ARTIST CLARISSA CALLESEN

ETSY SHOP SHOWCASE: CLARISSA CALLESEN
by LATONYA SHAW

One of the most interesting and odd shops I’ve found on ETSY is Clarissa Callesen Creator of Strange & Wonderful Things . This shop has the feel of magic and long lost fantasy worlds. The only difference is that these fantasy worlds escaped Hell and linger about in a state of infinite punishment. Mildly grotesque or rather a cute grotesque “ish” style permeates the found art objects. See for yourself. How does this shop make you feel as you look at each creation. Where does it take you? The creations seem to hold a unique story that’s a prison of time and experience.

Shop Details: CLARISSA CALLESEN
ETSY SHOP DESCRIPTION:
Some where along the line I became a collector of odd and useless things. I am drawn to objects that have a past, a story to tell, like pieces of rusty metal along a roadside, a seashell corroded by the salt water, or a discarded letter found in a musty box. I can spend hours conjuring the stories of unknown people in discarded photographs on antique stores shelves. These are my chosen materials, my inspiration for creating.
Many years ago I fell in love with folk art, Mexican in particular, and then later cajun/vodou altars and folk art. One of the most important components in folk art is the use of “junk” or “garbage” as a medium for creating. In that process the artist raises the status of the mundane, ordinary, throw away object from mundane to divine. I strive to follow in that tradition.
So I gathered up my strange collection of things, my ecclectic spiritual leanings, my love of folk art, a sprinkle of feminism, and a dash of alchemy to create the pieces you see here. I hope you enjoy.
I am open to discussing commission pieces using specific images and objects that have a history or importance to you.

Check out my website at www.clarissacallesen.com
and for current creative ramblings my blog http://clarissacallesen.blogspot.com/