designed, and only hand-painted the faces. My largest creation at that time ws a 30" posable doll. Wanting to get into juried art shows, I changed my designs to smaller fantasy figures very similar to what I am doing now. It is amazing how one's art changes over the years! I now sell at art shows, via my web page, and last year in February of '08, I discovered Etsy. While, my business name for my art is/has always been YOUNG AT HEART, when I signed on with Etsy I used the name DZFANTASY for not only my Etsy shop, but my blog as well. I love having an on-line shop, but also truly enjoy doing shows for the one-on-one contact with customers.I individually design/create each figure using quality fabrics, many of which are silk, which I hand-dye to obtain one-of-a-kind colors and designs. Each creation's face is individually, hand drawn, needle-sculpted, and hand-painted using 100% silk tussah fabric. (Tussah silk comes from wild moths whose main diet is oak leaves, and the natural color ranges from light beige to darker tan.) This individual process is what gives each creation their unique personality. Their lips and eyes are further enhanced with a crystal clear lacquer which gives the face a 3-dimensional look, and a bit of shine! Finally, the face is then sprayed with a matte finish sealer for protection. Many hours of love, work and attention to detail go into each and every one of my creations.Each body, face and wing is firmly stuffed with the finest of acrylic fiberfill. The use of inner wire armatures allows me to position each creation into various permanent poses. Some of my creations are designed as wall hangings, mobiles, while others may be set wherever one wishes a bit of color, fun and fantasy!I design their colorful hairdos out of imported Italian, French, English and German designer yarns, or hand-dyed mohair in a wide array of colors and textures. I also design/create all of their accents; purses, necklaces, hair and waist accents, using Swarovski crystals, stones, glass beads, shells, and pieces of antique jewelry.Creating my fantasy creations is a "passion" with me, and I couldn't give it up if I wanted to!! It is such fun to see the smiles on people's faces when they visit my booth at an art show. I also started my DZFANTASY blog in April of 2008, and love having monthly giveaways of my creations.WANDA, here on the links.YOUNG AT HEART WEB PAGEhttp://dzfairies.comDZFANTASY on ETSY:http://dzfantasy.etsy.comDZFANTSY BLOG:http://dzfantasy.blogspot.com

How to make a Banner without a Fancy Program

You can make your banner or avatar in PowerPoint. That's right, PowerPoint!It can do just about everything that design programs can do - it's just a little clunkier. You can cut out shapes, add shadows, place type etc.And most of you will have it on your computer.Now I'm certainly no computer expert (I'm over 30 for God's sake), and I hope I'm not teaching you how to suck eggs, but here's a few steps to get started if you've never used PowerPoint before:1. Go the PAGE SETUP and change the size to: width 3.55cm and height 27cm.2. Go to VIEW and make sure you the FORMATTING PALETTE is open3. Make your banner. The formatting palette has all sorts of shapes and functions and type options.You can drag or import images and toy with them etc. If you're stuck, go to PowerPoint Help or post in this thread. I'll check it every so often and try to help if I can.4. When you're done go to SAVE AS and for 'format' select JPEG.5. Load it up to Etsy!Hope this is helpful to someone.xxx scarlett

My Shop:http://www.scarlettcat.etsy.com/My Blog:http://scarlettcat.blogspot.com/ My Flickr:http://www.flickr.com/people/scarlettcat

Discouraged

Ok, first let me say this. It may seem funny to read what I'm posting when you see I have only one sale. BUT, just because I only have one sale here doesn't mean I haven't sold my art before.

Now, to the heart of this post! I see so many people posting about being discouraged, low views, lack of sales, etc. I'd like to step in and say to stop feeling so down! Step back for a moment. Take a deep breath. Let me tell you a little story about me and my photography.

I've always loved taking photographs, I NEVER thought I'd ever make any money from it. It was my passion, my ultimate favorite hobby. I dreamed of being some National Geographic type photographer, but since I am self taught, never imagined anyone other than family would ever hang one of my photos on a wall, much less give me money for them.

A few years ago, I just couldn't help myself-I just had to upgrade my point and shoot to a DSLR. We didn't have a lot of cash, so I made a scary promise to my husband. We buy the camera and I'll find a way to sell enough photographs to pay it back (it was bought on a 6 months no interest credit card). Now I had six months to figure out not only how to use the camera, but also to get good enough photos to sell-and how to sell them!

I remembered a website I saw that sold prints and calendars and stuff-a club we belonged to used them to make t-shirts. I went there, created an account, and uploaded some photos. I knew NOTHING about how to do it. It took me days to get them sized right. I found the forums there, and in those forums were a lot of great folks that helped me learn a lot about not only how to use that website, but to run my business. It took a while, but I made a few sales. I learned more, upgraded things and finally, I paid back the camera. And then I kept making sales! I actually was earning money on my photographs!! People were paying money for my art, and it was hanging on their walls!

Think it was some little, cozy place like Etsy? Think you have a lot of competiton here? It's much, much bigger. It doesn't matter where it is, but for instance, a search on that site for "sunset photograph" brings nearly 2,000 results.

What I am telling you is that if I can do this, you can too. Find your niche. Find what makes you different than the others in it. Play it up to your customers. Get your OWN site. Promote it. Market it. Learn what SEO is. Learn about running your business. Absorb knowledge shared freely like a sponge. Even if you don't agree with someone, read their opinion, there might be a little something you can take from it. Don't get stuck in a rut and stay there. Learn from each mistake. The single most important thing I learned from my past few years is this-it's your business, not "abc company's". Own it. Don't let anyone tell you you can't, and don't believe that you can't. Believe in yourself, your craft and your business. YOU CAN DO THIS.

Now go create! Go work on tags and descriptions and things Google likes! OWN YOUR BUSINESS!!

My Online Shop:

http://www.scenicnewyork.etsy.com

Featured Artist: juliafinucane

www.juliafinucane.etsy.com


My full name is Julia Finucane. I have been creating art since I can remember and I create all my best work from my home studio. I draw all my characters and ideas from events that happen in my life. I love the world of fairies and fantasy and bring these themes into my art as well. I love to paint and to draw illustrations that capture this unique world.I decided to become an artist and devote my life to creating in my high school art class. After high school I went off to college were I received a Bachelors in Fine Arts and Design and received my certification in art education. I then went on to receive a Masters in Art and Computer Design.For more information feel free to visit my site, which I created, at www.juliafinucane.webs.comMy blog is http://juliafinucane.blogspot.cometsy shop: www.juliafinucane.esty.com