Meredith, from the Etsy shop, "meredithdada" considers herself lucky that she grew up in a family of artists. Her mother was the strongest influence being an art teacher by trade and being known for her pottery & ceramic work, as well as being skilled in drawing & painting. Meredith got a well rounded education in the arts at a very young age. Her grandmother was a talented artist as well...taught china painting out of her home & was a avid crafter. Her grandfather worked mainly in wood and has taken up painting recently and at 93 yrs. old & still paints everyday. Her father who was a heavy machinery mechanic, retired and pursued his passion for photography & is submerged in it full-time now.
You'd think that with this kind of pedigree and the fact that for the longest time she thought everyone had a full artist studio in their backyard, that she would have chosen Art as her major in college...but NO, she chose to major in Psychology! ...go figure :)
Creative expression had always been a big part of her life & so natural...like breathing. College is suppose to be a safe place to find new roads, to experiment with different options. There was a time in college though, where Meredith focused only on academics & working to pay the rent and like so many of us who know that "art" is what keeps us sane and happy...Meredith pathed her own way to realize how much "art" was NOT a hobby or even an option...BUT a necessity for the balance and fulfillment in her life. With the early encouragement of her future husband, to take her "art" seriously and to get it out there for people to see & enjoy... she finally found the balance & happiness that had been lost to her for a while.
Five years ago, Meredith's beloved grandmother died. She use to make elaborate Christmas ornaments & ball gowns for Meredith's Barbie. She left Meredith a huge bin, full of glass jars with all sorts of colored beads and rhinestones to touch & inspire her...as you can see thru her work in her charming Etsy shop, "meredithdada".
As if "all-knowing", her grandmother gave Meredith the perfect project & skill to be used in her role as stay-at-home Mom... a transitional creative outlet that lends inself to an energetic 2 year old's erratic schedule ..far better than the messy & somewhat dangerous mosaic tiling she was involved with before...which she may return to as her family dynamics change.
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