Tell us a bit about yourself name, location,
affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Meena. I live in Providence and I am a full time artist working with everything enchanted, magical, and nostalgic. I feel like I was born in the wrong century but consider myself fortunate that I have a career doing the things I love to do. I love everything ancient, archaic, odd, and beautiful. I live in an old Victorian with a bunch of soul mates, five cats, a dog, and lots of antiques and oddities.
Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Reading, writing, researching. I study world religions and paranormal subjects. I go on ghost hunts, collect odd metaphysical items and curiosities. I also make curio bottles in the style of old witch bottles, and I have another Etsy shop for those. My house looks like a cross between a museum and the set of a Tim Burton film. When I am not making things to enchant, I am involved in several animal rescue projects.
What first made you want to become an artist?
I don't think that you just decide to become an artist. I think you are sort of born into it. I think that when I was born, my first thought was probably, "What can I make?" so I have always been very creative. Several women in my family were white witches (good magic) and studied herbs, oils, and magickal things so I learned a lot from them. My mother was very intuitive and was good at blending oils, so I think I picked up her abilities in that area.
Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
My perfumes are inspired by places, memories, literature, mythology, and art. I try to evoke memories with my perfumes, and consider them little time capsules. I want to transport people to a magical place when they smell one of my perfumes, so I am trying to create a full sensory experience. I am like a mad scientist when I get an idea for a new perfume and will pretty much turn my perfume lab upside down to get the aroma exact to what I had in mind. I think this comes across in the final creation, since my customers always say that the perfumes really do bring them to the places I had in mind when I made them.
What handmade possession do you most cherish?
A very old hand painted door that came off of a real Vardo (gypsy caravan). It's probably the most awesome thing I have ever found at an auction.
Name your top five books, movies, songs/musical groups, and web sites besides Etsy.
Books:
Animal-Speak by Ted Andrews
The Writings of Austin Osman Spare by Austin Osman Spare
Essence and Alchemy by Mandy Aftel
Shaving the Inside of Your Skull by Mel Ash
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels
Movies:
The Man Who Cried
Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer
Harold and Maude
V for Vendetta
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Musical Groups
Dead Can Dance
Fleetwood Mac
Loreena Mckennitt
Billie Holiday
Etta James
Websites:
witchvox
morbidanatomy
madametalbot
ghoststudy
anomalist
What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?
I believe that presentation is everything, so definitely try to get the best photos and don't be afraid to get creative with them. List often and promote your shop whenever you can!
What are your favorite features on Etsy? What new features would you like to see?
Etsy rocks. I really like the sense of community here. The "favorite" feature is great but I would love the ability to compile things into wish-lists, sort of like a gift registry.
How do you promote your work?
I have a website and blog and I try to post on it as often as I can. I also try to promote as much as possible through my other selling venues. I have a Twitter account that I am really bad at updating, but I try to do the social networking thing whenever I have some free time.
In ten years I'd like to be...
Living by the ocean with a menagerie of animals and lots of free time. |
