As a kid, very briefly, I collected porcelain. There were two pieces: a little tea set and a commemorative plate from the Azores, where we had just moved from. That collection lasted about ten minutes because 1) the tight little flower designs were too fussy for my refined 6 year old taste and 2) I was a klutz. Breakable things break just under the force of my gaze.
Angela Rossi has solved the problem of fussy little flower designs. With her company, Beat Up Creations, she turns thrown out and forgotten plates into the sort of awesome display pieces I’d love to hang on my wall.
PRG: Have you always been interested in art?
Angela Rossi: I have always felt at peace when making something, crafting or decorating. I have always since I was very young made my own things, creating art. I have always had this very strong sense of “I can do it myself”. If I saw something that I liked, then I would just go home and make it.
PRG: At what point did you decide to open the shop?
AR: I had lost my job and was totally burned out from the routine and the shuffle and the monotony of it all. When I opened the Etsy shop, I really didn’t expect anything to sell, but within the first hour a sculpture sold (Cindy the Octopus). I was so shocked.
This really motivated me and gave me a sense that there may be others interested in what I had to say through my art. This is when I really dedicated my total obsessiveness and compulsiveness to creating and making things.
I still can’t believe it when something sells. I really can’t believe that I am making a living selling my stuff. I’m still just waiting for it all to just bottom out. I have saved my horrible stiff business suits. . . just waiting till I have to go back to “real work”.
PRG: How do you select your subjects?
AR: I am totally inspired by popular culture. It’s what I know. I love the juxtaposition of the old with the new, traditional with pop culture, classic with creepy. My childhood home was surrounded in antiques, taxidermy, and traditional art and I think my art stems off of that, just with my twist to it.
PRG: In a prior interview, you said, “Both my brother and father are professional artists, real talented artists and I just never thought my creations or ideas were good enough to pursue.” I think that’s something that plagues a lot of people. How were you able to move past those feelings?
AR: Honestly, I don’t know that I really have. I struggle to consider my work “real art” and it is uncomfortable to call myself an “artist”. The biggest thing for me is to just make what I like, regardless of what others might think or say. You have to just be fearless and put yourself out there. There will always be people that hate it, hate everything about it, but there may be someone out there that actually gets it.
PRG: Do you take commissions or custom requests?
AR: I frequently do custom work, mostly altered pet portraits or photo manipulation. I accept custom work most of the time excluding holiday season (November – January) when I am just swamped with orders.
See Angela’s complete catalog of altered plates and sculpture at her website. Plates, sculptures, and prints are available for sale at Angela’s Etsy shop.
All photos via Beat Up Creations.
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Cool!
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