Friday, June 10, 2011

Meet Aimee Radman from FiberFusion

This week we continue our trip through United States. We have landed in Hampton, Minnesota (45 minutes south of the Twin Cities) to meet with the owner of the FiberFusion store on Etsy - Aimee B. Radman

You will learn allot about Aimee from her interview. I personally love everything about this unique and artistic lady.

Meet Aimee and visit her store FiberFusion as well as her website: http://www.mnartists.org/Aimee_Radman  



Random Facts about You?

I grew up partly in the Air Force, so my family moved around quite a bit until I was 10 years old. I live on a small hobby farm now, I like to call it the “Fiber Farm”. We have a small flock of sheep and a guard llama.  I use their wool for spinning and weaving. I also like to dye some of it for felting. I have my weaving studio in our home.

How long ago have you started weaving?

I began weaving when I was nine years old. I became serious about it in college and have a bachelors degree in Broad Area Art emphasizing in Fiber Art.

What got you started weaving?

I saw a rigid heddle loom at a store when I was young and wanted it so much. My mom surprised me with it later as a Christmas gift. I’ve been weaving ever since- I think it was fate!



Any particular technique(s) that you enjoy the most?

I really love to do a lot of fiber techniques: weaving, dyeing, spinning, and felting. My favorite weaving techniques  are shadow weave and tapestry. I like to use hand dyed variegated yarns with shadow weave, I think it creates an interesting movement within the patterns.

What part the process makes you the most passionate?

I love choosing the colors and fibers to work with, designing a pattern to weave, and the actual weaving process. I have been known to have a stack of items that need their ends finished, which is my least favorite part of the weaving process.

What is your source of inspiration?

I get a lot of inspiration from colors and shapes found in nature. I also like to look through fashion magazines at clothing designs, fabrics, and color trends for each season. I cut a lot of these photos out and put them into an art journal for later reference. It really helps me out with my design process.



Where do you sell?

Besides online at Etsy, I sell at a few local galleries, art fairs occasionally, and Fiber Fair (Weavers Guild of MN sale).

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I’m a wife and a mother of two high school age children. I also teach weaving and dyeing classes up at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota. I am a shepherd to a small flock of sheep, I like to read, cook, and travel.



What first made you want to become an artist?

I’ve always loved making things, but when I was in college I knew I wanted to be an artist. Being submersed in so many fiber techniques and surrounded with so many artistic people made me realize how passionate I am about what I do. I have such a strong need to do something creative every day.

Please describe your creative process

I am a night owl and get a lot of my ideas worked out in the evening but I prefer to do the actual creating in the late morning when I have the most energy. My stash is ever growing and changing. I like to look through it for color and texture inspiration. If I don’t have a shade I need I will dye some yarn to go with what I have on hand.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

My most cherished handmade item is a tapestry I made when my children were young. I wove it with all hand dyed wool yarn, some of it handspun. I love the colors and theme. It took many hours but was very therapeutic during a hectic time in our lives.

What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

Stick with it! I think it takes a few months if not more to get yourself known and seen. Good photography is also very important. I am still learning new things all the time. It has helped so much to read the advice of others and to keep up with what’s new.

What do you like about Etsy?

I like that you can reach people all over the world with your art on Etsy. There is so much more potential for exposure on the internet and Etsy makes it much easier than creating your own website.


What weaving activities or guilds to you participate in?

I am a member and teacher at the Weavers Guild Of Minnesota. I also belong to the Handweavers Guild of America and the Textile Center of Minnesota.





13 comments:

  1. This is a wonderful interview of one of the most talented fiber artists I know. I love the photo of you with your first loom!

    Best wishes for continued success on Etsy.

    Jan

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  2. Love that photo of you with that first loom, too! (What is it about weaving that grabs us like that?)

    Great interview!

    - Kristin

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  3. Very nice interview. The colors of your on the ETSY shop are beautiful.

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  4. that should have been the colors of your yarn on ETSY are beautiful. I should re-read what I type.

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  5. Love your coated sheep, now I know you really do care about the quality of your fleece! The rigid heddle loom shot of you at Christmas is priceless. Lovely shop, great article - wish you lived closer I would love to get to know you better! All the best to you and your!

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  6. Another great interview! It's great to meet you and learn about you, Aimee! I like your art journal idea. While I have heard of them, I'll haveto try that myself!

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  7. Oh the sheep...I want a small flock..but what number is small???? Maybe I can trade my husbands dogs for some sheep heheheh!

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  8. Beautiful shop showing your beautiful work. I am in the Twin Cities, perhaps our paths will cross! Very nice interview!

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  9. Your work is great! I wish i lived closer so i could take a class from you. With that much talent you must be a great teacher!

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  10. I, too, am impressed with your colors and work. The art journal seems like a good way to collect ideas. Thanks for the great interview!

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  11. I love this interview and your work! These intervieews show that weavers from all over the world are moved by the same inspiration!

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  12. Thank you all for the nice comments!

    Aimee- FiberFusion

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  13. Really enjoyed this interview and your photos :-)

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