AC Unveiled: Special Senior Edition!

This monthly Artisan Crafts feature showcases some of the best artisans that submit their work to dA, and to accompany their fantastic pieces are some Q&A with the artists to tell you all what they think of their work. This month we will be looking at the senior members who work with the Artisan Crafts! They help with projects like `seniormentors and their own alongside what they do on their account. This is an appreciation for those folks who make the AC galleries fun and the people we look up to.

Culinary

`Tomazz is known around dA as the person who creates beautiful, delicious looking meals that we all wish we could make. He heads the group ~CulArt which introduces its members and watchers to other culinary artists around the site. His own artwork has inspired many to start creating their own culinary arts dishes, and that sort of inspiration is why we look up to him on many levels.

Here are some questions I asked `Tomazz about their artwork.


What inspires you to post your artwork on deviantART?

Dishes I make in my restaurant, or when i go shopping in a local market and I see some products, idea's pop into my head





Do you get inspiration from browsing around other artist's galleries?

Sometimes, but there arn't so many culinary artists on dA





Is there another artisan crafts member that you look up to, either by their artwork or by the comments/critique they make?

I do like ~OutlawxVega , he's got some cool stuff

Costumes

There's a very wide assortment of costumes in `taeliac's Artisan Crafts gallery, as well as some accesories sprinkled in every now and again. Her costumes are usually very accentric and colourful making them a pleasure to watch unfold from her gallery. Using patterns and different coloured fabrics for her clothing makes them unique, and special in their own right.

Here are some questions I asked `taeliac about their artwork.


What inspires you to post your artwork on deviantART?

I'm not too sure what originally started it, but I know I continue to post because I love the community here. There is a huge diversity of artists and art styles; I love being able to post all of my different things here and not being limited to one particular art style on the site. I also really enjoy sharing what I know with others (even if sometimes I have a hard time expressing it in writing), and dA is a wonderful place to do this.





What about the artisan crafts gallery keeps you sticking around?

I love seeing things hand made! Growing up, my mother was always sewing, knitting or crocheting. My Uncle was doing stained glass, wood turning, building birdhouses and waterfountains. I love seeing the result of peoples ambitions made with their hands into tangible pieces, and I'm always amazed at what people come up with.





Do you get inspiration from browsing around other artist's galleries?

All the time! It is amazing what just hitting the "random deviation" button does, as well as browsing other people's favs. I'll see a color combination I fall in love with, and start thinking of something to make. Or, I'll browse other people's favorites, and see something I had somehow missed before, and be totally floored.





Is there another artisan crafts member that you look up to, either by their artwork or by the comments/critique they make?

I look up to a lot of people on dA, but I have to say the main person would be *Janes-Wardrobe. She has given me so many wonderful ideas, and helped me sort out odd problems so many times I cannot count. Not to mention, her corsets never ceace to amaze and inspire me.

Fiber Art

`Cosira's fiber artwork is colourful, fun and great to look at. I really enjoy the patterns she creates through her work because they always show very interesting designs and create some very cool textures. She is very active on dAmn; always helping people get their artwork more known but I think a lot of people don't know too much about her artwork, so check it out!

Here are some questions I asked `Cosira about their artwork.


What inspires you to post your artwork on deviantART?

Originally, I put up a couple pieces I made for friends or for characters on a roleplaying site I used to frequent. The response, not just from my friends but from total strangers, was astonishing and energized me in a way I hadn't been before. Prior to joining Deviant Art nearly two years ago now, I hadn't done any serious art or creative stuff for nearly ten years. Sad, I think. Anyway, the feedback and encouragement and friendliness of DA just opened a flood gate. 98% of every thing in my gallery and scraps (not to mention almost a hundred pieces that have since been deleted as I feel I have grown as an artist) have been made since I joined.

Since joining DA, I have gotten better at my embroidery. I have learned how to use a digital tablet and I have learned how to use copic markers (though I still need a lot of work in both). It is no exaggeration to say that none of this would have happened if not for Deviant Art and the people that make it up.





What about the artisan crafts gallery keeps you sticking around?

First of all, I like to make things. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and peace. Secondly, the Gallery Director, ^dedredhed really cares about the gallery and her caring is contagious.





Do you get inspiration from browsing around other artist's galleries?

I totally do. ~moonbaydesigns and *Giname are two of my favorites. They both blow me away. they give me something to aspire to, to measure my progress against.

There are dozens of others, of course. I invite people to look at my friends list and investigate some of the galleries of the people I'm watching. In fact, if you ever want to get to know anybody on DA, check out who they watch and what they favorite, it'll tell you as much or more about them than looking at just their own galleries.





Is there another artisan crafts member that you look up to, either by their artwork or by the comments/critique they make?

*Naboo-Girl makes the most amazing costumes. Her attention to detail blows my mind. Pretty much most of the really great sewers on this site make me wish my sewing machine hasn't been sitting in a box for four years, but I just can't seem to shake the needle and thread thing.

