Whether you’re shopping for your mom, a friend, that coworker two cubicles down who is always covered in cat hair or your bestie who’s expecting, we have the perfect Mother’s Day gifts from makers right here in the DFW area. Shop local, shop small and support your community. It’s a win all around, if you ask us. Here are a few of our favorite finds for all the moms in your life.
Gifts for Teachers: Show your appreciation with a handmade gift
Teacher Appreciation Day is May 8 and we have a roundup of handmade gifts teachers are sure to love from some of our favorite Dallas artists. We love these pieces and we know you will too.
Studio Snapshots: Liz Wiley
It’s time
for another behind-the-scenes look at an Etsy Dallas studio. This time we have a special Q&A with Liz Wiley as well as a look at her workspace.
What
mediums do you work with?
I make
paintings on canvas using oil and acrylic. I used to work only with oils,
then I started experimenting with acrylic paints for my “1 painting a day
series” paintings, because I needed them to dry fast. Now that’s about all
I use unless a customer requests I use oil paints.
How is your
workspace set up now?
My studio
is located in a large commercial space. The front wall is ceiling to floor
windows. I love all the light. Sometimes I don’t even turn on the
lights.
I have a 4' x 10' steel table in the middle of my room that I had made to work on. There is a shelf for baskets with tools and a rod to hang rolled canvas. In the corner I have a shelving system to hold all my paints. I keep brushes and tools on the top.
I have a small office space in the back. There is a desk for my computer, book case and three idea boards. Plants everywhere. I don’t usually have the best luck with plants, but they are doing OK so far.
I have a 4' x 10' steel table in the middle of my room that I had made to work on. There is a shelf for baskets with tools and a rod to hang rolled canvas. In the corner I have a shelving system to hold all my paints. I keep brushes and tools on the top.
I have a small office space in the back. There is a desk for my computer, book case and three idea boards. Plants everywhere. I don’t usually have the best luck with plants, but they are doing OK so far.
How is it
different from when you started?
I started
working in the garage at our house. It was hot, cramped and not very
inspiring. The biggest difference is the amount of work that I am able to
accomplish in my studio v. the garage (where there were too many distractions).
I am also able to create larger paintings. It’s so inspiring to have a
dedicated space to work.
What is
your favorite thing about your workspace?
I just love
having my own space to work. I love that I can leave my works in progress out
and not worry about it being in the way or getting touched by my little kids.
Painter shares 5 tools of her trade
Liz Wiley creates beautiful paintings using oils and acrylics. She is sharing five of her favorite tools with us. If you're expecting something obvious like paintbrushes and fixative, you're in for a surprise. And if you're a budding painter, you may want to add these to your art supplies.
Thrifty Trowel
This is my most used tool. I think it’s traditionally used for tile work. It’s a square piece of plastic that has different designs on each edge. One is smooth and the other three have different spacing notches. I use it to apply, smooth and scrape paint. It's wonderful at applying the paint without leaving brush marks. Tube Wringer
Bottles
Catalyst Tools
Camera (in my case, a cell phone camera)
Thrifty Trowel
This is my most used tool. I think it’s traditionally used for tile work. It’s a square piece of plastic that has different designs on each edge. One is smooth and the other three have different spacing notches. I use it to apply, smooth and scrape paint. It's wonderful at applying the paint without leaving brush marks. Tube Wringer
This
little tool is great for getting every last drop of paint out of a
tube. You pay a lot for that paint. Don’t throw it out because you
can’t get it out. They make a plastic one, but I use the heavy duty
metal one. It will be the only one you need to buy, because it will
last forever.
Bottles
These
little bottles are great for creating thin continuous lines. The tips
are closed so you have to cut them to get the paint out. There are also
bottles with metal tips. You can get an extremely thin line
using these. The secret to using these is that you need to thin the
paint so it will come out. I use Liquitex Fluid Medium. Try to
limit mixing your acrylic paints with water. Using water will weaken
the paint and it may flake right off the canvas.
Catalyst Tools
I
love these tools. They are like a brush only they don’t have a brush
head. It’s a flexible silicone. They are just so different. Almost
like a soft palette knife. Think baking spatula. These are
amazing at applying paint in a smooth finish. They are also useful for mixing
paint.
Camera (in my case, a cell phone camera)
I
know this is a little unusual for a tool, but I find that I use it for
every painting. Taking in-progress pictures helps show the
evolution of a piece. Looking at the picture on a computer provides a different perspective. I can easily catch things that
need to be changed. Reviewing the photos makes any design problems more obvious. I
think of it as the modern day mirror. And after you've finished the painting, you have an image ready to post on Etsy so you can start making sales.