Window Shopping

I've big plans this year to have homemade birthday presents for friends -- whether they be made by myself or by a lovely Etsy crafter. This has resulted in copious amounts of my web time turning into a magpie and craving all the loveliness available on Etsy.com.

I've decided that I really want to start buying some art on Etsy. Not anything too large or extravagant, just some prints. Seeing as my fiance is an artist, I understand the hard work and genius that goes into creating art and I really want to support artists. Of course I could decorate my apartment with Du Chat Noir and Muncha prints, but seriously -- every college grad I know has a poster of some sort hanging up to express their bohemianism and/or intellectual bent. I may by a few posters or prints from allposters.com, but this year I would like to buy 5 prints from Etsy artists.

Here are a few of the artists I'm currently lusting after:

Jon Carling: I was on some sort of music page on MySpace and was enamored with a wonderful pen and ink sketch of a Kraken devouring a boat. A link brought me to Jon Carling's page. His pen and ink drawings remind me of Angela Carter's writing; smattering of magical realism and merging of imagination and reality.

Helen Dardick: I found a vivid print on the internet called something like Coffee with my Owl. The print is brightly colored and has a retro-feel to it. Dardick incorporates gobs of animals which I love. And she is a mother and I'm all about supportin' the mama artists.

Andrea Zuill: Pimpstitch is where I first fell in lust with Zuill's work. Besides being a talented stitching queen, Ms. Zuill has lovely prints featuring fat robins, bunnies, and tribal little girls.

Berkley Illustration: Who wouldn't need portraits of animals in suits?

Emily Martin: I would have to classify Emily Martin's art as Art Brut. I can't even describe the wonderful colors and moods expressed in her work. I find the wide-eyed heroines of her art absolutely fascinating.

I wish I could show you the visually stunning work by these artists, but I want to be respectful of their copyright. Most of the pages specifically stated that no art was to be used without permission. Please, go check the sites out, though, and you will be happy!

Now if I could just save up some money to buy some art I would be pleased as punch!