About Us
It's a bizarre exercise, assembling some of the themes in your life and putting them on display. But the themes that make the most sense (in this context, at least) would be these: First, I've always been about books and art. As a child, I read like a demon: a book every day, for years. I also did artwork (drawings and paintings) and played games with amazingly creative playmates (you know who you are). In college, I majored in art. Then, as a profession, I stumbled into technical writing. And for the last handful of years, I've been doing that writing at internet companies.
Next theme: Some years ago I was lucky enough to stumble (as usual) into the set shop of a Gilbert & Sullivan group, and realized that I could create stuff! So I helped build and paint sets, designed a few, and even got to exercise my nonlinear brain by singing in shows and designing T-shirts. I suspect that Gilbert & Sullivan raised my interest in things from the late 19th and early 20th century, because eventually I was lucky enough to stumble (of course) over some amazing books from the classic age of illustration.
Final theme: I love the internet. I love how it gives normal people access to information and communication channels that give them an amazing amount of power. (Granted, there's a lot of junk, too.) It's an amazing tool. Come on! Do you remember when you'd have to go to a library to look up a famous person? When you wrote letters on paper? I don't claim it's all good, but it has changed the world.
So, loving the internet and old illustrated books, I decided to launch a commercial web site (an effort prior to this one), and share the art and support my book habit by selling items with the art on them. Well, that didn't work out that well, financially. But the funny thing was, whenever someone placed an order, I'd look at the image they wanted and kind of melt and say, "Oh yes, that WONderful image." Subtle clue that I like this stuff.
So eventually I launched this site. I also launched an associated CafePress site to—again—support my old-book habit. Would that I could just buy any book I wanted without regard to cost, but it's not feasible. So I'm hoping the two will nourish each other.
That's it. There are other pieces (I have a wonderful husband; I love dogs; I grew up in Japan) but they're not relevant to this effort. If you want to get in touch, you can write to me: connieATwhimzical.com.
-- Connie
