Interview with INGERMAAIKE from Norway,Travelling Around Europe 4 - June

This Month we are going to Scandinavian part of Europe , NORWAY to meet with dear INGER aka Ingermaaike
I am sure most of EST  (Europeanstreetteam) fellows know her and her amazing FELTED creations !

Flower of felt MADE TO ORDER

Last week Inger was in Istanbul. We met with Inger in a dinner organized by Kris aka evihan. We had very enjoyable dinner, it was really big pleasure to meet "face to face" with  a super natural and straightforward  woman as Inger :)

Summer cloud nuno scarf

Let's learn more about Inger and her country Norway !

Tell us a bit about yourself , your daily routine: My days are simple and quiet mostly, I walk my dogs, create something,read a little, spend some time on the net. Nothing much spectacular or noteworthy. I love the silence of where I live. I can go walking for hours and not meet a single other person. The air is fresh and green and the sky is bluer than I have ever seen anywhere else.

Your horoscope : My horoscope isTaurus, but I have to admit that I do not believe the time at which I was born has any bearing on my character...my genes and upbringing are what make me what I am.

Your favorite foods: Turkish and Indonesian food are the most delicious!

Your favorite musics: I am no great music lover, but if pressed for a choice my all time faves are the Finn brothers from NewZealand.

Your favorite films: Anything by Tim Burton, I love films with a bit of a dark side pleasantly packaged in colorful humour.

The most thing you like ? - the most thing you hate ? : I love very much happiness and laughter and absolutely hate narrowminded negativity. Finding a problem is easy to do most people are too fast to think there is no solution and then moan about it..better spend that energy finding an improvement.

You are from an amazing Country, Could you give us Top 5 Reasons to visit  Norway ? We would like to hear your recommendations, please be our guide!

Norway is not a country you visit for the food, many ancient buildings or huge cultural offerings. They are to be found of course, but in limited supply. The land itself amply makes up for this by being utterly spectacular. Built up of rugged mountains and deep fjords you will find wilderness a plenty here. Far north the tundra and near permafrost can be found, hardly a tree you see on the windswept plains.

Close to where I live we have waterfalls, wild rivers for rafting, quiet lakes for padding and fishing, mountain trails that are well marked stretching from here to eternity. Across from my home on the other side of the river is the famous pelgrims route from Jerusalem via Santiago de Compostella to Nidaros.

Deer and elk are frequent visitors, there is even rumoured to be a bear living around these parts. Sheep run free all summer to be collected just before the frost starts.

6 Months of the year we are snow covered and cross country skiing is a national pasttime, trails are prepared that stretch for miles and miles. Close by we have 3 downhill skiing resorts which are frequented by those tired of the endless waiting lines in the Alps.

People wishing to be indoors and abhor getting dirty Norway is not the place, love of nature,wildness and a healthy stamina are required for enjoyment to the fullest.

There are 4 major cities in Norway well worth visiting, they are tiny compared to most cities in the world, but clean, safe and boasting wonderful architecture of the well known Norwegian wooden houses.

Let's talk about your art!

When and how did you start making felted creations? I started felting about 7 years ago after following a workshop. This one workshop gave me a good basic understanding of the mechanics of felting and from there on I just experimented. Searched far and wide for the perfect resources and supplies tomake soft felt that moves.

Fallen leaves felted scarf

Where can your creations be seen? On flickr, etsy and on my blog you will find many of my works and if you are interested in learning yourself you can follow classes on  http://craftedu.com/

When and how did you first become interested in your medium? Fiber has always been a big love of mine, any fiber. And if you take it to its widest interpretation also wood and leather can be included.

Did you have a formal training in your medium or attend any courses? One workshop and endless experimentation have led me to where I am now. I am hard to teach, far too stubborn ....

What do you enjoy most about working with your medium? I love the feel of fiber in my fingers, seeing how my skill improves. Learning is my passion!

Where do you find your inspirations for what you create? Nature is my muse, she is all around me. When I look out my window I see color,texture and shape as only nature can create, these I try to emulate, to create works that evoke the feeling of the magnificence of my country's nature .

Handmade indie artisan felted wrap skirt

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations:I have no favorite, every next creation is my new favorite..

