We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth Hattaway. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth below.

Elizabeth, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I actually started designing accessories out of recycled comics when a full box of mine got damaged in a move. I couldn’t bear the thought of actually throwing them away and wanted to use them for something. I originally got the idea for pendants and keychains when I noticed a few of the small pictures in certain panels weren’t completely destroyed. I started cutting those out and trying different ways to preserve them. After some trial and error, I eventually found a method to preserve and use the pictures in a way that I liked.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I love that I am able to use items that mean a lot to me and that I am able to recycle them and give them new life. The resin I use will help preserve the pictures for years to come so that they can be enjoyed every day.
I was also able to take the methods I learned using the small pieces to create larger artwork pieces and even refinish recycled furniture! I now have several different sources to help me find damaged comic that I am able to use.

Using recycled comics as a medium reminds me of why I loved them so much in the first place. I do have a strict policy however that I only use already damaged comic and never a perfectly good book.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I know that shopping from local stores and local artists can be a bit more expensive than getting something from Hobby Lobby or online; but it is most defiantly worth it. It keeps more money in your own community instead of in a big box retailor. It is also amazing to own something that someone has put their heart and soul into instead of something that everyone else has/can have. As an artist it is also incredibly rewarding when you are able to share you passion with someone, especially when they appreciate it and love it as much as you do!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

To share and help cultivate a love of all things “nerdy.”

Our mission statement is: Be Unique, Be Nerdy, Be yourself.

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