Featured Designers: Wildlife Art by Kathie Miller

Tell me 5 things everyone should know about you

1 I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil. I would spend my days in my room drawing while everyone else was outside playing with dolls. Even though I have a degree in fine art, I feel I am completely self taught

2 I've worked in many mediums - airbrush, acrylics, colored pencils, pen and ink, scratchboard, clay, polymer clay, wood carving of life size songbirds.

3 I am an award winning artist. Winning awards in painting, sculpture and wood carving

4 My favorite animals to do are the big cats, but when I became a falconer, I started doing birds of prey. I found switching from fur to feathers was harder than I thought. But now I really enjoy doing birds.

5 I'm fairly new to computer art and have just started painting on the computer. I find it interesting but there is nothing like applying pencil to paper.

What programs do you use to make your designs?

CorelDraw and Corel Photo Paint. I just purchased version 15 and love it.

How has zazzle changed your life/lifestyle?

I was never into computer art or graphic art until I started with another POD. When they changed their payment structure I came to Zazzle. I was amazed at how the community was so friendly and helpful. I now spend a great deal of my time on graphic art and really enjoy it. I also sell a lot more here than I ever did there. Because Zazzle is free, it allowed me to experement more and open more themed stores. I started selling the first week with Zazzle. I now make enough money that I can afford to purchase things from my wish list.

If you could give every new shopkeeper 1 piece of advice what would you tell them?

Have patience. It takes a lot of time every day to get your store up and running. Find somewhere that your designs fits in and promote your work.

If you could have 1 design on a billboard in Times Square NYC for 1 hour what would it be and why?

Oh boy, that's a tough one. Every piece of art I do is like one of my children. It's hard to pick just one. I would have to say my pastel painting of the raven. It's one of my best pastels.

If you were shopping for a new T shirt and had to choose from someone else's zazzle shop which product would you buy and why?