Prims by Andrea

Andrea lives in the Finger Lake Region of Upstate NY. She has been married for 10 years to a lovely man who makes it possible to stay home with the children. In her spare time she makes beautiful pieces of art. Her shop is Prims by Andrea.

#1. How did you decide on your shop name?

My shop name is pretty boring/self explanatory since I do primitive artwork...in hindsight, I wish I'd chosen something more exciting!

#2 When did you start crafting?

I've always "dabbled" in art, but just decided to give it a try full-time while staying home with my young children - unfortunately, I've ended up spending more money (on supplies, etc.--the art supply store is my weakness!) than I've made--at some point, I'd love to supplement the family income with my art. Maybe 2009 is my year--who knows!?

#3 What or who inspires you?

I am inspired by all things primitive--I call my style "grubby-prim" because I antique the heck out of every artwork. I love yo-yo quilts, but have yet to been able to afford one for my home--so I sometimes use paper "yo-yo s" in my artwork!

#4 Do you have a day job?

No day job, except having a 3 and 1 year old at home with me--okay, I have a BIG job!

#5 What is the item in your shop you enjoyed making the most and why?

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12238615 Crow Among the Roses. This is my most fav. piece Ever! It took a lot of time to create because of it's size. I love how it's abstract and primitive at the same time--inspired by the yo-yos again!

Audrey's Accolades:

Mixed media is something I know nothing about. Infact I had never heard of it till I started on Etsy. So of course I had to ask Andrea what she did to create her art & what mixed media was to her. Here is her answer:

My mixed media collages are done on canvas. (Other artists might/could use wood or other materials, but I prefer the canvas--makes it feel more like "art" :) The background and some details are done in acrylic paints. The "decoration" is made of paper, collaged on to the canvas--scrap booking paper, to be more specific, so it's acid-free and won't yellow or fade. I antique all my pieces with aging polish to make them look vintage (or 'grubby-prim' as I like to call it :) and add a layer of varnish for preservation purposes. Then I accent with the piece with various buttons and/or different notions for a unique 3-D effect. There are a myriad of different mixed media artists on Etsy (and in general) and each has their own unique style, but this is how I do it :)

Okay - I understand better now. Sounds like fun and the outcome is amazing!! Now to pick my favorite. Tough choice again, and when you go to Andrea's shop you'll understand why. I love angels so I picked this piece.

This angel was inspired by my love for the PiNK Christmas! I call my style "grubby-prim" because I antique the heck out of all of my pieces. It differs from most of my work in that I've added angel dust (okay, glitter :) to her wings.It is done on a quality 8" x 10" canvas (no staples in the sides) and edges are painted black for a finished look--ready to hang!The piece is varnished with a matte sealer for preservation purposes.