Handmade nunofelted summer wrap

Would you please tell about your creative space and studio set-up? For now the kitchen table is my space but soon I will have a huge barn to work in, start workshops and set up my tools.

What advise would you give someone starting out in this medium? Dare to use your imagination.

Custom made felted crown.

How has your country’s Culture influenced your art ? Not so much the culture as the nature which is all around me.

Are there any artist that inspire you or that you admire? I am not very much at home in the art world, but Klimt (http://www.gustavklimtcollection.com/  )has always had a special place in my heart. I love the colors and shapes used.

Anything else you wish to share? Life is fun, laugh,dance and be merry. It will make others happy too which is the best gift anyone can give.

Thank you so much for this great interview dear Inger, it was really pleasure to know you! If you would like to see Inger's  other great creations, please have a look at her magical shop : http://www.etsy.com/shop/ingermaaike

Interview with GR8JEWELLERY from MALTA / Travelling Arround Europe -2

This week we are going to Malta to meet with Joanne from gr8jewellery.etsy.com  She is a great  jewellery artist specialising in beadwoven jewellery.

Meandering Through The Enchanted Forest - Beadwoven Bracelet

Let's learn more about Joanne and her great country Malta !

Tell us a bit about yourself, your daily routine:
My name is Joanne and I am married with two sons, aged 10 and 12. I do not work outside the home, and I plan my day according to my sons’ activities. On schooldays I wake up early, at 6.15am, to wake up the boys and help them get ready for school. Their school day starts really early and by 7am they have to be ready to leave. Once they’ve left I get on with my own things, which includes checking my email, staying involved on Etsy and spending some time with my Etsy friends, working on my online shop which means creating new things, taking photos, paperwork, etc., and of course doing any work around the house that needs to get done.

Your horoscope:Aquarius.
Your favorite foods: I eat almost anything, and there’s very little I don’t enjoy! :)
Your favorite music:Definitely Rock. I was a teen in the 80’s, but didn’t enjoy the music played at the time, always choosing to listen to the great British and American Rock bands and artists of the 60’s and 70’s, such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan of course and so on. I grew, but kept my disinterest in the pop scene and still prefer Rock and Alternative. I’m generally quite lazy to choose music while I’m working, so I leave my radio on a Classical station and work quite happily to that.

Your favorite films:It’s hard to choose, because it’s very rare that I don’t enjoy a movie I’m watching. I can equally enjoy a good thriller or action movie as much as a comedy or animated film. My all time favourites that immediately spring to mind include The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Once Upon a Time In America, Silence of the Lambs, Moulin Rouge, Almost Famous, Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill I & II. When I need a good laugh, British comedy’s the thing for me - Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and Bottom are top of my list.

The most thing you like? - the most thing you hate ?
I like good food, good music, a good book, a cosy evening watching a movie with my family, the sea, the sun, holidays.
I hate politics, harassers and persuaders, liars, gossipers, conformity and mediocrity.

You are from an amazing Country, Could you give us TOP 10 Reasons to visit Amazing MALTA ? We would like to hear your recommendations, please be our guide :- )

1. The climate! The Maltese Islands, made up of Malta, which is the largest, followed by Gozo and Comino together with a some other very small Islands, are located in the centre of the Mediterranean, just below Sicily. We have approximately 300 days of sunshine in a year, so being able to enjoy sightseeing is possible whenever you visit.

2. Our history. 7,000 years of civilisation and a story wherever you look. An incredible wealth of history can be found on our tiny Islands. You can find Megalithic Temples spread over Malta and Gozo, some dating back to 3600BC which makes them among the oldest known freestanding structures in the world, Roman mosaics, magnificent fortifications and churches, baroque buildings built by the Knights of St. John, there is something to please everyone.

3. Entertainment - great nightlife and a number of festivals and cultural events guarantee you’re never bored.

4. Local customs and traditions, including the Maltese Festa.
Brass bands, food stalls, fireworks and fun all combine to make the Maltese Festa an event you’ll remember, and with nearly 60 Maltese feasts throughout the year (mostly during the summer months), and nearly 20 on the smaller sister island of Gozo – you’re bound to find one on your visit.
5. The small size, Malta is only about 27 km long by 14.5 km wide, which means that you can travel from one place to the other easily and quickly, taking in as many sights as you like.

