artists who blog

anna betts : artists who blog

2012-01-19T12:38:00.002+01:00

Anna Betts is a delightful young British illustrator and designer who studied at the Cambridge School of Art. She works as a freelance illustrator, at a small creative agency, and at a museum, and she teaches pottery to children. Busy, busy girl!

Anna also has a lovely blog and Etsy shop featuring her handmade jewelry designs, so be sure to have a look! Enjoy :)

Anna's blog: www.colourandsound.blogspot.com

Anna's website: www.annabetts.com
Anna's shop: www.madebyanna.etsy.com

Why did you decide to become an artist and could you imagine doing anything else? If so, what?
I always liked the ideas part of art lessons at school so I suppose Illustration suits me well in that respect. I think that there's something fascinating in translating an idea in writing into something visual. That's still the most rewarding part of any project for me. As a teenager however, I was a keen air cadet. It seems strange now but I seriously considered going into the air force!

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

Yes I think so. I've always propped up my creative work with part-time work that pays the rent, but I have a lot of respect for people that throw everything into their creative endeavour, it's brave and I think often those people make their own luck.

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

While I was studying for my degree I was writing my blog and showing bits of work I was making. The feedback I got from my readers was often interesting in being different to what we talked about in class. I think the internet in general has perhaps encouraged me to pursue a more graphic approach to my work, though I don't know if I could explain why. Selling on Etsy is certainly good for my confidence too.

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

rummey bears - I love Anna's photographs of her beautiful family, and the frank way she talks about motherhood.

sunken treasure - Sophie's blog is just so gorgeously documented it makes me want to move to Scandinavia (she's from Belgium actually but the heart wants what the heart wants!).

aqua-velvet - I love the mixture of vintage typography and design, architecture and illustration that they blog. It's often stuff I haven't seen anywhere else.

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

Pretty much everything is terrifying in the months after you graduate, but I recently watched this amazing talk by Steve Jobs, 'Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish' which helped:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc

I hope I can look back and see how the dots connected in this part of my life.

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

That is a really hard question. I'm going to say an olympic athlete. I'm not very sporty and wonder sometimes what it would be like to be world-class fit and muscular. I'd like to be able to run really fast, but then the next day I'd like to go back to eating biscuits!

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I wouldn't say I've got this quite right yet, but I'm working on it. I currently have four part-time jobs alongside my own creative work so having a diary and smartphone certainly help me organise myself. I'm a chronic list-writer. I've just started having Fridays off as my illustration day - which is lovely and I hope will help me get a bit more of the good stuff done.

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

Cape Town, South Africa. I was born there and haven't been back since we moved to England when I was two. It's really arty and the landscape is stunning. I'd be excited to see how my visual work would change in such different surroundings.

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

I don't. I think it's really hard to when you work from home as it's there, staring at you as you cook your supper, when you get up in the morning, when you're supposed to be leaving for work but you just want to get this last piece of vintage paper cut and ready for a new set of collages.... You see what I mean. I also have a very patient boyfriend.

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

1. I currently work 4 days a week for other people and one for myself. In five years I'd like this to be reversed. I'd like to be able to pick and choose to do bits of work for other companies or educational organisations.

2. I'd like to be able to travel a bit.

3. I'd like to be doing illustration work for nationally and internationally recognised newspapers and magazines.

4. Have my work published in a book, preferably a yummy hardback one!

5. I'd like to study for an MA.

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

Get on with it already! You won't know until you try. Get a blog and see what is going on around you. Saying that, I don't think anyone can survive on blogging alone as a means to keep you motivated, so go to exhibitions and see real stuff. Meet people and ask questions, do a course! Have fingers in a lot of pies.

Thank you for joining us Anna! Your responses and your lovely illustrations and jewelry are refreshing and inspiring! xo

Creative Courage Soul Sisters: Part II

2012-01-06T13:23:00.002+01:00

More shining light from these Creative Courage Soul Sisters today! I'm thrilled that these inspiring women will be sharing their exclusive interviews with us in my Creative Courage e-course, which starts this Monday, January 9th :)

*****

Kelly Lynn Jones is an artist and curator living in Oakland, California. She received her MFA in May 2010 from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Kelly has shown her work all over the US and in the UK.

Kelly created Little Paper Planes in 2004. After graduating from art school, Jones wanted to create an online platform where she and her friends could sell the pieces they were making to help support their individual art careers. LPP was one of the first online stores offering artist editions.

She has spoken on several panels including the Hello Etsy Summit in San Francisco and she has also given lectures in classes at Parsons The New School, NYC, San Francisco State University and the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

Kelly told me she couldn't pinpoint only one creative dream for this year. "I want to just be constantly making work and spend as much time in the studio. I am working on a one-off clothing line so hopefully I can get that launched in the next month of so. Art is a way of life and I just try to live it everyday."

Mati Rose McDonough went back to art school when she was just shy of 30 years old to study painting and illustration at the California College of the Arts. Now at 35, Mati has had over a dozen art shows, taught painting classes around the world, and created illustrations for many top clients. One of her elephant paintings was recently reproduced on a giant Pier 1 billboard on Times Square in NYC!

