The Joy of Colour

Enjoy a visit to the colourful Etsy shop The Joy of Colour http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheJoyofColor

where you are sure to find one of a kind decorative home decor,gifts and accessories.

by The Joy of Colour
I worked as a textile designer for more then 20 years. I had my own design studio for funky printed T's for a couple of years. Then I worked for a leading company of socks and underwear for 16 years! .My work as a sock designer was great as I designed for mass, mid market and for brands like Nike,Hugo Boss, .... I traveled a lot to Europe and the USA, met some very nice people and got a lot of experience in design, styling, marketing...

2 years ago I felt I'm not as creative as I was and less happy with travelling, so I knew it was the time to make some changes in my life.I left the comfort and security of a big international company and took the time to think "What do I want to be when I'll grow up"? (at the age 50!) The answer was getting back to paint & brushes,to hand knitting and creating one of kind pieces. As friends saw my work they recommended me to start selling and then the way to Etsy was short.

In my Etsy Shop I express my love for colors in decorative objects (flowers, containers, napkin rings) I create. You'll find also fashion accessories that are based on my clay flowers. I've been selling on Etsy for about 8 months, and now I know it's going to be a long journey till I can say this is how I make my living, But it is such an interesting route, and I believe that selling online is a fantastic solution for crafters and artists to show and sell their creations.

Sandra Darling

http://www.SandraDarling.etsy.com/
http://www.sandradarlingvisualartcreations.com/

by SandraDarling

My background and training as a visual artist came from not only "a good art school education" but the greatest teacher of all - Life! I grew up in North Queensland which is both coastal and tropical; a precious and unique place where the rainforests meets the sea. It provided me with a rich tapestry of geographical as well as social exposure, and gave me my foundation as a young adult discovering my place in the world. I originally trained as a painter but I have always had an interest in all art forms and I expanded my canvas (literally and metaphysically) to beyond this medium. Since then, travelling to Europe, Asia and across Australia has enriched my outlook of the world and people around me.

It was from here that I found my platform for a visual language that has led me on the journey that has bought me to where I am currently at today. Through my art work, images rich in layers and textures, I explore all that is intrinsically human and in particular feminine. The quote "the present is just a moment passed" sums up our fragile and changing existence and I think it also gives a glimpse into the world of what my art work explores.

My Art has always investigated issues of the psyche and how we portray and protect ourselves through layering and masking our true inner self as a means of adapting and protecting our wellbeing in the world and environment around us. As well as this, how we make our mark on an ever-changing and transient world, through our habits of memento; a vehicle of grasping time, place and proof of our existence, methods of remembering and establishing our collective heritage. Being an avid collector myself, I enjoy researching to discover the origins of objects and their history and then apply this knowledge to contextualise my own work.

My influences are first and foremost everything I see, feel and experience, but I've always had a great love of the Decorative Arts and Crafts; the Art Nouveau and Art Deco period; the great 20th Century Artists; and I have a great admiration for the artists of the Renaissance period, my favourite from this period probably being Botticelli where images of mythology and flora are in abundance.

I see myself as a bit of a Bowerbird (distracted by “sparkly things” since 1968) picking and choosing what applies to me.

My best advice for anyone looking to buy art as an investment is to buy what you love, because a happy heart is the best investment you can make, and the eyes are the window to your happy heart. Immerse yourself in what pleases you whenever your can as I personally believe that it is the journey and not the destination that is the so called meaning of life in this crazy world!