Inspiring Eminent Blogger: Chris Emmert

Meet wonderful mosaic artist Chris Emmert today. I truly love and admire her art work. Read on to know more about Chris and her exquisite art work.

Welcome Chris, I am happy to have you here on Design Decor & Disha. Please introduce yourself.

I am a self-taught artist and have been creating many forms of arts and crafts for most of my life, but mixed-media mosaics are my passion! I enjoy using found objects and intriguing bits in creating a visually appealing piece of art……and ROCKS!~!!!

Upcycled Planter made by Chris

When and how you realized your passion about Mosaic Art.

I had a coffee shop that I sold in 2007 so I could focus on my art. I started listing on Etsy in September of  2010. Sales were slow to start but have steadily increased since.

Tell us when your artwork started getting recognized and you stepped into this business.

I do mostly garden stones and pet memorials that are very unique. By 2013 my name is becoming recognized and I get requests for custom rocks.

Garden Rock  done by Chris

What are the tools and materials you use for mosaic art and please share some tips for beginners.

In 98’ when I was making all the tables for my coffee shop, I did one in mosaic with broken up coffee cups. I used a hammer not knowing that there were special tools that make it easy to cut up pottery and glass. When I got my first pair of wheeled nippers I was in heaven.

Mosaic art on wine glass

How many mediums you have worked on. Which one is easy to work with.

Mosaics can be done on any surface. Around my house nothing is sacred. I just finished the guest

bathroom where I covered the sink in pebbles.

Mosaic art done by Chris in her Guest Bathroom

Which one is your favorite art piece and why.

My piece “Durango” is my all time favorite, mainly because of all the recycled materials I used in it.

Here is Durango

What other than mosaic art excites you.

I give rocks workshops and it’s so much fun to see my students get excited!!!!

Mosaic Mirror

Please share the links where we can find your Art work and where my blog readers can get connected with you.

http://ChrisEmmert.com
https://www.facebook.com/ChrisEmmertMosaic
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisemmert
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChrisEmmertMosaic
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AllAboutTheParty

Which blogs or web sites inspire you and you love to visit them regularly.

This is SAMA The Society of American Mosaic Artists, and I was able to attend the conference for the first time this year in Tacoma WA . It was so awesome meeting fellow artists and taking a few classes.

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Thanks a lot Chris for taking some time out to share about you and your art and being with us virtually.
I found Mosaic art such a beautiful art form and Chris has inspired me enough to create one art piece by my own, though I didn't have all the supplies available but I tried my best to give it a mosaic like look.

Have a wonderful weekend friends, have creative one!!

Check out other interviews under Inspiring Eminent Bloggers here.

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Inspiring Eminent Blogger: Deepti Mittal

Any guesses who is going to join us today. Well well well.....let me introduce you all enthusiastic readers out there. Joining us today is Deepti Mittal an Indian Folk Fusion artist who is painting Madhubani for more than 20 years now and is currently residing in USA.

Welcome Deepti, it feels so proud to have you here on Design Decor & Disha. Please let us know little more about you.
Thank you Disha for having me here.
I am an MBA Finance Gold Medalist from Christ College, Bangalore. I started as an analyst with CB
Richard Ellis in Bangalore in the year 2008 where I worked for 2 years. After getting married in Nov
2010, I moved to USA where I am residing currently.

Meet the artist Deepti Mittal

That's very impressive Deepti. You are an amazing Madhubani artist I have ever come across. When and how you realized your passion about Madhubani .
I was born and raised in Bihar where this art finds its origins. My mom played pivotal role in
introducing me to Madhubani Painting when I was just seven years old. Ever since then, practicing
this form of art has been a parallel routine. I started with making greeting cards for Birthdays and
Anniversaries as my mom insisted that we give hand-made cards to family on occasions. From there
on, I slowly moved on to even painting sarees, kurtas, etc. The vibrant, rustic patterns of this style
have always thrilled me and I take creative liberty in tweaking its innate styles to create new ones.

