Introduction by @dreemsteem: I was absolutely delighted that @scarletleonard was willing to partner with me for the first Treasure Hunt as our Featured Sponsor. She and her husband @stormriderstudio have been so encouraging and supportive, and this interview was an absolute delight to do! I hope this Treasure Hunt can point a bright spotlight on how beautiful your work is, Scarlet!
Interview with X Marks the Post Featured Steemian @scarletleonard
Dreemsteem: Hey @scarletleonard! Do you mind if I call you Scarlet for this interview?
Scarletleonard: No, that's absolutely fine - though I also answer to the Jellyfish Lady or Red.
Dreemsteem: Nice! I like that nickname - “Jellyfish lady”! Let's definitely come back to the source of that! Hahaha But first, how long have you been on Steemit?
Scarletleonard: Since June 2017. It was my husband that got me to join Steemit.
Dreemsteem: Ahh! I left for a bit while you were joining - so we missed crossing paths before now! I'm so happy to meet you! I was actually was introduced to your work through your husband, @Stormriderstudio a few weeks back and I was so incredibly impressed with your talent. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got started in glassworks?
Scarletleonard: It's great to finally meet up with you too, especially after hearing wonderful things about you. I ended up being introduced to glass by some American friends. I used to make beaded jewelry and was getting quite bored with the beads I could buy. ;I wanted to do something like make my own- so my jewelry was unique. Of course , in the beginning @Stormriderstudio wasn't too impressed about the idea of a flamethrower in the house but he caved and bought me a basic set up. I made beads for about 5 years before our daughter was born. Then after a break, I wanted to change my direction with the glass and move away from beaded jewelry and make everything more about the glass.
Dreemsteem: hahahaha Yeah i could see how a flamethrower in the house might bring a slight bit of caution!!!! It's not a very common hobby, so I always find myself so intrigued when I see videos of people learning how to work with glass. It's definitely a skill that takes an artist's eye and some daring, in my opinion - especially working with something that looks like molten lava! hahahaha I have seen some of your work, so I'm pretty sure I understand why you're called the "Jellyfish Lady". Shall we clue our lovely treasure hunting readers in on where the nickname comes from?
Scarletleonard: When I started to change direction with my work I began exploring techniques to trap designs inside glass rather than the flatter bead designs. I had already explored one technique before known as an implosion, a technique that drags clear glass around the outside of coloured dots leaving you with a burst of colours. When flattened it looks like flower petals or fireworks, but when left to droop you end up with something that looks like tentacles. I used these tentacle like pieces to create what became the range that I am now most well known for, my jellyfish.
(Stormriderstudio interjects): real live jellyfish too... she's so mean to them!
Dreemsteem: Arghhhh! Don't joke about that! hahaha People might think that she is really sticking live jellyfish in her jewelry!
Scarletleonard: I actually do end up with people on social media accusing me of animal cruelty for my jellyfish pendants!
Dreemsteem: Oh no! Let's assure everyone again – no jellyfish are harmed in the making of these beautiful glass pieces!! As soon as I saw your site, I loved the jellyfish idea right away. It's unique and different and super fun!!! And now that we've gotten all these people here salivating to see your glass jewelry... let's give them the best site to use to go shopping!
Scarletleonard: Etsy is where the majority of my work is: ScarletImpressions
Dreemsteem: I really hope you see a nudge in your etsy views!!! Well, Scarlet, I thank you kindly for taking the time to do this interview with me today - and I especially am grateful that you were willing to be our first featured Steemian with the X Marks the Post Treasure Hunt! Is there anything else you'd like to add for us?
Scarletleonard: Here's a bit of fun info - started showing these first few jellyfish on a craft group. Someone wanted one, then someone else did, and I ended up having to open a shop. All this started to happen on 1st March 2016 (which is also my birthday) - and that day is now known as Jelly Day. Over the past 2 years, I have improved and added different styles to my jellyfish, along with new ways of working with colour (the rainbow ones took a bit of planning!) What I make now is a long way off those first few! People from that first group still know me for my jellyfish and they're the ones who gave me the “Jellyfish Lady” nickname.
