Featured Artist. Tonya Boezi of Uniquely You on Etsy

One of the things I love about vintage materials is that artists using them often use them in ways not originally intended and with mediums and materials not originally intended. This is part of what makes pieces made with vintage materials so unique and special.

One such artist I have recently met is Tonya Boezi of Uniquely You on Etsy. Tonya is pushing the envelope working with vintage rhinestones and I’m delighted to share with you her original designs.

Tonya combines images, resin, beads, metal, and various vintage components, such as beads and rhinestones, to create unique mixed media wearable art pieces. She specializes in buckles and statement rings, and these are definitely statement pieces. I’m featuring the buckles in this blog post because they are so spectacular, there is so much going on in each of these in terms of color, images, texture. Just look at this one…

And this one…

And this one…

Tonya originally contacted me to do some brainstorming about how the vintage rhinestones available at Bumbershoot Supplies might perform with the resin she uses for her buckles. It's great when customers share their experiences working with vintage materials because it helps me learn about the characteristics of the materials as they are exposed to contemporary conditions. Plus, I get to connect with wonderful artists! I’m glad to have met Tonya and learned of her work. I hope you will enjoy a visit to Uniquely You. I know you will find inspiration and will be wowed by Tonya’s unique and glamorous designs.