Tell us bit about yourself.
My name is Marlena (but everyone calls me Mania) and I live in a small village in Poland. I live with my parents who own a farm and we have lots of chickens, two dogs and a cat. I really love animals and I enjoy living so close to nature. What I like the most about living in a village is the open space, all the colors and calmness that is so hard to find in the city. I have two siblings and recently I became a god-mother of an adorable little boy.
Apart from creating, what do you do?
Apart from crafting I study English as I would like to become a translator one day. I find learning new languages interesting as I also learn new things about other cultures, I also know a little bit of German and Spanish. In my free time I like to do some sports, I tried dancing, karate and ju-jitsu for some time, now I'm into yoga. I like to keep myself occupied with many activities. I also like posing for photos just for fun and I love traveling.
What first made you want to become an artist?
I can't remember if there was a specific moment in my life that lead me to do art. I just simply enjoyed art classes at school and it was so fortunate that at that time a local artist was teaching children for free and I happened to be one of them. I did oil paintings for few years which made me want to explore other types of art. One day I just decided to rearrange my old jewelry and that's how it all started. During that period I visited my god-mother who is also a jewelry maker, she taught me a lot and helped me get my first tools and supplies.
What advice would you give to other artists on Etsy?
Be patient and hard-working, you can't expect any results if you're not constantly trying to improve your skills and be seen by the world. Work on your photos, try different settings, photos are your signature, it's a photo that people see, not the real product, you have to know how to sell yourself. Do not underprice your work, if people like your items they will be willing to pay a fair price for it, by underpricing you harm not only yourself but also other sellers who will have to lower their prices because of you.
What does your day looks like?
My day is very simple, I get up, watch some tv series while I eat breakfast. After that I log in into etsy and handle my shop. I go to my classes and then I go to my yoga classes or visit my friends, depending on a day. In the evening I also check my esty shop, promote it, etc. I find the time to create new jewelry in between those activities or during the weekends.
What inspires you?
Everything to be honest. Just simple everyday life, people that are around me, my family, my friends, other artists, books, movies, music, nature... simply everything. I just try too keep my mind open to new things or to look at things from different perspective and angles. I like giving objects new purposes, a new life.
Who are your favorite seller on Etsy?
My favorite seller on Etsy is Qooqoofashion I love their designs and colors, I'm dreaming of having their products, they are very unique and perfectly capture my taste in fashion.
If you'd like to find out more about Marlena and her jewelry, feel free to check out her blog, follow her on Twitter, Facebook and DeviantArt
If you enjoy this series and you are part of the Poletsy Team and would like to be the next one featured, please contact me via convo. Feeling Artsy
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Great interview :-)
ReplyDeleteCool interview :)
ReplyDeleteI like your geekery Jewelry and Your Blog :)
Good luck !
:)))
ReplyDeleteGreat interview :) I love her works with "unusual" things!
ReplyDeleteI think I like the tea set jewelry the best! And all the ipod headsets!
ReplyDelete