artists who blog in Vienna: Manuela Buxer

Designer Manuela Buxer of good morning midnight in Vienna suggested that we meet in her lively, multi-cultural neighborhood to take a stroll through the Brunnenmarkt - a colorful open air market selling everything specialty foods to clothing and household items.

Manuela was very friendly and enthusiastically described what she loves about the 16th District in Vienna, "Lots of artists and designers live and work here because the rent and cost of living is not so expensive. I love the lively, multi-cultural atmosphere."

After our walk, we had a lovely Turkish inspired breakfast at the very cool, minimalist Cafe An-Do, and Manuela told me more about her creative process.

Manuela and her design partner Lucas Eckhart at good morning midnight create full collections of clothing for women and men, playing with colors, textures, geometrical and asymmetrical forms. The titles for the pieces are phrases taken from songs, and she told me that many of their designs are inspired by independent music and film.

Manuela explained, "We want to stay small, in the spirit of DIY, and we make everything ourselves - from the labels and the tags to our photos and our homepage. We want to sell what is from our heart and not just do it for the money. Our design work should remain pure and not just be focused on the marketing."

She told me that they start the design process by making sketches and keep drawing and drawing until the finished design evolves. "We are starting to use ecological, organically produced fabrics, but it is sometimes hard to find good suppliers."

"Our color scheme is mostly monochromatic, but we are thinking about possibly adding a bit of color to some of our collections in the future."

"Our focus is on creating classic styles rather than trendy collections. Our collections are always works in progress, and the next things we'd like to do are make scarves and buttons."

She went on to share, "This year our big focus is to do more fashion and handmade shows and markets. We'll be participating at the design exhibition Blickfang in Vienna and at the hello handmade Markt in Hamburg this fall."

Manuela is delighted with the development of Etsy and many designer blogs, "Etsy brings the whole world into your living room. Nearly all of the blogs I read are people I found via Etsy - people who have interesting lives and exciting photos. Sometimes the blogs make you feel overwhelmed. I wonder "How do they have the time to make so much?"

She gave me the links of a few of her favorite blogs (and they are all inspiring, I've already checked them out!)

mustard and sage
calivintage
16 house
bookhou at home
hello handmade
rennes handmade
graceful lady
hpunktanna

I find good morning midnight's clothing collections so dreamy and beautiful - while preparing this post, I have been falling in love with their designs all over again. You can find all a large selection of their designs for women and men online in their Etsy shop. Enjoy gorgeous photos and Manuela's musings on the good morning midnight blog.

Thank you so much for your time and hospitality Manuela! I truly enjoyed meeting you and I adore your designs :)

xoxo
Stephanie

artists who blog in Vienna: Patricia Vincent

Designer Patricia Vincent is another creative spirit I was lucky enough to meet while in Vienna. I felt Patricia's warmth and charm immediately when I met her at her beautiful studio in the suburb of Sievering in Vienna. 

Patricia showed me around her lovely studio - well stocked with handmade, unique clothing and accessories for women that she makes individually using natural materials like silk, cotton, and leather. She told me that it is very important to her to use the very best quality materials in all of her designs.

Patricia just moved into her studio about 15 months ago after working for 4 years in a shared studio near the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna. She is very happy to have much more space and natural light now. If you are in Vienna and would like to see her designs, you can visit her at  Sieveringer Str. 18/4. Although Patricia is usually there working long hours, it is best to call ahead or email to make an appointment. Contact information is available here on Patricia's portfolio website.

Her bags are all so lovely - how can one choose? I am happy to say that I now own one of Patricia's bags, and I love it. I'm carrying it with me on every trip of my 12 Countries project! Each extremely well made bag is one-of-a-kind and is made using a different combination of materials and colors. You can find a big collection of her bags online in her new Etsy shop here.

Patricia told me that the inspiration for her pieces comes from watching people and films and thinking about what she would like to wear personally. She wants her bags to be "practical, yet eye-catching" and describes her style as "understated and feminine." She makes every piece herself by hand - from the patterns and design to the cutting, sewing, and stitching.

Yet Patricia's path was not always an easy one. Patricia grew up during the Ceausescu dictatorship in Romania. As the daughter of a Ukranian mother and Nigerian father, Patricia and her twin sister suffered extreme discrimination because of their mixed racial background during the regime. 

Patricia's mother even lost her job as a teacher and Patricia and her family were victims of violent racially motivated attacks during the dictatorship. However, her mother was very strong and Patricia says. "She was a fighter and this is what I took from her, the spirit of justice."

After the dictatorship, conditions improved dramatically for the family. Patricia's mother regained her teaching position and Patricia went to an prestigious high school and later studied Business Management in Bucharest.

However, a trip to Vienna in 2002 changed everything. Patricia fell in love with the city, and she is now very happy to call Vienna her home. She told me, "Vienna is peaceful, green, the air is fresh, the streets are clean, the architecture is very beautiful and individual, and each district has a special atmosphere." She went on to say that she feels, "Women are very respected here and Vienna gives me the freedom to be creative."

Patricia has started a wonderful new blog called Seams and Chronicles, where she shares more about her fascinating life story as well as her creative work process.

She writes, "My profession is one of the best things in my life and I feel so blessed having the opportunity to discover and start to love it at a relatively early age. My love and passion for it gives me strength, confidence... and nobody can take it away."

Thank you Patricia for sharing with us! I know your new Etsy shop and blog are going to be a success!

xoxo

Stephanie

artists who blog in Vienna: Valerie Tonus & Ally Michelle

My first artist interview in Vienna was with Valerie Tonus, a warm and wonderful creative spirit from California who has lived abroad for many years and truly seen the world. I knew I wanted Valerie to be a part of this project after I saw her colorful work and read her profile description on Etsy:

"I live in the land of Klimt, Schiele, and Hundertwasser - Vienna, Austria. This is a place of gilded cupolas, florid patterns, and textures so delicious that you want to eat them.

