Today's Featured Artist - Primgals Primitive Palette

    Today's Featured Artist is Jody Seilheimer of Primgals Primitive Palette

I live in a sleepy little town called Sandwich, Illinois with my husband of 19 years. We married in 1991 and have a wonderful blended family. I have always had a love of the arts...painting, music, etc since early childhood. Everywhere I went I had a coloring book and crayons, then at the age of 8 my mother took me to my first ceramics class. I have had a brush in my hand ever since. I also love to cross stitch, knit, and make candles when time allows, but my first love has always been primitive and folk art painting.

I have been in business now for 19 years.I started online in 2002, first as Simply Primitive, and then as Primgals Primitive Palette a short time later. Prior to that I did craft shows, supplied my local customers here at home, and also had booths in several craft shops.

I started out at my kitchen table with a handful of paints, and a wood washboard my husband made. I thought it need a little something, and that was the beginning. I then needed an outlet for my painted items, so I started selling at craft shows in 1992. My husband and I did shows on the weekends for several years until I discovered the Internet. I started my online business in 2002 on Ebay and then joined Etsy in 2008.

My work involves most of all planning. Finding the right design for the right surface. I enjoy painting on wood, but also love to paint on vintage pieces I come across at yard sales, estate sales etc. Prepping your surfaces is vital to turning out a quality piece, so I devote allot of time to that. Depending on the piece, it can take an hour or three days to bring it to the finished product.

My favorite is painting wood door crowns. They are hand cut, making my product truly handmade from start to finish. The design possibilities are endless, and they allow me such a creative outlet in choosing how they will turn out. I use many pattern designers such as Terrye French, Donna Atkins, and John Sliney, but all of my work has my personal interpretation of the design, so they are always a challenge, and so much fun to do.

My typical day in the studio is at least 8 hours, and sometimes more, depending on the orders that need to be filled. My day starts with answering emails, and doing promotional work in the mornings, and then I use the rest of the day for painting, packing orders, etc.I usually set the brushes aside in the evenings, and spend that time with my family and friends.

At this time my goal is to concentrate on my shop on Etsy, and to continue to supply my primitive gift shops with products. I have considered having my own website, and hope to get that accomplished in the next year or so.

Handcrafting is to me "Art from the Heart" that cannot be mass produced. Weather you paint, sew, cross stitch, or make soap and candles, a little of your heart goes into each piece. Etsy is a wonderful outlet for handmade, and I support their efforts for keeping the love of handmade available. I try to do my part in supporting handmade on my blog found at http://primgalsprimitivepalette.blogspot.com/


I can be found on Etsy at www.primgal.etsy.com
I also have a shop on Artfire at www.primgal.artfire.com