Ow, yes, of course, it's my webhome, studio, and shop. Welcome! I'm so happy you found your way here. My name is Amreta, the lucky owner of this whimsy place, and the creator of the graphics.
What happens everyday here, I can tell you, is constant trial-and-error-and-tweakings! :o) It's pretty much self-taught thing, but believe me my friends, it is exciting!
It has to be. You see, drawing graphics is first of all a hobby. I have an equally exciting fulltime job, and I can only focus on my graphics when I get home in the evening, on weekends, and on day-offs. I work on my graphics and website from a corner room in our family home in the city of Jakarta, armed with a laptop, an genius optical mouse, a play list of my favorite music (the list changes all the time), plus endless supply of hot coffee or tea or chocolate (and oh, I take a walk, do yoga or call my mom in between :o))
Creating what I call by 'happy little artwork' requires a huge dose of laughs, happy thoughts, and lots and lots of lovely inspiration, be it from illustrated books, magazines, scrapbooking stuff, vintage fabrics, those pretty blogs. Don't be afraid to be a child again. Sometimes funny imagination really helps: today play the role of that quirky wizard experimenting with colors to create the right potion, and tomorrow, what about that sweet lucky fairy coloring flowers in the garden with sparkling paints?
Wouldn't that be fun!
It all started in year 1999 when I got my second computer from my dad and I was tempted to create my own graphics. Pretty awkward in the beginning and my first graphics were quite 'weird', so to say. But over time after surviving all the trial and error and tweaking - I got this addiction and it's amazing how it's going, up and running, and I enjoy the 'adventure' very much. It makes me happy!
Sure sure sure! Million of times, I think :o) Just like in other artistic work or other kind of adventures, sometimes you may just get stuck, uninspired, having no clue, not knowing what to do. In my case, most often the challenge was finding a time - but I've learned that if you're determined enough, it's something you can actually control. The hardest thing that occured to me was somehow when I did have time but I just sat there, confused and uninspired, or, if I managed to draw something, the result dissapointed me. Then one day I came across Elizabeth Gilbert's (author of Eat, Pray, Love) website and read her 'thoughts on writing' - and I found the answer to my question. I'm glad I'm not alone. No one asked me to be a graphic artist at the very first place, and I never promised the world I would create super-duper-sophisticated graphics either. I have just always loved creating art. And if now I decided to draw graphics, I tell myself: life has been so good to me, I have plenty of things to be thankful of every moment every day, so now get back to work, and be happy :o)
