Packed with Artist Interviews: My New E-Course

Hi everyone! I'm delighted to share the details about my new e-course with you!

My very first e-course is callled Creative Courage, and it is designed as a practical guide to help you find, clarify, and follow your unique, creative path.

Creative Courage is a seven week e-course that will give you inspiration, tools, and resources to help you realize your creative dreams.

This course will include interviews with 12 talented and thriving artists, illustrators, designers, photographers, writers, coaches, and bloggers. You are going to love this amazing group of incredible women from around the world!

As a special bonus in Week 4, you will travel with me on a *virtual field trip* to Venice, Italy and peek behind the scenes at the world famous Venice Biennale art exhibition. I'll be sending you exclusive photos, sketches, and impressions directly from Venice. I'll even send you a personal postcard if you are enrolled in my course!

Couldn't you use an extra dose of courage, self-confidence and wisdom to move forward in the direction of your dreams?

Maybe there is a creative dream you've had since you were a child, and you would like to
give it a try but don't know where to start.

Perhaps you are already working on your creative dream, but sometimes you feel lost,
frustrated, and overwhelmed.

Or maybe you have already realized many of your creative dreams, but there are still many new challenges ahead and you could use some practical advice.

Regardless of where you are today, Creative Courage can help you create an individual
roadmap to the places you would like to go in the future.

Together we will discuss fresh ways to approach your ideas, and I will share many fun, new exercises I've developed to boost your creative self-confidence and personal courage.

It is going to be a true festival of creativity, light, and joy, and I do hope that you will join us!

Each week, two of our expert guests will join us to tell their personal stories and describe how they are finding and following their creative dreams. 

In the interviews, they'll give us tips and advice on how you can start moving in the direction of your creative dreams too.

Our 12 Creative Courage special guests this session will be:

Susannah Conway - photographer, author, and creator of the Unravelling e-courses
Jessica Swift - artist, illustrator, designer, and co-creator of The Declaration of You
Jan Halvarson - creative design blogger and creator of Poppytalk Handmade
Sarah Ahearn - mixed media artist and author of the lovely Painted Pages
Penny Dullaghan - illustrator, artist, yogini, and creator of Illustration Friday
Jennifer Lee - creative coach, artist, and author of The Right Brain Business Plan
Alessandra Cave - photographer, world traveller, creator of Gypsy Girl's Guide
Tara Gentile - creative coach, editor of Scoutie Girl, author of The Art of Earning
Aimee Dolich - artist, illustrator, professional doodler, and creator of Artsyville
Pixie Campbell - artist, instructor, intuitive wild woman, and creator of SouLodge
Shannon Kinney-Duh - artist, crafter, yogini, creative coach, and creator of Inside Out
Maryam Montague - author, photographer, blogger, hotelier of Peacock Pavillions in Marrakech, Morocco

Topics will include:

• believing in your creative dreams
• pushing through your fears and developing your self-confidence
• celebrating prosperity and earning money with your artwork
• increasing your financial abundance by creating multiple income streams
• using the internet as a way to stretch and grow your career as an artist
• creating artwork without inhibition and how to avoid getting stuck
• ditching procrastination for more creative play and practice
• nurturing your body and soul to increase your creativity
• avoiding burnout and promoting balance in your life
• finding positive support for your work and building a network
• connecting and collaborating with others to energize your creative business
• creating daily adventure and making your life more interesting
• expanding your horizons and finding your unique role in the world
• developing practical strategies for time management for busy women
• and much more! 

As we move through the course, I will be asking for your feedback to make sure we cover the areas that are most important to you.

I'll  be sharing my experiences as an artist, published illustrator, working mom, and American expat living in Germany. I'll also tell you how my family and I do our best to juggle it all and make our lives more creative, interesting, and rewarding.

I will include my personal, extensive list of inspiring resources with links and information to help you navigate all topics for further exploration.

