Have a little sunshine in your life : $40 Giveaway from Sunshine Studio!

 Do you love art?  Admire it?  Appreciate it?  Are you inspired by it?  I really love and appreciate art.  My oldest recently went into her first art gallery.  Funny thing is, SHE wanted to go in there and pulled me in.  I was one proud cultured mama!!  

 

 DNA Strand Abstract http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinestudiosart

Let me introduce you to Melissa Brazeau from Sunshine Studio http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinestudiosart.  She is a very talented artist!  Her shop is an eclectic mix of fine art and fine jewelry.  I say fine jewelry not because she uses precious gems, but because her jewelry is as artistic as her art.  Most of her art consists of oil paintings, but occasionally she includes charcoal drawings or collages into her shop.  Her biggest section in her shop is abstracts, but she also paints figures. 
Melissa says, "My art work tends to have very organic and abstracted lines and shapes that make it unique. There is a lot of experimentation with techniques, colors and style that make each piece very different than the next. "

 

Autumn Wire Wrapped Ring http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinestudiosart

The jewelry in her shop is mostly beaded and is very colorful.  She sells her handmade bracelets, necklaces and earrings, which she says is her favorite to make.  She says she is excited to have added some wire wrapped rings that are new in her shop.

 She was kind enough to answer some questions for me...
When did you start making these items and why?
"That is a complicated question because I didn’t start exploring art until the beginning of High school, when someone told me that I “could not draw worth a two-year old”!  I taught myself how to draw, of course! I realized that I learned very quickly and had some talent. I developed a passion for oil painting and opened my Etsy shop. As for jewelry, a friend suggested that I should try my hand at it to expand my shop.  I found that I loved that as a creative outlet as well. The jewelry has all the same elements of art, but is much more delicate and physical expression."

What inspires your art?

"I have so many inspirations! Some come from art itself: the texture of the oil paint, the roughness of charcoal, and the colors of beads. I really love organic free flowing lines and circular shapes which leads to a motif in my art. Another inspiration is two of my good friends Anne and Sean; when we are all in the studio working there is a great energy and collaboration of ideas. Some of my best work happens when we are working together.

Girls Portrait http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinestudiosart

The Painting above is very haunting to me.  That is the GREAT thing about art....one piece can mean many different things to different people.  I connect with this picture.  The young girl has a sadness in her eyes.  Her mouth is in an unsure pout.  I feel this girl has been through a lot.  She looks as if she has just lost someone very important in her life and is unsure of how to move forward.  This was one of my favorites in her shop.  It has amazing depth.

How did you go about picking the name "Sunshine Studio" for your shop?
When I was younger, an amazing man named Tom Connelly told me “never stop smiling sunshine”. Though I did not know Tom long before he passed away he had a lasting influence on my attitude towards life. Though some art can be an expression of hard times, in general my art portrays a positive outlook that I try to hold onto.

Flower Graffitti  http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinestudiosart

Tell me a little about yourself:

I am a student at Assumption College, and am going to graduate this year as an art major and education concentration for K-12. I live with my wonderful boyfriend, and have my studio in our apartment. We have two cats Tito and Beamer who I love to pieces. Aside from art, I love to cook and learn anything that I can get my hands on!

 

Pearl and Vintage Bead Prayer bracelet with Cross http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinestudiosart

I know you are a college student...how do you work your shop into your busy schedule?
The biggest part of scheduling Etsy as a college student is taking advantage of summer and winter breaks. That’s when I try to make art as much as possible, do photo shoots and make any big changes to my shop. Other than that, I try and give my Etsy about half an hour a day to add new items and network. I also try to make sure I set one reasonable goal every month. The goal never has to do with sales however. For example, in September my goal was 100 listings, and this month I had networking goals. This keeps me focused during my half hour a day to make the business manageable with as busy of a schedule college will require.

Do you use your shop to help support you through college? If so, how is that working out for you?
Etsy is a side income for me, which I hope will become more profitable soon. For now, I only make a few sales now and then. What does support my college is selling my art at craft fairs. Two fairs a year pay for all of my books and expenses that loans do not cover, not bad for a college student!

We are both part of the "Made in Massachusetts" Team. Can you give me your four favorite shops from our team?
www.etsy.com/shop/whitedovejewels -
                                                           I love all of the wings motif!

www.etsy.com/shop/ThisandThatCapeCod - 

Great vintage collection

www.etsy.com/shop/PaintedPearStudio - Lovely painted magnets

www.etsy.com/shop/IndustrialAdornment?ref=pr_shop_more – Fun tribal and steam punk jewelry.

Why do you like being on Etsy?
I like being on Etsy because it is more personal than other places such as eBay; the teams build such a community and support system. I also enjoy the love that is put into every product because each item is handmade. It is honestly amazing how many pages on Etsy I can flip through and not see a work that I will not enjoy.

  Peter Pan, Wendy and the Beautiful Mexican Man http://www.etsy.com/shop/sunshinestudiosart

This is my daughter's favorite painting in Melissa's shop.  My 6 year old is quite the art connoisseur.  My daughter says she likes the Mexican Man Peter and Wendy are rescuing.  :)    

Here is my off the cuff question: Hardest college class and why? Favorite college class and why?
"Well the hardest college class is Foundation of Art and Politics. It has two professors, and they discuss how both subjects grew and how they are interconnected. Though I find all of the material fascinating, it is rather intimidating to write a paper that more than one person will be editing.
My favorite class is my advanced painting class. I have taken many classes with Professor Carrie Nixon and love her teaching style. This semester we are exploring every continents art style. It is a wonderful curriculum with my favorite medium and an amazing professor!"  Well you will have to show Professor Carrie this article that she is mentioned in, maybe it will give you extra credit!!!  Big shout out to Professor Carrie Nixon!!!  :)

Melissa is a VERY generous person.  She is also patient because she had to wait a LONG time for me to do this article with Halloween orders I had to fulfill, being sick, and having no electricity for a week here in New England from the crazy storm that swept through.  Sorry Melissa!

She is offering not one but TWO items for the giveaway winner worth $40.00!!!! 

 

This beautiful, delicate necklace with shades of green just in time for Christmas.

  This abstract painting called Orange and blue abstract

GIVEAWAY Entries

As always, make sure you follow my blog before entering and leave a way for me to get a hold of you if you win in one of your entries (email, etc.). 

1 entry each: 

*Add her shop to your favorite*

*Follow her FB  www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Melissas-Sunshine-Studio/236653779708567  

*Follow her Blog:  http://unshinestudios.blogspot.com/

Additional 3 entries 

*Make a treasury on Etsy and include one of her items.  Come back and post the treasury address and let us know which of her items you included in the treasury.*

Additional 5 entries 

*If you buy ANYTHING in her shop!!! *

 GIVEAWAY ENDS 10pm Eastern Time on Nov. 12, Saturday