By contributing columnist Kim Barnes aka Teatowelcreek

You have a right to…..protect your work!

Whether you just came up with a new pattern, cool idea, short story or a new design. You probably want to look into getting it protected!

There may come a time when you may want to protect your artwork and or creations. I have compiled some information for you that can lead you in the right direction.

Of course, this article is for informational purposes only, we do not profess to be legal counselors. For the legal advice, you should contact an attorney. For additional legal information for artists check AttorneySarah’s Etsy shop.

What Is a Copyright?
Copyright is a form of protection provided to the authors of “original works of authorship” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, both published and unpublished. The 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to reproduce the copyrighted work, to prepare derivative works, to distribute copies or phonorecords of the copyrighted work, to perform the copyrighted work publicly, or to display the copyrighted work publicly.
The copyright protects the form of expression rather than the subject matter of the writing. For example, a description of a machine could be copyrighted, but this would only prevent others from copying the description; it would not prevent others from writing a description of their own or from making and using the machine. Copyrights are registered by the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress.

An artists work is automatically copyrighted once it is created. However filing for a copyright is volentary but having a legal copyright filed with the Gov’t will protect your work incase of infringement. Costs starts at $35.00 to file electronically. For more information about copyright, copyright laws, costs, etc. go to http://www.copyright.gov. You can also write to them and request a copyright booklet that will also have all of the information you will need and a section for you to fill out to apply for a copyright. You can also call to request this booklet.

U.S.Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20559-6000
1-202-707-3000

Trademarks: A Trademark is a word, symbol, phrase or devise which uniquely indentifies a particular company or individual. Example: Crayola. To register a trademark or patent: http://www.uspto.gov

Patents: There are 3 forms of patents:
Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof; Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture; and Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant.

When applying for a patent it is best to go to a Patent Attorney. Make sure you have all of your documentation and product or product idea with you when you see an attorney so he can look it over. He will also do a thorough patent search for you and will be able to advise you through the entire process.

My father has a patent attorney so I know quite a bit about this process as I have also tried to get an invention patented but due to his thorough search I found out it was already invented so it is a really good idea to go to a patent attorney first before you go get the invention made to avoid this from happening to you!

By contributing columnist April Williams of ElunaJewelry

Welcome to the world of Etsy. It can be daunting to say the least. I am here to let you in on a few tips to getting seen in the world of Etsy; what you’ll find is that not only can you be seen but you can also make friends in the forums!

You will see this everywhere, but it is true. One of the best ways to start your Etsy life is to participate in the forums and chats (found in the community section of Etsy). I personally spend time in the promotions forum, the critiques forum, the business forum, and occasionally in the Materials and Techniques forum. So let us take a look at some of these destinations.

The Promotions Forum…

This is the place to show off you wares, to stand up and say “Look at me”, and to post your latest and greatest! While strolling along in the promotions forum you will see threads like;

A. NEW; Everything Blue; Come Promote;

B. Blog; Project Wonderful;

C. BNS; BNR; Let’s Help Each Other

I am going to break these types of threads down for you.

Threads like those in category A are free-for-all threads. Anyone and everyone is welcome to post their latest deal, or products. In threads like “Everything Blue”, you should restrict yourself to posting items that are relevant to the stated topic.

In threads like those in category B, you will find promotions for blogs and advertising. Some of these can be great opportunities, so check them out, even if you are not going to post in them.

Now onto the head scratchers and definitions. BNS and BNR posts are similar in nature.

BNS stands for Buy-and-Stay. Essentially you buy from someone listed in the post and you get added to the thread. As long as you continue to check-in on the thread and promote it by posting as required in the thread rules, you will be listed and receive free advertising.

BNR stands for Buy and Replace. If you buys from someone on this list, you will replace them on the list. And once you are listed and someone buys from you, you will be bumped back off the list.

Let’s Help posts. These threads are relatively new in the Etsy forums. To participate in these threads, you simply stop in every time the thread restarts and ask to be placed on the thread. Then you stay and chat with the other people on the thread. You will find everything from personal life issues, to sales and promos, and even a little shop help on these threads. I personally participate in one of these threads. You get free advertising and comradely all in one.