Artwork by Deepti Mittal

Great you started painting Madhubani at the tender age of seven. You have come long way.
You have a Google site also. Can you talk about what prompted you to start the
site. In what ways has it affected your passion for art.
Actually I fortuitously happened to create a Google site which now I am quite glad about. When I
started painting after coming to USA, I wasn’t sure I wanted to take it up professionally. My husband
helped me create this Google site which was meant for sharing my art work with our families. Later,
when someone asked for my site at exhibitions, this is what I referred them to and it consequently
became my official art site. Although I am planning to register a domain pretty soon.

I am excited to see all your amazing stuff on your own website. Wish you good luck for that.
What are the tools and mediums you have used so far for your paintings.
Brush is the primary tool that I use for all my paintings. Even though line-work (kachani) dominates
in this art, purists don’t use pens/markers which is what creates its beautiful imperfections. Other
than brush, there is a special type of nib that is available in India (mostly in Bihar) which a lot of
artists use for painting on fabric.

A very beautiful creation by Deepti

I have practiced this art in every possible medium such as oil, enamel, water color, acrylic, etc and
have extensively painted on walls, floors, clay pots, fabrics, canvases and now on wood, cardboard,
etc. Owing to its versatility, acrylic remains my favorite medium.

My favorite one. Beautiful painting with some good message by Deepti

Though it's not easy to pick but of all your art pieces which one is your favorite and why.
That’s a tough one as I get obsessed with every piece I paint. I can sit and stare at them for hours
together. It’s funny I know but I do that.
I think, of the lot, the first stool that I painted in 2011 is so far my favorite work. It was a very
complicated project and painting its legs took a lot of effort and time but I was very pleased with the
final result.

Done by Deepti in her own unique style

You represented Madhubani art - an age old art in a very trendy fashion, how did
the idea spark.
I would say following the policy of “Normal is Boring” led to this trendy style as it wasn't a conscious
or deliberate effort.
I was very bored of painting the same styles over and over again. Since I have been doing this art
for 20 years now, you can imagine how mundane it gets to paint the same types of motifs in every
next project. Probably this is why, I started experimenting and have created my own genres which I
call ‘Modern Madhubani’ and ‘Folk Fusion’.

Modern Madhubani by Deepti Mittal

Although looking back, I remember when I was in school, I had painted a couple of earthen pots
which were the left overs from Diwali Pooja. It was appreciated as Madhubani Painting on three
dimensional objects wasn’t very popular then. Also, when I was in college, I had made clay earrings
and painted them in Madhubani style which the veteran artists loved and appreciated. So I guess I
always liked to paint different from the set and popular trends.

Wooden boxes, Photo frames and dresser....list goes on.

I really love your unique style of  'Folk Fusion'. 
What other then painting you love to do in your spare time.
I make videos for my online classes which are very useful in spreading the word about this art
breaking all geographical barriers. I read quite a bit, both related and unrelated to art. I also write,
although have been on a sabbatical for sometime now and I love watching movies.
Also, when not doing serious painting, I do small craft projects which include little DIY crafts, upcycle
art, quilling etc. Of them, upcycle art is what I like the best – its so cool to make beautiful things out
of garbage.

Clay earrings: Deepti's creation 

Please share the links where we can find your Art work and where my blog
readers can get connected with you.
The best place to connect is:
Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/DeeptiDesigns
Website : https://sites.google.com/site/deeptidesignsonline/
Email : deeptinirdesh@gmail.com

Which blogs inspire you and you love to visit them regularly.
I do a lot of reading about art online and keep stumbling over some exuberantly creative material
almost every day. Its overwhelming to see the amount of creative brilliance out there.
However, I have bookmarked the following for regular access
We Lived Happily Ever After
Art Instruction Blog
Darlene Design

Last but not the least, as everyone dreams of being something in life, what you
have dreamed of.
My aim at this point of time is to create art of substance and to keep this fire of insane passion for
art ignited all along…
Thank You Disha!

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Thanks a lot Deepti for joining us. We wish you good luck and successful life ahead.
Now as always I get inspired by all the artists I feature on my blog and can't resist to create my own art piece, this time also I tried to paint Madhubani for the first time. Here's my creation all thanks to Deepti for inspiring me.

My first Madhubani Painting on pot and envelope.

