Interview with Artist Michelley QueenofQueens on Etsy

Michelley QueenofQueens is a very unique artist who has found a home for her work on the website Etsy. She creates what she calls "whimsically disturbed fine art and crafts" that will easily evoke interest. Here is an interview with Michelley QueenofQueens that will give you insight into this creative individual's artistic desires and passions:

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your Etsy shop.

I'm Michelley QueenofQueens, and since I was small, I have been creatively compulsive. My Etsy shop is a reflection of all my artistic indulgences.

What inspires you to create?

I'm lucky enough to live next to the Pacific Ocean. Nature has always given me a mad moisty of ultimate inspiration. A good walk out in the organic world always gets the juices flowing after a dry spell.

Describe your creative process.

Before I actually get anything on paper, I must induce a mental tantric ache as I mull, poke, and prod my idea. When my brain-dam is simply about to burst, I rush into my studio space and bust out the goods before I reach critical mass.

What are some of your own favorite creations?

I always know I've done well when something I've made makes me giggle maniacally. When what I've done induces that laughter, it's something I want to evoke from others. Many of my paintings walk a fine line between the sacred and the profane. Works such as "Hysterical Bitch" come to mind immediately.

How do you want your craft and business to evolve?

I have a goal this year to revisit many of the projects that made me happy as a child.

What or who influences you as an artisan?

When something moves me to inspiration, I tend to fixate. I clearly remember this occurring for the first time with the wall of towels at Sears when I was around 5. I actually looked forward to going there just so that I could stare at all the colors on the wall.

What brings people to seek out your creations and what makes your work unique?

I've never been able to be anything other than who I am. Despite my influences, I'm unable to adapt or co-opt other artists' styles. For better or worse it's all me, all the time. I think people connect with my authenticity and the inescapable vein of whimsy I've discovered and mined since I was young. I remember what it was like to be a kid.

What choices have you made that helped your business the most?

The choices that I've made without regard to what others have opined have almost always been right and helped me move forward. There's no magical formula, you simply have to keep putting it out there, even if it gets a slap as a result.

What advice would you give to other artisans?

Never give up. Clutch your dream in your teeth by any extremity you can grab hold of, and don't let anyone unlock your jaw until you've fulfilled it.

Where can your creations be found (on the web or in shops)?

You can find my whimsically disturbed fine art and crafts at: http://www.queenofqueens.etsy.com or http://www.michelleyqueenofqueens.com.

I will be selling my wares in the flesh at the Patchwork Indie Arts & Crafts Festival in Long Beach, CA on May 15th 2011: http://www.patchworkshow.com/locations-long-beach.php.

If you're near Madeira Beach, Florida, you can also find a limited selection of my work at Pheeney's: http://www.pheeneys.com/.

Enjoy exploring the incredible artwork and crafts by Michelley QueenofQueens and all of the other wonderful Etsy artisans.

You can also see my own jewelry creations in my Etsy shop, ideology, here, and you can read more articles about the many creative Etsy artisans here.