Friday, March 19, 2010

{Featured Artist: Shoshona Snow}

This giveaway is now closed!


Here at
Gussy has a lot to say we love to look at all things beautiful.
Beautiful decorations, beautifully soft home-elements, beautiful stories about family life.

Today marks week #17 of my series on featured Etsy artists. I hope you've enjoyed the featured drool-worthy eye-candy shops. Don't worry, I have many more, so please stay with me :) You can read all back Featured Artist posts by clicking here.

Please join me in welcoming Shoshona at Shoshona Snow


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What inspires you? My parents are antique dealers, so grew up going to antique shows and yard sales. I’ve just always had a fascination with old things. I’m inspired by ancient Egypt, 18th century French porcelain, kitschy pots from the 1940’s, sleek atomic age design…I could go on and on. Oh, and animals.


Where do you call home? Are you from there originally?
Kingston, New York. It’s 90 miles north of NYC. But I grew up in the Catskill Mountains… not too far from where I am now.



Name something unique to where you live. We have the Wallkill River, which flows north between two major south-flowing rivers (the Hudson and Delaware Rivers). That’s pretty unique. It’s all rivers, creeks and mountains around here. And I have a lot of fossils in my back yard.


Share an interesting fact about yourself. Um. I work too much...and thus visit the chiropractor twice a week. And I like to stay up until 4am.


How did you come up with your shop name?
I think that’s pretty self explanatory ;)
{it's her name}



Share a little bit about yourself. I have a husband named Jonathan. I have a Boston terrier named Dudley. I went to school for ceramics and I’m still working with clay 10 years later. I like books (reading and listening) and music and movies and can’t work in the studio without some kind of audio/visual stimulation to keep me company. I hate wearing pants, even in the studio I prefer to wear skirts. I own too many pairs of shoes. I’m sure my neighbors think I’m nuts when I take Dudley for walks, clay up my arms, wearing an apron, at all hours of the day and night. I love opening up a kiln and seeing happy pots.




If you had to describe yourself in a word, what would that word be?
Introvert.

What made you decide to open up shop? I found Etsy in 2006 when I had just decided to quit my day job and make a go for it. Thank goodness it all worked out. Name your favorite thing about selling handmade. There is something that I can’t even describe that goes on when I make and sell something. I take a lump of clay and form it with my hands. I make glazes from powders and with some time and a lot of heat, end up with a unique vessel that someone will buy and hold and use. It’s pretty great.


Do you have a day job or sell on Etsy full-time?
It’s been a full time gig for 4 years. I sell on Etsy as well as many shops and galleries across the US.



Give us a little glimpse into what a typical day in your life looks like. I usually spend a few hours every morning answering emails and packing and shipping orders. Then I check my list of what needs to be made that day and start prepping my clay. I usually have several groups of work at different stages, so I’ll go from carving to trimming to throwing… If I’m firing a kiln I usually take the day off from making and clean, mix glazes, recycle clay or take photos. My studio is at my house, so it’s hard for me to set work hours for myself and I end up working 14 hour days without even realizing it. I seem to get my best work done at night.


Share with us a favorite Etsy purchase or shop.
This is a hard one. I love all my pots from other ceramic artists. And I love my level earrings from sherrytruitt and my bubble earrings from ashleyjewelry.


List a few of your most favorite pastimes. Reading Watching movies Music Walking outside at 3am in the dark Sewing Hiking Making up nicknames for my dog.



Read any good books lately? I just got a Kindle and I think I’ve read 7 books in the last 2 months. Anything good? Not really. I’m always looking for good autobiographies if anyone has any suggestions. I read To Kill a Mocking Bird once a year.


What is your most prized possession?
My wedding rings. My dog.


What are three of your favorite foods?
Indian Ice cream Sushi What would you like to learn to do? I’d like to be a better photographer.




What are you listening to right now? The Who (Happy Jack) and Dudley growling in his sleep next to me.

Name one place you must visit in your lifetime and why.
Athens, Greece. It’s been a city for 7000 years. That’s just cool.


***

Now for something fabulous!
One reader will win this pair of love bird ornaments:



***

To enter:
Leave a comment sharing how you show love to others.



For additional entries
{leave a separate comment for each}:


-Comment that you follow my blog

-Comment that you follow Shoshona's blog

-Comment that you follow me on Twitter

-Comment that you follow Shoshona on Twitter

-Tweet about this {leave a comment with your Tweet}

-Blog about this {leave a comment with your post URL}



RULES:
  • The giveaway will close Sunday, March 21 at 10 pm CST, and the winner will be announced the following day
  • An email address must be listed on your blog profile or in the comment you leave

Please check back Friday, March 26 for another featured artist post!

54 comments:

Christy @ MCH PHOTOGRAPHY said...

love those birdies! I show my love to in all sorts of ways, a phone call, a note, a hug, a smile.

Christy @ MCH PHOTOGRAPHY said...

I am a Gussy follower..

