Aunt Jane Can - An Etsy Artist Interview

Jane Priser and I have just spent the last one and a half hours on the telephone getting to know each other better as artists and as human beings. Quite a feat for the mysterious and misunderstood Jane, who is terrified to keep a journal and describes writing letters to be “like pulling teeth.” Our goal is to write and publish our chat or artist’s interview on each other's blogs so that we can help promote each other online. I am intrigued by the sweet and loopy Aunt Jane persona that Jane has created to hide her private self and I am honored to be allowed behind the scenes and into the mind of this long time artist, brand new blogger and Etsy store owner.

Fifty-five year old Jane Priser has been an artist all her life and is represented by the Art Market Gallery in Sedona, Arizona. She sells her paintings, knit works and seed bead/semi-precious jewelry on Etsy, the largest online marketplace for handmade arts and crafts. Jane, a self-professed gypsy, has lived in Arizona, New Mexico, Northern California and currently in Grand Junction, Colorado. She has raised two sons, been a fine art student, a studio potter, a sculptor and a member of an artist’s co-operative. Jane’s current work is inspired by Gustav Klimt, Magritte and the Surrealists.

Jane began selling on Etsy in June, 2008 and blogging in July of 2008. She appreciates the simple format of Etsy, its low start-up costs, its ease of use and the feeling of community and information sharing it offers her. Most of her sales have been to baby boomers, like herself, artists she has met through online ‘convo-ing’ (conversing) within the Etsy community.

Jane is a self-professed hippie ‘totally’ influenced and inspired by the basic how-to-live philosophies of the hippie movement that still exist in a few pockets here and there, consisting mainly of artists, musicians, and activists. Jane believes the death of the movement was socially engineered by government forces causing many of her generation to “turn their back on it and laugh.” Jane is very disappointed “to see how things didn’t change… and that mean people and wars” still exist.

Jane has been an anti-war protester and activist since the 1960’s, fighting for wildlife causes, the environment, and for racial and women's rights. She was the founder of a weekly meet-up group for mental health sufferers and has worked as a County mental health board member helping to reform the health care system and create a friendlier outreach program for families and sufferers of mental illness

These days, Jane Priser views herself as a solitary artist, but in reality her spirit flies in close conjunction with the Peace, Love and Freedom Movement created by the hippies of the 1960’s.

You can visit Jane online at:
Her Etsy Store: www.auntjanecan.etsy.com
Jane's Blog: www.auntjanecan.blogspot.com
Her most recent Blog: www.BlueJaneArt.blogspot.com

This article originally appeared on an old blog of mine (The Maude Blog) in August, 2008.

New Moon in Cancer (Again!) Artist Feature

New Moon in Cancer

July 21
7:35 pm PDT

This month we are having yet another New Moon in Cancer (the second in 2 months!) So if you are still working on learning last month's New Moon in Cancer Lessons you will have another chance this month to keep at it. Plus, we will be experiencing a Total Solar Eclipse at the exact same time as the New Moon.

The New Moon in Cancer brings up lots of memories and all the emotions accompanying them. This is a fertile time as tears fall more readily so take some time to allow your tears to strengthen and nourish your roots. I find that a good healthy, healing cry can be a very cathartic and freeing experience. All the arts are encouraged, especially the alchemy of cooking. Work on bringing the water element (Cancer is a water element moon) into your life. Try to identify what you are resisting - can you let it go? (Partly excerpted from the We'Moon Datebook.)

This will be the longest running Solar Eclipse in over a century - it lasts for 6 minutes and 39 seconds! When the Sun darkens during the eclipse, it's a good time to meditate on how best to get out of your own way, so more light can shine upon your unique gifts.

"In general, maximal intuitional access is ours during total solar eclipses, when the intuitive Moon obscures the egoic Sun and healing knowledge arises from within." Barbara Hand Clow

Cancer Keywords: "I feel", devotion, intuitive, touchy, security, domestic, manipulative, emotional, sensitive, nurturing, brooding.

Cancer Goddesses: Mama Cocha, Isis, Tien Hou, Circe

Cancer Gemstones: Pearl, Moonstone

Cancer Animal Spirits: Bee, Crab

Astrology provides us with a universal symbolic language that teaches us how to attune and work with our unique gifts in service to all of humanity. You can better understand what the universe is asking of you by working with the energy of the New and Full Moons through meditation, contemplation and private time alone. You can learn more about what an eclipse is and how it might effect you here. I also offer a New Moon Reading for those wishing to explore the New Moon's effect based upon it's position in your astrological birth chart wheel.

This month I am welcoming back last month's Cancerian New Moon artist, Jennifer Swiderski to discuss how this double Cancerian New Moon whammy is affecting her! Jenn is an American visual artist, sometimes writer and spiritual counselor originally from Norfolk, Virginia who currently lives in the Southwestern United States.

"The Muse" - oil on canvas

Spotlight on Cancerian Artist, Jennifer Bernard Swiderski

As a Cancerian artist, I feel this particular New Moon time is very exciting and significant for me, both as an artist and as a spiritual student of life. For me art is not separate from life, it is a reflection and record of my journey. Everything I am experiencing now is also being reflected and felt in my art. I have definitely felt a sense of urgency this summer, like everything is 'building' up to something.

