Spotlight: Sarah Storm

In my opinion, you can never have enough art on your walls, so I'm always excited to stumble upon a fresh, new face on Etsy. Today I'm excited to introduce you to the fresh, new face of Sarah Storm. Oh, the endless possibilities for clever word play with a name like that, but it is true that her fine art and photography shops are taking Etsy by storm.

Read on to learn about how she got started, where she spends her days and what she finds inspiring. You can also enter to win a gift certificate to pick up a piece of her art for yourself!

Where are you from originally and where do you currently call home?
I was born and spent most of my child hood exploring the lovely Green Mountains of Vermont. When I was 10 I moved to breathtaking Colorado. I am now haunted by the mountains here and am very blessed to call it home. It is an easy place to get inspired. But I do miss those New England fall colors.

How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I started actively selling from both of my shops in December 2010, so I am still very new to it, but loving every minute.

Do you sell on Etsy full time or do you have a day job?
I work as a horticulturist and landscape designer for a country club at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder Colorado. It is an amazing job and I am so blessed to be outside everyday in such an incredible location.

What, if any, formal training have you had in the arts?
I have taken several art classes throughout my high school and college career. Art has always been something I have had a great passion for ever since I can remember. I have not taken a single photography class though. I have learned a lot by experimenting through the years.

What made you decide to open up shop on Etsy?
For years it has been my favorite place to find handmade unique items. I also love supporting the talented people who create them. It gives me faith in the humanity that such incredible talent still exists. I also love how it brings people from all over the world together sharing their gifts. Everyone is so supportive and lovely. I am so happy to be a part of it.

Do you find it challenging or beneficial to have two Etsy shops, one for your photography and one for your fine art?
Both. It would be untruthful to say it was easy to devote equal amounts of time to both shops, but I still enjoy having them. I find the more effort you put in to any shop, the more you will get out of it.

What do you like least about your craft?
Nothing, other then I wish I had more time to devote to it. I have so many ideas and so little time to develop them all. I am obsessed with creating. My Mom likes to refer to it as an Art- Attack.

What inspires you?
All aspects of nature, especially the small details that people might overlook. My goal is to capture the beauty of nature and share it with the rest of the world. Such as insects, they are amazing. I have a degree in environmental science and biology and that reflects a great deal in my work. I have also been blessed with amazing art teachers and family members who were always encouraging and never critical.

Do you have any advice for other sellers on Etsy or those thinking about pursuing their craft?
Go for it! What is there to lose? As a newbie, I have learned so much in these past few months and am still constantly learning the importance of marketing and social networking. Also reading others advice. There is so much out there on how to have a successful shop. You just need to take the time to read and carry out some simple steps. It may not be fast or simple but it is worth it.

Five Etsy Shops you love
Five out of a bazillion…
alexandragrecco
Geninne
virtualdesignlab
TheHauntedHollowTree
heatherevanssmith

Five things you love
The sound of frogs at night
Discovering new music
My family
Great food
Orchids

Five things you don’t
Sauerkraut
Rollercoasters
Crowds of people
Math
Scary movies

Where is the coolest place you have ever been?
I just got married in Maui, Hawaii last May and I am so in love with it there. Almost enough to give up my mountains!

What would you like to learn?
It is a dream of mine to learn large format film photography like Ansel Adams used.

Share some of your favorite music
Right now: Band of Horses, The Black Keys, Florence and the machine, Metric, Sufjan Stevens and Xavier Rudd.

What does the future hold for you and your art?

I hope to continue to grow in my personal style with both painting and photography. I think etsy provides a great outlet for creative Moms. So I am looking forward to focusing on my shops entirely when I become a Mom in the near future! I also love connecting with new people around the world and hope to continue to make new friends in the Etsy world!

You can keep up with Sarah and her work by visiting her blog or following her on Twitter and Facebook.

GIVEAWAY!

Sarah is offering one lucky winner a $25 gift certificate to spend in either her fine art or photography shop.

HERE'S HOW TO ENTER:
Please leave a comment on this post answering the following question: What is your favorite piece of Sarah's work and where would you hang it?

You may 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 (one each) if you:

Follow or subscribe to this blog, my Twitter or my Facebook

Follow or subscribe to Sarah's blog, Twitter or Facebook

(You DO NOT need to leave separate comments for additional entries, just list which apply)

You have until May 31 at 10 pm (est) to enter and I will announce the winner Tuesday, June 1. Thanks for visiting!