Featured Etsy Store: Dash & Ash + An Interview with Owner Ash
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Ash is the wonderful and creative soul behind Etsy store Dash & Ash - an assortment of gorgeous prints, artworks and other handmade goodies. Ash recently launched her Etsy store to help accomplish her dream of being a licensed artist.
She explains: "My favorite mediums are Collage, Acrylic, pencil, gel pens (jelly rolls) and my Wacom. We live in the Seattle Area and also have a big goldendoodle named Theo."
Ash was also wonderful enough to let Whim ask her a series of questions about her love of art and her dreams for the future. Want to hear some more good news? Ash has also kindly offered $25 store credit to one of our readers, so please keep an eye out on our Instagram and Facebook page within the next 24 hours for news of how you can win this generous prize!
Without further ado, here's Ash's interview with Whim Online Magazine. We hope you find her answers as inspiring as we did!
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Q: When did you first begin your own label, Dash and Ash, and what motivated you to do so?A: I took a 6 month break from art to try and figure out if I really wanted to continue as an artist. I spent the majority of this time reading, and I stumbled upon a book that inspired me to create. The book, titled Blog, Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit and to Create Community, is primarily about blogging, but for some reason it really motivated me into starting my own Etsy shop and it just kind of evolved from there. The primary message I got from the book was to create and keep creating to see where it leads you.
Q: For those of our readers who may be unfamiliar with Dash and Ash, how would you describe it to them?A: I would describe Dash and Ash as young at heart, and more playful than serious. I love using colors, patterns and textures, but sometimes am a fan of the classic black and white. I have always been a typography geek and that comes into play more often than not.
Q: Your Etsy store is an absolute treasure trove of amazing items! Do you have a favourite item or type of item that you enjoy creating the most?A: I recently became really interested in block printing, if you're not familiar, it's basically a large block that can be carved with a pattern and becomes a large stamp. It takes a few days to finish the illustration and carving, but it's so satisfying to ink up the block and press down on a medium to see how it turns out.
Q: When it comes to your ideas and creation process, what inspires your creativity the most?A: I find that I always get a huge boost of creativity after reading a great book. When I was younger, I used to have a ton of magazine clippings that I always kept in an accordion folder. My teacher referred to it as a morgue. While I do miss the process of actually clipping magazines, I find that Pinterest has been a great replacement. Whenever I get stuck on an idea, I just go through my boards and that generally helps.
Q: What do you hope to achieve with Dash and Ash in the not-too-distant future; Do you have any exciting, upcoming plans that you would like to share with us?A: I'm trying to expand my art on products other than the traditional prints. I have been working on some cute deer, fox and mermaid throw pillows. I have already done some test runs and love how they are turning out. I'm currently sourcing materials for these and hope to get them up in my shop in the coming months.
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We encourage you to check out Ash's Etsy store and website to see more of her amazing work. You can also 'like' Dash & Ash on Facebook or follow on Instagram for updates. Stay tuned for that giveaway!