6. Gozo, our sister Island, which is a short ferry trip away and offers many sights of its own.

 7. Diving, the sea around Malta and Gozo offers numerous diving opportunities.

8. The language. Apart from our own native language Maltese, our second official language is English. Many Maltese can also speak other languages, the most common being French, German and Italian.

9. Safety. Malta is a very family-friendly place to visit for a relaxing holiday.

10. Last but not least, the renowned hospitality and friendliness of our people!

Great information  and amazing pics about Malta , thank you Joanne ! Let's talk about your ART...

When and how did you start making jewellery?
I am a lifelong crafter and love trying out new things. I often attend different courses offered by local crafts shops, and one day a beading course caught my eye. I was hooked from the very start, and soon beading took up all my creative space and time! :)
Where can your art be seen?
My work can be found in my Etsy shop  http://www.etsy.com/shop/gr8jewellery  and on my blog http://blog.gr8jewellery.com/

When and how did you first become interested in your medium?
After that introductory beading course, I started reading up on different materials and techniques and a whole new world opened up! I fell in love with the magic of tiny seed beads and I sent off for some supplies to get started

Did you have a formal training in the arts or attend art courses?
I have attended a number of evening courses including a one-year course in Interior Design. I’ve also learnt Folk Art Painting and Pottery Throwing among others.

Beadwoven Wide Band Ring with Swarovski Crystals

What do you enjoy most about working with your medium?
The flexibility. So many different shapes, sizes, finishes and colours of beads, stones and findings let you create different things in any style. I love this freedom.

Where do you find your inspirations for what you create?
A word, a colour, a single bead can be my starting point.

Tell us a little about one of your favorite creations:
Many of my beadwoven pieces are made with great care. I am a perfectionist and when working on something new I make several ‘trials’ before deciding on the final look, and even then I sometimes undo the work if I’m not happy with it. One of the pieces I love is my Gothic Flower Choker. This beadwoven necklace is made from Czech glass beads, two sizes of seed beads, cube beads, spacer beads and fringe beads. The focal point of this necklace is a beadwoven flower, also entirely handmade. The centre of the flower is a Swarovski dentelle (a flat topped crystal), which is surrounded by tiny Japanese cylinder beads and charlottes. This is then encircled by 8mm Czech glass beads, topped off with antique copper spacer beads and tiny bronze-coloured charlottes.

Gothic Flower Choker

Would you please tell about your creative space and studio set-up?
I have a small work area under a window overlooking our courtyard, with a bougainvillea that has masses of bright pink flowers during the Summer months.

What advise would you give someone starting out in this medium?
Buy the best tools and supplies you can. High quality beads of uniform size make a world of difference in you work! Also have different types of thread and beading wire to work with, because different bead sizes and stitches have different requirements. And as with any craft ... practice, practice, practice and don’t be afraid to experiment!

How has your country’s Culture influenced your art?

I do not think that my country’s Culture has had a direct influence in my work in general. My creations can vary immensely, depending primarily on the beads I am working with. Having said that though, I have two pieces currently in my Etsy shop, in which I have very purposely included a Maltese flavour. The first is my

Hidden Treasures Under A Maltese Sun

‘Hidden Treasures Under A Maltese Sun’  which has an eight-pointed Maltese Cross beadwoven on the back of the pendant, and the other is my

Mystic Eye Chocker

‘Mystic Eye’ choker which was inspired by a Maltese Luzzu.

Are there any artists that inspire you or that you admire?
There are several bead artists whom I greatly admire because of their imagination and excellent workmanship, many of whom are fellow members of the Etsy Beadweavers Team, whose blog and works may be found at http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com/

One particular artist whose works I discovered when just a teenager and who really caught my interest is Salvador Dali.

Anything else you wish to share?
Thank you Sebnem, for giving me this opportunity to share my work and my country with your readers!

Thank YOU so much dear JOANNE  for this beautiful interview, and for sharing your artistic journey and great information and pics about Amazing MALTA!
I strongly recommend everyone to visit her Etsy shop  gr8jewellery.etsy.com  and see her amazing beadwoven jewelleries!