Metal Work

Corsets and jewlery, metal work and clothing, it is all done by `WaistedSpace. This artisan creates a wide variety of things that all can be seen in her gallery, all of which are fantastic! This spread out artisan knows what she is doing, and does it well. She isn't that well known, and her work definitely deserves some greater attention, so why not stop by after reading?

Here are some questions I asked `WaistedSpace about their artwork.


What inspires you to post your artwork on deviantART?

The way deviantArt is set up makes it easy for people to appreciate art of all mediums. I receive productive and helpful feedback from people with very different opinions and tastes, which I feel helps me in becoming a more creative and well-rounded artist.

I'm also very impressed with the noticible lack of political and beaurocratic issues that usually come with a large community. More importantly I notice a concscious effort to keep this sort of thing to a minimum - something I can't imagine is very easy, given how large and wide-spread DA is!





What about the artisan crafts gallery keeps you sticking around?

Being a small and less recognized section of deviantArt, I think artisan crafts has the advantage of being a tight-knit community while enjoying the exposure that deviantArt offers. I stick around artisan crafts simply because I like DA as a whole, and that is the gallery where my art belongs, but I also very much appreciate it as a valuable resource for its members.

Our gallery director is very approachable and interested in the well-being of the artisan crafts community, and her efforts foster an encouraging and non-competitive atmosphere, making artisan crafts an ideal place for artists to develop their talents.





Do you get inspiration from browsing around other artist's galleries?

Definitely - I'm not the kind of person who can just pull an idea out of thin air. I always need something, regardless of its significance to the final piece, to build ideas from. There are lots of talented artist's on deviantArt that I draw inspiration from, even if I just see a color combination that I like.





Is there another artisan crafts member that you look up to, either by their artwork or by the comments/critique they make?


It was after seeing a halter-top in her gallery that I first tried chainmaille. At the time I was completely focused on corsetry, and the femininity and delicate-looking nature of her pieces made me want to try incorporating maille with corsetry. Aside from artistic inspiration she's also always very supportive, and has been a great resource to others in the maille community by sharing her knowledge with others.

Woodworking

Beautifully clean, beautifully photographed, `Myana's woodworking is incredible. The details that she puts into her work are great, and I can't get over the fact that she continues to pull so many great pieces out of her bag. This talent is great, and I hope you don't mind me sharing it here with you.

Here are some questions I asked `Myana about their artwork.


What inspires you to post your artwork on deviantART?

The main reason is offcourse to show what I've done and hopefully get
constructive critique on it. To share and discuss with others and get an idea on how others view my pieces and learn from that.
I guess there's a little part of me that seeks appreciation too





What about the artisan crafts gallery keeps you sticking around?

I'm amazed by all the wonderful, cute, crazy, diverse and high quality crafts beeing submitted daily. There is such talented gathered in the Artisan Crafts gallery.
The positive, encouraging, cheering attitude and all the friends I've met through it just makes me warm and happy!





Do you get inspiration from browsing around other artist's galleries?

Ofcourse! And that always makes me wish I had more hours in a day to try new materials, new solutions and techniques.
It's mainly within my own craft I can test ideas and solutions I've been inspired to by other woodworkers, especially fellow cabinetmakers.





Is there another artisan crafts member that you look up to, either by their artwork or by the comments/critique they make?

There are many crafters on dA I look up to. =thebailey and ~beelzebubby for example - their talent and knowledge, their beautiful designs and new, fresh ideas and the encouraging and commenting on other artisans are very appreciated by me and others. Go check them out!

Leatherwork

`wolfsax shows that they have great talent for leatherwork by constantly producing great Dreamcatchers. Their gallery does not stop there, though, as they submit ornaments and pumpkin carvings regularly as well. The wonderful patterns that shin through with this gallery are simply inspiring and make you want to learn how to make her crafts.

Here are some questions I asked `wolfsax about their artwork.


What inspires you to post your artwork on deviantART?

Two things: the feedback and the challenge of improving on my latest design and seeing how that is accepted by my loyal watchers.





What about the artisan crafts gallery keeps you sticking around?

To see the vast variety of things that my fellow crafters can do and to watch their improvements. I also like to see what other deviants come up with for dream catchers.





Do you get inspiration from browsing around other artist's galleries?

On occassions, but most of my inspirations comes from trying to make something unique for a specific person, especially the dream catchers (which is why I only take commissions right now). I do get inspired to upload new stuff though by browsing other galleries





Is there another artisan crafts member that you look up to, either by their artwork or by the comments/critique they make?

There's really too many to list, I suggest just browsing. However, in terms of leatherwork, ~aberham and *BlackRoseBRP have both been a inspiration to pick up leatherworking again, which I dropped a few years back, and they've also been great in helping me relearn the craft. I suggest checking out their galleries if you're into leatherwork.







There it is! Artisan Crafts unveiled, showing you our senior members! Be sure to stay tuned for future articles and remember that if there is an artist out there that you think needs to be unveiled, send a note my way. :]