Etsy Crafter

marcysmith — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:04:06 -0400

Jill of Orange Cat Art is busy getting ready for this weekend's Designers Downtown Market this weekend, but she took some time to share a bit about herself:

1. I've been interested in photography since high school, but it took some training from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at UNC-CH and a foray through the world of commercial photography before I decided to see if I could make a living shooting what I love. What I love to photograph is what I see in the natural world -- the colors, the shapes and patterns all around us. I'm lucky to live in North Carolina, where we have such a variety of landscapes to explore.

2. Orange Cat Art was created in 2004 when I began to print notecards of my images to sell in gift shops and galleries. My sister Sheri West Symanski also has a great eye, so her photos quickly became indispensable to our library. She lived in the mountains at the time, so if it's a great mountain or waterfall shot - it's probably one of hers!

3. I print all of our cards and prints myself. It's a lot of work, but there's nothing like personal quality control! Our notecards and calendars are printed on lightly textured watercolor paper that really gives them a hand-crafted feel. Our prints are made with the highest-quality archival inks and papers available.

4. Although we offer photography from all over the country, we think our North Carolina work sets us apart. Our notecard collections feature four different images in each set, based on a themes like geographical location (ie, the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC Coastal, or and Ocracoke Collections) or subject (ie, the NC Lighthouse, Springtime and Waterfall Collections). Also, our North Carolina Seasons desktop calendar is one of our most popular gift items.

5. There is an orange cat, and his name is Barclay. I'd have photos of him, but he is a better muse than model! I

Etsy Crafter

marcysmith — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:49:16 -0400

Katy Nash's shop is Sweetgrass Prints. Here are five things about Katy:

1. I live with my husband and two young kids in Apex. I am currently a stay-at-home mom, but prior to moving here two years ago from Boston, I called corporate America home 5 days a week. I am now fortunate enough to able to spend more time with my kids and work on my art.

2. I started Sweetgrass Prints in March 2008, after listening to my husband constantly tell me to get out there and sell my cards. All I needed was the first sale to give me the confidence that this was worth pursuing. Now, I use what ever free moments I have to create, organize, and research. It has been a way to fulfill my entrepreneurial spirit.

3. I get my inspiration from everything around me. It is the day to day things I encounter that give me ideas for my cards. I am constantly tearing out pages from fashion and decorating magazines and jotting down notes on random receipts from my purse. These ideas eventually turn into my next project.

4. My style is a bit preppy. I think I break the stereotype because I love bright colors and bold designs. My taste in music, art and design is very eclectic and I think shows in my shop.

5. I am very excited about the fall and holiday season. I am adding new designs everyday and I think my shop has something for everyone. I am also going to venture into the world of craft fairs and hope to be out and about in the Triangle art scene this year.

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Etsy Crafter

Etsy Crafter