By guest contributor Amy Anderson

Gur Kimel is only 24 years old and just started his Etsy shop in September, but already his jewelry stands out. This Israeli student living in Tel Aviv puts the beauty of nature into each piece in his aptly named shop, Nature Preserve Jewelry. Enjoy learning more about Gur’s natural inspirations in this latest installment of Fresh Etsy Pixx.

1. What do you create and how did you get started? Do you sell your work at places other than Etsy?

I am a student in industrial design at Holon Institute of Technology in Israel. I started working with jewelry as a school project last year, and now I’m making jewelry that is sold in several boutique shops all around Israel, and on Etsy.

2. Where do you get the ideas for your pieces?

I’m inspired by nature in the deepest way possible and dedicated to the idea of making people see the beauty of nature.

3. Where do you go or what do you do when you need inspiration?

I go outdoors and look for the “bare necessities” of life. The most interesting shapes, colors and textures, the small things that our modern society has forgotten all about: the way a tree grows, the shape of a nut, the shell that fits the body perfectly, the way a fruit unfolds its shape, the colors of the water at sunset time, the life that is found in the forest. That’s my inspiration.

4. Where do you see your work going in the future?

In the near future, I hope that my works will help me pay for my degree. After that, in the far future I’m hoping to work as a full time product designer, but I’m sure I’ll keep on making my jewelry. I just love it so much.

5. Describe your artistic style in three words.

Nature uniquely preserved.

By guest contributor Amy Anderson  

Mine Kurtulmus is an example of why following your heart can bring great happiness. Her Etsy shop, LoveandKnit just opened in September after Kurtulmus decided to leave her job and focus on her knitting and crafting full time. Her knits have fun, unique designs and her sister shop, LoveandDream, has lovely intricate clothes and accessories. Enjoy Kurtulmus’ story straight from Istanbul!

1. What do you create and how did you get started?

Knitting is my meditation. I love knitting so much, so I knit all the time. I have two Etsy shops. For LoveandKnit, I make stylish sweaters, cardigans, scarves, beanies, shawles, gloves…everything for winter. And for my LoveandDream shop, I make apparel, accessories and some jewelleries inspired by gypsies. I’m a fashion designer–I worked for big brands for many years. To be a fashion designer was my childhood dream. My dream came through but after years in the textile sector, I began to feel tired. My life was just like the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”! I wanted to change my lifestyle. I quit my job and found Etsy with a magical coincidence. Working at home and independence! That was definitely what I wanted.

2. Why do you sell on Etsy? Do you sell elsewhere as well?

I sell on Etsy because Etsy is my first sweetheart. Everything is going perfect on Etsy, everything is clear. I trust Etsy as a buyer and also as a seller. I think this is why I sell on Etsy.

3. Where do you get the ideas for your pieces?

I make my designs like I’m making them for myself. I never make a thing that I don’t like to wear.

4. Where do you go or what do you do when you need inspiration?

If I don’t know what to do and need some inspiration, movies help me. I have a DVD collection and some of them are really speacial for me.It’s really hard to catch the images flying over my head after I watch them. And I get my inspirations from the materials I use.

5. Where do you see your work going in the future?

Just better and happier!

6. Describe your artistic style in three words.

Unique, well made, special.

By Guest Contributor Amy Anderson

Welcome to the latest installment of Fresh Etsy Pixx. This time, I found an artist who only started her Etsy shop this year, but has been creating art in a variety of mediums for years. Meet Annie Swincinski of Dwell in Style and her serene and organic printmaking.

1. What do you create and how did you get started?

I have always been an artist and crafter for as long as I can remember. Having attended the Savannah College of Art and Design I’ve been trained in all sorts of mediums but most recently I’ve been printmaking. I chose this medium because I am inspired to create affordable original art and design for the everyday home and printmaking allows me to do this with its use of multiples. The methods I use most are woodcut, silkscreen & gocco. Woodcut is reserved mostly for my limited edition 2D creations on paper, while I use silkscreen to create linen and textiles for the home such as place mats, tea towels, pillows, and even scarves. I consider myself a surface designer not a printmaker.

