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Specializing in often very intricate wire wrapping and lush mixtures of natural gemstones, Hee Soon Choi of SkyDreams creates visual poetry with her artisan jewelry and every piece tells a story. This month we feature an interview with this talented and charming artisan.
What is the inspiration for your business name SkyDreams?
My precious daughter Sky. When we found out that I was pregnant, my husband and I both wanted me to stay at home with her. So I quit my job and started taking this business seriously. And I make jewelry while she sleeps so my husband named my business 'Sky Dreams'.
In the description for your “Tears of Aphrodite” necklace you wrote “I was a bookworm and Greek Mythology fascinated a lonely little Asian girl. I would fantasize to be goddesses, nymphs and lovers of Gods.” besides Greek mythology what were your passions and favorite pass-times as a child?
Reading and day dreaming. I was really very lonely and mature. My parents were always busy and all I had was my books and my imagination.
What did you dream of being when you grew up?
I so wanted to be a writer who tells people how stupid life is. I was madly in love with Albert Camus. I was certain that he would have loved me just as much if he saw me. And I thought the existentialists idea of life was the only intelligent view of life and I felt obligated to tell people that there were no meaning to life and they were wasting their time living it. Now, I know I am the grand meaning of my life and life is worth living. ;)
 Did you always know you would be an artist?
No, I didn't and even I truly appreciate you calling me an artist, I am an artisan. I have so much respect for art and I love Joseph Campbell's definition of art. He said art should inspire, if ones creation evokes desires, it is not art. And I so try to evoke the desire in people with my jewelry so I can sell them. ;)
How did you learn your craft? Did you take classes, read books etc., or are you self taught? I am a self taught with few on-line tutorials. I have to thank my friend Lisa of Julidadesigns@etsy.com for her help. She helped me with wire wrapping and I am so in love with wire wrapping at the moment.
Where do you get your ideas for your pieces? Are you inspired by something external, or do you just sit down and start to “play” and see what happens? I do both but, I 'play' more. I believe in energy and I let the stones guide me. I get much better designs when I let it happen. I don't read books on colors and never look at color chips. Because then I will try so hard to follow somebody's idea of right color match and I am all about singing my own song. Sometimes, ideas flow in my head but, I still let my eyes be the judge.
Besides creating your one of a kind jewelry, do you work with any other artistic media? For example, do you like to draw or paint, dabble in photography, or write?
No, I hate writing and I can't draw a thing. I doodle well;) My husband rarely gets handwritten cards from me. I guess I have nothing to write about since Life is a bliss not miserable. I am writing the longest article of any kind for this interview and I make very glamorous jewelry but, I am a hard core minimalist.
What makes you happy in this world?
Anything and everything beautiful like love, charity, compassion, courage, hope, dream and etc.
What makes you sad?
Anything and everything not beautiful like injustice, violence and etc. I am sad when any living creature is hurt.
What is the perfect way to spend a day?
My favorite question to answer. Any day spent with Sky is the perfect day. No heaven can have angel as sweet as Sky. I will get a lot more work done if she wasn't so lovable. I love sitting next to her and watching and touching her.
To see more of Hee Soon's work, visit SkyDreams at
skydreams.etsy.com
or visit her gallery of new and sold work at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skydreams/
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Amethyst
