CorieKline

Before this techie world full of social media and online stores, I sold my pieces at art shows (still do). My parents were crafters in the 70's and 80's and worked craft shows on the weekends, with Mom selling tole painted wood items that my Dad would cut in his wood shop. As a kid, I roamed the festival grounds, spending my babysitting money on handmade jewelry and puppets. Art shows were like shopping malls, full of one-of-a-kind items created with love, and the people that made them were sitting right there, smiling at you, hoping that you buy their little pieces of magic. Art is like that for me. It doesn't exist until someone makes it. I only buy my purses and jewelry from artists (stay out of Kohls, ladies). When I travel, I avoid buying t-shirts and magnets as souvenirs. Instead, I find that shop or artisan event and buy that charming London necklace from the Englishman standing right there manning his booth all day. My home is full of little pieces of art that I have collected and adore and remind me of where I was when I got them. So to grow up and be an artist myself, wow, that's just living the dream.

I went to college and got a Fine Arts degree. I married my high school sweetheart at age 22 and had twin daughters at age 24. Geesh. By age 27, we had our third girl and I was set to be a stay at home mom. But, every day, I would get to "go paint," just for the duration of whatever video I popped in, just to keep the girls occupied for a bit (hint: Swiss Family Robinson is over 2 hours...so use it when you really need to get stuff done). I painted used furniture from garage sales and wall murals on the weekends. I was, and still am, so lucky that my spouse has been able to provide for our family so that I can go about with my art and create things that didn't otherwise exist for other people.

My marriage is now into 2 decades and my girls are young adults. I continue to sell at art shows and I love to see the customers' reactions and comments regarding my work. But I needed to expand my customer base, and with the world moving online, I had to too. To me, buying and selling on Etsy is the shopping mall of one-of-a-kind items on steroids. I get to show and sell my work to people who would never otherwise know what little pieces of magic I have for them.