2. Why do you sell on Etsy?

I love love love Etsy. Every single aspect. The site has clean lines and beautiful design. It is easy to use. It is more than affordable. I am able to reach an international audience from one storefront. They bring the shoppers to my doorstep before I am even out of my pajamas in the morning. They are helpful and have the best supporting creative community I have ever been a part of. I am actually on my second shop. I opened my first one about 2 years ago under a silly name. It wasn’t long before I had hundreds of sales and was able to leave my day job. I knew I had to come up with a brand name and open a new shop. Dwell in Style was born. Etsy has also been a great promotional tool in itself. People find me all the time for features and blogs. I was even asked to submit work to be published in a book about printmaking this past year.

3. Do you sell elsewhere as well?

Etsy provides my only online selling venue. During the festival season I hit the road to sell in person at art festivals, galleries, and some small time wholesale and consignment. Traveling is so much fun. I love meeting new people other artists and especially my buyers.

4. Where do you go or what do you do when you need inspiration?

When I’m seeking inspiration I do a few things. Coffee in hand, I usually go shopping. I like to keep my art as well as my textiles in style and fashionable, even trendy. I usually hit a few of my favorite home decor stores, the fabric store and the bookstore to thumb through design magazines. My subject matter is usually organically inspired so being outdoors and close to nature is a very important part of my process. When I’m looking for color inspiration I love to search Etsy’s treasuries and look at the color pallets the treasury curators have chosen.

5. Where do you see your work going in the future?

I would like to focus more on home decor and textile design. Maybe even design for a textile company or sell my designs right out to those that are interested. I will always continue the limited edition woodcuts. I’m very passionate about everyone being able to afford and own original art and I believe printmaking is simply the best way for me to contribute to that goal.

6. Describe your artistic style in three words.

Modern & Organically Inspired.

About the contributor: Amy Anderson is one of  the Indie Fixx interns and is also a student at Northwestern University. Amy has wanted to be a journalist since she was just 5 years old and she is also into the indie design and crafting scenes as well. In addition to writing the occasional post, she also helps me coordinate Feed Your Soul: the free art project.

By guest contributor Amy Anderson

When I saw TANGLe & FoLd’s shop on Etsy, I knew I had to track them down and find out more. Jonathan and Charity are the crafters behind the intricate paper flowers, fun jewelry and funky legwarmers at TANGLe & FoLd. The Brooklyn, NY couple has some wonderful one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly products and they were nice enough to chat with me about their latest projects and inspirations. 

1. What do you create and how did you get started?

We make everything! We really don’t limit ourselves to anything. Jonathan is known for his paper flowers which are his own design and Charity is known for her legwarmers which are also her own design! We both dabble in jewelry making and other accessories. We started selling on Etsy due to our financial situation. We were both artists long before we opened our shop and even though we were told by friends to do something about our talents, it took a lack of money for us to do so. We are very pleased with the outcome.

2. Why do you sell on Etsy? Do you sell elsewhere as well?

Etsy is just plain awesome. It’s the perfect site for independent artists to showcase and sell their goods. They offer great workshops and virtual labs and are always on hand when you need help. Sometimes we take part in street fairs and markets when time permits and we always have people over our house, which is also our studio. We get good sales there.

3. Where do you get the ideas for your pieces?

Junk: we love the idea of taking trash and making it into something beautiful. A lot of the times we just make stuff that we would wear or stuff that we would want lying around our house.

4. Where do you go or what do you do when you need inspiration?

We stick around home a lot, play some old records and just stare at our supplies for a bit till something pops up. It’s really fun when your materials are endless. If that doesn’t work we just ask each other what we should make. There’s always a project we’ve been meaning to work on that hasn’t been started yet.

5. Where do you see your work going in the future?

Who knows? The options are endless!! We would love to see our flowers all over—they’re a great alternative to real flowers and they’re so good for our planet! Whatever happens we’re happy with the customers that have admired our work.

6. Describe your artistic style in three words.

Junky, Funky, Indie.

About the contributor: Amy Anderson is one of  the Indie Fixx interns and is also a student at Northwestern University. Amy has wanted to be a journalist since she was just 5 years old and she is also into the indie design and crafting scenes as well. In addition to writing the occasional post, she also helps me coordinate Feed Your Soul: the free art project.

By guest contributor Amy Anderson

In this edition of Fresh Etsy Pixx, I spoke to Brent and Jess Williams of Fabuluster, an Etsy shop out of Topsham, Maine. They came up with an amazing way to make a wedding day or important event even more special. Their custom fingerprint rings and other metalwork are truly works to remember.

1. What do you create and how did you get started?

We create limited edition and one of a kind custom jewelry. We got our start at Maine College of Art where our passions led us to metalsmithing and each other.