I encourage you to register for the Creative Courage e-course, open your mind and heart, and start listening to your deepest, truest wishes for your life. I sincerely believe - "If you can dream it, you can do it!"

Join us for Creative Courage and let's get started!

The first session of Creative Courage will run from September 26th, 2011 - November 11th, 2011. Spaces are limited in my new e-course, so be sure to register now to reserve your spot.

The Creative Courage e-course is $99 USD for seven weeks of fun, color, encouragement, inspiration, love, 12 exclusive expert interviews - and it includes a unique *virtual* field trip to Venice, Italy!

Simply click on the Add to Cart button to register, and then you will be redirected to PayPal to complete your transaction. After your payment has been processed, you will receive a welcome email from me securing your spot in the course.

If you have any questions, or experience any problems at all, don't hesitate to send me an e-mail at stephanielevy (at) web.de



I look forward to seeing you in the course!

For more specific information about how the course runs, keep reading for my detailed course FAQ.

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Creative Courage FAQ


There are lots of creative e-courses out there. What makes this course unique?

My Creative Courage e-course is a fun, holistic, hands-on online course, full of colorful activities, resources, quotes, and 12 inspirational interviews with some of the most successful, amazing artists, bloggers, writers, coaches, and crafters who are thriving today.

Best of all, this session includes a *virtual field trip* to Venice, Italy!

Creative Courage is designed to refresh and energize your mind, body, and soul, and guide you to a path of looking at your life and the world in whole new ways.

My goal for this class is to help you develop your creative self-confidence and give you the encouragement you need to move from dreaming to actively making your creative dreams a reality.

I can offer you a warm and supportive environment to build your courage and jumpstart your creative ideas.

Let's celebrate our creative, courageous spirits together in a joyful network of like-minded people, where we can share our ideas freely and give one another the generous gift of encouragement.

Come and join us today!

How does the "Creative Courage" e-course work?

The e-course runs for seven weeks on a password protected private website. Six weeks of the course will include daily posts Monday through Friday with fun activities, colorful artwork, personal stories, and interviews.

In the middle of the course - during week four - we will take a *virtual* field trip to Venice, Italy together. I will show you Venice behind the scenes, and give you a tour of the world famous "Venice Biennale" art exhibition. I'm very excited to be able to share this opportunity with you, and I'll even send you a personal postcard from Venice if you'd like!

As another bonus, each week two creative experts who are leaders in their field will join us as guests for exclusive interviews (not to be heard or read anywhere else) and share their insights about designing the creative, courageous life you want.

There will also be a private flickr group for those of you who would like to share photos as we journey along together.

Do I have to be an artist to participate?

No, absolutely not. In fact, I happily welcome participants of all ages, professions, and stages of life! I look forward to a vibrant mix of "creative courage" seekers, dreamers, and doers.

I love the title of Patty Digh's book: "Creative is a verb. If you are alive, you are creative." I agree completely! We are all creative - we just sometimes need a little help in clarifying our ideas and some encouragement to help us move forward.

That's what this course is about!

Do I need to be in the class at a certain time? What if I'm going on of town?

The beauty of taking e-courses is that you decide when to participate in the class! You can integrate the class into your personal schedule and take the class in the comfort of your home.

If you need time to catch up on evenings or the weekend, that's no problem. All class material will remain posted for an extra 2 weeks after the course ends, so that you will have extra time to read comments and check out all resources.

But I live in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Europe...

Wonderful! We will be happy to meet you regardless of where you live! One of the most marvelous things about the Internet is that we can all connect globally with another in an instant.

I am continually amazed at how easy it is to communicate with other like-minded people from all corners of the globe - and e-courses like this one are a perfect meeting point.

What will I need for the class?

All you really need is access to a computer and an Internet connection.

A journal or a sketchbook would be helpful, and perhaps a small box, jar, or other container (we will have fun making "wish jars/boxes" in one of the exercises).

