Faerie Enchantment

My Artful Idol: Mary Engelbreit!

This picture was taken about 9years ago when I was much younger, early twenties, at Fao Schwartz, NYC, for her new doll line w/Robert Tonner.

The story begins, one day I was walking through an enchanting book store in Montclair, I was around age 8 or 9 years old, and I stumbled upon this greeting card, with a tall skinny, colorful mime style clown, I instantly loved it, I asked my Mom, if she would by it for me, and she did. I placed it in my room and began trying to draw that figure in this card. I had always loved drawing and coloring in my coloring books (which I still have), but this picture grabbed me, my final result, well, I was 8 or 9. But not bad for that age..As time grew on, I began to see more of this artist works on greeting cards, collecting them as I went, never writing in them, but framing them, the stickers which I put in my sticker album with Lisa Frank stickers, then a print here and there, boom, she was everywhere and I was so excited. by age 20 I had her toy dolls from Toys-R-Us, figurines, ornaments, teapots, cups, vases, my whole room was filled with Fairies, Mermaids, and this artist.

When I needed inspiration I turned to my collection of greeting cards and now her books, which filled me with so much joy, I knew then I had a passion for everything art. But didn't think I'd be able to make a living from it, so I changed my major in college from art to Political Science, with the hopes of being an FBI agent dealing in antiquities and foregin affairs, but after a major and semi cribbling accident in April of 1999, I knew that would never be, so I turned back to my art, while working in what I though was a new career in Banking/Mortgage.

When I heard this artist who I will now reveal as Mary Engelbreit was going to be at FAO Scwartz in NYC, I had to go. After one failed attempt, when I was 12years old, I ended up having ear drum surgery, so I couldn't go to her signing, I new it was over ten years and I had to go. Well I get there and a security guard decided to cut the line right on me, I was in tears, drove all this way and boom not to even meet her... Well I kept my faith and a person saw my tears ( I was still composed) and she led me to the end of the line on the other side, and led me through the red ropes, and guess what I met her, she signed my doll, and snow queen book, this picture above is the result. She was super sweet and nice, I couldn't even speak, I made her some drawing rolled them up and gave them to her, then I went on my way, happy as a fairy could be.

Now its almost another ten years later and I now have published a children's book: Star and The Milky Way Cafe, a artful set of Zines: Faerie Zine and Piddlestixs, A new about to be released art book entitled: Altered Art Circus by Quarry Books, Several online groups which promote other artists, I teach Workshops at Museums, Stores and Conventions, Invloved in Charities and working on my new product line and licensing works, within this time frame, and guess what she is still one of my idols, I have incorporated some more to my top ten,LOL, but she was my first inspiration. Now on Nov.15,2008 on MY BIRTHDAY weekend I will be vending w/goodies and a pay/play at Silver Bella in Omaha, NE, and as you guessed it Miss Mary will be the speaker at the luncheon on Nov.15, what a present that would be to once again meet the artist who set the tone of inspiration for me, all these years later, now that I'm a professional artist, we will see, I leave that to chance to my Birthday Fairy who hopefully will make that come true..I mean, on my birthday, now that is a one in a million chance, don't you agree. I get this excited over the releases of the Harry Potter Movies on my birthday and birthday week too, my fave modern day novels..I met JK Rowling, at a signing, I'll save that for another post.

Magic and Joy!

Lisa! (P.s. some people have idols like the Beatles, Elvis, Monet, Hannah Montana, mine are art idols who inspire me everyday, as are the amazing art friends I have met and know)