There is one final thread you will see in the promotion forums; a Threadkiller. So what is a Threadkiller? It is a post which is promoting a giveaway. Most of the time, the winner will be the last person to post in a 24 hour period. In other words, if I post a 1pm and the next post is at 3pm the following day, I would win the threadkiller since there would have been a 24 hour period with no other posts. These can be really nice promotional tools, since those people that are trying to win will continue to bump the thread and get your name seen.

Critiques Forum…

In this forum you will find people willing to give your shop a critique if you ask. Sometimes you may need to ask more than once, simply because threads get buried here quite quickly.

However during the last holiday season, I discovered this is also a great place to be seen on Etsy. Before the holidays, I had always been afraid to poke my head into threads like “Would you buy from the shop above?” About a month before Christmas, I stopped by one of those threads and posted. I participated on those threads for about a week. What I discovered was interesting to say the least. Every time I posted on one of those threads, the next day I would get a new hearts. That meant people were stopping into my store, and those who liked my work were leaving their hearts!

Chat Rooms…

Shortly after joining Etsy, I stopped in the chat rooms to see what was going on. I soon discovered there are three types of chat rooms you will see on a given night; Chat, 5 min FS, and Team rooms.

Some people swear by the 5 minute FS rooms, although it is not my cup of tea. The way the room works is this, whoever is the current 5 min seller has their work brandied about the room. The entire five minutes is about that seller and whatever deals they are offering. In order to be the next five minute seller; you must buy from the current seller. And if you are not the first buyer, you may have to try again with the next buyer.

Team chat rooms are those rooms dedicated to a particular Etsy team. These are usually locked and only team members are involved in these chats.

And last, but not least; chat rooms. The basic chat room is a good place to been seen. You get to meet new people and show off your work at the same time. Here is the secret of normal chat rooms on Etsy; promote the work of other sellers in the room.

Ok I bet you are now scratching you head wondering if I am daft. How are you to be seen when you are promoting someone else’s work? It is a PIF (pay it forward) gesture. By promoting others work in the chat rooms, chatters are likely to go to your store, find something they like, and then post it in the chat rooms as a thank you.

So there you go; three effective places on Etsy to be seen and to get to know the community. Hope to see you around!

Pic courtesy of MyPipSqueak

By contributing columnist Amanda aka: GimmeThatThing

Having spoken to many crafters on the Folksy forum or at craft fairs, it has become obvious to me that most of us create our wonderful masterpieces at home, whether it is in the spare bedroom, a cellar, a quiet shed at the bottom of the garden, or in my case in the kitchen, where I produce my ceramic pieces. 

We all seem to have one thing in common – the problem of how to deal with the distractions that arise when we should be knuckling down and doing some creative work.

Some crafters are lucky enough to have a studio that is away from their home, but those of us working at home have so many distractions that we have to learn to ignore them.  Those precious spare hours when we can get to making stuff are few and far between, especially if we have day jobs or a family to keep happy.  Even those of us who craft full time are faced with those same problems that arise when working in a domestic space.  Should we vacuum the carpets, do the washing up, iron the kids’ clothes, do the supermarket run, or should we just ignore these duties in the hope that they will go away? 

My approach is to deal with the urgent matters on my ‘to do’ list and leave the carpet and ironing until tomorrow. After all, I may not feel creative or inspired to make anything worthwhile tomorrow and that is when I can achieve something with a vacuum cleaner or shopping trolley! I often tend to get those domestic duties out of the way first and then I know that I can enjoy a few hours uninterrupted without suffering the guilt. However, you are bound to find that further distractions can arise throughout the day.  Friends may phone or call round, knowing that you are bound to be at home. They may come for a chat or arrive with an offer of taking you out for lunch, but this is just a temptation that you have to learn to rise above. 

Perhaps your kitchen is a tad too close to your workspace and it is all too easy to make just one more cup of coffee before beginning work, or worse still, to keep raiding the biscuit jar! Ideally, you should tell yourself that you will have begun creating by a specific time, come what may. Avoid the biscuits, the phone calls, that extra cup of coffee.

Close yourself inside that workspace and focus on what needs to be done. Tell yourself that you are not allowed a break until you have finished making that pair of earrings, sewn that seam or finished knitting that sleeve, or just give yourself a time limit and do 2 hours work before coming out of the work space for a little time off. 