I will be sending you colorful, illustrated PDFs as part of the course to download. If you would like to print these out, you will need access to a color printer.

But the main thing we need is you - and your computer :)

Do I need a camera?

I will set up a private flickr group for those of you who would like to share your photos during the class, but you do not need a camera to participate in this course.

How much time will I need for the class each week?

This depends completely on you and how much time and energy you would like to devote to the class. I would allow for 15-20 minutes a day ideally. If you prefer to do the course on the weekend, you should be able to complete the reading and exercises in an hour or two.

How are you qualified to lead this e-course?

This is a good and important question. For the past 15 years, I have been working as a professional artist, illustrator, and workshop leader. I understand the amount of energy and courage one needs to make and show your creative work to the world.

I know that it takes work to realize your creative dreams, but I also know that it is possible.

I'm an American who has been living in Germany for more than a decade. Life as an expat has forced me to train my "creative courage" muscles quite often through the years.

I've had to learn to show and promote my work in a new language, and find out how to survive and thrive in a foreign culture. With lots of support and hard work, I was able to complete a Master's degree program in Art at the University of the Arts in Berlin - in German.

My training and experience in the arts and as a teacher, as well as my personal life experiences have been invaluable to me as I have prepared this class.

To develop this course, I spent a year researching and gathering information from today's best minds, creativity "gurus," career and courage experts, artists, writers, top bloggers, coaches, and other creative spirits who are thriving in their fields.

I intend to give you my pickings of the cream of the crop. You will find it all here in a compact, helpful form in my Creative Courage e-course.

Is class size limited?

Yes, I am limiting class size to give you more individual attention. Spaces may fill up quickly, so please sign up early to avoid disappointment.

What will I get from this course?

In this course, you will receive:

• inspirational daily posts (Monday - Friday) illustrated my with artwork to encourage, support, and help you start turning your creative dreams into reality
• six of my colorful illustrated PDF worksheets to download, use, and keep forever
• fun, helpful activities to build your "creative courage" muscles
• daily resources with links so that you can explore each topic in depth
• weekly interviews with an amazing group of 12 of today's top creative experts
• access to a community of like-minded, supportive creative explorers who share your wish of living a richer, fuller, more colorful and joyful life
• tips and tools for welcoming more abundance and prosperity into your life
• a *virtual* field trip to Venice, Italy! I'll share with you a behind the scenes tour of Venice and the world famous Venice Biennale international art exhibition - I'll even send you a personal postcard from Venice if you'd like!

How do I sign up?

Simply click on the Add to Cart button to register, and then you will be redirected to PayPal to complete your transaction. After your payment has been processed, you will receive a welcome email from me securing your spot in the course. 

The Creative Courage e-course is $99 USD for seven weeks of fun, color, encouragement, inspiration, love, 12 exclusive expert interviews - and it includes a unique *virtual* field trip to Venice, Italy. I can't wait for class to begin!

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to email me at stephanielevy (at) web.de

Spaces are limited, so register now to secure your place in this unique e-course.

Thanks so much for your interest, and I look forward to seeing you in the course!

xoxo
Stephanie

To all "artists who blog" fans: I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Hi everyone! I would love to get your feedback on a project I've been working on for a long time.

I'm putting the finishing touches on my new e-course this week, and I'd really like to get some advice from you. It has been a true labor of love during the past 10 months as I have written, edited, and put lots of heart, soul, and my personal stories into this course.

In a nutshell, I've developed this e-course to help you:

• boost your self-confidence and find the courage to pursue your creative dreams
• create new work more often and avoid getting stuck in ruts
• devlop multiple income streams and make a living from your creative work
• nurture yourself and stay balanced in the process
• connect with others and build a network of positive support
• expand your horizons through daily adventure projects
• celebrate your creative spirit and add more joy, fun, and color to your life

I'll be sharing lots of fun activities each week with new illustrations and artwork, plus 12 exclusive, in-depth artist interviews created especially for this e-course. There is another special bonus surprise coming up which I will unveil next week. I'm really excited about this project, and I can't wait to tell you all the details!