See y'all until the next time. Enjoy your weekend and in case you have missed earlier interviews here the links are:

1. Interview with Tangle Artist Himadri Pachori

2. Interview with Quilling artist Suganthi

3. Interview with Artist Ritu Dua

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Inspiring Eminent Blogger: Ritu Dua

Today on 3D I am featuring a multi talented artist Ritu Dua who blogs over at 'Beneath My Heart Art'. Ritu is a wonderful artist and a very humble human being who has a dream of helping society and underprivileged children. Read on her interview and let her know what do you think about her dreams and passion.

Welcome Ritu, It feels so good that you are sharing something about you and your passion here on Design Decor & Disha. Please let us know little more about you.

Disha, thanks for giving me this chance to be here . I am humbled.

I have been a banker and a teacher but art and colors have been my all-time passion. I have loved to draw and paint since I was a kid. Right now, I have allowed myself to be drifted away with the flow of paints and my imagination and thoughts. It’s not only art that fascinates me but anything that is related to being creative makes my little heart smile.

Ritu's Krishna Painting

When and how you realized your passion about Painting.

As I said earlier, it has always been there! I engaged myself in other jobs but the urge to create has always been a part of my routine. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and am a proud mum of two amazing sons…touch wood…and they have been a constant source of inspiration to me. I have realized that it is when I immerse myself in my art that I discover the real ME within me and this certainly lifts my spirits up.

Budhha Painting

How you stepped into a blogging world. In what ways has blogging affected your passion.

If art is my first love, writing is second. Actually they run parallel to each other. Writing had always been in my heart like a candle ready to be kindled. So, it was last year in April that my elder son asked me to step into this wonderful world of blogging and I am extremely happy that I did.

My blog…Beneath my heart…Art…has not only enabled me to satisfy my lust for art but has also allowed me to pour my heart out in the form of my writings. I am at awe after entering this amazing world of blogging…such creativity…so much talent…I fall short of words.

And I would love to mention that in this journey of less than a year, I have met so many wonderful people here. Though we are all physically distant but I think this bond that art and creativity has created, is strong enough to hold us together for years to come and you Disha are one such beautiful friend I have.

Tangle Art done by Ritu

Thanks Ritu I am touched. Even I feel the same . Ok now I'll come to my next question how many mediums and techniques of painting you have worked on.

I have tried my hands on various mediums, I find water colors quite magical, the acrylics charm me with their brightness and the oil paints with their richness. But I feel mixed media is my forte and my fingers are my favorite tool. I have also worked with nib and pen, especially while doing zentangles.

A few months back I attended some sculpture classes and had the chance to work with clay. Oh, I must tell you that it is such an amazing feeling when your fingers play with that creamy cold clay. I found it quite an unforgettable experience.

Ritu's wonderful experience with clay

When I was in Tanzania, I worked with an interior designer and created some large murals for a penthouse. I would cherish those creative moments forever.

I also love creating art from trash. While in Delhi I associated myself with an NGO and held a workshop for under privileged children teaching them to create artistic things from waste.

So basically it is anything artistic, colorful and creative that makes my world go round.

Beautifuly done Kettle by Ritu

Which one is your favorite medium and why.

I love doing artwork in mixed media. It not only gives me freedom to play with so many mediums in one go but also satisfies my urge to create differently. It helps me to translate all my ideas into reality. In the process I achieve a result which is enhanced by the properties of various mediums and is much beyond what I could have achieved using only one medium.

In short I find mixed media quite adventurous as it allows me to paint my own rainbows.

What inspires you to paint. Is it nature, human, everyday life or something else.

I get quite intrigued by faces...faces that evoke beauty, love and tranquility.

Chirping birds (peacocks being my favorite), bright flowers, tranquil sea, white fluffy clouds …oh the list is non-exhaustive.

I also get fascinated by all things Indian …various forms of folk art in bright and cheerful colors.

Peacock painting: Ritu's fascination for birds

What other than Painting excites you.

I love cooking too. We are pure vegetarians and I love trying out different dishes.

Cooking wholesome, colorful and healthy meals for my family and friends gives my pleasure abound.

The sight of bright colorful vegetables in the market enchants me.

