"I’ll study a flower for hours and then try and capture it’s most striking qualities while leaving it isolated to make it truly stand out."
My featured seller is a self taught artisan who loves to work with different mediums, charcoal, paints, and pastels to name a few. She hopes to bring more of these works into her Etsy shop. Another passion is jewelry making. I've had the pleasure of chatting with her and found her works exquisite and unique. I'd like to share with you a little about...
and her lovely Etsy shop
We hope you enjoy...
Tell us a little about the person behind the scenes at In Bloom Gallery.
I graduated from college with a degree in History and English. I took a couple art classes but never thought I’d be able to make a career out of it, so I moved on. Years later I find myself having given into that artistic side and embracing it. I’m self-taught in both my drawing/painting as well as jewelry making. I’ve often thought of taking up photography as well.
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What does handmade mean to you?
Something that has been created with the utmost thought, love and care.
How did you come to name your shop "In Bloom Gallery"?
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From where do you gain your inspiration?
From everywhere, really; I’m constantly looking at what people are wearing and find myself automatically thinking of what I like about it as well as what I would change about it.
Colors and shapes are inspiring as well…if I find a particular combination I love, the search to find components to make the perfect piece begins.
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Inspiration for my artwork mostly comes from nature - there’s something about the classic, graceful, simplistic beauty of nature that I love to try to capture. I like things designed with clean lines, and I suppose I try to translate that as well.
What do you find most challenging in the creation of your works?
If something’s not quite right I’ll take it apart and start from point one…meaning lots of materials are wasted at times. But if I’m not completely satisfied with the way something turns out, I can’t stand it and immediately start over.
Your shop offers a nice variety of items. Do you have a favorite?
Lots of favorites…ha ha; in the art category I would say the Tulip Tryptich…
in the jewelry category I would say the Chan Luu style bracelets with cube beads and any of the wire wrapped earrings.
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Where can one go to find and learn more about In Bloom Gallery?
In Bloom is on both Facebook and Twitter – follow/like us for sale notices, coupon codes, etc!
Facebook: In Bloom Gallery
Twitter: In Bloom Gallery
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On the lighter side....
One word that describes you best?
I would say determined. My husband begs to differ and has actually made up his very own word to describe me: “Symplexity.” He defines it as: Desires are simple but reaching them can become complex. I don’t know what to think of that, ha ha!
Ahha! I Googled the word "symplexity" just out of curiousity to see if I'd find anything and here's a definition I found: "At the edge of meaning in the age of chaos". I prefer your husbands definition!
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What was the craziest or wildest thing you've ever done?
I suppose getting a tattoo could make the list…
or piercing my own nose with nothing more than ice cubes and a needle – that hurt. Nose piercing is long gone, tattoo is still there.
Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4! Ouch!
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What if any, was your most embarrasing moment?
Oh, good question! I say that because it happened recently, and even as I type this I’m shaking my head. I was working on a new bracelet one afternoon and thought I smelled something strange, so I went to check it out. There seemed to be a light haze of smoke in the back area of the house but I figured it was just the dryer vent or something, so I turned the dryer off and went back to work. About ten minutes later I went back to double-check and the smoke had increased – a lot. It was pretty bad, so I figured something must be on fire, called 911 to have it checked out. I was thinking maybe a fire truck would come out and see what was going on. Well…not one, but three – yes three – fire trucks roared up to the house, accompanied by at least 2 unmarked trucks and I don’t know how many other vehicles with flashing lights.
and stormed toward the house. So what was the culprit you ask? The AC unit was overheating – and sure, the firemen and later the AC repairman said it was good to call because there was a part that was seriously melting,
but did it warrant three trucks, backup vehicles/volunteers, and axes?
Probably not. Ok, definitely not – but in my defense, how was I supposed to know where the smoke was coming from? So, so embarrassing. And probably the worst part is that after they all left, I turned to my husband and said, "I can’t believe they had to come in here when it’s so messy – I didn’t get the chance to clean today".
Yes indeed, that’s the odd way my brain works.
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Living or deceased, what famous person would you most like to meet?
Edgar Allan Poe would make the top of the list.
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And lastly....
If Guiness asked you to set a worlds record, what would it be and why?
Probably the ability to get out of social situations; I have anxiety issues and can pretty much work my way around anything. Ha ha!
All in good fun Leesa!
We hope you enjoyed getting to know a little about Leesa and hope you'll stop by for a browse of her shop
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