I wanted to hear from you today about any specific topics you'd like to see me cover, and gather your suggestions as I get the course ready to share with you and the world.

Especially for those of you who enjoy my artists who blog series of interviews: if there are particular artists, designers, crafters, creative bloggers, writers, coaches, or anyone else you'd love to see me interview, please let me know with your comments.

Thanks so much for your time and feedback! I really appreciate it! Big hugs from Munich!

xoxo

Stephanie

marisa seguin : artists who blog

Marisa's blog: www.marisamidori.blogspot.com

Marisa's website: www.marisaseguin.com

Marisa's shop: www.etsy.com/shop/marisamidori

Today we are joined by the fresh and delightful Canadian illustrator Marisa Seguin. I am in love with her "Here and There" city series - whimsically illustrated maps of famous places. When Marisa is not illustrating, she says that she spends her time "baking obnoxiously coloured cakes, dancing around my room, and spending inordinate amounts of time reading blogs." Sounds good to me! Enjoy your weekend and Marisa's fun interview! xo

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

My parents have always told me that I loved drawing as soon as I could hold a pencil. I wasn't a huge Barbie kid or any other toy for that matter — I just wanted to draw! So careerwise, it's been a pretty straight path for me. If I weren't an illustrator, I think I would really enjoy having my own bakery. I love to bake and experiment with recipes in my free time.

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

Well, I'm just starting my career and haven't been jaded by the industry yet haha so I'm still very optimistic (but I'm just a really optimistic person in general). I believe that when people love what they are doing it shows in their work and people will be excited about a product that the maker was equally excited (if not more) to create.

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

I am a complete blog addict. I love to read them in my spare time (and not-so-spare time!) and always turn to them when I am in a creative rut. I don't believe in creating in a bubble. The internet and blogging specifically have introduced me to so many great artists that I probably would never have found without this incredible resource. Now that I'm beginning my career, the internet has also helped me connect with so many great people in my industry. It is an invaluable tool!

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

Oh man, just three??

Where the Lovely Things Are - Mallory, the curator of this blog, always find the best stuff. She features a great balance of beautiful photographs and illustrations and I can always find something to be inspired by here.

Pikaland - My absolute favourite illustration blog. Amazing features, projects, and advice.

GrainEdit - My favourite more graphic design-oriented blog. They feature work from the 50s-70s (the Golden Age in my opinion) and contemporary work that draws inspiration from this time period.

Honourable mentions (I couldn't help myself):Poppytalk, Design Crush, Eat Drink Chic

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

I guess my greatest fear is just not being good enough. To overcome it, I just keep telling myself that if I love what I am creating then hopefully others will too. One of my teachers always said that if you are laughing or smiling while you are drawing then that is generally a good sign.

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

Tina Fey! Such a wicked smart, hilarious, and talented woman. No brainer. I finally got around to reading Bossypants (I'm still at the beginning) but every page just makes me like her more and more.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I am a list maker. They help me visualize everything I need to do. I start by writing everything that needs to be accomplished and organize that list based on highest priority to lowest so I can help judge what needs to be done immediately and what I can put off until a bit later.

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

Ohhh tough choice! I think it would have to be Paris. I am a huge Francophile but have yet to visit this incredible city. I would love to spend a year in Paris just being immersed in the art, food, and beautiful architecture. I would also love to just be in Europe so that I could travel easily to all of the wonderful cities there.

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

I don't haha. But I think that is just part of being an illustrator. My professional life is still there when I'm in “private life” mode and I am constantly finding beautiful books, interesting sights, anything that could inspire me. And also vice versa, I could be having a funny conversation or see something while on vacation while in “private life” mode that could later creep into an illustration.

