Q&A with The Painted Lily

What is your craft all about?

I am a collage artist and I work with vintage pieces of ephemera... antique advertisments, vintage wall paper designs, old personal letters and sheet music and my own handpainted pieces and photographs. I intricately shape these pieces together to create a finished piece of art that is romantic, poetic and exotic with a vintage flair.

What inspires you to make what you make?

I am inspired by both the past and the future. I love old images... photographs, letters, ads, anything that gives me clues to what life was like many years ago. Antique stores are some of my favorite places!I am also greatly inspired by music and song lyrics. Often times, a specific short lyric will stick in my head for weeks and, one day, something will "click." I'll suddenly be able to feel like I can capture the beauty of the words in images.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

The pieces that I am most excited about showing at the Handmade Mart will be my newest line of stone tile drink coasters. I have developed a special transparent technique to apply my images to these naturally beautiful pieces of stone tile. This technique allows for the texture and character of the stone to be featured. I am proud to have created a line of home decor products that are beautiful, useful and durable.

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

My work can be found in my online shop at http://www.thepaintedlily.etsy.com and more info can be found on my website at http://www.paintedlily.com.

Find me at booth #12!