I cannot say enough good things about Etsy, the "world's
handmade marketplace"; think of it as a virtual arts and crafts
fair- full of one-of-a-kind finds, and when you purchase something,
you feel good supporting a small business or up-and-coming artist.
Etsy is amazing, not just for consumers, but it gives artists,
designers, and small business owners a platform to display and sell
their wares. One can find anything on Etsy- vintage clothing and
furniture, handcrafted housewares, unique pieces from new
designers, and handmade jewelry... pretty much anything! I
love using Etsy when I think of vintage item (recent searches
include goat-hair "yeti" boots from the 70s and a camel-hair cape),
Christmas and Valentine's day cards (flowery and vintage or modern
and graphic), home accessories for my new apartment, and
artwork.
My most recent trip to Etsy was to find a print- I unfortunately
lost a watercolor of a nude during my move. The watercolor was
cool, fashion-y, sexy, and inexpensive. I simply cannot
remember the artist's name, and I unfortunately bought the
watercolor on the street, making my internet search nearly
impossible. I turned to Etsy, looking for fashion
illustrations. Needless to say, what I found blew my mind.
It's exactly what I've been looking for- and because the
pieces are rather inexpensive, I now have the difficult task of
narrowing down my purchases. Below are some of my favorites.
Click here for Etsy website.
Etsy shop: Art by Lola. Lola Donoghue is an Irish artist with a
background in fashion design, fashion illustration and printmaking.
Her work is ethereal, I do love the flashes of color. Click here for Art by Lola's Etsy shop.
Etsy shop: silverridgesstudio. Cate Parr is an English
artist/illustrator living in Los Angeles. Her watercolors are
vibrant and dream-like- definitely a strong contender in my search
for new artwork. Click here for silverridgesstudio Etsy
shop.
Etsy shop: DRYBLANC. Leun Lee is a fashion illustrator. Her work
is super cool- something I might find in Interview or V magazine.
Click here for DRYBLANC Etsy shop.
Etsy shop: Leigh Viner. Leigh Viner is an American artist and
photographer. Something about her work makes me think of vintage
Vogue magazines, the models remind me of Amber Valetta and Linda
Evangelista- another contender in my search. Click here for Leigh Viner Etsy shop.
Etsy shop: Plasterdoll. Plasterdoll creates doll-like
versions of fashion ads- note the bandage on the model's right
temple, I'm not sure what that's about, but I think it humanizes
the dolls. Click here for Plasterdoll Etsy shop.
Looking at all the amazing artwork has only confused me more-
since the pieces are so inexpensive, I may buy a few and frame
them, but which ones... Advice is welcome, and drop a note if you
purchased one!