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

1. I definitely want to expand my Here & There poster series. New York, Chicago, Seattle, Florence, Rome, London. I've got a lengthy list of cities I would love to illustrate!

2. Uppercase Magazine is a great Canadian magazine that is published quarterly. They feature a ton of awesomesauce illustrators and always have fun ways to participate. I would love to submit some work sometime in the near future.

3. Printmaking is something I've always wanted to try but never had room in my schedule in college for any intro classes. I'd love to experiment with screenprinting and other types of printmaking and see how these techniques could be incorporated into my illustrations.

4. I've always wanted to illustrate an A-Z series of some sort. Desserts, flowers, weird sea creatures, I'm not sure! Maybe all of them!

5. Participate in this year's Sketchbook Project (and actually finish it this time)! I got one last year but forgot it when I flew home to Vancouver and never finished it.

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

I think surrounding yourself with creative people (both in the real world and also virtually) is a good way to start turning your creative dreams into a reality. They can help you to see what is out there already, motivate you to keep creating, and in general, are just a lot of fun!

Thank you Marisa - you really are an optimistic, encouraging artist! You inspire me too :)

lesley grainger : artists who blog

Today's artist is Lesley Grainger, who is originally from England where she studied art and illustration. She moved to California with her family in 1999. Her cheerful designs are inspired by her children, color and nature. Enjoy!

Lesley's blog: www.lesleygraingerdesign.blogspot.com

Lesley's website: www.lesleygrainger.com

Lesley's shop: www.etsy.com/shop/grainger

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

Since I was little I wanted to become an artist, more than anything. It's my purpose. I couldn't imagine doing anything else, unless I'm called to do something.

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

Absolutely! I believe if you do what you are made to do everything else will follow. It's not always smooth sailing going thru some storms but there's always a rainbow.

How has the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

Blogging and the internet are an essential part of my business. Communication with clients is so easy with these tools. I have met so many amazing people thru my blog and I love it. Blogging is an artform, a tool I use to express my art.

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

http://printpattern.blogspot.com Bowie posts such great work, she connects us to the design world.

Flora Bowley - http://florabowley.typepad.com has the most amazing organic paintings. I love the colors and the feel of her abstract paintings.

A great blog for learning about Art Licensing: http://artlicensingblog.com

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

My greatest fear is to fear. And the way I overcome it is prayer. Worry about nothing and pray about everything. I love this quote, "Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn't get you anywhere."

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

I would like to trade places with Chagall and paint like him for one day.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I work from my home/studio so it's easy to get distracted, ARTIST ADD. I have to make lists, focus on what I need to get done and prioritize my work or I can easily waste my day.

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

Wow that's a great question. I think I would like to live in France. I traveled there for art college. It was amazing and inspiring! Being in France made me want to paint even more.

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

This is sometimes difficult because I work from home and I have two children. I try to treat my work like a regular work day. Get the kids off to school. Make some tea and get to work on whatever projects I have going on. I have learned to stop when its time for family life and I try go to the gym regularly.

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

Online shop

More fabrics

Children's book published in April 2011

Going to Surtex in May 2011

More children's books

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

Do what you love, be inspired with your dream and the reality will come.

Thank you Lesley! I appreciate your sharing your artwork and your thoughts with us today. I wish you lots of success at Surtex next month!

hollie chastain : artists who blog

Today's artist interview is with Hollie Chastain - a collage artist from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I do believe she is the first artist I've featured from Tennessee, which is special for me since I was also born and raised there. I love Hollie's way of combining papers, drawing, and vintage collage materials, and I'm sure you will too. Enjoy!

Hollie's blog: drkennedyjones.blogspot.com

Hollie's website: www.holliechastain.com

Hollie's shop: www.etsy.com/shop/drkennedyjones

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

I can't remember a moment where I ever really decided to become an artist. It's always been my favorite thing to do my entire life so seemed like a pretty natural progression even though it took some time to be able to do it full time. There are 100 things I would love to try but I can't imagine feeling fully satisfied at the end of the day if I can't create.

