Featured Artist :: Katies Studio

This week's featured artist is Katies Studio!

Katies Studio - Cool Art.

Senioritis: Name and location please.
Katies Studio: Katie Bunschoten, currently Burlington, Kentucky.
Senioritis: Hi Katie, thanks for taking the time to share some info with us!

Senioritis: Katie, can you tell us a little about yourself please?
Katies Studio: I've been drawing since I was a kid. We moved a lot and friends changed just as often but drawing and sketching were constant. We had horses up until I hit high school so I spent a lot of time sketching them. I graduated high school, moved to Holland and Ireland (got married), came back and finally had space for a small studio so I started painting. Going from graphite black and whites to color opened a lot of ideas and I've been working on putting them to canvas ever since.
Senioritis: That's awesome! Do you get back to Holland and Ireland often? Your works are filled with vibrant colors, do you still do work in black and white?

Senioritis: Marlon Brando: Streetcar Named Desire or the Godfather?
Katies Studio: Streetcar Named Desire



Senioritis: How would you describe your style?
Katies Studio: Bright, Bold, Colorful, Vivid.
Senioritis: We couldn't agree more, all the colors just jump out at us!

Senioritis: Katie, what would you say is the best business tip you have ever received and who gave it to you?
Katies Studio: Never quit what you love. - Mom
Senioritis: Guess what they say is true, mother does know best ;)



Senioritis: What would you say is your favorite sport to either watch or play?
Katies Studio: Soccer to play, baseball to watch. I live right outside Cincinnati so I have to say Go Reds!
Senioritis: Ahhh, a fan of the Big Red Machine :) I must admit, as a Yankees fan I have no clue what's going on in the National League until playoff time rolls around. What did you think of the World Cup?

Senioritis: Chevy Chase: Fletch or Three Amigos
Katies Studio: Three Amigos

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite quote Katie?
Katies Studio: Wisdom begins in wonder. – Socrates
Senioritis: Awesome quote, there may be a new Socrates tribute in the works ;)



Senioritis: If you could jump in the DeLorean and go back in time; what’s one thing you would do differently in your business?
Katies Studio: Better photos! Investing in a better camera was the best thing I've done. It is a completely different animal, selling online. I'd also research more on SEO and have used analytics immediately. When I first started I thought upload it and people will just buy. It's not quite that easy. In ways I think it's harder than having a brick and mortar gallery.
Senioritis: They say a picture is worth a thousand words and in an online marketplace where people can't hold or handle our work strong product photography is crucial. We agree that selling online is completely different than selling in a physical location. We were fortunate to find some great product photography and SEO tips on Etsy that have helped us get going in the right direction.

Senioritis: If the $100 bill needed a redesign, who would you put on it?
Katies Studio: This is a very difficult thing to think on, but at first thought I would say Henry David Thoreau. I think whoever it would be would be someone that personifies the American spirit, but not in an overly political fashion. I could go on and on, but I think in a nutshell that's who I would put on there!
Senioritis: We think Mr. Thoreau would be a wonderful fit for the $100 bill!

Senioritis: Where can we find you on the web Katie?
Katies Studio: katiesstudio.etsy.com and my site.



Senioritis: James Bond: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig?
Katies Studio: Sean Connery
Senioritis: Well, it seems that Mr. Connery is the preferred 007 for our featured artists. We'll see if he can extend his lead next week ;)

Senioritis: Any shoutouts Katie?
Katies Studio: I have to thank my parents and my husband Marco for the constant encouragement, and my daughter Abby for always providing inspiration.
Senioritis: We saw a picture of your studio assistant and can see how she provides plenty of inspiration. We're also glad to hear that she keeps her hands off the wet paint ;)

Katie, thanks so much for sharing some info about the wonderful artist behind Katies Studio!