As I reflected upon the wisdom that Kathy shared in this blog post about the New Moon and the interesting celestial events happening this month and last they seemed to mirror my life in the same way my art does. Right now I am trying to learn to let a very powerful transformation happen within me artistically and personally as I try to 'get out of my own way'.

This year especially, I have been creating more direct, contemporary works of art (see painting at the top of this post.) I absolutely love creating this new work, (and have been for a few years,) but for some reason have felt reluctant to go fully into it as a career, perhaps because it is so raw and personal (and also I feel very tied to the work I am already known for.) But this year is different, I can feel an up-welling of emotion just beneath the surface as questions and inspirations pour forth, much like the element of water represented by my Cancer sun sign.

I am working to incorporate these celestial lessons these celestial events by meditations involving a small ceremony of 'letting go' and 'letting in' the new, (like water) wash over me, through me, and out of me in new ways, without reservations. I have also been creating works that seem to have a watery theme to them and all directions are pointing me towards letting go and letting grow. Sometimes the amount of inspiration I feel flowing through me is almost overwhelming so I am very excited to share my new work with the world.

My hope is that the new art I create and share will have an even more moving, powerful and significant effect upon others, and will inspire you to do the same on your journey.

You can find out more about Jennifer Swiderski online at:
Her Website: http://WisdomPathArt.com
Blog: http://WisdomPathArt.blogspot.com
Her Newest Blog: http://BetterArt.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/OutspokenArtist

To discover more New Moon Artists on this blog please click here.

New Moon In Cancer Artist Feature

New Moon in Cancer

June 22
12:35 pm PDT

The New Moon in Cancer encourages heightened sensitivity as we water our memories, nourish our roots and express our emotions with tears and solitude. It's a great time to nest, cook and share food, enjoy home, family, long baths, long walks and quiet time. (Excerpted from the We'Moon Datebook.)

This month's featured Cancerian is an American visual artist, sometimes writer and spiritual counsellor originally from Norfolk, Virginia who currently lives in the Southwestern United States.

Spotlight on Cancerian Artist, Jennifer Bernard Swiderski

As an artist and a Cancer many of the archetypes (personality traits) of Cancer play an important and interesting role in my artistic process. The main trait relating to my creativity would have to be environment and love of home. Cancers are good at creating nurturing, peaceful, beautiful home environments.For me, home is vitally important and not just my physical environment, but also my spiritual, and psychological internal environment. I am very careful and protective (another Cancerian trait) of creating an environment where my peace of mind and spirit are protected and my creativity can flourish.

I enter a deeply personal internal place during the creation of my work. It is a type of meditation, or spiritual practice that involves listening to music and clearing distractions before beginning work. I always say a prayer and 'clear' my area, then ‘go to my creative place' internally as I open myself to expanded states of consciousness during which I receive guidance from my Higher Self, the angelic realm, ancestors, and all aspects of the divine or light.

When I develop new ideas or work out creative problems, these aspects also play a huge role in my process. I go out into the world, have interactions and experiences, but then return to my 'inner world' to create, having taken this knowledge, stimulation and experience and then sublimated it, like a filter into my work. In the peace of my own Cancerian space, I then feel free to let go, as my internal visions come out and into my ideas and artwork.

Another aspect of my creativity is that I love sharing my work. This last aspect of my process is vital because my work is primarily based in spiritual and personal archetypes, I’m not just re-creating ideas or images that already exist. So by sharing the work and interacting with others I am learning and growing spiritually, and hopefully helping others do the same on their journey in life.

Lastly, as a Cancer, and an artist, I am also very sensitive, sometimes internalizing TOO much. Sharing the work, and interacting with collectors and viewers helps "pull me out of my Cancer shell" and when I hear that the work has made someone happy, or inspired them in some way, it really pulls me out of that place and lifts me up. Finally, I consider my work a success when it has inspired or moved a viewer in some way.

You can find more of Jennifer’s work online at:

Her Website: www.WisdomPathArt.com

Her Blog: www.WisdomPathArt.blogspot.com

To discover more New Moon Artists please go here.

The Healing Power of Crystals & Stones

This article was written by UK Jeweller, Anna-Marie Miles

A Healing Necklace of Well-Being
The first piece of healing jewellery I made was for my mother. She desired a pendant necklace so we combined healing crystals with her favorite stones to create a beautiful necklace of well-being consisting of Hematite, Snowflake Obsidian, Malachite, Moonstone, Ocean Jasper and Swarovski Crystal. The reflected light from the Swarovski Crystal really made the stones come alive. This necklace delighted my mother and helped to ease her digestive problems and arthritis.

A Traveler’s Bracelet
My mother soon desired another piece of jewellery for an upcoming journey so I made her a traveler’s bracelet from Carnelian and other stones. She is now addicted to Carnelian and has to wear it every day! Carnelian is a very underestimated stone that has helped many people boost their spirits and change their lives.

