4.13.2012

Feature Friday- Jessilyn Million

*Disclaimer: All images in this post are from Jessilyn at JessilynJoy. I claim no credit or responsibility for any of the art or photography in this post.

This week's feature is about Jessilyn Million, a wonderfully creative lady. Her Etsy shop, JessilynJoy, includes a variety of things from handpainted clocks to cards. There are also original paintings and prints of her paintings. I caught up with her for a short interview.

Sunset Silhouette
What is your favorite item and why?
JM ~ My favorite item in my shop would be "Sunset Silhouette" It is a small version of a large painting I did years ago. It reminds me of a very wonderful time in my life.
[It's for sale in her shop here.]

Where do you get your inspiration?
JM ~ I have gotten a lot of my inspiration from my travels, I have spent a good part of my live in Asia and Europe and there is no shortage of interesting things to inspire creativity over there. When I am here I am usually inspired by nature.

How long have you been painting? How did you get started?
JM ~ I have been painting and doing some kind of art since I was a kid. I grew up in a very creative environment and I had a lot of freedom to paint all over my room and I took full advantage it.
[Wouldn't that have been AMAZING!? I wasn't allowed to paint or even hang pictures in my childhood room. I can't imagine how awesome it would've been if I could have.]

How/why did you decide to start selling on Etsy?
JM ~ Most of what is in my shop started as a gift for someone. I started taking pictures of the gifts I made and when I moved home from years of traveling, when I didn't have a job I started my shop to help get me through my period of unemployment.

Seeing as how this blog is mainly focused on home design, I'd also love it if you'd be willing to submit a picture of something in your home you wouldn't mind readers seeing, maybe a room you love, or a piece of art you adore, etc.
JM ~ It is a dresser [in my room] that I rescued from the Children's Art Museum that I work at. It is where we stored costumes from the previous exhibition. It is huge and heavy and a pain to move, but I love it!
[Btw, I asked her what is written on the chalkboard in that picture. She said it's a quote from a William Blake poem:
"To see the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wildflower.
Hold infinity on the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour."
-William Blake

So now for the goodies! I love so many of her things, so I promise I will try to keep the image overload to a minimum!
  
First off are these cards. They are made using a lino cut, which is a printmaking technique in which, to put it in very basic terms, the artist carves the picture as a stamp. They are beautifully detailed, and she has 5 different cards to choose from. Each purchase gets you a pack of 5 of the design of your choice, plus the corresponding envelopes. What a fun way to personalize a little get-together! I would love to give these to, say, my bridesmaids for a bridesmaids luncheon, or my closest friends for an intimate brunch.

Sailing Cards

The item she has by far the most of is clocks. HANDPAINTED clocks to be exact. They are GORGEOUS! If I could put them all on here, I would. You'll just have to go check out her shop for yourselves! I will include a few here though, the few I narrowed down to be my absolute favorites. (And believe me, it was TOUGH!)

Bird in the Sun Wall Clock



Bird in the Vines Wall Clock

Queen Anne's Lace Wall Clock

Granted, her clocks are what some might call a tad bit expensive. (They range from $30 up to $75.) But the way I look at it is this: If you can find a piece of art that you love for less than $75 these days, you're doing awesome (or maybe you just have really cheap taste). These are works of art too, and they have the added bonus of being functional! These clocks are like the perfect mate: not only do they look amazing, but they are useful too!

If you've found one you love, but you still aren't quite sold on the price, maybe this will help push you off that fence: right now, Jessilyn is offering 20% off to all you wonderful readers! (That makes the price range $24-60, which is slightly easier to swallow. Yes, I even did the math for you!) Just enter coupon code 20OFF at checkout. Tell her Courtney sent you!

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