Sunday, December 5, 2010

lari washburn : artists who blog


Fresh artist interview for you today! Wonderful, thoughtful, talented Maine artist Lari Washburn will delight your senses and your soul with her beautiful mixed media artwork and peaceful words. Enjoy.


Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?

I don’t really remember deciding to be an artist. My mother was an artist so I grew up with that life…seeing creativity as a way to live. Pretty much everything in our home was made by one of my parents, or it was an antique! I do remember standing in a museum, in front of a painting and deciding to go to school and get a BFA. But I think I was motivated to do this because I saw the joy and power of creating. I can’t imagine doing anything else now.


Do you still believe “do what you love and the money will come“?

I think the saying should be “Do what you love, and be deeply devoted to the practice it will take everyday and maybe the money will follow, but for sure the happiness of being true to yourself will follow.” That’s what I want…to be true to myself.


How has blogging and the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

I see all the possibilities out there, and how endless they are, and that inspires me. I see all the ways people make their lives work, and that excites me. I see things everyday that I would never have thought of or been exposed to, and that is fun. I think everything I take in is food that will ultimately be used by me somehow. I rarely know how this will happen consciously, but I see it later in my work. And I try to take in the best nourishment possible…things that are positive.


Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special.

Natsumi Nishizumi I enjoy this blog for its simplicity and peaceful quality. I think this artist has a spectacular eye and sense of design, combined with an appreciation of nature that always renews me.

Pia Jane Bijkerk I think the way this artist styles everything is always so fascinating. I like all the texture she adds in her photos and graphics, and how she always focuses on magical and moody-feeling settings. I aspire to add more of this to my blog.

Stitch and Tickle I love Sophie’s blog because she is so curious and inventive about life and her work. She always has something unique and funny and refreshing to write about. She always makes me see things in new ways. And her work is stunning, and I always like to see how it is progressing.


What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

I don’t enjoy it when access to my intuitive self is clouded or blocked by too much wishing to be like somebody else! This is a big and sad danger that I try to nip in the bud right away when I see it coming. A good dose of going into the studio and making myself do things that are “bad” and “ugly” and “trite” is my cure.


Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?

Oh, maybe Cy Twombly, just to see how it feels to be so in touch with that incredible flow. I love the truth and exploration in his work so much.


What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

Having a list of things I will accomplish each day and being really diligent about working until they are done. And taking a short nap every day if I can!!


If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be? Why?

I think it would be India. There is such a rich culture there, and so many completely new things to experience. I have heard that it is a very difficult place to visit because the full force of the human condition is presented to you everywhere, but I think if I could be courageous enough to expose myself to that it would expand me. Also, think of the color!


How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?

I have work times and not work times. My spiritual practice advises living each day so that 4 things are in balance: right livelihood, service to others, being supportive to those who are emotionally dependent upon me, and time for myself. I try to follow this.


What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

Be a kinder human being.

Continue to develop my drawing and painting skills.

Continue to develop my textile design skills.

Find gallery representation.

Become a really good photographer.


What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Write down what you want, picture it in detail, and make some kind of plan to achieve it. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Do at least one thing every day to accomplish what you have said you want to do. Keep swimming no matter what.


Thank you for sharing Lari. Your words and your artwork are both inspirational and poetic.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

shona cole: artists who blog


Today's interview is with Shona Cole, an artist, photographer, and writer, who is originally from Ireland. She is also the mother of 5 children under the age of 10, and she homeschools her kids. What a multi-talent - I am amazed at how she does it all. Enjoy!

Shona's book: The Artistic Mother 

Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?
I have always leaned towards the artistic but I did not pursue art in any professional manner until later in my life. After a few years of being an employee in the social services and quitting to be a stay at home mom, I finally took the time to focus on art. Now that I am living this artistic life I can imagine life without it, but it looks bleak. The pursuit of creativity, of creating something lovely colors my day and gives me something for myself that I look forward to. Creativity to me is endless and exciting.