Do not get distracted by the mess, chaos and lack of organisation once you are in your workspace .  These are issues that you can deal with on those days when you lack inspiration. Make the most of your time. Be organised and disciplined. Make a list of what you want to achieve each day.  Do not come out of that workspace until you have achieved the day’s goals, whether it is making one item or a whole heap of identical items for a wholesale order. Then, and only then, release yourself from captivity, make a hot drink and treat yourself to a piece or two of chocolate, because you’re worth it!

Photo courtesy of  Jenniferstumpf

Etsy Spotlight: Arrowsarah’s Faith\Hope\Love\Peace\Soul Wooden Box Purse

by Contributing Columnists Nicole M aka
Sugar Shox Crafts

The printed word is a beautiful thing. In both the visual spaces they occupy and also in their meaning, words can artistically rival a Rembrandt or Picasso painting.

Angela Mosera’s (“Arrowsarah”) Faith\Hope\Love\Peace\Soul Wooden Box Purse (her “Word Box,” as she nicknamed it) shows what power words can have on the senses. The 6” by 6” by 6” cube-shaped pine body uses typeface as its main graphical element to pull one’s eyes in. One word (“Faith,” “Hope,” “Love,” “Peace,” or “Soul”) is written on each side in giant capital Arial Extra Bold letters, including on the top lid.

Color also contributes to the stunning visual effect of the purse body. The natural wood finish of the letters sharply contrasts with the body’s black background.

Angela said the body’s design comes from her background in graphic design. She previously worked for a large ad agency in Dallas, where she hails from, and now freelances her design work, in addition to having it as a main focus in her Etsy shop.

She put a great deal of thinking and persistence into this purse. Angela said she felt something was missing from its first design, where the “Faith\Hope\Love\Peace” words simply went around the outside of the box.

“Once it was done, I knew it needed something on the top. It took me a long time to figure out what word needed to go up there, but when I finally thought of ‘soul,’ it was like a light bulb went off,” she said. “‘Soul’ is the root of all the other words and if you lose faith or hope, you still have soul.”

Angela has made five boxes so far with this design. It happens to be the most popular design of all the many box purses in her shop. It is also mom-approved; her mom carries this very same design!

The work of fellow Texan Enid Collins sparked Angela’s original interest in making box purses. Collins was famous in the 1960’s for her wooden rectangular box purses, which featured hand painted scenery and animal designs. Today, Collins’ work is highly sought-after in the vintage market.

“I had been collecting her purses for a while, and they are just so awesome that I wanted to bring them back with a modern twist,” she said.

Since she started making them in 2008, Angela has made over a hundred of these box-type purses, and plans to make more in different styles.

“I’ve made well over 125 by now,” she said. “I’m always trying new boxes like upcycled cigar boxes and boxes that are different shapes and sizes.”

They are all available for purchase through both craft shows and her Etsy shop.

Creating her box purses has also led Angela to love working with wood. Though she had never really worked with the material before, she’s been incorporating it into more of her work lately (including her jewelry, which she also sells), and plans to try some jigsaw-cut designs as well.

Check out all of Arrowsarah’s wooden creations at craft shows in the Dallas area and in her Etsy shop! She’s also on Facebook!

By Donna aka Glassandwiregems

How do you help the customer find your products? You take advantage of a process called search engine optimization or SEO.

Caleb, ArtFire’s Director of Search Engine Optimization stated that their main goal “is to inform and teach our members about SEO, encourage them to be proactive and test different methods of listings, and give them as much freedom as possible so that they can have an impact on their own SEO.” With that goal in mind, ArtFire has written a number of guides to help their studio owners take advantage of all options available to increase their rankings in the search.

Before you can use SEO effectively, you have to know what is involved. A customer searching for a product uses a search engine, i.e. Google, Bing, etc., to search for the product they want to purchase using what is called a keyword. These search engines then use a multitude of factors in determining which pages are appropriate or relevant and what order to rank them in. Basically, search engines check a page’s content looking for the keywords together which what that page links to. The pages are indexed and follow more links to find new pages. This process is repeated again and again. The search engine uses the data it has acquired to build an index. That index is used to display the results. This result is a SERP or search engine results page.