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

I do in a way. The statement sounds so carefree but really it's so much work. You have to be prepared to push and move constantly towards your goals but it's the love for what you're doing that makes it worth it and fuels the energy to accomplish those tasks every day even if they aren't the fun creative tasks.

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

The handmade blogging community is a whole world of support and inspiration and a real feeling of work mates when so many of us are alone in the studio for the majority of work time. It's nice to share and see what fellow artists are up to every day. Even though it's not quite the same as popping over to the next desk to look over someone's shoulder you have the advantage of so many work mates all over the world. Seeing so many viewpoints and opinions and techniques, both in the blogging community and the internet in general, helps keep my mind open and thinking in new ways.

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

The Nonist – This one might be a bit of a cheat because it's no longer an active blog (that fact makes my heart weep) but the archives are still accessible. It's a completely fascinating look into so many eye and mind opening subjects and I can't drink it in fast enough.

A Journey Round My Skull – When I don't have time to go out and explore the bookshelves of thrift stores and junk shops then I get my fix here. He always finds the most amazing vintage illustration that makes my heart race.

NotPaper – The very best collection of collage artist information and introduction. It's a source of constant inspiration.

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

Fire! I'm kidding. But I do think about it sometimes as I'm sitting surrounded by dry and dusty paper. I think my biggest fear is losing my own view as an artist. As great as the internet is for inspiration and discovery it's a constant bombardment of a million and two things a day. It's a balancing act to let those ideas and images and feedback inspire and motivate without allowing it to carry me in an unnatural or inorganic direction in my work. I follow design and studio blogs but try to match that exposure with discovery sites; science and “found item” and history blogs.

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

I've always been completely fascinated with Emma Kunz. Her work is the perfect blend of art and earth science and mystery. I would love to see things the way she did for a day.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

There is a lot of advice out there about how to juggle and organize but I think that everyone's life and circumstances are different and you just figure out as you go. If I try and set a daily schedule then I drive myself crazy trying to stick to it as unexpected things pop up then I end the day a ball of anxiety. I try and keep a loose schedule, more of a to-do list, and complete the task that means the most to me right in that moment. Nothing good comes from forcing a creative task to meet a deadline but if I can knock out the clerical parts of running a business when I find a free minute here or there then it opens up larger blocks of quiet time during the day to work in the studio without feeling scattered mentally.

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

I would love to explore Iceland for a year. Everything about it appeals to me (except the cold but I can deal with that) and it seems to have a very distinct and strong personality. The folklore and music feel so specific to the country as if they couldn't have come from any other place. Also it has some of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen and very different from the landscape here at home so I wonder how that might affect my creative process with such different visuals around.

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

Setting my own studio hours and having a wonderful supportive husband makes this easy most of the time. If I give up weekday studio time to volunteer at the school or if sick little ones stay home I am thrilled to get to drop everything to devote all my attention to that and know that I can make up the studio time if I need to in the evenings or a quiet Saturday morning. It's never a complete balance but we have a pretty great routine worked out that works for us.

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

Being slightly obsessed with early stop-motion animation I am dying to give it a try with some paper dolls I am currently working on. Next year an attempt at an animated short will be made and we'll see how it goes. I would like to continue adding retail locations where my work is available and get together a solo show every year. Putting out a small self-published book of found book pages and photographs and artwork is quickly moving towards the top of the general long-term To-Do list. First and foremost I am moving into a bigger work area the beginning of 2011 and that will make all other goals that much easier to accomplish!

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

Don't compare yourself to others, don't get discouraged, take the product seriously without taking yourself too seriously and work work work!

