With the opening of this blog I would like also to introduce a new section.

This is the Interview section which will host an interview with a talented and gifted artist each month!

Interview with Annuk Creations

For the month July I have the honour and pleasure to host the sweet person and talented artist Anna of AnnukCreations!

Anna will guide us through her artistic journey and she will share with us pieces of her art and herself! Welcome Anna…

First of all let me thank you, dear Katerina, for giving me the opportunity to talk about me and my work!

Katerina:  Can you describe a normal day of your life?
Anna: Well, apart from creating jewelry I teach German in private language schools. As my students are mostly adults, usually classes take place in the afternoon and evening, so I can get up late, which suits me best as I’m a “night owl”. I’m most active and creative in the evening and at night! My days tend to vary a lot as I don’t have a fixed timetable for work, but typically I use the late morning for writing, reading, taking care of my plants and especially my beloved kitty girl Zoe! In the afternoon I have lessons or when I’m free I devote my time to creativity. In between I check my emails and any news on Etsy! In the evenings I usually just relax, continue any creative projects I have started and spend time with my kitty. This when I’m not at my mom’s home… My mom lives in a small village close to the mountains, where I have wonderful walks in the woods, enjoying nature and peace!

K.: Which is the best memory of your childhood?
A.: There are many happy memories… but I would say the lovely summers I spent at the seaside with my parents, grandparents and my cousin Sylvia!

TREASURE OF THE SEA 3 Handpainted Resin Ring

K.: When did you realise that you are interested in art, not only theoretically? I mean, when did you start also to be actively involved?
A.: Well, I must say I have been creative my whole life! Before kindergarten I already loved to draw, and in elementary school I really enjoyed it! As a child, when people would ask me what I want to be when I grow up, I used to say “a painter”. Then I actually studied Foreign Languages and Literatures in High School and at University, but my love for art and creativity stayed with me all the way. Creativity has been part of me my whole life, it has only gone through different phases. I have always loved to create things with my hands – be it Christmas or birthday cards, Christmas decorations or decorations for the home… and of course jewelry :)!

K.: What was the first piece of art that you created and which materials did you use?
A.: This is related to my previous answer – I could say my first drawing as a little child! But if you mean my first piece of art jewelry, this came much later. After a time of making jewelry for me and my friends and family just using beads, I started experimenting with new materials: I wanted to really “create” an object, giving it a shape and color – a plastic creation. So I discovered polymer clay, a fantastic medium and my first experimental material – that was about 10 years ago.

FLAME Handpainted Wood Art Earrings

K.: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
A.: My inspiration comes from the things I love, it’s a very personal expression of my feelings. I love traveling and much of my work reflects the memories of places I love. I also like to bring back from my trips beautiful and unique glass and ceramic beads and cabochons, and found pieces such as ceramic shards and beach pottery to incorporate in my work or use as focal pieces. In recent years, one of my main sources of inspiration has been the LIGHT and COLOR of the Aegean Islands and Sea, as I spend part of my summers there and love the blues, whites and greens of the islands, the glorious blue skies and sea.

K.: How do you get motivated to create new jewellery? (What are the driving forces/feelings/thoughts etc. that move you?)
A.: I can spend long times without creating much, then suddenly inspiration strikes me and my mind is just bursting with ideas! I think it’s a kind of creative force from within, it’s not really linked to any particular times – I’ve had very happy times where I wasn’t creative at all (probably I was creative in other ways) and the other way round. Inspiration just strikes me, it’s a mystery to myself too! Usually I gather pieces I like (for example from trips), then I just let them “sit” – often on my very full desk 🙂 – until the pieces themselves “talk” to me and I suddenly know what I want them to become. This happens to me a lot!

BLUE WAVES 2 Glass Ring

K.: What are your favourite colours and materials?
A.: I love light and color, and I love vibrant happy colors! I especially love orange and and all shades of blue. My favourite materials include wood, acrylic paints, polymer clay, glass, metal sheets and found pieces such as ceramic shards and beach pottery, but as I love experimenting the possibilities are really unlimited! My latest production has focused on the use of different paints and mediums, so I returned to my childhood’s dream: painting :)! I love to create miniature wearable paintings that are evocative of places I love!

K.: How would you describe your items?
A.: I would describe them as eclectic, colorful, experimental jewelry! Or, as I love to say: wearable art.

SYMI SUN DIAL Polymer Clay Pendant

K.: Since you are an Etsy seller yourself, do you have any useful advices for other Etsy sellers?
A.: Oh I’m such a “young” seller on Etsy :))! But my advice is definitely to take the best pictures you can of your items, as this is the only direct contact customers have to your creations. And another advice is to get in touch with other artists and share ideas! Joining a Team is useful too, in order to get more support. There are so many wonderful and talented people on Etsy, like YOU dear Katerina, and sharing experiences with other creative people has been such an enriching experience! And the friendships that are growing through this go far beyond just simple professional sharing!

K.: Can you describe with 10 words the person behind Annuk Creations?
A.:  OK, I’ll try :)… Dreamer Artist Free-thinker Libra Sensitive Animal-lover Nature-lover Traveller Idealist Romantic

ISLAND SUN Handpainted Wood Art Ring

Anna thank you so much for sharing with us your beautiful artistic world, your thoughts ideas and memories! It was a great opportunity to have you here and to learn some things more about your work and you as a person! I wish you, from the bottom of my heart, all the best in your personal and professional life!

The colourful and vibrant jewellery of Anna you can find on her Etsy shop: AnnukCreations.etsy.com

More information about the person Anna you can find on her interesting and interactive blog: http://annukcreations.blogspot.com/

Interview by Katerina Perouli

© July 2010. All rights reserved.