I don’t refrain myself from giving my cooking a touch of my art.

After all cooking is a form of art too.

Besides this,I like to decorate my house and try to create an ambiance that makes me and my family delighted after a tiresome day.

Please share the links where we can find your Art work and where my blog readers can get connected with you.

My Blog : Beneath my heart…Art

You can also connect with me on my Facebook page Beneath My Heart Art

Which blogs inspire you and you love to visit them regularly.

This is a very difficult question because there are so many bloggers out there and each one of them has their own style of writing and doing things. They all touch my heart in some way or the other. I derive so much pleasure visiting them and having a glance at their beautiful creative world.

Last but not the least, as everyone dreams of being something in life, what you have dreamed of.

Oh Disha this is the loveliest question you have asked. Each day I want to wake up with a smile and go after life…live it, paint it in my own way, feel it and celebrate it and that’s it.

I would like to open an Art café where people like me can come and live some unforgettable moments filled with cheerful colors. I also wish to pay back to society by helping children who are not so blessed by sharing a part of my resources with them, educating them and helping them live a happy life.

Thanks Disha for having me here.

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Wow that was so inspiring and nice interview with a lovely lady Ritu. Thanks once again Ritu for taking out sometime for answering all my questions.

Well like Ritu sometimes I also allow myself to be drifted away with the flow of paints and result is always soul satisfying. Here is artwork that I had done years ago and then one fine day decided to dip my fingers in color and gave facelift to it.

Art done by me

See y'all untill next time. Enjoy your week and in case you have missed earlier interviews here the links are:

1. Interview with Tangle Artist Himadri Pachori

2. Interview with Quilling artist Suganthi

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Inspiring Eminent Bloggers: Suganthi

Blogger who is with us today is Suganthi who blogs over at Daydreams. Suganthi is very talented Quilling artist and has been blogging about this art for more than three years now. Her each and every quilling project is so unique and looks masterpiece. You have to see it to believe it. 

Welcome Suganthi, I am very excited to have you here on Design Decor & Disha. Please let us know little more about you.
I am a stay at home mother of two teenage boys. I studied to be a computer engineer, after my marriage I started to explore my aptitude for arts and crafts.

When and how you realized your passion about Quilling.
While looking for a tutorial on folding trees website I found a tutorial for a quilled snowflake, I fell in love with quilling that instant, the simplicity of the shapes and the materials used drew me to it. I found even my first pieces being admired and that got me started.

Quilled Floral Pattern

Can you talk about what prompted you to start the blog. In what ways has blogging affected your Quilling.
Me and my son one day in December  2009 just started a blog and posted my first two works just for fun, since starting a blog is so easy, I did not take it seriously until other bloggers started appreciating my work and following me ,Blogging has helped me learn so much in such a short time from other bloggers and from my own experiments. Every quiller has an unique style and bring something fresh to quilling which no one book can give. It is a great learning experience.

Quilled Daisies

What are the tools you use for Quilling.

There are so many new tools for quillers today, I used a slotted tool for rolling but my favorite is a needle tool. I use a needle tool for all my favorite projects. 

3D Quilling

 Of all your Quilling projects which one is your favorite and why.

My Quilled Durga is my most favorite, it was not easy but I am most happy with it. It is so far my biggest project.

What are the future projects you will be doing.

There are so many techniques which I am yet to try, I would like to do more quillography like my New year post.

What other then Quilling you love to do in your spare time.

I like to read books, sew, learn to crochet and story telling .

Please share the links where we can find your Art work and where my blog readers can get connected with you.

This is where I blog http://papercraftss.blogspot.in/, you can also find me on Facebook 

http://www.facebook.com/quilltocreate?ref=hl

Spring Flowers

Which blogs inspire you and you love to visit them regularly.

Ann Martin's http://www.allthingspaper.net/  is my greatest inspiration. Ann features great paper artists and she is also my quilling inspiration. 

Last but not the least, as everyone dreams of being something in life, what you have dreamed of.

I dream of quilling big frame works. I love making quilled jewelry. I would love to grow in that direction .