You can influence your ranking in two different ways. These are called off-site optimization and on-site optimization. Off-site optimization essentially acquires links to your website from other sources, i.e. if one site has 1,000s of people linking to it, that site would be viewed as a better resource than the one that only has a few. Therefore, it is important for studio site to create content that is unique so that others want to link to it.

On-site optimization involves creating good keyword content. Strong meta tags, titles and descriptions are needed to optimize your page. One example of this process is a customer searching for a “custom opal bracelet.” If your web page has those words in its title and product description, you can be fairly sure that your page will come up higher in the rankings than one that says “opal jewelry.”

When you are writing your titles, meta tags and content, consider how someone would search for your product. If you have described what you are selling accurately, you have enhanced your use of SEO.

ArtFire considers their listing page as the most important page on the entire site. The members are given as much control as possible over their items page. The items page has been created in such a way that the information a member provides is optimized for their item. ArtFire stays up-to-date on any changes and news regarding SEO and plans accordingly. They are on top of current trends, i.e. The Alice in Wonderland blog blitz. They take SEO very seriously because they have “found it to be the best way to drive, new, interested buyers directly into our members studios.”

If you want your product to noticed, you should too!

Picture courtesy of Mod3artdesigns

By Contributing columnist Susan Averello aka Fantasy Clay

Google Analytics can be one of those great tools that can give you much information about your store or website. It can let you know the number of visitors to your site on a daily basis, how they get there, even what words they use to find your site.  If you have your own site or sell on a site that is integrated with Google Analytics, this is a must have tool. Knowing where your visitors arrive from can enable you to market more directly.

Your first step is setting up an account, if you haven’t already.  Go to google.com/analytics. This will take you directly to the log in page.  From there you can sign in using your Google account; if you have Gmail and/or a Blogspot blog, you have a Google account. If not, there is a link to set up a Google account. When you  log in, you need to sign up for Google Analytics-they’ll be a box right there.

The next page is Analytics: New Account Sign Up. It will ask you for your website’s URL. You want to use your store’s main page: i.e. http://username.artfire.com. Then just name the account and fill in the rest with your country and time zone.  Click continue. The next page just asks for your name, then click accept policies. After that, you’ll be on a page with some code and some choices. Leave it on the defaults.

And finally,  the last step. If you look at the code- there is a UA number; it should be in this format 00000000-0. In a site that is integrated with GA, you just need to enter this number in the stats page.  I know ArtFire, 1000Markets and Etsy are and Zibbet isn’t. I don’t have experience with any other shops so you need to check. It will usually be under Stats or Analytics, depending what a site names it.

If you own your own site or a blog, you’ll have to copy and paste the code anywhere before <body> in the page’s html code. It’s easy enough to do on Blogger. Click on Edit HTML, then paste the code any where before the <body> tag. Rather than search the whole page, just paste before any other code. Then click ‘save template’.

Google Analytics stats are not in real-time. They are updated daily, so you’ll have to wait a day before seeing any data.  Tomorrow you will have a few graphs, I think everyone gets hooked on the top one; this lists the number of visitors a day. However, Google Analytics will count every visit, including yours, so in the next article, I’ll tell you how to set up a filter so your views won’t be counted.

Photo courtesy of RoundWords

By Contributing Columnist Amy McCarthy aka AmyOrangeJuice

One of the things I have been most impressed with since joining the Folksy community is the quality of the printed items available. I don’t mean prints of original fine art paintings (though some of these are lovely) but lino cut and wood cut prints, each an individual work of art in its own right.

Printing is a very satisfying art technique and its simple to achieve striking, good quality work with few tools;  so here is my guide to Lino Printing. Why not have a go?

You will need:

Lino Cutting tool: Otherwise know as a gouge, is readily available from art supply shops and on the internet. I got a set for around £ 6 so they are not an expensive buy.  Lino cutting tools come with a handle and several different size cutting blades which fit into the handle, each one makes a different mark and depth into the lino.

Lino: Inexpensive to buy from art supply shops and on line, comes pre-cut in manageable squares.

Roller: Again, printing rollers are cheap to buy from art suppliers, but you could also use a brush.  If using a roller you need a flat, clean surface to roll the paint onto. I use an old piece of reinforced glass from an old coffee table.

Ink: You can use water or oil based printing ink or Gouache/thinned poster paint. All easy to come across and inexpensive.

