Interview : Meet The Artist Behind Ericadaley

Erica is the artist behind ericadaley.

Her Spool Dollies have the charm and innocence of days gone by.

They evoke your best childhood memories and may I say that little smile you would get as a child just knowing that you were playing with your favorite toys .

I asked Erica three questions and these are her responses in her own words.

What would you like others to know of you and your art?

First, I love what I do. I find being creative has been a driving force in my life and I really just can’t help myself; its part of who I am. Although I have been inspired by many great artists, classic and contemporary alike, most of my own work is focused around children.

I was a teacher for a long time and have truly enjoyed being a mother, so I think these two things have influenced me a great deal in my artistic expression. Additionally, it is hard to focus on more in depth projects when you are a mom, so craft art has been a wonderful way to be able to continue making things while giving me the freedom of setting down and picking up again without too much difficulty.

What advice or encouragement would you give to another artist?

Simply, follow your heart. It’s important to enjoy what you’re doing, and if you’re not, it might be time to make a change. Art often does not pay the bills, so continue to be creative in your free time, but work hard if you really want to make a goal come to fruition. Try to use ‘green’ products as much as possible – take care of the earth. Make friends with other artists! They can be of tremendous support and can give great advice.

Where can others find your art work or get to know more about you?

I have a web site ( http://www.ericadaley.com/ ), which also links to my shop at http://www.ericadaley.etsy.com/. Another place to not only see loads of my work, but also photos of myself and my family is at my Flickr page ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/29033862@N00/ ). I also sell through a web store in Vermont at http://www.craftsburykids.com/, and at a store in the U.K. called White Doll Arts (http://www.whitedollarts.com/). And I will be at a few local craft fairs (in Southern Maryland) this Christmas 2008.

Lesser Known Facts About Erica:

I'm Vegetarian (for over 20 years now)My 'hero' is Pete Seeger for his passionate support of humanitarian causes, his political and environmental activism, his personal humility, and of course his music.I'm a stay-at-home mom, but before that I was a teacher and worked with children with special needs as well as preschool. I worked retail sales at Flax Art Supply in San Francisco. I've worked as a calligrapher, and I've been a nanny, among many other things.What I love: my family, the mountains/outdoors, the West Coast (my home), music, books/reading, food, and doing art of course.Don't Like: Ignorance, hate and violence, racism, and loud/angry voices.Hopes and Dreams: To make a good living at doing art, to be the only mom to my son and to be able to watch him grow up, and to grow old with my husband.