Your Daily Muse News

Marie opened her Etsy store in 10/12/09, she has taken the artistic jump into custom wedding top designs … this is a new type of interview for me so lets get started and learn more about Marie and her art !


DM: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
MY: For my full-time job, I am part of an amazing creative marketing team at Penn State that encourages adults to finish their college degrees. At work, I am surrounded by BLUE & WHITE. So when I get home, I like to use some other colors. I started Young Creative as a way to express myself outside of the restrictions of my day job.

On the home front, I'm married to my high school sweetheart, Rob. We started dating when I was 16. We've been together for more than 20 years now.


DM: What is your artistic medium?
MY: I work in mixed media. I love to put together things that vary in texture such as clay, paper, and fabric. Lately I’ve been jazzed about combining those elements into miniature sculptures for on top of wedding cakes.

DM: Where can your art be seen?
MY: You can see my cake toppers in my storefront at www.etsy.com/shop/youngcreative.

I also have a blog called Creative Sprinkle where I share projects that I’m working on. Those projects range from items for my wedding cake topper business to the 1940s inspired bathroom remodel I’m planning.


DM: When and how did you first become interested in your medium?
MY: My Mom has a love for everything crafty and she instilled that love in my sister and me.


DM: Once you decided to pursue your art, how did you start off, trial and error, books, classes, videos, formal schooling?
MY: Again my Mom is always trying out new techniques. She gets super excited about something and shows my sister and me how to make it. She also buys us a lot of crafting supplies for the holidays so we can afford to try new things. Beyond that I read books, magazines, and lots of blogs to get ideas.


DM: Out of what you tried, was there any particular thing that you would recommend to someone just starting out?
MY: Keep practicing. It takes time to learn something new. You get better each time you try.


DM: What do you enjoy most about working with your medium?
MY: It is really rewarding to start with a blank sheet of paper, or mound of clay, and end up with something beautiful. I get that “wow, I made that” feeling every time.


DM: What do you find the most frustrating?
MY: Sometimes I can see what I want to make so clearly in my head, but I don’t have the skills to create it. I may still create something nice, but it isn’t what I pictured so I am disappointed.


DM: Where do you find your inspirations for what you create?
MY: Craft shows and the web. I love sites like www.creativeeveryday.com and of course Etsy where I can be exposed to the work of lots of amazingly talented people.


DM: Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations:
MY: My favorite piece is a wedding cake topper that I just finished. I love anything old, so when I found a digital collage sheet at rubydoordesigns.com that featured old-time wedding photos, I knew I wanted to use it. I placed a copy of the photo into a hand-stamped clay frame that I created, and then I played off the feel of the black and white photo to carry the vintage feel throughout the piece.


DM: Have you ever experienced artist block and how did you overcome it?
MY: Most of my adult life has been spent in artist block. Growing up, I didn’t go anywhere without a sketchpad. I loved art so much that I majored in art history in college, but studying the work of great artists paralyzed me. I knew I would never be great, so I gave it up for a lot of years. I’ve only recently started to seriously pursue art again.


DM: What is the biggest mistake you have ever made as an artist? What did you learn from it?
MY: For me art is about creative freedom, yet at the same time I want to be able to make some money doing what I love. My biggest mistake is ignoring what I learned in my day job about marketing. I need to find a balance between the freedom I’m seeking and the strategic direction I need to take to be successful.


DM: Would you please tell about your studio set-up?
MY: We are lucky enough to have a finished basement with a private room in the back where I can work. My husband built me a custom workspace. The colors are super cheery: blue carpet and orange creamsicle walls. I also have everything in matching containers made from recycled shoe boxes that I decorated. My cats like the comfy chair in the corner.


DM: When is your favorite time to create?
MY: Saturday mornings. My energy is highest in the morning and that time is dedicated to my Penn State job during the week.


DM: What advise would you give someone starting out in this medium?
MY: Start by mastering the techniques. Take a class, read a book, and start practicing.


DM: Are there any artists that inspire you or that you admire?
MY: Some of my biggest inspiration comes from the graphic designers I work with. They are so talented. Many of the balance full-time work with outside freelance ventures so that gave me the courage to try something on my own. I also have tremendous amount of respect for my Creative Director, Herbert Reininger. He has helped me see that when I stop focusing on the stress of making deadlines or seeking perfection, my mind opens up and the ideas come.


DM: Marie, thank you so much for the look into a new and budding business ! We wish you much success and again enjoyed learning all about your art !

Till tomorrow … keep creating,
Tina aka Daily Muse