Paper: Lino can be printed onto a wide range of papers. Specialist printing paper is lovely to use, but a wide range of paper can be used. Why not experiment?

Shopping done? Lets get started!

First of all you need to prepare your lino. It comes with a slightly rough surface, so with a couple of drops of water and a piece of wet and dry sand paper give it a light sanding (should only take a couple of minutes). This will give a strong printing texture. Without preparation the surface of the print could look grainy. Try not to get the hessian backing wet as it will make the lino unstable and soggy!

The next thing to do is prepare the design and cut the lino to the desired size with a craft knife. Remember that the parts you carve away will remain white (assuming you are printing onto white paper). You can draw straight onto the lino or trace a design from paper onto the lino. Remember that when printing everything will appear in reverse on the paper.

Now you are ready to start mark making! Hopefully you have tried out your tools and got a feel for what marks the different blades make: some deep and rounded, others shallow and triangular. Hold the handle of the gouge in the palm of your hand with the blade outwards between your thumb and forefinger and push the cutting edge into the lino, keeping the blade and handle close the lino surface and push along the lino; you have made your first cut!

SAFETY NOTICE: Always cut away from your body and keep your other hand clear of the cutting blade!

When you have cut away all of your design you are ready to print.  Having protected your surfaces with old newspaper, roll the paint out on the glass/slab/flat surface till you have a nice even layer of ink/paint. Now place the lino block with the design facing upwards on a clean surface and roll the ink onto it until you have a nice even layer of paint on the design (or dab the lino with a loaded brush until all of it is evenly covered).  Lay your printing paper carefully on top of the lino block and burnish the paper with a spoon or with your fingers. Peek at the paper by lifting a corner until you are satisfied with the print.  You have made your first print~well done! Lay flat to dry away from pets and kids (I have had hand and paw prints everywhere before!) and repeat as many times as you want, or until you run out of paper!

This is the first stage of lino printing, in part 2 I will show you how to use the reduction method to create prints using several colours.

Photo courtesy of A. Deegan

One Shop or Two?
by contributing columnist Ashley Pahl aka AshleyPahl

Having an Etsy, Artfire or Folksy shop can sometimes be a very time-consuming activity. Why would a person want to open a second shop? There are many good reasons for making the decision to have two stores, and sometimes it is the right choice. Some good reasons for opening a second shop include:

1. Introducing a new line of items or a different style.

2. Selling handmade if you own a supply shop, or vintage if you own a handmade shop, etc.

3. A shop appears cluttered and is overwhelming to shop browsers.

4. Separating the popular money-makers from the more serious art forms.

5. Dividing a wide range of prices into two so that shoppers can focus and better compare products.

Buyers may have an easier time focusing on the items they are looking for if they are separated from the additional miscellanea that you sell. For example, if you mostly make knit hats, but also have your handmade earrings peppered in your shop, it may be too distracting for shoppers who came to your shop looking for hats. Alternatively, if you have a shop that specializes in sterling silver jewelry, it may help a shopper to focus on what they really want if the more expensive pieces are separated from less expensive “silver-toned” pieces.

Having a second shop may even get you more exposure. You can be listed in directories twice, in Etsy’s search engine twice (when searching for sellers), and could be stumbled upon twice.

The downside, of course, is that a second shop is twice the work. Two shops to stock; two shops to market and promote; two shops to make listings for; two shops to answer messages for and complete feedback for. Additionally, if you decide to move items that you already have listed in one shop to a new shop, you will need to do so manually: copy and paste the titles, descriptions, and materials, re-type the tags, make new shipping profiles, and upload the photos all over again. Not only that, but you will lose all of the hearts and views you have accumulated for such items. Your shop’s feedback will be back at zero and you’ll have to find a way to bring shoppers to your second store.

For many, it may be worth adding a new product line to the original shop and see how it fairs. Additionally, it may help to organize the “clutter” of the first shop into something more manageable for browsers. The shop sections feature and Rearrange Shop feature are both great for accomplishing such a task.

If the pros outweigh the cons and you decide to go for it, here are some things to remember when opening a second store:

1. You will need a second email address. Each email address can only be linked to one account on Etsy.

2. You will need to disclose your additional shops. You must link from your first shop to your second shop and vice versa either in your shop announcement, profile, or shop policies page.

