Maker: Chandra from JunkArtGypsyz

You know how certain art pieces bring back a memory? Well, Chandra’s art reminds me of a summer trip that I took with my family to the boardwalk. They remind me of the smells of the ocean, the sounds of arcade games, the tastes of candy apples and popcorn, and the feel of evening sunlight bathing my sunburned shoulders. Maybe it’s the slightly faded colors. Maybe it’s the font of some of the letters in her signs.  Maybe it’s the way they reflect the lights. But whatever the reason, these signs bring good memories to mind, and I would love to have one hanging on my wall, or sitting on my mantle. Meet Chandra, and read all about her cool journey to where she is now.

-Angie

please introduce yourself!

Hi I am Chandra born and raised in Apple Valley, Ca.  I am married to my High School sweetheart, we have 3 lil’ beauties that inspire me daily!

what do you make or do?

I design and create vintage inspired Signs & Marquees.

where can we find your creations?

We sell our cool stuff on Etsy @ www.junkgypsyz.com

is there an interesting story behind the name of your business?

I started off by creating JUNKart (collage type art). We began traveling from show to show all over Caifornia, so it was only fitting that we would be JUNKartGYPSYZ! Lol!

how long have you been creating and is it your full-time job?

Can you believe my passion pays the bills?  Some days I have to pinch myself!  The hubz and I are both lucky enough to design and create art every day out of our work shop at home.

when you’re not making things, what do you do?

we work hard and play hard!  When it’s play time it is all about family FUN; river trips, beach fun, mountains, road excursions.

is creativity a luxury or a necessity for you?

It is both, I think a lot of my creativity comes from outside sources; other artists, flea markets, thrift stores, and magazines.

what obstacles have you had to overcome to lead a creative life?

I left our family-owned business after 20 years in 2011. it was a scary transition but the stress had taken its’ toll and my girls did not deserve the tension I brought home with me nightly.  So I tried the stay-at-home-mom thing, dabbled in everything from bees wax art, jewelry home shows until finally something just clicked.  We sold our first sign on Etsy in June 2012, and in 2 years we attended over 70 shows, and worked with hundreds of other artists, bloggers, creators.  It is nice to see that all the sweat & tears is really starting to pay off.

what’s on the horizon for you and what you do?

I never want to stop growing, I really have passion for what we do and would love for everyone in the world to have a little JunkArtGypsyz  on their walls.

what inspiring advice would you give to other creatives be they established or just starting out?

HARD Work, and I mean really HARD work eventually pays off!  We were literally working 65 to 80 hours a week because we had a vision.