Do you still believe "do what you love and the money will come?" 
I hear those words and I do agree with them to a certain extent, but I believe that success also depends on how you market your product and what you are offering the market. At the moment I have not tried to sell any artwork, but I am selling a book. I wrote on the topic of motherhood and creativity which is a topic that I am passionate about. I loved writing the book and going through the whole editing process. But while the book is selling well for a craft book, but it is not on any best seller list! The reason for that is I don’t have the time or resources to fully market my book to new audiences - I can’t teach real life workshops or go on a book tour or spend too much time online – some of the main marketing avenues.
If I had the time to also teach workshops and make art to sell then those could all join together to create a decent living, and at that point I could say for me ‘yes, doing what I love brings money’, but as I am limited in what I am offering the market and limited in my marketing efforts so the returns are also limited. I am OK with that, it is what I am choosing to do. One day when the main bulk of my time is no longer taken up with children and their schooling then I plan to pursue other artistic avenues. And at that time I fully intend to do what I love.


How has blogging and the internet influenced your work as an artist?
The internet has opened me up to an amazing array of like minds and the work and ideas of people I want to hear from and who I couldn’t have met in real life. It has helped me weed out what I don’t want to do, what I do want to do and even allowed me to reflect on who I am in the art world. I love watching ‘how to’ videos, even if it a simple post about gluing! Every time I watch a video it inspires me to get up and create too!
Blogging itself has given me an audience and a community. I feel like there are people that I consider friends who I have only met through reading their blogs and them visiting and commenting on mine. I think we would be like long lost friends if we ever met! Some of those folks have profoundly affected how I craft and even how I view my family life and work. Without a window into their world I may never had the confidence to embrace the path of the artistic mother so fully!
I have come to value the opinions of those who read my blog regularly. I write what I want to on my blog, but I am also sensitive to what my visitors want. While most comments are positive I can read between the lines as to what folks want to hear about. So I have geared my blogging to the topic of motherhood and art. You won’t come to my blog and hear about politics or what I ate for lunch.


Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special. 
Mortal Muses is a group of women who photograph their world, keeping accountable by way of weekly themes. It is top notch photography and short, inspiring musings on a wide variety of topics. I like having themes to follow and artistic groups to be a part of. 

The Storque, the Etsy blog - while I don’t have an Etsy shop, yet, I love to visit their blog for it’s diverse look at real life crafters, folks who are making money from their art. I have always liked being around artsy, craftsy folks and this is the perfect place to feel connected to that world. I love best their video category. 

The Writer's Almanac - I consider the Writer’s Almanac to be a kind of blog. I love Garrison Keelers voice and the little pieces of random information about people in the world that he gently lays out and then of course the poetry – I love to hear the poems he reads. His picks are always beautiful and accessible, poetry that I can actually understand and relate to. 


What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?
I fear being bored and unmotivated. I was that way when I was young and I don’t like that feeling. To over come that I make a whole lot of lists, I journal, I pray, I put time limits on what I do and even if I don’t ‘feel like it’ I go to my craft table or upload some photos to process and just start. I usually get into it once I get started. 


Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?
Goodness, no one really. I am very happy here. But if pressed I guess it would be Martha Stewart. I would like to watch a really successful home arts show come to fruition. 


What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?
Many of my time management secrets are also the things I mentioned above about keeping my motivation alive. I make a lot of long and short terms goal lists. I have many note books, for many different topics and write lists regularly in them. Then I have a weekly to do list broken down into days that keeps me on track. In the afternoon when I think about the coming evening (I work mainly in the evening when the kids are down) I often visualize some of the steps in my projects or go over the specific things I need to accomplish. That way when 10 o’clock comes I am ready. I check things off my list. I generally get everything done that way, even the laundry!


If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be? Why?
London. I was born there, married there and have spent lots of time in London.  My husband and I even talk about going there as a family for a year when our kids are older. There are so many cultural, artistic, musical and historical places to visit, we would be hard pressed in a year to do it all.


How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?
My professional life is all online. So to keep them separate I basically don’t write about certain things on my blog or on other folks blogs.