3. All listings must be manually re-listed. There is no way to just switch them to a new account, and you will have to pay listing fees again.

4. The same PayPal account can be used for multiple Etsy accounts – there is no limit.

5. If you are not using the same banner, avatar, packaging materials and business cards that you use for your first shop, you may need to get new ones, which will add additional costs.

All in all, the decision to open a second online shop is really an individual one. What works for one business may not pan out for another. It may be worth the financial risk to open a new store, or it may be more practical to better manage your first shop. Many Etsy businesses do quite well with multiple shops, and as the old adage goes, “you never know until you try”.

Poster image courtesy of   The LoveShop

“Open” image courtesy of   The Back Porch Shoppe

By contributing columnist Michelle, aka: littletoad

The Daily Foto Project is the unique brain child of Melissa Azizi a self-taught Australian photographer. So what is exactly is The Daily Foto Project? It is a 365-day photo project where Melissa takes a photograph everyday for a year. But, that’s not all. She lists each image on Etsy and donates 5% of sales to a charity of the buyer’s choice. I have been following Melissa’s work for a while now and she was nice enough to answer some questions I was dying to know about her and this project.

So how did you come up with this idea? I’m from Sydney and my partner and I arrived in Berlin in May 2009. I broke my foot 2 months later! So, I pretty much spent my first European summer indoors and immobilized. Of course, I was down about it as my partner had also started a new job working really long hours and we had just moved into a completely empty apartment. The ordeal was a bit stressful, but ultimately being immobilized gave me time to reflect, especially about those that are really in a less fortunate position. I wanted to turn my little foot misadventure into something more positive for me and for others. Personally, I needed a way to happily re-acquaint myself with Berlin again and to develop my creativity.

How did the charity aspect of the project come along? I didn’t want the project to just be for and about me. It’s been done before, I’m sure. I thought it would be a great idea that when people buy a photo, that they’re also giving something positive to the world too. So, I donate 5% of the buyers purchase to a charity of their choice. I like to call it being a ‘Conscientious Consumer’.

Are there days when you really don’t want to take a picture? Not at all! I always think it’s interesting to see what I can come up with, especially on those days when I haven’t left the house until later in the evening and I’m losing light.

Is photography a hobby or do you do it professionally? I’m not professionally trained as a photographer, but I always treat it professionally.

What do you do when you aren’t taking pictures? I’m a film producer!

How many pictures do you take in a day to get the one you plan on using?There’s no limit, but I have taken anywhere between 5 to 50! I take my camera everywhere as I never know when I’ll need it!

Do you have a plan of what you are going to shoot for that day or do you just wait to find inspiration? It’s a mix. There are days where I’ve planned to visit a certain area, such as the Charlottenburg Palace, so I know I’ll use a photo from there. But, I take my camera with me everywhere, even up the road to the grocers. Who knows where inspiration may hit?

How have you been promoting this project? Mainly online and word-of-mouth. I have my own website, use Twitter, have a Facebook fan page and of course, my Etsy shop.

What kind of response from fans and Etsy sellers have you gotten? Positive responses. The good thing about Etsy is that it’s community-orientated and if you need advice or tips, other sellers are happy to help out. And many Etsy sellers are also on Twitter and Facebook, and they happily give their thumbs up too.

Why did you choose Etsy as your platform for your project? I wanted to find a site that was already established as a place for people to visit if they wanted to buy photographs. With an established site comes the pros, such as high traffic and a community. I received an email from someone who happened to have their Etsy store link in their email signature. I clicked on it and discovered a whole new world!

Can you give us a few examples of the charities that have been chosen through your sales? We all know about the recent devastation in Haiti, so the project has donated to American Red Cross for Haiti & Habitat for Humanity for Haiti. A lesser known charity has been the German Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired and even the Wikipedia Foundation.
And now the BIG question,What are you going to do after the 365 days are up? A big party, perhaps? Or, an exhibition? Or, a photo book collection! Too many ideas right now!

A huge thanks to Melissa for taking the time to answer my questions and for the good work she is doing with her talent. Looking at her site I hope will inspire us as artists to not only be creative but to also find ways to use our art to help others.

Image courtesy of  TheDailyFoto.

Camera imageNYLightMetals