Thank you Hollie for your words of inspiration and for sharing your beautiful artwork!

zee longenecker : artists who blog

Today's guest is the lovely Zee Longenecker, a photographer born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil who now lives in Flagstaff, Arizona with her husband, two sons, and three cats. I love Zee's honesty as well as her gorgeous, nostalgic photographs. Enjoy.

Zee's blog: http://pixieblossoms.com

Zee's website: http://zeelongenecker.com

Zee's shops: http://etsy.com/shop/heyzee  and http://etsy.com/shop/pixieblossoms

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

I did not decide on becoming an artist, I just follow my heart. I don’t know if I am an artist. If someone calls me an artist I will blush. I love to learn, to observe things around me. I think I am a very visual person. I rememember being a little kid, drawing on the living room rug forever. I was always quiet, introverted and drawing was a way to express myself. I got interested in photography when I was a teen and attended school in Rio de Janeiro. At that time, it was a very expensive medium for me and digital cameras did not exist. Soon, money became a huge issue and it was not possible to keep up with my photography endeavors. I had to work to pay the bills and help my parents. After marrying and having my children, my husband gifted me with a new camera and I restarted as a hobby.

I also enjoy sewing, working with textiles and drawing once in a while. I see myself doing many things. It’s hard, because I have two small children and my husband is often away from home.

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

Yes and no. I can’t just create photos, sit and wait. Money won’t fall from sky. I understand that I must be very organized, I need to set up goals, do some marketing, contact people, do my homework, improve my skills. I am not making a lot of money yet. Hopefully one day!

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

I started to blog in 2003 only to talk about my personal life and feelings, but only in 2006 I started to focus on my photography and sewing. There were women like me, blogging about their passions, dreams and work. It was a wonderful discovery! Because I have only a basic photography training, I’ve learned a lot reading blogs and online tutorials. I’ve learned about aesthetics and how to have a cohesive presentation. I find a lot of useful information online. I can easily share whatever I do and connect with other people that share the same passions.The Internet is amazing. It opens doors for many talented people.

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

Lately I’ve enjoyed decor8 because Holly always brings a lot of inspiration to her readers. I like Pia’s blog - her photography and her posts are so interesting, different. I also like Gennine’s blog her work is also truly inspiring, they make me smile.

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

Oh, it would be ending up sick, old and alone in a nursing home. Aging like that would be bad. I want my family always together. I don’t want our family being scattered, here and there.

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

I would like to trade place with my son, be a kid once again and feel like him, to be able to understand him better and perhaps become a better mom.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I don’t. I still don’t manage wisely. Last week I was able to manage my time for 4 days. Suddenly I felt lethargic and again all came into a mess. I have a battle with mood swings. Nothing serious, but it affects the way I see myself and the world around me.

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

Fiji, Samoa, Polynesia, Hawaii or maybe somewhere in the Mediterranean. A gorgeous island for sure. Lots of sun, beautiful beaches and nature. Pure bliss!

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

I am still crawling as a business, so far I’ve only sold my photographs on Etsy and I am closing contracts with two different companies (licensing) which is wonderful after only one year of work.

Everything related to my photographs or sewing I do when kids are at school. Sometimes they join me in the studio and they can participate on something (crafts or drawing). So far, it’s been all right. I have a blog, Facebook and Twitter but I am not an avid user of social networks and yes, I don’t bring much family and personal life to the web.

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

I would love to work with magazines and advertisement (editorial and commercial photography) and I must to work harder to improve my skills and have more photos to show on my portfolio. I wish to meet people in the industry.

I would like to take more classes at college.

I wish I could travel with my family to Portugal, Spain and Italy.

Learn more about textiles and pattern construction.

Have a stable handmade business for handbags created by me and home decor items.

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

I don’t have much experience, because as I said, I don’t have a big business. It’s still very small! But I think you must set up your goals, know what you really love, work hard, be organized, get skills, learn as much as you can, get good connections and have a cohesive, consistent work.

Thank you Zee for your kind, open, honest answers. I wish you all the best in realizing your dreams!