Meet Vicky from Mintage.etsy.com

Wow... look at the color. This piece caught my eyes when I was strolling along Etsy shops. It's one of the original mixed media piece from Mintage Designs.
I just have to go in the store and meet the designer.
Vicky a native Vancouverian made this piece from "spirit money" and Canson drawing paper.
So, I decided to interview her.
I began by asking about her background

My background, living in this culturally-diverse city, and my travels abroad contribute to the imaginings that ultimately find themselves into my artwork. I haven't had any formal training in the arts, but ever since I can remember, I have loved creating with my hands - drawing, painting, cutting, pasting, and sometimes even banging away! This is what I do when I have spare time outside of work, family and friends.

Bigib: Why do you use the material you're using to express your creativity
Mintage:
Some of the materials I use play on themes I like to explore in my work. Old vs new, east vs west, etc. I enjoy using found objects in my work to bring new life to something that could otherwise be discarded. I love using newsprint and will often mix print of different languages.

I use "spirit money" which is burnt in chinese ancestral worship ceremonies in my pieces. One can often find asian influences in my work.

Bigib: What's new project you're working on, or anything coming up?
Mintage:
I've just finished a piece that is part of my rainscapes series. It is titled "the unfortunate fate". I haven't listed it on etsy yet as I'm thinking of offering it as a print and need to decide which method would produce me the best prints.

I am also preparing for a craft fair called gotcraft (May 4; gotcraft.ca) in Vancouver.

Bigib: How is your design process
Mintage:
Usually an idea forms in my head while I'm on the bus, walking home, or even driving. Usually I'm on my own and I notice something (alot of times, something insignificant) that sparks an idea or image in my mind. This then grows into a full-fledged idea and sometimes I may scribble it down in my sketchbook. I don't always carry it around so you will also find scribbles in my agenda.

Bigib: Do you innovate?
Mintage:
One of the ways I innovate in the creative process is looking at something and being able to find a purpose for it that it was originally not intended. For e.g. One time, I wanted to build a small shelf. It had to be very specific dimensions. I ended up finding a discarded bed frame, took it apart, and reconstructed it into a very unique bookshelf. See for yourself.

Bigib: What is your favorite items
Mintage:
My current favourites are rainscapes I for it's textures and simplicity, and rainscapes - "the unfortunate fate" for its bold statement on a very important issue.



Bigib:Anything else you want to share?
Mintage:
For a along time, I kept telling myself that I would spend more time on art. And for the longest time, I kept putting it off. Just recently, I started getting creative again and it's been great. I know there are a lot of priorities and obligations in everyone's lives (I work full time and have a 16 month old son), but it's a fine balancing act, and it's been very rewarding to get back into it.

To learn more about Vicky's pieces, you can visit Mintage.etsy.com.