Etsy Artist Feature Peculiar Curiosities

I recently stumbled upon a blog called Peculiar Curiosities and then noticed their etsy shop.
I was also lucky enough to be their first customer and to own one of their amazing prints which i also received an awesome handmade card.
The shop and blog is run by a very sweet and fun couple Kateri and Jonathan.
They have a amazing an unique style of art, i bought the print Doctors of the Plague.


I did a interview with them which you now get the pleasure of reading .




1. How did you find Etsy or where did you hear about it?

Kateri: I was at an art meeting that was teaching old fogies how to make their work more “internet accessible.” Etsy was brought up and I thought “Wuzzat?” Right?
Jonathan: I think so... Kateri threw the name out at me and I kinda just brushed it off for a while. On a whim one day I looked Etsy up and saw the possibilities for our work. And over a period of 5 months what would later become Peculiar Curiosities slowly seeped out of us and fell into the floor with a squishy splatter.
Kateri: Yeah...

2. How long have you been doing art?

Kateri: Seriously, I’ve only been at it for a year. I randomly applied to an art school, got in, and realized that I had to actually PROVE myself with a portfolio. Sooo, that’s how I turned so gung-ho. But, I started doodling when someone put one of those mega-crayons in my chubby, baby fingers. I guess the same can be said for you, eh Buggy? You’ve been at it since the 80’s, right?
Jonathan: Si, ever since I was a wee gooey larva holding those god-awful chunky crayons. I realized that I wanted to do something artistic as a career by the time I had burst out of my cocoon. And here we are!

3. Who are some of your favorite artists of all time?

Kateri: Holy begeezies, this could be a long list. There are the standards, like Van Gogh and Picasso. You could throw some Degas, Goya, and Turner in there, too. Gustav Klimt also tickles my fancy. And who doesn’t admire cranky Michelangelo? Of more recent “fine art” artists, I’m fond of Takashi Murakami and Roy Lichtenstein. However, my heart is with sequential artists with my favorites being James O’Barr, J. R. Goldberg, Jhonen Vasquez, David Mack...etc. etc. Really, the list could get way too long.
Jonathan: Of all time? Hard to say, but yeah I really dig David Mack’s approach to the comic book page. The things that he does are just amazing! I only hope to one day reach his level of creativity.

4. What inspires your art?

Jonathan: Everything usually. It could be a scene from a film, something I’ve overheard, read or seen. Most of the time, my art comes from my various interests like Pinup girls, the paranormal, and East Asian cultures. I truly love anything goes against convention and the mediocre.
Kateri: I’m with you, but mine is more randomocity. Sometimes, it’s as simple as a single line that turns into a full-fledged painting. Or maybe another artist’s work triggers an idea - which is usually the case. Other times, there is more soul put into it. I love character-driven work, so I get inspired by seeing someone unique at our lovely local Wal-Mart or by studying a stereotype.



5. Do you do this full time or part time and what are your future goals?

Kateri: Uhh...that’s actually kind of hard to answer, tehe! We are artists full time, but Jonathan’s primary field is writing while mine is undefined. So, he’ll spend his day writing away and I handle the blog, shop account, or what have you. I guess Peculiar Curiosities is more full time for me, but not necessarily for Jonathan. Financially, P.C. shouldn’t be full time - but we put in enough effort like it is a stable income. One can only hope that ‘ze powers that be will sprinkle good jibby-sauce on our little venture!
Jonathan: I’d love to work on Peculiar Curiosities full time! But financially speaking, I think a homeless person would have pity on us, haha. Like Kateri said, I spend most of my time in another room writing and a lot of the time I feel terrible because my attention is elsewhere and not on P.C. ’Tis hard, at least for me, to find the proper balance of writing and drawing. Which I guess is a personal and business goal! The most important goal in my eyes that I see the shop stand on its wobbly two legs more firmly. Like a baby deer!
Kateri: Yeppers. I'd like for Peculiar Curiosities to be more of a focused project with a lot more variety in items. One day, we want to expand to have more wearable and usable art. But, we have to take baby steps. First, we have to just get a good circulation of products.

6. If you could live in any era what would it be?

Jonathan: I’d have to say, the beginning of time just so I could find out the answer to the question that has plagued humanity’s mind for thousands of years...What came first? The chicken or the egg?
Kateri: Hehe, see, I’m totally different. Send me to a time in then late 1970’s when the Cure was just starting out. I’d love to have a chance to see Robert Smith play sans smeared lipstick and with the original line-up.

7. If you could go for a drink and sit down and talk to one person living or dead who would it be?

Kateri: It would have to be someone chatty...no one likes dull company! Hmm...I’d love to chat it up with the custodian that’s worked at the Louvre for a long time. Yeah, I bet he/she could tell me what magic those paintings behold. What if they could move after closing time or something? OOoh, that could be juicy!
Jonathan: Probably Dracula...yeah, Vlad Dracula. Just for the sheer fact that he’s my seven times great grandfather. I bet he could tell some pretty interesting stories!

So right now if you haven't checked these guys out you should right now i demand it!! lol
You can find them on etsy
PeculiarCuriosities.etsy.com and their blog http://PeculiarCuriosities.blogspot.com