You may recognize the name Charlene Serdan, but chances are that
CS Designs and bold, colorful jewelry come to mind. It is indeed the same talented Charlene Serdan in the Spotlight today, and if you think her jewelry is amazing, wait until you see what she discovers from behind her camera lens.
Read on to learn more about this multi-talented artist, her love of mashed potatoes and her serious girl crush. You can also enter to win one of her beautiful prints!
Where are you from?I was born and raised in Toronto and now I currently reside in a suburb just outside the city.
How long have you been selling on Etsy?I started selling my photography in 2008, but I have been on Etsy since 2006 selling
jewelry.
Do you sell on Etsy full time or do you have a day job?I consider Etsy to be a part-time job. I don't earn enough to support a family, but it has helped to pay a few bills. I'm a full-time mother who desperately needs a creative outlet. Etsy is that outlet and has changed everything. I'm now going back to what I loved to do as a child.
What, if any, formal training have you had in your craft?I have no formal training in my craft. My parents were very much into photography while I was growing up and this was a wonderful introduction. I often accompanied them on photo shoots and I have many fond memories of sitting around the kitchen table pouring through contact sheets. My love of photography continues today. Professionally speaking, I'm a CFA (Certified Financial Analyst). Pre-Etsy. Not sure if I can go back now!
What made you decide to open up shop on Etsy?
I stumbled upon Etsy while surfing the web and the startup costs were so low that I knew I had nothing to lose. I was shocked when I made my first sale. I'm still a little shocked actually!
Where did your shop name come from?
I love to run and when I run, I'm always gazing up at the sky, breathing, and thinking about nothing. Thinking about nothing is actually hard to do. It's pure bliss.
What inspires you?
Nature. Light. Colour. Texture.
What do you like least about your craft?
Sometimes lugging camera equipment around can be a bit cumbersome and awkward. I also haven't been able to master using my camera with gloves on, so during the very long Canadian winters I always have painfully numb fingers. I pretty much adore everything else!
Five things you love
walks through the woods
the sound of the ocean
weeding (excellent stress release)
nighttime stories with my pajama clad boys
mashed potatoes
Five things you don't
talking on the phone gives me serious anxiety
green peas
packing
answering email
sleeping alone at night
Where is the coolest place you have ever been?
Kashmir, India. I spent 5 heavenly weeks there while I was backpacking across India and Asia. It is in northern India and borders Pakistan and Nepal. At the time the region was very unstable area and was completely devoid of tourism. I felt like I had stepped back in time. Each morning I woke up and watched the sunrise over the Himalayas. It was jaw droppingly, pinch-me-can-this-be-real, beautiful.
What is your favorite leisure time activity?
Curling up on the sofa with my husband, a glass of wine, and watching a really good foreign movie.
What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to youI asked my husband out on the first date. He said yes!
If you could trade places with any other person for a week, with whom would it be?Hmmmm. ..... I think I'd like to be a rock star. Nobody in particular. Somebody famous. Somebody very cool and talented. Somebody who can get on stage and make magic happen. I'm quite shy and introverted (usually the awkward girl standing alone in the corner at a party) so this would be completely stepping outside of my box.
Share some of your favorite musicMy tastes are always changing, but right now I'm really loving Blitzen Trapper, The Be Good Tanyas, and the Doves.
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Molly Parker. She's beautiful, talented, and Canadian. I have a serious girl crush on her.
If you could be a superhero, what would your power be?I would love to fly. Like a bird. Effortlessly through the sky.
What makes you angry?War. Guns. Violence.
What would you like to learn to do?I'd love to take up quilting. Patterns, fabric, colour.....oh I would so love to learn this art.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you?Somewhere around an 8.. I have an amazing family. I'm lucky to be in this life.
What does the future hold for you and your shop?I can only hope that I may continue to grow as an artist and strengthen my art.
Be sure to also stop by CS Designs and check out Charlene's beautiful jewelry!
GIVEAWAY TIME!
Charlene is offering one lucky winner their choice of any 5x5 print from
her shop!
HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:Please leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite item is from
Under a Blue Sky along with what different photographic subject matter you'd like to see.
You can enter once per day and
YOU MUST INCLUDE your first name
-AND- etsy username or email address with every entry. If you are worried about email spam, you can spell out the 'at' and 'dot' rather than using the standard email format.
Receive additional entries if you follow or subscribe to my blog and/or twitter/blog about the giveaway. Just leave a comment/link letting me know!
You only need to mention each one time.You have until Sunday, October 5 at 10 pm (est) to enter and I will announce the winner on Monday. Good luck!
Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have enjoyed learning more about Charlene and her beautiful work!
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