Carnelian - SiO2+(Fe,O,OH)
In the Middle Ages, Carnelian was used to staunch the blood and calm anger. The Egyptians used it as a protective stone for the dead.
Mental Attributes - Courage, emotionally uplifting, energizing.
Physical Attributes - works with the organs to stimulate the absorption of vitamins, nutrients and minerals in the small intestine. Alleviates rheumatism, arthritis and stimulates the metabolism.
Chakra – Associated with the base/sacral chakra.

Making Jewellery
When I create my jewellery I usually work with five to ten different stones. This enables me to help the whole person rather than to focus on specific symptoms. I’m always surprised how each piece turns out because the picture in my head is always different than the finished piece. I have been told that my pieces are so much more powerful than store bought healing jewellery and that comment really made my day! Perhaps it’s due to the healing energy I put into their creation and the fact that they are created specifically for each client.

Anna-Marie (also known as The Crystal Lady) lives in the heart of beautiful Devon in the UK. She grew up close to Dartmoor, an inspiring, especially magical and mystical place that she is never far from. Having spent several years in business with her husband, she briefly lived in Florida before returning to the UK. After her return to England she trained as a jewellery stringer and repairer until the birth of her youngest son. Wanting to stay at home to look after her two sons encouraged her to start her own business creating Swarovski Crystal and Pearl Jewellery, and then with the help of her mother, she started Mystic Earth, her custom healing jewellery business. Passionate about stones, rocks and minerals since childhood, her addiction now has a purpose and with the aid of a crystal healing course that she completed last year she is enjoying helping many people and creating beautiful jewellery.

You can find Anna-Marie’s jewellery online at:
Her Website – http://MysticEarth.co.uk
Her Blog – http://CrystalLadyBlogs.blogspot.com

You can read more metaphysical stories by featured Guest Writers here.

Tara's Healing Journey of Recovery

Thirty-six year old Tara Morrison makes a living doing what she loves best: sewing, knitting, crocheting and making clothes. But this hadn't always been the case; prior to 2001 Tara had worked for others, and had no time for her own creative projects. Then in 2001 at the age of twenty-nine, Tara developed a severe case of the sniffles that eventually led to brain surgery. The surgery caused her to have a massive seizure seven days later that nearly turned her into a vegetable.

Fiercely independent and self supporting since age thirteen, Tara often worked up to three jobs at a time, but since the surgery she has had to learn how to depend on others for many things. Some weeks she will only get two good days out of seven, accomplishing in a week what others could do in a day. But Tara is determined to make a difference, to contribute to the household income, and to society.

Tara has been creative since childhood: sculpting, potting, batik-ing, and then sewing out of necessity after reaching the height of six foot one as a teenager; it was either sew her own clothes or wear men's jeans to school. She gave away most of her sewing creations to friends and family, even going so far as to make a wedding dress free of charge for a friend in need.

Tara was employed for a year after her surgery but this soon became impossible. For the first seven years after her surgery feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and depression overwhelmed her; she felt she had nothing to give, she couldn’t work and she couldn’t have kids. Over the last couple of years, with the support of her parents and her boyfriend she turned her sewing hobby into a business and Stonehenge Designs was born. “Different people adapt in different ways," she explains to me. She chose the name Stonehenge for her business because it fits her design aesthetic; she likes earthy colors, wiccan patterns, fantasy elements and natural materials such as hemp, stone beads and bamboo. Tara works in many mediums from soft goods, created using industrial machines to her favorite kind of work; intricate, detailed, costume designs.

Because of her surgery Tara had to re-learn all her old skills. Her first wedding dress commission was a nightmare; she had to rip up seams over and over again because she couldn’t remember how things worked, like how to put in a zipper. Learning to do something the second time around is a lot faster, she tells me. Sometimes sewers get lazy when they repeat themselves, so this time around Tara (no longer a sewer’s snob,) taught herself to sew the old fashioned way, and has managed to improve upon her garment, fabric and pattern construction skills in the process.

Tara joined Etsy, an artist's and crafter's online community in March of 2008 and spent three months learning how to be an online seller; a huge learning curve made more difficult by short term memory loss, dyslexia and difficulty with words; articulating them, losing them, and superimposing them. Etsy gave Tara the opportunity to do what she likes best and share it with others without requiring a huge commitment such as owning a brick and mortar store. Now Tara feels nothing but joy when she looks at her online Etsy store knowing she did it herself. She is so busy making custom clothes and filling orders that's she hasn't had time to list all the new fun work she has been creating for Etsy.

It is ironic that undergoing brain surgery and a massive seizure gave Tara Morrison the opportunity to discover that she truly can make a contribution to society. Tara volunteers at the acute brain surgery recovery center, is saving up to pay for a vacation for herself and her fiancé, has more work than she knows what to do with, and is planning to get off disability so that she no longer has to rely upon the Canadian government to pay her way. So it comes as no surprise that the nurses at the hospital voted Tara "Positive Spokesperson for Brain Surgery." Tara is determined to be financially independent once again, but this time she will be doing it her way, creating work she loves, and making a difference every day.

You can find Tara Morrison online at http://stonehengeclothing.etsy.com

This interview was originally published on my Maude Blog on October 8, 2008