Introducing, Eye Pop Art!

We're into Week Two of Etsy Trashion featured sellers! Today, meet Christine of the fantastically psychedelic Eye Pop Art. Christine works mostly with upcycled vinyl records which she creates into incredibly detailed technicolor mandala patterned bowls and cuffs. Here is our convo interview.

Mandala Record Painting

First, give a little bit of background about yourself.
I'm an artist, a mom, a musician, and an art teacher. I am a native Oregonian and I live in Portland with my husband and two kids, Tangereen Velveteen, and Julius Elvis Chaos, who are 12 and 10.

How did you start designing and how long have you been doing so?
I started out of necessity - wanting to paint but being poor and not having the means to go out and buy canvases, I just started painting everything I could get my hands on, including guitars, furniture, and the entire interior of our old car, a 1970 Galaxie 500 that was black on the outside and totally psychedelic on the inside. I started painting in 1994 when I was living in a town in Montana and pregnant with my daughter. The first thing I painted was the front panel of a vintage hard shell suitcase that had accompanied my on many travels. After we moved back home to Portland with our one-month old baby girl, I continued painting all kinds of stuff, including a box of old records that a friend gave us. That's when I really discovered my ability to create mandalas, which have become the basis of my work.

In 1998 I started selling my mandala records at Portland Saturday Market, but had to quit because of the demands of my little kids, our new house, and my full time job as a salesperson in the digital printing industry. I have been designing clocks, bowls, and mirrors from records and selling them as Eye Pop Art since 2003, when I was laid off from my corporate job. I have been making the record cuffs for less than a year, but they are definitely my most popular and best selling product.

How did you discover Etsy?
I heard about it at Trillium Artisans, a nonprofit organization and gallery that supports artists who use recycled materials in their work. ( http://www.trilliumartisans.org ) Trillium started an Etsy shop ( http://trilliumartisans.etsy.com ) and as the store manager, it is my job to update Trillium's website and the Etsy shop. I quickly saw how cool Etsy was, and I opened up my shop in August of last year.

Basic Black Roman Cuff

What inspires you?
I am inspired by the psychedelic 1960s - all those mad patterns, stylized flowers, and groovy designs really rock my world. I have a large collection of psychedelic coffee cups from the '60s and '70s that I have been gathering since I was a teenager, and the cool designs on them just make me smile. I am also a music lover, so it's great to be able to give new life to all those obsolete records.

If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
Vivid.

What is your favorite book, movie and song, if you have one?
Book: I love books by Tom Robbins, Kurt Vonnegut, Ayn Rand, Jean M. Auel, and I also love Gone With the Wind.
Movie: Easy Rider
Song: Lost in the Supermarket by the Clash

And a few words describing your shop?
I hope to make your eyes pop with my bright colors, intricate patterns, and psychedelic paintings! Besides accessories and home decor made from upcycled vinyl, I also offer two different coloring books full of my designs, and some other fun stuff like mandala sun catchers and travel tins. I also have garden paintings and upcycled cookie tins. My Basic Black Roman Record Cuffs ( http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6047024 ) are my hottest item, so check them out! These are unpainted, truly "groovy" cuffs that are lightweight, comfortable, and a great conversation piece.

You can also visit my website at http://www.eyepopart.com and my new blog at http://eyepopart.blogspot.com.



Go, go, go and check out Christine's fabulous pieces at Eye Pop Art on Etsy to see more of her gorgeous color-saturated designs!