FionaZakka

Producing fine art is my way of venting energy and thoughts. I started creating art seriously during my college years. I was an art student interested in practically everything. Thus, I was able to study a lot of different ways art provides to express ones’ self. I graduated with a degree in Photography and a minor in Drawing and spent some years working as a photographers’ assistant for various Photographers as well as doing travel photography in between. I soon realized that commercial photography was not what I could do for the rest of my life. It wasn’t creative enough! Through my many journeys in the world of art I’ve created art drawings and paintings with pencil, charcoals, oil colors, watercolors, collages, pottery, jewelry, papier-mache, you name it.

Wild Flower Botanical Art

My favorite is mixed media art collages because I can incorporate small bits of my life and my memories in them. But as so often happens in life tastes change they evolve along with our personality and so my most recent work was influenced and inspired by Chinese art and its simplicity. 


My future thoughts are toying with some 3D wooden panels but that is just a dream to look forward to for now. It is so exciting to create beautiful objects I don’t believe that I’ll ever get bored.

Beautiful!

Mixed Media Collage Art

But, in order to enjoy your creations in their full ability you have to share them with others who find them beautiful and meaningful as well. This is why I decided to put up shop here in Etsy community. It has been such a pleasure for me to see what other people create, to get to “know” their view of life. I believe I can contribute to some of the pleasure of looking at, acquiring and enjoying art with my creations too!

Visit Fiona in her Etsy shop!!

Hang it Here

Sarah John Afana (a/k/a schemata) is a well-rounded individual, especially when it comes to her  ornaments. She creates colorful, contemporary, hand painted glass ornaments for many holiday occasions.

Hand Painted

As Sarah says: I practiced, studied and taught many forms of art throughout my years in California. Painting, drawing, ceramics and fine crafts had been a part of my entire life. I found myself wanting to be in a new place and exploring other ways to create. I moved to New York City, took my love of assembly to the kitchen and graduated from the French Culinary Institute. I began working as a recipe developer in the Food Network Kitchen where I spent my days designing with ingredients. 

I am now being drawn back to the paints and tools of my studio to fulfill my constant craving for the fun and surprise that comes from creating art.

Tomato?

Cotton Candy?

Check out Sarah's shop if you are looking for a great gift idea.

Silvia, Oh, Silvia

I remember the first craft I made; it was a knitted scarf for my husband. I was so proud of myself and sure about my gift because I had knitted it with much love. That feeling was complete and intoxicating. The beauty of handcrafted is that excitement does not tarnish over time. The miracle of this first time repeated itself again and again, with each finished garment.

I want to share with you my most hidden secret: I am a knitting and crocheting addict.

A knitter must admit this compulsion when she starts to think this way: Work is really starting to interfere with my knitting time!

“There is practically no activity that cannot be enhanced or replaced by knitting, if you really want to get obsessive about it.” - At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee  

Bolero

Joking apart, crochet and knitting are a versatile craft; there are so many different techniques and stitches to try. I try to challenge myself with a new process or skill for each project.

A knitter starts to work with a thread of yarn, stitch by stitch, she creates a fabric and a shape. The hardest part of this activity is to find out if your garment will be nice or not at the end of the work. Many times you have to completely undo a garment...working hours are lost.

But when the job is done and there are no mistakes you feel again this first emotion and....you're hooked again!

Nice ring!

You can see Silvia's beautiful work, which ranges from shrugs and scarves to jewelry, in her Silvia66 shop on Etsy.

Silvia has been with TeamT "forever."