Creating Popsy's

My name is Auralea Krieger and I am a freelance Graphic Designer/Jewelry Maker.
This new expression for me through paper came to me after my father had passed away. I had already illustrated four of the little girls you see in the art a year or so before and I also love beautifully designed papers and patterns, but have never been into scrapbooking. After having a vision of my first piece, I found a container of buttons my dad had been saving, I added it to the piece then I just started creating one after another. My dad was always a snappy dresser and was meticulous about taking care of his suites and clothes. He always wore a hat and tie even up to age 90! The first piece, "My Dads Button", was a simple way of expressing the importance of spending time with your loved ones while you can. After this one, the others started to flow out of me. Memories from my past, important shifts in my life, memories of my father while he was sick that hurt too much to think about but was able to transform into a beautiful image. I also wanted to show hope, nature's beauty, validation and most importantly, love.

I realize these come off a bit childlike. My work it usually not like this at all. But I think there was a connection going on with the "inner child", so to speak, to deal with healing and growing up with out my dad in my life anymore. We all have to handle grief at some point, and I think staying in tune with your playful child side helps a lot.

I have gotten such a great reaction from people that see them. I think we all go through the same hurts, trials and heart aches in life. The trick, I think, is instead of those hardships weighing you down they need to be shifted to make you love harder, feel stronger and laugh louder. I have these at art festivals and they seemed to open up viewers hearts and make them smile. One piece can mean so many different things to each person. It is such a great feeling as an artist to see my art attracting people with big hearts and even though they may have been wounded they are still willing to love.