Featuring Silver Dragon Creations - Patricia Vener

This week I am featuring Patricia Vener of Silver Dragon Creations http://www.silverdragon.etsy.com/ another fellow Etsy Beadweaver Street Team member.  It is interesting to me to find out about someone that you have talked with in various forums and learn new ways that you are compatable.  I also love Stargate Atlantis, in fact any Sci-fi film or TV show usually catches my interest. 

Here is what Patricia had to say.

1. What type of art work do you do? I'm a painter who has added bead weaving to her repertoire of media.

2. How did you get started doing art work? Someone gave me a crayon or pencil and I went to town! Among my earliest memories is of visitng a museum when I was four years old and being totally mesmerized by the Native American exhibits of textiles and decorative work. I stood there staring and staring and had to be dragged away.

3. Do you do any other crafts? I have done some small fiber weaving (loom work interestingly enough and I love it), lace making (learning from the 1700s book "Encyclopedia of Needlework" by Theresa de Dilmont), embroidery, clothes design and sewing. And bead embroidery though I consider that to be included in the overall "bead weaving" family.

4. Is there a story behind your shop name? Not so much a story as a set of metaphors. I was born in the Year of the Dragon and I have always admired these mythical creatures, especially Chinese dragons, so I consider it a personal symbol (or totem if you prefer). My first dragon in Art was worked in a hooked rug I designed and created. Silver, because my hair started turning silver in grad school - so another self-representation and I love the metal. (Well, yes I adore pure gold as well, but it's a bit harder to come by affordably and anything under 14 kt just doesn't have the right color. Put those together and you get a Silver Dragon (AgDrgn is a sometimes Internet handle I use and one of these days I'll get it on my license plate too.)

5. What's your favorite piece in your shop right now? Hmmm, has to be a toss up between "The Balance of Chaos and Harmony" http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15558863 and my bead netting Labradorite earrings http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24744924)

6. Where do you sell your work? Etsy of course, 1000Markets, my website (http://vener-art.com/), the very rare art/craft fair, and of course my event "Dreams and Delights" as well as through commissions and trunk shows (I'd love more of these! They are fun.)

7. Do you blog? Absolutely. Can you not tell I'm quite verbose (and also opinionated)? My blog is http://vener-art.com/beadblog/ and I have a weekly newsletter that I send out.

8. Are you on any social networks you'd like to share? Facebook, (facebook.com/SilverDragonPatriciaCVener), Flickr, LinkedIn, Twitter, Live Journal, Eons, some others that I am afraid I've kind of lost track of.

9. Do you watch or listen to anything while you work? If so, what? That happens in phases. Sometimes I relish the almost silence (is there anyplace that's silent any more?) but other times I do have some music going. I listen to a lot of Chilean folklorica, flamenco, classical music, Irish folk, fusion, one tape by Yanni that has this helicopter thundering up at the start, really, much of what I listen to most people have never heard of. I really can't watch anything... well, except watch my beads rolling onto the floor if I'm not careful. Oh yeah, my favorite musical artist is Victor Jara and it's his rather political folklorica music (and Inti-Illimani) that I listen to most.

10. Tell us one random fact about your self *wink* Random fact.... I illustrated a childrens, picture CDBook called "Papa Cardinal Finds Breakfast" (story by Sandra Wellborn). If that's not random enough, I am a big fan of the science fiction character Rodney McKay from Stargate Atlantis. :)

My favorite piece in Silver Dragons shop http:www.silverdragon.etsy.com is on the Beach http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20657109.  I need to be reminded of the warmth as it rains, rains, rains in Vancouver

You can also find Patrica and Silver Dragon at:

http://www.facebook.com/SilverDragonPatriciaCVener/