Meet The Boomers!

This week's interview is with Joan, from FairyFrond and SixSisters

1.What are the names of your shops ?
Sixsisters and Fairy Frond

2.What kind of items do you sell ?

Sixsisters sell mainly paintings and Aceos. I also have magnets. Fairy Frond is all fairy items but there are aceos, paintings, and small polymer clay items.

3.How did you find boomers and Etsy also ?
I found etsy in my local paper. There was a short article about a woman and what she was selling. I don’t even remember her shop now. Let’s see...BBEST I think I was looking for a way to connect more with people at etsy and heard about the various groups. The Boomers seemed the perfect fit for me and it was.

4.How long have you been engaged in your art / craft ?

You know that is very hard to answer because I have always been drawing for as long as I can remember. I have always thought of myself as an artist, even if I was not actively pursuing it. I have always seen myself this way.

5.Do you consider yourself a hobbyist or a professional craftperson ?

I have never thought of myself as a crafts person. Now I guess I do a little. In the art world they like to separate the two. It is some kind of weird snobbery which I think is way off the mark. Artists can be crafts persons and crafts people can be artists. I consider myself primarily an artist.

6.What inspires you ?

People, memories and watching everything around me. I love to people watch, I always have. I study how they move and hold their heads or the shape of their faces or eyes. Music is another way I get inspired. It triggers something in my mind that brings all sorts of images to me.

7.Please share with us what a typical day is like in you workshop or studio ?

I open the door, turn on the ac and the light I use to draw by. Then the ipod or radio is turned on. I survey the disaster scene and either decide to clean it up or just sit amongst the mess and start working. If I have something to photograph, I do that. If not, I just start mulling over what is on my mind and come up with a sketch or just start working with no sketch which often happens. I always go with the feelings I get; if it doesn’t make me feel a certain way then
it won’t turn out well. I can spend hours that way; some days it is only minutes.

8.What keeps you company while you are working on a project ?

I have to have music. U2, Bowie, Peter Gabriel, some classical , some electronic. Sometimes it has to be loud.

9.What is your favorite task related to your art/craft ?

Getting the materials ready, clean paper, clean workspace (sometimes). anticipation.

10.What is the least favorite task related to your art/craft ?

I would have to say photographing my work. I have little patience with it and I guess it comes from being finished with a piece of work and my interest in it is at a low ebb.

11.Would you care to share any words of wisdom with other aspiring artists / crafters ?

The only thing I can offer is that if you don’t love what you are doing then you are in the wrong place, it shows in the work. You have to have a passion for the work.


Please leave comments for Joan on this blog. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you!