Indra

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Indrasideas

From childhood I loved art. I love to draw, paint, embroider, felt. I mix the different techniques together to achieve a goal and then I am pleased. The idea surrounds me until I have implemented it or I will not have peace. I enjoy making special projects for custom orders.  I see this world as a beautiful garden, in full bloom, bright in winter and in summer. So are my creations - bright as paint, showing the strength from the earth and the spirit of nature.

I am inspired by lands, where I have been, the people I met and the seasons!

I opened up an Etsy store and it fascinates me - my creations have traveled to so many countries!. I love this way of traveling around the world and I hope that this is just the beginning of my journey...  And who knows?  Maybe my creations will travel to you!

Artist's statement:  With my creations I try to make people closer to beauty of nature!  I enjoy flowers, fog in the meadow, dew on a cobweb, rhythm in trees... I try to use it all in my work!  I like to be close to nature - it inspires me to create things which reminds me about beauty of nature!

I embroider and felt, sew by hand and with the sewing machine. I like to experiment with embroidery by using freehand embroidering techniques and I like to mix different styles and materials (felt, beads, wool, linen etc.).

Location:  Latvia

Online shop:  Indrasideas 

Languages spoken:  Latvian, Russian, English

Needle-felted pillow cover by Indras Ideas

Tags:  Needle felted; journal; book; embroidery; fiber art; appliqued; accessories; pillow; wall hanging, box

Wrapture by Inese

http://www.inesedesign.com/Home.html

I travel through different genres of art and design, depending on circumstances... I can easily adapt. People who know me and have seen my work recognize me through my colors and sense of whimsy. My textile design experience grew from working in fashion design. Glassblowing started as ceramics ended. A move to Europe drew me into interior design, but the economy gave me the opportunity to go back to knitwear, this time with all my years of textile design experience to back it up. I welcome new opportunities that give me a chance to use all the knowledge I have collected over the years. I love giving joy whether it is a new life to an old home or the perfect knit wrap that gives your eyes a sparkle and makes you look and feel beautiful.

I designed knitwear as a way of making a living after graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prodded on by a friend I bought a knitting machine and developed a mohair mobius strip shawl long enough to fit comfortably wrapped twice around the neck. At a craft fair a woman pulled one of the loops of the double wrap up over her head and asked ""is this how you wear it?"" My reaction was, how did you do that, show me, yes of course that's it, that's exactly it! I sold thousands of those wraps.

I moved to San Francisco, worked for others, then five years ago I moved to Riga, Latvia, my parents' homeland, and vowed to never have a full time job again. Freelance CAD textile design work was a joy until the economy crashed. I remembered my mobius wraps of 25 years back, reinvented them, adding width to make a stole, and colorful stripes to make them unrepeatable. 

Artist's statement:  I play with colors, these are my sketches. Each wrap is as unique as the individual who wears it. Distinct and unrepeatable.  If you visit Riga, I often participate in craft fairs in Old Town. My Facebook fan page has the latest updates.

Every day when I go to my knitting machine I have no idea what will happen, what colors will appear, what moods will be revealed. I just go with the flow...

Enjoy!

Location:  Riga, Latvia, Europe

Online shop:  WrapturebyInese

Languages spoken:  English, Latvian and enough German to find the train station and to sell a wrap

 Multi-functional Knitted Wraps by Inese

Tags:  knitwear, textiles, CAD, fashion design, color, textures, wraps, accessories, interiors, home textiles, one of a kind, ooak, hand loomed