Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Meet Terri Edwards of Bits and Pieces Too

We all love getting to know the people behind the work, what inspires them and what drives their business.  Today we hear from Terri Edwards of Bits and Pieces Too.

1. Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself, and what drew you to your chosen craft?
I am a mixed media collage artist living in Richmond, VA with my family and beloved dog and three cats. Several years ago, after having dabbled in just about every medium out there, I was drawn to mixed media because it's such a versatile medium.  Anything goes, and there are no hard and fast rules.  There is plenty of room to experiment and play!



2: Who taught you how to do your craft, and how long have you been creating?
Aside from the four years of art I took in high school, I'm completely self-taught.  I have been creating in some medium for as long as I can remember.  I've  tried everything from macrame to decoupage to painting on glass.


3: How would you describe your style? Are there any crafters/artists/designers that you particularly look up to?
I love all things worn and vintage, and I like my mixed media pieces to have a combination of fun, whimsy and innocence, done with a vintage feel.  I also like to convey some sort of positive message or good "vibe" in my pieces.  I love the work of Flora Bowley, Marti Somers and Mandy Emerson.  Their works are a combination of styles that I like.


4: Where do you seek inspiration from?
Nature! I'm very aware of my surroundings and have always noticed the beautiful, simple gifts that nature offers.  Certain color combinations also inspire me, and i'll get the idea to do a piece with a particular color palette.  I also get inspiration from poetry and Bible scripture.


5: What are you focused on right now?
Creatively, I'm concentrating more on mixed media collage, with a focus on encaustics.  I'd also like to focus more on creating altered books, because of my love of reading and words.  For long term goals, I'd like to be published in one of Somerset Studio's publications.


6: What are your can't-live-without craft-room essentials?
Paper, paper and more paper! Also acrylics, oil pastels, inks and vintage ephemera.



7: How do you combat creative blocks?
I just step back and don't make anything for a while, until I'm ready to start again, and I've stopped beating myself up about taking breaks.  If I absolutely want to get something down on canvas I just play, and that usually leads to more of a flow.


8: Why should people buy handmade?
For me, all handmade pieces come with a piece of the artist or craftsman.  There's more individuality.


9: Anything else you would like to share and where can we find you?
Creating art has been a part of me for as long as I can remember.  So far, my greatest accomplishments and the thing I'm most proud of is that I've had pieces go to Japan, Australia, Isreal and England.  That is what I love most in addition to the obvious fulfillment of creating a piece, seeing where my pieces end up.  I welcome contact or questions from any and all, right here on Etsy!

You can find Terri Edwards and her wonderful makes at:

I would like to thank Terri Edwards for taking the time to write this wonderful interview and give us an insight into her world!
Clare Martin - DreamDifferently

6 comments:

  1. Thank you, Terri and Clare. A wonderful interview and Terri I love the vintage look of your mixed media pieces.

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  2. Love your pieces of art. They are full of expression and have a story to tell. I especially love the flying in dreams, as that is something I do too!!
    Anne

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  3. Terrific interview, Terri! So much fun getting to know a little more about evryone...thank you Clare:)

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  4. Beautiful artwork! Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Wonderful post of beautiful work. Very inspiring!

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