Part of an occasional series where we look at area artists, how they got started and where they get their inspiration:

Name: Aimée (pronounced ah-may) Wheaton

Age: 36

Type of art: Mixed Media

Web site: www.mazerdesign.com

Blog: http://creativeflutter.blogspot.com

Hometown: Winter Park, Fla. Been in Plattsburgh since 2004.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Plattsburgh State University in Fine Art with a minor in Graphic Design.
All about art: “I've always made art my whole life.” She started out painting rocks and bottles as a kid. Began really making art and selling once she moved to New York. Wheaton said she needed a hobby and wanted to get out of doing graphic design and creating for clients.
Inspiration: “From the world around me, my 3-year-old daughter, Lorelei, browsing the antique shop, artisans online, music or my mood.”
“I tend to do a lot of whimsical, funky, folky art featuring girls, women, birds, flowers, nature themes, trees. I feel like art should be happy, we all could use more happy in the world.”

Where to find her: Wheaton has shown her art locally at The Great Adirondack Soup Company, and at Lily Pond. She sent five pieces to the APW Gallery in Long Island for a show at the beginning of the year. Has also participated in the members mixed media exhibition at North Country Cultural Center for the Arts. At the moment, most of her work is at A Mano studio in downtown Plattsburgh.

Online shops: Wheaton maintains three: Cafepress, Etsy and artfire. “Lately I haven't been promoting much but I am offering 40 percent off everything in all of my shops till they are gone. I need to clear some stuff out and make room at home to create new pieces and keep my shops fresh.”

Tips for fellow artists: “Cross promotion is key! Blogging, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, Ning and anywhere else you can link up. Networking is how I get most of my business. Commenting on other artists’ blogs gets you noticed as well. People will click on your comment to find out who you are. I've been blogging and twittering for two years now and also have a fan page on Facebook for MazerDesign (my biz). I network with a lot of other artists on FB and Flickr. It's great for collaboration and even input from your peers. I've learned so much from my artist friends online and for that I'm truly grateful.”

Favorite quote:
"Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better."
~Andre Gide - French critic, essayist, & novelist (1869 - 1951)