Dreemsteem: March 1? Maybe you'll see a spike in sales right in time for us all to celebrate Jelly Day!I would definitely love to buy a piece for a treasure hunt in the near future, so I'll have to peruse some more through your sites to grab something EXTRA special for my treasure hunters!
Thanks again for your time, Scarlet! I really do believe that THIS is when Steemit is at its best. Bringing people together in laughter, love, support and encouragement. That's just my opinion - but I'm sticking to it! hahahaa Thanks again and have a beautiful evening @scarletleonard! and you too, @Stormriderstudio!!!
This post is an official stop on @dreemsteem's "X Marks the Post" Treasure Hunt. If you'd like to become a treasure hunter, an official stop, or a sponsor - Follow the map to begin your journey! By the way, she loves good comments even more than upvotes - so be sure to say Hi!
These are incredibly beautiful. I guess it's a compliment to be told you shouldn't be capturing jellyfish. That means you've really capture the essence of the way they look (not the creatures themselves)! I will check them out on Etsy!
I also joined in June, 2017, @scarletleonard.
Thank you.
Yes it is, though you are always going to get that one person that won't believe you. (Even though science says it's clearly impossible.)
Wow those are some lovely pieces of jewellery - they really do look exactly like jellyfish :) I will definitely check out your site!! Do you send to New Zealand?
don't they?!?!?!?! I wasn't just saying that for the interview - i'm definitely buying one!!!!! they're so wonderfully unique and the workmanship is exquisite! @scarletleonard was a good find for my first Treasure hunt for sure!!!!!! :)
Thank you so much.
I do ship worldwide so not a problem going to New Zealand though I know it can take a couple of weeks.
Good to meet you @scarletleonard. I know @Stormriderstudio well.
Beautiful glass work.
Thanks @pennsif, he does talk about you a lot.
😊
Hi Jellyfish Lady! You make awesome artwork and as pendant they really look like those expensive jewelries. :) I hope people would read first about your glass work before they assume these are jellyfish.
Thank you so much x Means a lot to hear.
I would hope they do to, some just don't though.
Dig the glass hey. How long does it usually take to make a piece?
Thanks so much, It really depends on the size and the amount of tentacles or layers of colour I put in. The most basic ones take around an hour.
What about say a 10cm × 10cm globe type bit, like for a lamp cover?
That's unknown territory for me at the moment as that would be a blown piece rather than solid. (10cm is huge for flame worked solid glass)
I'm taking a class in the summer to learn blown work.
Do you know about the "blaschka glass models" they are super accurate, amazing jellyfish glas models that have been created for science and educational purposes. have a look https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=blaschka+glass+models
I do, I have spent hours staring at those photos before. There are some on display not to far from me and I would love to see them in real life.
Wow, these jellyfish glass art is amazing. They almost look real! @ironshield
now you can see why people think they're really little jellyfish inside!!!! hahahaha its why we needed to say THEY ARE NOT real jellyfish - no jellyfish were harmed! :) @scarletleonard is not as mean as @stormriderstudio implied hehehehehe (bad hubby!) LOL
Thank you @ironshield I like to look at the different breeds of jelly and they are a great inspiration for making them.
I certainly wouldn't harm any, I keep them as pets!
These are my moon jellyfish. @stormriderstudio got me the tank and 2 jellies for Christmas in 2016.
They are BEAUTIFUL! this is the kind of pet i need. hehehehehe wow - they are so striking!!!!
Moon jellyfish are completely transparent so the lights in the tank really show them off. I can set all different colours or have it cycle through. The blue is really good for the photos though.
blue is my favorite color... so i'd have it set to this all the time hehehehe
I mostly have the white light on because I personally see them best under that light, though when my daughter gets hold of the remote she loves to change the colours.
Omgoodness they really are something else aren't they - the close up is amazing!!
Yep, the clover like part in the middle is their stomachs and once the food is digested to travels through the nerves you see radiating outward.
It is quite something to watch them eat too as you can see it all happening.