2. Why do you sell on Etsy? Do you sell elsewhere as well?

We like Etsy because the buyers are so educated on handmade items. It’s not a hard sell. They are there looking for good handmade stuff. We have our own web site and we have a gallery in Portland, Maine that represents us. We prefer Internet sales.

3. Where do you get the ideas for your pieces?

 We get our ideas from our life. Right now, we are very into our family and love to create pieces that have special meaning. We look around us to find inspiration.

4. Where do you go or what do you do when you need inspiration?

 We take a day off and just have some fun and relax. Brent, the self-proclaimed “idea man” never has a shortage for ideas.

5. Where do you see your work going in the future?

We would like to reach a broader market with what we have now. We also hope to have a few new lines in the upcoming weeks that also include wedding vows with the fingerprints. We will always be looking for the next idea.

6. Describe your artistic style in three words.

Heirloom, simple, modern.

About the contributor: Amy Anderson is one of  the Indie Fixx interns this summer and is also a student at Northwestern University. Amy has wanted to be a journalist since she was just 5 years old and she is also into the indie design and crafting scenes as well. In addition to writing the occasional post, she also helps me coordinate Feed Your Soul: the free art project.

By guest contributor Amy Anderson

Amy here, one of the Indie Fixx interns, and I seem to spend most of my free time browsing Etsy for cute new shops or the perfect gift for friends and family. That’s why I was excited when Jen asked me to find some artists for Fresh Etsy Pixx and it’s when I found out about Floridity, Barbara Bechtel’s fabulous jewelry and bead shop. Barbara started the shop earlier this year and also sells mixed media art at Second Surf.  I adore her bird and flower motifs created in polymer clay—simple but stunning! Read more about Barbara’s inspiration and love of the artistic process in my interview with her and check out her two Etsy shops, Floridity and Second Surf.

1. What do you create and how did you get started?

I am a painter by trade. I have a fancy piece of paper with my name on it from The Savannah College of Art and Design and everything. Beginning my career as a mixed media artist, my work has always  been focused on craft and process. I spent my time after college in management in the retail grocery industry. In February of 2009, I left that career to embark solely on my artistic ventures. It was then that I branched out from offering mixed media work to offering my handmade jewelry and pendant designs as well. Jewelry had always been a hobby aside from my other artistic pursuits and I really wanted to focus a larger portion of my time on it.

2. Why do you sell on Etsy? Do you sell elsewhere as well?

Etsy has been great since its inception! It is so clean looking and easy to use. I like that it has been kept relatively simple and provides a valuable opportunity to artists and crafters of all levels to enjoy selling their work! I also sell at handmade fairs and art markets and have exhibited and sold work through galleries and boutiques through out the southeastern United States.

3. Where do you get the ideas for your pieces?

My work is very intuitive. Most of my inspiration comes from nature. I keep a sketchbook and journal but normally I just have a sliver of an idea when I start. I let the idea work itself out through the process. I think that is the painter coming out in me!

4. Where do you go or what do you do when you need inspiration?

I go away from the studio! My boyfriend and I love taking long drives….just to look around. I love garage sales and discarded things. Seeing old things with fresh eyes. Part of being creative is looking at the world around you- hopefully showing people something in a way that they haven’t seen before. The beach and the mountains hold a lot of inspiration for me and I’m fortunate to be able to spend a good deal of time both places. The things I see in my travels make their way back to the studio and these mental images and whispers form their way into ideas for pieces. Cooking and food also inspires me. Cooking is alot like art making in the sense you are building something from scratch, taking all of these small things and transforming them into something different. My blog showcases my inspiration as well as the inspiring work of others at Second Surf.

5. Where do you see your work going in the future?

I am very passionate about making original work. I like to make each piece one at a time. That is the very essence of handmade. I want people to realize that they own the ONLY ONE in the WHOLE WORLD. I hope that my work will continue in this fashion and in that same spirit! I would also love to have my own brick and mortar shop someday. That would be an

6. Describe your artistic style in three words.

Organic.Thoughtful. Sincere.

About the contributor: Amy Anderson is one of  the Indie Fixx interns this summer and is also a student at Northwestern University. Amy has wanted to be a journalist since she was just 5 years old and she is also into the indie design and crafting scenes as well. In addition to writing the occasional post, she also helps me coordinate Feed Your Soul: the free art project.