Reina Sherman of ReinTree Designs
October 03, 2009 | By
Name: Reina Sherman
Location: Portland Oregon
Shop Name: ReinTree Designs, but can be found under smurfette.etsy.com
Tell us a bit about your craft/medium and why you chose it? Did someone teach you?
I work mostly with clay. I didn't really choose it, it chose me. I kind of discovered it a few years ago and finally decided to try it, see what I thought, and ended up loving it. All self taught. Except for a book here and there, I don't really go through and read it all. I just try something that catches my attention. It has definitely evolved, I started out thinking that I could only do sculptures with clay, but then it slowly morphed into jewelry, and now I am having a lot of fun making masks with it.
What is the most difficult part of your craft?
Organizing all the ideas in my head so I get the chance to try everything I want, and don't forget anything.
Do you create in more than 1 medium?
I do, I bead some, I wire work a very little. I have even been known to draw and paint on occasion. Wire working is getting to be something I do more and more though. My mom makes the glass items in my shop, and I do the wire work on her butterflies.
Tell us about your workspace-
Where do you create or work?
I have my own workroom, but since we moved in two years ago everything just got shoved in there, in the rush to move, and now its finally getting organized so most of my work has been done in the living room.
What kind of music do you listen to (if any) when you create? I usually listen to the T.V. cause the conversation helps me work, but sometimes I like to listen to Nirvana, Bad Religion, The Offspring or even other various artists. Depends on my mood every now and again you can catch me listening to country.
Where do you get inspiration from?
Just about anywhere, I recently had someone mention that I should make bangles and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since.
Where can we find your work? On smurfette103.etsy.com, and family and friends.
What's your supply addiction; is there a specific color or type of supply you just can't pass up? Beads, I am getting to the point that my bead collection is about to take over; that and clay.
What do you do when you get a creative block?
Look through art books, go to art stores, bead store. Just try to find something that gets the creative juices flowing.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose? And why?
Salt Spring Island in Canada. There is a little town named Ganges there that is a great little artists community I always loved when I would go there. Either that or out in the country, I have dreamed of owning my own little farm since I was a kid, my family was the only one on my dad's side to not have a farm.
How about some of your favorites?
Food? Dr. Pepper and crackerjacks are some of the best foods in the world. But my grandma always used to make this one great dish whenever I came over, it was cream of mushroom soup with peas and carrots and tuna over biscuits. I know it sounds weird but its so good.
Movie? The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite movies
TV show? Bones and Criminal Minds
Holiday? Thanksgiving, I just love the weather and the colors of the leaves on the trees. Sadly not too many trees change color since we have mostly evergreens here.
Who is your hero - artistic or otherwise? and why?
Da Vinci cause not only did he have art, he had science. He was amazing and way ahead of his time.
Do you have a favorite handmade item that you like to buy for yourself?
I love to buy just about anything, but supplies are one of my favorites. Or even jewelry, yes I know I make jewelry too but I love to buy jewelry.
Do you have a favorite item that you have made?
I recently made a really cool necklace thats kind of chandelier like and I love it and am so glad that I have just enough of those beads left to make me one.
What is the best thing AND the worst thing about being your own boss?
I can wake up at anytime I want to. Thats both the best and worst. Oh and another best is that I can wear my pajamas to work.
Photos courtesy of Reina Sherman
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