Friday Finds 4.16.10

Welcome to this week's segment of Friday Finds. The New York Auto Show (or whatever they're calling it these days) was in town the past couple weeks so we figured it was an appropriate time to share some auto related finds. Although we didn't get a chance to go to this year's show we love cars and wanted to share some cool auto related finds with everyone. Happy Friday =)

Daydreamers

We actually came across Daydreamers' work while searching for Mustang related items, who doesn't love an old school Mustang right? At first we saw some cool looking cards but after looking a little deeper we found some really sweet digital collages. We pictured the Guinness guys (the beer guys not the world record guys) and thought Brilliant! We really like Daydreamers' style and wanted to share with everyone else. To see more of Daydreamers' work please check out their Etsy shop. To see some of their designs on apparel feel free to visit Tightrope Tees.










fastfastfast

The first design of fastfastfast's that we saw was their Gearshift design; as a fan of the slowly dying (at least in the US) 6 speed tranny we had to check out more of fastfastfast's work. Part rock and roll part racing, we wanted to share fastfastfast's style with everyone. To see more of their work swing by their Etsy shop.









senioritis

This week we are paying tribute to the man who brought the automobile to the masses; Henry Ford we salute you. To see more of our tributes please visit our Etsy shop.






Featured? Why not grab a banner?

<a href="http://itmakesyoulazy.blogspot.com/2010/04/friday-finds-41610.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4389822176_595dfb0235_o.jpg" alt="Senioritis Friday Finds" border="0" /></a>

Featured Artist :: WingAndWillow

This week’s featured artist is WingAndWillow!

WingandWillow – Unique Laminated Placemats and Fine Photographic Prints

Senioritis: What’s your name, and where are you located?
WingandWillow: Elisa Kerkhoff, St. Louis, MO
Senioritis: Missouri, that’s great. I’ve always wondered why Missouri was abbreviated to MO.

Senioritis: Can you give us a brief bio, please?
WingandWillow: I am a recently engaged 32 year old lover of nature, traveling, textures, animals, great food, baking, and a strong cup of coffee! I’m an Ohio native, but I’ve also lived in Michigan, Florida, and Missouri. I adore photographing nature – especially birds and tree bark. I hold a Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance with a Minor in Art from Western Michigan University.
Senioritis: Wow you’ve lived in a lot of places! We have a lot in common also! I too love nature and photograph it often. I also sing in an a cappella group at school.

Senioritis: Please list four adjectives to describe your style.
WingandWillow: Imaginative, Functional, Sincere, Zoological.



Senioritis: What is your favorite color?
WingandWillow: Silver

Senioritis: Are you a righty or a lefty?
WingandWillow: Righty

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite quote?
WingandWillow: “One Regret, dear world,
That I am determined not to have
When I am lying on my deathbed
Is that
I did not kiss you enough.”
~Hafiz~ b. 1320 d. 1389 – Beloved Persian Poet
Senioritis: That’s a pretty powerful quote. We had to do some digging to find information on Hafiz, but it seems his poetry had a large influence on a great number of people.



Senioritis: If you could have lunch with any famous person, past or present, who would it be?
WingandWillow: I would love to have lunch with W.C. Fields. He’s my great great great uncle, and I’d like to try to discover what was going on in that crazy head of his!
Senioritis: Great choice, he was a juggler as well!

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite cartoon?
WingandWillow: Animaniacs
Senioritis: We love that cartoon! I can still sing every word of the theme song.



Senioritis: Where do you see yourself and your business in 10 years?
WingandWillow: I can definitely see myself having kiddos, and hopefully selling the crap out of my placemats - I'm hoping to create many more designs in that amount of time as well =)
Senioritis: After looking at your work we have no doubt that you can make that happen. Best of luck with your placemat and photograph business!

Senioritis: Where can we find you on the web Elisa?
WingandWillow: My website and my facebook fan page.



Senioritis: Before we wrap up, would you like to give any shoutouts?
WingandWillow: My family and friends are a constant inspiration to me - their support and love keep me going!


We'd like to say a huge thank you to Elisa for giving us a glimpse into her business. Be sure to visit her Etsy shop for more cool prints and placemats!