What will you be selling at Unglued?
A good time! Actually, that’s always free. Though good times will be accompanied by one of a kind leather (and some vegan-friendly 😉 wrist wallets, needlework pendants, Chinese calligraphy art, and photography for sale.
What are your greatest inspirations?
Food. I know, that’s weird. But seriously, I feel like my muse is the ghost of Christmas present from Mickey’s Christmas Carol – you remember, right? That jovial giant surrounded by all kinds of amazing foodstuff? Yes, please! I get a lot of inspiration while eating food, and seeing food, and making food. My art is also heavily inspired by eastern philosophy and culture, practicality, and great minds, but Willie the giant is my beautiful musing mistress.
When and where did you learn your craft?
After my step-father died of cancer in early 2006, I moved across states to be with my mother; I essentially moved into and slept on the floor of what was the “storage slash craft/sewing room” and being the Nosy McNoserton that I am, ended up teaching myself how to sew by rummaging through ceiling-high bins of craft supplies. It was a very introspective and rewarding time, spending it with my mother and learning crafts and cooking with her in adulthood. Later that year, I ended up moving back up to the midwest and landing a job at Nordic Needle (where I still work full-time), and dove very deeply into the world of heritage needlework. The wrist wallets inception, however, is a much more facepalm story. Mid 2011 I ended up getting my club on with a girlfriend and had my keys stolen from my jacket (bummer), and after a 12 hour, 2 re-keyed houses later fiasco (I was cat/dog sitting that weekend too, oy), I figured I should make something secure that I could carry my stuff in while going out. I’d never worked with leather before, so it was a learning experience, but the ideas kept coming after that, and here I am now.
What makes your product stand out?
I absolutely love bright and bold colors, and a lot of my products showcase intense contrasts and interesting color combinations. If you visit my website, you’ll get a whiff of the technicolor. 70’s refrigerator green, I’m-on-fire orange, and depression grey? Take all my money! Teal and red? Heck yes! My favorite flower is the bird of paradise, and that pretty much sums up my weird personality, and color tendencies.
Any other interesting tidbits you’d like to mention?
I think I’ve divulged quite the eye-ful, but I do have a coffee tip to share! If you’re ever patronizing an establishment where perfectly brewed coffee isn’t in your future, and upon first sip you taste that all-too-familiar this-coffee-has-been-on-the-pot-since-last-Tuesday burnt taste, just add a dash of salt! For real? For real. It won’t instantly turn gourmet, but the burnt taste will get muted. This tip brought to you by my awesome sister, Lois, and her years of waitressing experience.
Come check out halftone.tv’s sweet creativity Feb 25!