I experiment with shapes - cubist bags, round spiral baskets, diagonal strips - and color relationships - triads of reds, blues and yellows, and tetrads of yellow-orange, red, blue-purple, and green. 

I have an earthy bohemian side. I am a traveler. Each place I have lived has shaped my senses."

Isn't that wonderful?!

Valerie was very enthusiastic about my art + travel project and suggested that we meet at the Kunst Haus Wien designed by the artist Hundertwasser.

This is a front view of Kunst Haus Wien. In the back, there is a lovely garden cafe. After a challenging first morning in Vienna that you can read about here, I was very happy to meet Valerie and her artist friend, Ally Michelle, who was also in Vienna for a visit. Ally Michelle has recently opened an Etsy shop recently featuring her handmade sea glass jewelry. Click here to see more of her unique designs.

Valerie brought along many of her beautiful, hand-coiled cloth bowls and even shared her process. She told me that her sister who quilts got her started using textiles to create art.

"Making the coils for the bowls is a lot like using clay," Valerie said. "Forming the shapes is an organic process. It is somewhat similar to gardening - the result is always different from what you expect."

Valerie has lived in Vienna for the past three years, and has especially enjoyed the beautiful Jugendstil architecture, museums, rich culture, and the public transportation that makes it so easy to get around.

She finds the ornamental, coiled designs in Klimt's work a particular inspiration for the designs on her bowls. "Did you ever notice the beautiful textures in the women's dresses in Klimt's paintings?"

Valerie has been lucky enough to find an international artist's group in Vienna that meets every Friday afternoon to work together and exchange ideas. Her description of the group sounded so open and friendly, it makes me wish I could attend their meetings too.

She demonstrated for me the time intensive wrapping technique of making the coils before she stitches the bowls together. Each bowl is handmade and one-of-a-kind.

Her use of color is mostly intuitive, but sometimes she experiments with new color families using a color wheel. Valerie has experimented using various types of fabrics, ranging from extra strips from her sister's quilting projects to recycled materials.

More recently, she has been using stamps to create her own fabric designs which could then be incorporated into additional textile projects.

Valerie sells her work in shops and markets in Vienna, as well as online through her Etsy shop. She told me that she first found out about Etsy through an alternative website called Rat Race Rebellion. After working for many years in corporate management training, she is happy to be celebrating her creative voice. Valerie has her own blog and is "inspired and motivated by the many creative people expressing themselves now on the Internet." I couldn't agree more.

Ally Michelle added wisely, "Finally more and more people are out there following and marketing their passions - it is so much better than people doing jobs that they don't like."

Ally went on to say: "Every single person in this world has a story to tell, and they should tell it by all means. Blogging has returned the voice to the people - it is a big crowd, but everyone can speak."

At the close of our lively conversation together, Valerie shared a quote from Hundertwasser that she finds particularly inspiring, "Our real illiteracy is our inability to create."

See a charming collection of Valerie's lovely handmade bowls and bags in her online shop and be sure to visit her blog for wonderful recipes, tutorials, and a closer look at her creative process. You can also visit Ally Michelle at her urban gardening blog here.

Thank you Valerie and Ally Michelle for your time and encouragement! I hope we will meet again!

xo

Stephanie

Coming Soon: Fresh Interviews with Artists in Vienna

Hi everyone! I'm now back in Munich after a whirlwind tour of Vienna. I have lots to share with you - interviews with 5 creative women I met there, and my personal travel photos and notes about it all.

I'm still working on editing the interviews, but I wanted to give you a preview of some of the lovely art, textile design, and photography created by the wonderful women I spoke with in Vienna.

Merisi took the photo of me that you see above at the beautiful Demel cafe. Indulge yourself in her many delicious, poetic, daily photographic posts on her award-winning blog: Merisi's Vienna for Beginners

Patricia is a young designer originally from Bucharest, Romania who has been in Vienna since 2002. I visited Patricia in her gorgeous studio and shop, where she creates one of a kind, handmade dresses and bags using only natural materials. Her label Patricia Vincent is one to watch, and her bags are available online here.

Manuela from good morning - midnight met me a hip, minimalist cafe with delicious food in the multi-cultural 16th District, where we talked about the future of handmade design, our favorite blogs, and discovering new trends via Etsy and the Internet. I absolutely love her chic, monochromatic clothing designs.

Valerie and her friend Ally met me at the unique Kunst Haus Wien Cafe, designed by Austrian artist Hundertwasser. Valerie creates colorful printed fabrics and handmade, textile bowls which you can find in her Etsy shop and on her blog.

Ally is a charming, creative friend of Valerie's, and I was so happy that she could join us for the interview. She recently opened an Etsy shop, showcasing her handmade jewelry, which she makes using organic materials found along ocean shores.

I'll be posting photos and highlights from my interviews with all of these inspirational women, as well as photos and impressions from my personal travels during the next few days. Stick around, I can't wait to share my exhilarating experience of Vienna with you!

xoxo 

Stephanie

p.s. Thank you to Alessia for featuring my travel project and artwork in the Spanish online magazine La Information yesterday!

p.s.s. Thanks also to wonderful Jan for featuring my Creative Courage e-course on Poppytalk last Friday! I am amazed and so grateful for the many new sign ups - thank you very much! I'm very excited about starting my new e-course in September, and I am delighted to meet you all. Hugs from Munich!

***

Top photo credit - Merisi's Vienna for Beginners 2011.

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.

**************************************************

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 :)