Friday, January 23, 2009

Meet Jeannette Of GigisDesigns's



Meet Jeannette Of GigisDesigns's
You can visit her shop here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5107597

How many years have you been an artist?
I've always enjoyed exploring different mediums of art. I've tried painting, sculpting, fiber art, wood burning, anything that helps me release all the ideas bouncing around in my head.

How many years have you worked with glass?
I have been working with glass for 3 years.

What triggers ideas for new projects?
I think I'm mostly inspired by fabric patterns and colors and I love when something is blooming. Whether it's in my yard or in a photo in a magazine. The colors and shapes get me sketching and planning. I'm a very visual person and everything that I see influences me in some way.

When do ideas come to you? How often?
My ideas come from everywhere. I seldom have to sit down and try to think of a new project. Mostly, ideas come to me when I'm in need of something and I tell myself that I can just make it. Or friends and family will say that they are looking for something in particular and I'll come up with a way to make it for them. I tend to do this often and find myself saying, "No problem, I'll just make it for you."

What percentage of the day do you think about or work on your art?
I'd have to say 85% of the time I'm doing something with glass. Since I'm set up at home, I'm surrounded by it. It doesn't matter if it's during the day when the kids are at school or if it's late at night, I'll squeeze in some glass time.

Do you create daily?
It might not always be with glass, but I do create something daily. If I don't, I get sad or grumpy or both. If it's not glass, then it's photography, sewing, painting, coloring, sketching. Even gluing stuff together makes me happy. Is that too much information?

How important is it for you to create art?
Creating is very important to me. I enjoy making art for my home and to share with people around me. I believe everyone should have art in their lives.

Do you feel that choosing the artist’s life has been a sacrifice?
Have you given up certain luxuries?
I don't think that I had to sacrifice anything. The luxuries, I can do without. I love that I'm able to do this. My husband, Jeff is a wonderful, supportive person. He's the one who had to sacrifice the third bay of our garage for my work shop.

Describe your studio.
My studio takes up the 3rd bay of our garage and only sometimes spills over into the kitchen. I have an old school table that I bought for $15 at the ASU Salvage yard. It's the perfect height to sit at and work and it has these very convenient cubbies underneath that hold some molds. I also have a higher table that I made from a wire shelf unit and MDF. I have a Skutt Kiln that is terrific to work with. I think I'll have to give her a name since I spend so much time with her. My studio is insanely hot during the summer months and wonderfully cool the rest of the year. I try to keep it clean, but that doesn't always happen.

Tell me something about you.
I guess I'll start at the beginning... I was born in Ashtabula, OH and moved to Arizona with my parents and sister when I was five. I grew up running around on the hot desert dirt as a kid and now my kids are doing the same. I've been married for 14 years to that wonderful guy who gave up 1/3 of the garage and we have a son, Nate who is 13 and growing out of his clothes as I write this. We also have a 10 year old daughter, Maddie who dances through life with a smile on her face. She inspires me to not sweat the small stuff.I went to school to get a degree in art history, but instead got one in interior design. I'm addicted to home remodeling projects and I love the smell of paint and wood as a saw cuts through it. (I know, sounds weird.) I got interested in fused glass when I took a class one summer and I haven't looked back.I have two dogs, Louis a maltese/poodle mis and Cooper, a maltese/shih tzu mix. They are cute and cuddly and I love their little faces.

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