What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?
1) Write book #2 (I have sent in my proposal)
2) Write book #3 (I have a vision for it already, and book 4! I am an ideas person, I could brainstorm ideas for books all day long!)
3) Reach a wider audience – that means try to find a way to market my ideas better
4) Publish a book of poetry and photography, preferably one that could be sold in my favorite store, Anthropologie
5) Oversee the building of a granny flat and backyard deck/kitchen & pool (I am a big house project/decorating person, which is an example of something I usually don’t include in my blog)


What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Make a long term goal list, then a short term goal list that helps you make progress on your long term goals list. Then make a day by day action plan. Then have the guts to stick to it and not be swayed from your vision by anyone (except wisdom and reason)! 
And most of all, don’t be disheartened. When it your art is hard or you have no new ideas or you post your art and no one comments – don’t give up. If you keep on going, keep on practicing and developing your art one day your skills will bring you to a place of success. If you give up now you will not succeed.


Thank you Shona! You are an inspiration to all creative mothers!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

constanca cabral : artists who blog


Today's featured artist is Constança Cabral, a native of Lisbon, Portugal who now lives in a beautiful new home in the English countryside. Constança's blog is a continual inspiration of sewing, crafting, and gardening projects. Whenever I drop by her blog, it feels like visiting with a very creative, colorful friend who is living a truly dreamy domestic life. Enjoy the interview :) 

Constança's blog: http://saidosdaconcha.blogspot.com           
Constança's shop: http://saidosdaconcha.etsy.com


Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?

Well, first of all I must say that I don’t see myself as an artist. I’m someone who likes to exercise their imagination and make things on a daily basis. Baking a cake, arranging flowers, sewing a bag or hanging pictures on the wall – that’s all part of who I am. I’m not an office person in the sense that I’ll work much better if I’m working according to my own schedule and goals.


Do you still believe "do what you love and the money will come?"

Uhm… tough question. Selling handcrafted work is hard because you spend such long hours making things and you buy high quality material, and in the end you can’t ask that much money for your goods. I’m very lucky to be in a position that allows me to focus on developing my work and not worry so much if I have money for food at the end of the month. I mean, if it weren’t for my husband’s continuous love and support, I’m not sure if I’d be able to do what I do. That being said, we live quite sensibly. We travel once in a while and buy books and go to the cinema, so yes, we do have a comfortable life, but there aren’t any crazy expenses.


How has blogging and the Internet affected your work as an artist?

I believe those two things have shaped my work. I’ve always been a creative person but the internet really awoke my senses. Blogging is a vital part of my work because it keeps me motivated, as well as connecting me to so many great people. I feel I’m not alone in this adventure and that gives me strength.


Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special. 

I love design*sponge because it’s such a complete blog: you are presented with beautiful homes, imaginative diy projects, amazing flower arrangements, great advice on living a greener life, film inspiration… whilst being very personal and humane.

make something  is very fabric-centric and I love that. Karyn is the owner of The Workroom, a great fabric shop in Toronto, and she’s an amazing seamstress and experimentalist. Her taste is impeccable and her blogging style is humble and very engaging.

Soule Mama is another favourite place to visit everyday. I enjoy Amanda’s writing style and the way she pursues her dreams. She is the living proof that you can have an alternative style of living and make it work. I love her sense of hope and achievement.


What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

I have some irrational fears that I can’t overcome because they’re not real, but I won’t go into that. As for work-related fears, sometimes I wonder if this path that I’ve chosen will enable me to be financially independent. That being said, I try to be as honest and truthful as I can both in my work and in my personal life. Will that send some money my way? I’m not really sure.


Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?

I’d love to be the assistant of an excellent prop stylist. It’s a field that interests me enormously but I don’t know if I’d be any good at it, so I’d like to try it for a day.



What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I don’t and that’s one of my biggest problems! I get easily distracted and I’ll start working on a thing without having finished what I was doing previously and so on…



If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be? Why?

Definitely in Stockholm or Copenhagen. I would need to have a good allowance though!

How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?

My private life always wins. I will drop everything to meet my mother or father or spend an afternoon with my grandmother or with a great friend. Not to mention my husband… So I guess my life isn’t balanced at all! But I’m a firm believer in this: love and happy moments are the things you will always cherish and remember.


