Studio Tour # 31 - Meredith Dada (also Part 3 of her interview)

Love Doves beaded cake topper & jeweled nest by Meredith Dada

Got your traveling shoes on? Today we are off to California for a visit with the artist behind MeredithDada.Etsy.com.  (Most photos are courtesy of Meredith Dada, except her Etsy picks which belong to those artists)

My husband makes beer...we needed a bar to serve it on tap. Hey lets make one!

Did you catch Friday's interview with Meredith? If not, check it out by clicking here. My time machine is on the fritz (I think I burned out the thingamajig chasing Christmas Ghosts - fast little buggers) So if you want to go back to the first installment of this 3 part feature, a clickety here will take you to the Dec. 16th thought provoking post "Do The Work ....Stay out of the results." 

Meredith, thanks for inviting us into your creative space today. During our chat last Friday you mentioned  your the transition you made from mosaic tile work to bead mosaics. Do you have any images of your tile art that you would like to share?

MD: This table was my first serious mosaic project. I made the decision to start making work that may or may not sell anywhere. I made the leap!

MD: Here is my first mosaic table. When it sold I immediately started working on another.

What are your 3 favorite etsy shops?

Virgen de Guadalupe Nicho (Pendant) from PuebloFolkArt.Etsy.com

MD: PuebloFolkArt.Etsy.com - Larena makes beautiful and unique jewelry that I just love. I am hoping someone buys it for me soon!

Altitude Fine Art Nature Photo from Bomobob.Etsy.com

Bomobob.Etsy.com - I fell in love with Bob’s photography at first sight. I hope to have a whole collection on display in my bedroom, but right now I just have one beautiful photo.

French Beaded Hyancith Flower Plant from BuddingCreations.Etsy.com

BuddingCreations.Etsy.com - I love Danielle’s work. She makes the French beaded flowers just like my Grandmother made. She also just started a team on Etsy for bead and wire artists (BAWA) that I am a proud member of!

What are your 3 favorite websites?

MD: http://www.marthastewart.com/ - I look at Martha Stewart’s website almost daily because I secretly want to be like her!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ - I always see something interesting on apartment therapy.

http://www.anthropologie.com/ - I can’t afford it, but it is fun to look at!





MD: By the way, this is what you have to put up with when you live with a creative person... broken tile in the dining room and no place to eat. 

 

What do you like to do when you are not creating?

MD: Having a two year old keeps me pretty darn busy. We take trips to the park, and we try to take daily nature walks…the important things! Mostly we play, play, and play some more. With the little free time I have, I do yoga or I read, nothing terribly exciting.

MD: This photo shows the influence of my creative genes.... why buy candles when you can make them in your kitchen? I did decide to teach myself to cook this year. It became glaringly obvious when I got married, that I never really learned to cook. I made it by on simple, quick, and easy dishes when I had a full time day job. The last thing I wanted to do after a long workday, was cook a big meal! Now that I don’t work, I started watching the food network religiously, reading magazines, and cookbooks. It was my 2010 New Years resolution to cook, cook, cook! 

I started a food blog: http://www.dadadelicious.blogspot.com/ mostly to force myself to stick to my resolution and also to have a record of my more successful recipes. The year is almost over and I am still cooking!

Is there anything else you would like to share?

This nook in the garage is my studio space

MD: As you saw in the previous post about me, I shared a conversation I had with an artist friend of mine named David. His words struck a cord in many fellow Etsy sellers, and it helped me gain some perspective during the holiday madness. I was hoping to share a bit of advice from a different source with you today. This was a conversation I had a few months ago with my 93 year old Grandpa. I have shared it with a few Etsy sellers and it seemed to strike a similar cord. 

My Grandpa is still painting daily and even had an art show for his 93rd birthday a few months ago. Recently surrounded by my family full of artists I asked them all for the best advice they could offer right now when so many artists and crafters are struggling during these economic times. Everyone looked to Grandpa for the answer. This is what Grandpa Otis had to say:

"Darling, just because you make something don’t mean anyone is gonna buy it...but you make it anyway because you love it, or what the heck is the point? If you can say that you are proud of what you did at the end of the day, well then you are do'n alright, and if you gotta fix toilets to pay the bills (he was a plumber) and do what you love when you can...then fix the damn toilets!"

He made me re-think my definition of success, because to me, he is the most successful person I know.

After that conversation I posted this question on my studio wall:

“At the end of the day, are you proud?”

I try for a “yes” everyday! 

Magenta Moment hand beaded dish from MeredithDada.etsy.com

Meredith, your grandfather is a wise man. Thanks for the fantastic tour, eye candy and food for thought today.

And thanks to those of you who traveled with me to this creative space. Want to see more of Meredith's work and world? Here are a few links:

art blog http://meredithdada.blogspot.com

cooking blog  http://www.dadadelicious.blogspot.com/

twitter http://twitter.com/meredithdada

online shop http://meredithdada.etsy.com

Want more studio tours and interviews? Then be sure to leave a comment. The featured artists and I love the feedback. Also, if you leave your comment before 12/30 you will be entered in the random drawing for a 100 piece art set from Creatology. Click here for more info on the random drawing, including photo of prize.