Roxy's Rare Riches

Amna Al Fardh (Team Member) came to know about today's artist after her participation in the North American Quilling Guilds-Annual Competition 2011. When Amna saw her winning artwork, she wondered if that was quilling?! And yes, the entire piece turned out to be quilled :) Oh well you will have to read and find out, won't you? It's Roxann Dragula ;) Let's get to know her better...

1) When did you start paper quilling ? and how did you know about it ?

I have been an artist just about all my life; I can't remember when I was not doing art even as a small child. I would do quilling in small amounts here and there to add with my art over the past years but had no idea it was quilling. For many years I had gotten away from my art due to many reasons and none of the reasons were good ones. During late 2008 to 2010 and early 2011 I was unemployed, so during that time I started getting back into my art. I was doing some research on the web and started running across art that was being called quilling. As I said before I had no idea what it was or how to do it but it looked like what I had been adding to my art. In late 2009 I ran across the NAQG (North American Quilling Guild) and joined the guild in 2010, also found the UK quilling guild and became a member at that time. I am quilling full time now when I'm not working and the rest is history, I will never stop doing my art ever again- something that has been the love of my life.

2) Do you read books about quilling and other crafts? or what sources do you use mostly?

I have many quilling books but to say that I have sat down and read them all, no I guess you can say I collect more quilling books than I have read. I have my quilling books as reference books that I use to stimulate my imagination. Being more of an abstract artist, life its self is my best source as it provides me with a much larger source of inspiration.

3) Describe yourself as an Artist , what other hobbies do you like and practice? what other forms of art do you like? how long have you been crafting in general ?

I am more of an abstract artist, I don't refer to myself as being a crafter. I truly believe there is a fine line between the craft of Quilling and the art of Quilling I prefer to be classified as a Quilling artist. I can do other art styles but I am better known for my abstract art. In the past I have done watercolor art and charcoal art and have thought about adding the two along with my quilling.

4) Do you work or study? and does practicing hobbies affect any aspect of your life?

When I started quilling full time I had been unemployed for quite some time, but now that I am employed full time I have found that the responsibilities around our home have shifted. My husband loves my quilling so much he has jumped in and takes over responsibilities when I am working on my projects.

5) Do you attend workshops or give workshops?

I do not attend workshops but will teach when asked. I have been asked to collaborate with Lucia Sinning's art class in Spain 2012. Lucia Sinning was the 2011 People's Choice Award winner at the 2011 NAQGCON. I am much honored to have been given this opportunity. I would love to find work teaching quilling this would be a dream come true.

6) You are one of the recent winners at one of the categories at NAQG Con 2011, please tell us something about the piece you created and how you came about it :)

When I decided to enter the 2011 NAQGCON Quilling and Beyond competition I had no idea what I would make but I knew I would come up with something. I was sitting at the dinner table with my husband one evening talking over what I should do. My husband had given me several good ideas but I told him it had to be something that had that WOW factor to it. It had to be something that was electrifying. Just as I said it I looked at my husband and said that's it I'm going to add electricity to my Quilling. My husband replied you can't do that you will burn the house down. I told him relax I would not burn the house down and everything would be just fine. I had no Idea how to even start making this lamp but I knew that once I got it started, it would all start coming to together. I started with the bottom- it was insane making that large coil took me several days just to coil the base. Trust me a large rubber band became my best friend. I would coil paper until I was tired and use the rubber band to hold it together until I returned to it. The large open rectangle ring coils were a little trickier to do. With a little help from some blocks of wood and a few failed attempts the body of the lamp took shape. To make the shade was more time consuming than trouble.

7) How long have you been taking part at the NAQG?

I have been a member of the USA NAQG and the UK Quilling Guild since early 2010.

8) Have you gained any benefit from your art? what kind of benefit ?

The benefits I have gained from my quilling are priceless and could never be duplicated or replaced. The benefits are the friends that I have gained literally all over the world some of whom I have met and some I will meet for the first time when I attend the UK 2012 conference.

9) Do you have a website or a blog that you would like to share with us? or how can our members get in contact with you?

I have a website that I'm working on to sell quilling supplies I will let you know when it is open...

You can view more creations in this video :) http://youtube/NYab9zEkeJw

Some of Roxann's master work:

Quilled Faux Wrought Iron Lamp No Shade 

 Quilled Faux Wrought Iron Lamp With Shade

Art Card Of Howard Solomons Green Ball Montage 

WOW, such creative ideas!!! Thanks Roxann for sharing your artistic passion with us and showing some of your wonderful work. Thanks, also, to all who popped by to read Roxy's interview.... Great weekend!!!!