Etsy Rabbit Team Profiles - NYhop

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi, I'm Fleur, aka NYhop or 'New-York-hop' - I've been selling my art for as long as I've been making it. I started selling tshirts 5 years ago, when I first arrived in New York from London. I illustrate all sorts of things - whatever takes my mood. I love drawing animals and making up stories. When I heard about Etsy two years ago, I started my first shop, NYillustration. Rabbits have always been popping up in my work - so I decided to try painting some on clothes. When I sold a couple, I decided to start a shop just for rabbits and named it "NYhop". It turns out Rabbits are more popular than I ever imagined.

Please describe how rabbits inspire your creative process.

I had a rabbit once when I was a kid. I named him Ribble and he was totally wild. I have a drawing of him available on some tees in my shop. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe - my rabbit was part of a huge menagerie of free-roaming pets and I think I was equally passionate about them all - and also of the savannah wonderland that was my playground, a walk down the road from my home. Rabbits seem to hold a special symbolism for me - and for a lot of different people too. There are so many stories about them. They seem ancient and wise, and above all they are survivors - they can be found living quite contentedly in most places on this earth. I've even spotted one in Brooklyn.

Good Bunny Bad Bunny Bag

What first made you want to become an artist?

I come from an artsy family and am most content while I am creating, so its just a natural thing for me to do which is very enjoyable.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

I love all kinds of other things besides art; the outdoors, nature and animals, travel, video games, animation, movies, music, comics, thrifting - I also spend a lot of time on Etsy. I love making treasuries and looking at other original works by Etsy artists for inspiration. I love to promote Etsy to all the creative-minded people I meet. I'm discovering new shops in New York (that are springing up like mushrooms overnight), filled with wonderful handmade and ooak, second hand, upcycled and vintage things - this is what shopping should always be like. And that's exactly what Etsy is like.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

I own a bunch of handmade things I cherish, but what stands out most are my mom's watercolour cards - she sends me about four a year. They are beautiful and precious to me. I also have some gnarly old pure wool fingerless gloves I was given by a friend two years ago - they're looking a bit ragged and ferocious. But they are so warm. I tend to hold onto my things until they disintegrate completely - or get turned into something new.

In ten years, where would you like to be?

I don't know where I'll be in ten years. I don't feel I'm meant to be any place in particular, but I'd like to be free to roam. I want to travel all over and still be making art.

Follow NYhop:

Etsy Shop - http://nyhop.etsy.com/
Etsy Shop - http://nyillustration.etsy.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/nyhop
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/nyhop
Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/nyhop/