Thank you Suganthi for being with us. I wish you all the best for your future and may all your wish come true. Now a request to my blog readers to visit Suganthi's lovely blog and shower your love by following and commenting.

Now time to show how I got inspired by Suganthi. Sharing image of quilled heart, more about this in my next post so stay tuned. 

Image mine

P.S. All images are Suganthi's and are subject to copyright.

For more regular updates like my Facebook page here. Thanks!!!

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Inspiring Eminent Blogger: Himadri Pachori

New year and new beginning.......from today I am starting a very new and of-course interesting series called 'Inspiring Eminent Bloggers'. This series will feature interview of bloggers who have excellence in their field.... interesting isn't it !! 
First blogger to feature here who caught my attention and I was totally awestruck by her artwork is very talented and inspiring Himadri Pachori who blogs at My Zen Mode.  Looking  at her blog header itself can give you a fare idea that how talented she is.

Blog Header: By Himadri

 
Welcome Himadri, I am really very happy to have you here on Design Decor & Disha. Please let me and my blog readers know little more about you.
Thank you so much Disha for inviting me and giving me the opportunity to share my story with your readers. I am 29 years old. I am married to a wonderful and very supportive man. We have a four year old son and currently we are in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. I studied Advertising and Public Relations in college and worked in that field for some years.

Himadri Busy Tangling

When and how you realized that art is your passion and when you started Tangling?
My first memory of Art is of standard one and over the years I found myself getting attracted towards beauty of art, paints, paintings and sketching. But it took me many many years to tell myself that I want to be an artist, that art is very important for me and then voicing these inner desires to the people around me. It was after my marriage five years back that I decided to work on this dream.
In these five years life was very busy. We shifted our home nine times and in different parts of the country + I gave birth to my son in 2008. I shared my love of art with him and enjoyed it thoroughly, although I didn’t paint or drew much for myself. It was only last year (December 2011) that I saw some Zentangle Inspired Artworks on Pinterest and I immediately knew that it was for me. “Leaves from my garden” was my first Tangle work.

Himadri's Beautiful Artwork

How you started writing a blog and how you find blogging?
I started blogging in May 2010 when I started my blog first blog Mum Paints Lives. I started it to journal my kid’s growing up years, to share the art and fun activities we do. I loved it but I have been irregular with my blogging. I am now focusing on my art blog My Zen Mode that I started last year. Blogging is a beautiful way of documenting and it feels really good to go through our older posts. I’d definitely try to be regular with my art blog.

What are the tools you use for Tangling?
I use Micron Pens. For colors I use water colors and acrylics. I work on paper and sometimes on canvas as well.

Lovely Tangles By Himadri

Would you please share some tips with my blog readers on how to draw Tangles.
Tangle Pattern Website is a very good resource for this. My Pinterest Board can also give you a glimpse of tangle artworks from many artists.

What inspires you the most?
Nature, Women, Tribal art, I enjoy looking for inspiration around me, places I go and in everyday life.

Nature, Women inspired art

 Other then Tangling what are the things that you love to do?
I like working on seasonal crafts for my home and crafts for festivals. I really enjoy art and creative projects with my son.

Please share the links where we can find your Art work and where my blog readers can get connected to you.
My artwork can be seen on my Etsy Shop and my Society 6 shop. I have a Facebook Page and my art blog is My Zen Mode.

Which blogs inspire you and you love to visit them regularly?
Artful Parent, Stephanie Levy, Alisa Burke, Kelly Rae Roberts, Mommy Labs,Creative Kismet. All of these are very creative women and reading these blogs fills me with a lot of positive energy.

Last but not the least, as everyone dreams of being something in life, what you have dreamed of?
I have dreamed of becoming an Artist. I am working on this dream and want to be an artist who puts her heart in her art and is true to herself.


Thanks a lot Himadri for answering all my questions it gave me a feel like I spent some quality time with you. Thanks for sharing tips and your love with my blog readers, we all are very thankful to you.
As I have told you that I am very much inspired by Himadri's artwork, I also tried my hand on Tangles and here is my artwork

My First Tangle Art

Hope you all enjoyed this series. Please let me know through comments as it means a lot to me. Share some suggestions or feedback. 

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