Christy @ MCH PHOTOGRAPHY said...

I also follow Gussy on Twitter

Anonymous said...

And I'm a follower!

jgann75@aol.com

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Surprises! I love to surprise others with a gift, cooking a meal, buying them a small do-dad...fun!

jgann75@aol.com

Bekah said...

i follow gussy :)

Meg said...

I have seen her shop on Etsy before, her work is beautiful! It reminds me of woodgrain and I have a thing for anything with the woodgrain look to it! Those bird ornaments are too pretty!!
xoxo~Meg

Kristen said...

Her vases are amazing! I'm so glad that you introduce us to such beautiful artists. My horizons have been expanded because of your Friday features!

Meg said...

Of course I am a Gussy follower!
xoxo~Meg

Bekah said...

i love to show others by listening to them. by giving hugs, by gentle little taps on the back, or touching them as i walk by. i show love by doing surprise things for them.

czstout said...

I show love by leaving comments on my friends' blogs :)

stoutfamily@rocketmail.com

czstout said...

I am Gussy follower :)

Stoutfamily@rocketmail.com

czstout said...

I also follow Gussy on Twitter :)

Stoutfamily@rocketmail.com

Lisa said...

I show love to others by cooking for them. My spiritual gift is hospitality, so I guess that fits.

Lisa said...

I follow your blog!

Taryn said...

i show love by doing whatever i can for others, even strangers. and little surprises that make you feel good. my fave thing is "love notes" in the mail. everyone loves getting mail so what's a better way to let someone know you appreciate them.

Taryn said...

i am a gussy follower.

Taryn said...

and also a gussy follower on twitter =) woot woot

Unknown said...

Cute ornaments! I like to bake something for others, or prepare a meal when needed after a surgery or birth of a baby.

Unknown said...

I follow Gussy's blog!

Unknown said...

I follow Gussy on Twitter!

Dottie and June said...

I show love to others just by being there. I love to just smile and let them know I care. A smile goes a long way!!!
<3
Kjirsten
http://sewgraciouslyblessed.blogspot.com

Dottie and June said...

I am a follower of Gussy!!!!
<3
Kj

Dottie and June said...

I follow gussy on twitter!!!
<3
Kj

Dottie and June said...

I follow Shoshona's blog as well!!!
kj

Magnolia said...

I show love to others by being a good listener. I find that people I love appreciate the chance to tell me their story.

And I have autobiography suggestions!
American Shaolin by Matthew Polly
Enemies of the People by Kati Marton
How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill
If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by Kelly Cutrone
Invisible Sisters by Jessica Handler

margaretekelly@gmail.com

Magnolia said...

And I follow GUSSY's blog!

margaretekelly@gmail.com

Neely said...

I wrote a blog about gussy :)

Jess said...

Those are way cool. I would love to win!

Jess said...

I'm a follower too.

erin alison said...

i like to make a sandwich for my dad when he's running late. i worry about him not eating otherwise! :)

erin alison said...

i follow you on twitter!!! :D i learned about you from someone else on twitter too!

erin alison said...

my tweet:

erinalison9

i love this pottery! http://maggiewhitley.blogspot.com/2010/03/featured-artist-shoshona-snow.html
less than 5 seconds ago via web

these birds are too cute! i want them! :D

erin alison said...

i also follow your blog. saved in my favorites. :)

erin alison said...

i follow shoshona toooooooo!

Anna said...

I'm always baking---I sent cookie, muffins etc.

Anna said...

I subscribe to you!

Paula Reece said...

The earrings are so sweet! Funny that you asked that question because I'm currently doing a "40 Days of Love" Bible study, and it's really making me take a hard look at what I do (and don't do) to show love toward others. One thing I'm working on is acting when I'm feeling inspired to show someone love and not just putting it off or talking myself out of it. This could be writing someone a note, inviting someone to coffee, or telling a stranger that she's beautiful.

Paula Reece said...

I subscribe to Gussy!

Paula Reece said...

I follow Gussy on Twitter too!

Trish said...

My number way of showing the people I love that I love them, is to tell them. Everyday. I also leave notes around for everyone to find :)

susan said...

I show my love with hugs, hand written letters, and just small things like making their favorite sandwich
susanerios at hotmail.com

susan said...

i'm a gussy follower
susanerios at hotmail.com

Carla said...

I show my love with food, making of a small gift, or just treating them to an ice cream.

Unknown said...

those birds are just lovely! I love my cuddling, hugging, sending notes. ;) I love love.

brunette said...

I love to bake and share tasty treats with my loved ones!

brunettewithblueeyes@gmail.com

Laura Stewart said...

i follow your blog

Laura Stewart said...

i follow you on twitter

Stephanie C. said...

I like to show love by making them something handmade.

Stephanie C. said...

follow your blog

Stephanie C. said...

following Shoshona's blog

Stephanie C. said...

follow you on twitter

Stephanie C. said...

following shoshona on twitter