Ellen Brenneman Studio: original works of art

How An Artist Took Charge

As part of my Artists Loft Etsy team  promotional series, I'd like to introduce you to Ellen Brenneman. I am so enamored of her art work, and of her perseverance in the light of  what could have been a depressing experience. She is an inspiration to all of us. Let her tell you herself.

Life Unexpected Leads Artist Back To Her Roots

Many moons ago, I used to be quite the successful artist. I was six years old at the time. Furiously working with lined paper and crayon, I'd sell my wares in front of my makeshift 'store' whenever company came over.

"Grandma," I'd say. " Wouldn't this pretty picture look great on your refrigerator?"
'You're right. It would!" she'd say while handing over a shiny quarter for her newly acquired picture of 'Doggie Asleep on Floor'.

I never really let go of my desire to run my own business. After college, while decorating my walls with paintings, I also ventured into many creative jobs: Mural painter. Illustrator. Furniture Painter. Eventually I fell into private home care and that is where I remained for over a decade.

Introducing Cutting Pixels

Hand Cut Art dedicated to Video Games

I have the privilege of introducing you to one of my favorite Etsy shops, Cutting Pixels. Katrina Mason is the owner, artist, and designer of the items which feature hand-cut silhouettes of video game characters. She has done other characters, such as Precious Moments, but video games are the source of most of her art. Her are her words.

 Riding Epona across beautiful grassy plains of Hyrule. Charging through thick forests dodging panthers and tigers on Azeroth. Navigating warp zones and trampolines with Mario and Luigi. Timing the perfect jump to rescue the princess. Discovering Star World while rescuing Yoshi and friends. Swingin' jungle vines, smashin' barrels, and jumpin' mine carts. Racing the clock to get your strawberries watered and harvested before summer. Wooing the girl of your dreams. Getting up with the sun to take your cows to pasture. Searching darkened rooms for your lost friend amid hostile ghosts. Eating anything even remotely edible you found on the ground.

These are the scenes I cherished. When it was too dark to play outside anymore, my sisters and I fought over whose turn it was on the console.

Though I have always had a passion for the arts, my actual ability was never very high. I took art classes every year until I graduated despite my inabilities. I continued to love arts and crafts as I started a family and grew older. I've tried many different types of art, but nothing has ever clicked for me until now.

I stumbled upon a blog post featuring a paper cut artist. Though I love art, I've never felt moved to purchase any specific piece. But I had to fight the urge to go over budget and purchase several pieces of this artists work. I spent days gazing at her listings on Etsy. I loved her work so much, I began to feverishly look into other papercutting artists. After spending two weeks reading about the art of hand cut paper, I decided to try it. I had an X-Acto knife already from one of my many passing art attempts, though the blade was incorrect. I pulled out some construction paper and my knife, and attempted a free template.

A stitch in time...

...saved my mind.

(This is the post I wrote which was published by the Susan, the Crochet Addict back in September)


There is no way I could have known when I picked up my crochet hooks after years of not touching them, that I would become a different person. Several years prior, I had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The pain and fatigue that I lived with had robbed me of vitality to the point that my employer "suggested" I take a leave of absence. That was a wake up call to a new life.

Soon after returning to work, on a scaled down level, I met a woman that knitted. She inspired me to crochet a few stitches. And of course, I was hooked.

She took me shopping for yarn after I found a pattern for a simple cardigan, and was I ever surprised at the glorious selection of colors and styles. And this was just at Michaels; we hadn't even been to a yarn store yet! We started attending groups together, like Stitch and Bitch, and I began honing my rudimentary skills learned at my grandmother's knee.

PTL Thursday

Acknowledge the Lord and He will acknowledge you

Psalm 1:6

Luke 12:8

1John 4:15