What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?

Plant a kitchen garden, expand my sewing and knitting skills, travel around the world, decorate my home in a way that reflects myself and my family and read many, many books.


What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Be true to your self, be sensible and be imaginative. And have fun!

Thank you Constança!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

heather cameron : artists who blog


Our featured artist today is Heather Cameron, a stylist/story producer based in Vancouver, Canada. Heather owns an organic farm called "Missing Goat Blueberry Farm" where she sells her homemade jams, chutneys, pies, granola, and fresh garlic. Yum! I first discovered Heather's blog on Poppytalk, where she is a regular contributor.


Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what? 

I didn't decide to become an artist - I'm not even sure if that title fits me.  I stumbled into styling and story producing.  I seem to stumble into all sorts of things.  I've always known that I have to be creative in my work.  I'm miserable if I'm not.  I could never see myself behind a desk doing 9 - 5.  Though, the thought of a paycheck every two weeks always seemed appealing.  I can't imagine how that would feel - isn't that odd?


Do you still believe “do what you love and the money will come“?

Absolutely.  It may not be a huge amount of money, and you may just get by, but you will be happy.  I pick happiness over cash any day.  In the last two years, I've really had an epiphany about money and what is really important. 


How has blogging & the Internet affected your work as an artist?

I just started blogging a year ago and it's really amazing.  I knew nothing about it, but thought it would be a creative outlet.  I've met wonderful people, connected with editors from the past, and told a story about my life for a year.  I am always shocked that anyone cares about my garden, what my ducks did today, what I had for dinner...


Please name 3 of your favorite blogs and tell us why these blogs are special. (Please provide links!)

Cannelle et Vanille - everything about it is lovely.  Food styling and photographing is an art that I so admire. 

Poppytalk - I don't know how she finds everything, but boy, it's a fabulous site to keep you in touch with all things awesome.

and lately, I really am enjoying the Pioneer Woman - though, I'm not sure it's a blog?  Sexy cowboys and fine food.  It's just fun.


What is your greatest fear and what do you do to overcome it?

My greatest fear is failure - and I simply push on and do the best I can.  If I fail, then I know I tried my best.  I think looking back and knowing I chickened out would be a failure.  I'm also terrified of being on tv.  But, I forced myself to do it many times.  I choked on my own spit as I forgot to swallow and haven't a clue what I said, but I actually had a lot of fun.

Who would you like to trade places with for one day? Why?
At first I thought Angelina - but then I remembered she has six kids ...or is it seven??  It was more about seeing Brad, but the kids thing..I've got one and that keeps me busy enough.  Then I thought Oprah as I'd love to know how it feels to be so bold and confident. Then I thought it would just be nice to switch places with someone who has loads of free time and a nice sized wad of cash - I'd lay on the beach (under an umbrellas because I've no desire to cook myself in the sun), sipping cocktails, get a massage, manicure, pedicure, facial - all that stuff.  So, whoever is living that life, is who I'd switch with.
What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?
Post it notes.
If you could live anywhere in the world – all expenses paid – for one year, where would that be?
Cassis in the South of France.
How do you maintain a healthy balance between your professional and private life?
My husband is my best friend.  We bicker and fight, but in the end, he gets what I am doing - oh for goodness sakes.  My three ducks are pounding on the back door trying to come in.  Ok, I'm back.  What was the question.. hmm, upon a second read, I'm not sure that I do these days.  I'm trying to be the best mom, a good wife and build a successful business.  A healthy balance may come later, but honestly, seems to be missing right now.
What are your top 5 goals that you’d like to accomplish within the next 5 years?
Get my jam and syrup into the United States. 
Spend one or two months in another country each year.
Have a girl getaway vacation.
Eat better than I ever have in my life.
Publish a book on living in the country.
What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?
Be brave, be bold, be persistent (many times, persistence has opened a door for me) and don't procrastinate!  It's the killer of all dreams.

Thank you Heather! A visit with you is like a refreshing vacation to the countryside.