Mati's book Daring Adventures in Paint will debut in 2012 with Quarry books and she has also illustrated 2 children's books. She is happily represented by the illustrious Lilla Rogers Studio.

One of Mati's favorite illustration projects was designing a line of t-shirts for Patagonia

while she visited an olive farm near Florence, Italy.

Mati is inspired by beauty, truth, lies, urban animals perched up in trees, bits of eavesdropped conversation, young imaginations, faded signs, the ocean, patchwork quilts, ornate iron work, ice cream carts and stories of longing.

Mati's creative dreams for 2012: "To flourish creatively - paint heaps and prosper."

Belinda Kemp, aka Gretchen Mist, is a visual artist living in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and 2 young children. Her mixed media work explores the emotions connected to imagined/remembered landscapes, shared experiences and thought processes.

Influences on her artwork include; romantic ideals (road trips + life by the ocean + large open spaces) and the shapes, patterns, and colors found in plants and gardens.

Belinda writes, "I've always had a love of art + design, magazines and creating/making things. I feel odd if I don't have some type of design/project on the go or at least brewing in my mind. Although I am drawn mostly to abstract art, I also love decorative and illustrative work. "

Belinda's creative dream for 2012: "I want to fill a sketch book {or many sketch books!} with daily drawings and/or watercolour paintings and see where this takes me by the end of the year."

Amy Ng is the founder and editor of Pikaland, a blog dedicated to art and illustration since 2007.Amy constantly finds new inspirations from artists and illustrators, and she created Pikaland as a place where she could gather them all together. She hopes that Pikaland is a platform that will be able help promote the many artists and illustrators she features.

Amy is based in Malaysia, and she was an editor at a regional architecture and design magazine before realizing that her first love was illustration. She's now happy to be working as a full time blogger, editor, and illustrator.

Amy's latest creation is Camp Pikaland, a collaborative effort in bringing together the best of art, craft, illustration and small-business based online classes to people all over the world.

One of Amy's creative dreams for 2012: "For Pikaland to do more for fellow artists and illustrators in 2012 through various projects and collaborations; as well as dedicating more time to pursue personal projects!"

photo credit: In Her Image

Kate Swoboda is a life coach, speaker, and writer. On her Your Courageous Life website (full of resources), she sounds the call to revolutionize your life from within, through practicing courage.

Since 2006, Kate has worked with coaching clients from around the world, and she completed her counseling/coaching training with the Interchange Counseling Institute after receiving university degrees in Sociology and English.

Kate created The Courageous Living Guide and The Coaching Blueprint, a resource for coaches.

Some of Kate's loves include essential oils, Pema Chodron, tattoos, spending the afternoon thumbing through home decorating books, running road races, hanging out at libraries, lattes from Peet’s, connecting with friends, and that delicious moment of unwrapping and cracking open a brand-new hardcover ruled Moleskine notebook.

Two of Kate's fun creative dreams include: "shadowing Annie Liebovitz on a photo shoot and spending a year traveling."

Amelia Critchlow is an artist, writer and creator of the experimental art e-course and gift grants. She lives and works in London, UK with her two children. She recently authored an e-book called How to Make Money to Do What You Love.

Amelia graduated from Wimbledon School of Art in 2007 with a BA Honours Degree in Fine Art. Since then she has participated in group and solo exhibitions and fairs and is currently studying for an MA in Fine Art.

She also teaches, runs workshops, and undertakes funded projects within her community. Her work is currently represented by ArtDog Gallery, South London.

Amelia's intention is "to start a quiet revolution changing the world into a creative playground where people carve a life they want to live." She invites you to join the journey: "discover your passion, live creatively, and experiment artistically - we are all artists of our own lives!"

Amelia's creative dream for 2012 is: "to finish my art MA the best I possibly can with it leading to all sorts of amazing art adventures :)"

*****

I can't wait to start sharing all of these inspiring interviews with you in Creative Courage next week. If you're curious to find out what it's all about, I'd like to invite you to come over and join us here.

Who would you like to see me interview for future sessions of Creative Courage?

Hope you are having a great week!

xoxo

Stephanie

Creative Courage Soul Sisters: Part I

2012-01-05T18:03:00.001+01:00

I'm so excited to introduce you to my Creative Courage Soul Sisters series, featuring the brilliant women who are contributing interviews to my e-course which starts this Monday, January 9th.

I'll be posting these spotlights in two parts today. A whopping total of 12 amazing women are joining us to share their ideas and personal stories of how they are living out their dreams of making art, writing books, publishing magazines, teaching e-courses and workshops, and helping other women achieve their own creative goals. I'm so delighted that these gorgeous ladies will be taking part - and I hope you will join us too!

Andrea Scher is a photographer, life coach, creative entrepreneur, writer, and mama living in Berkeley, California. Through her e-course Mondo Beyondo and award-winning blog Superhero Journal, Andrea inspires other creative souls to live authentic, colorful and extraordinary lives. You can also find Andrea over at Superhero Photo, an inspiring e-course that lives in that sweet spot where creativity and personal growth intersect.

She is also the co-author of the book Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters’ Guide to Shooting from the Heart. She lives with her husband Matt and her two boys Ben and Nico. You can often find her sitting on the kitchen floor with her four-year-old, asking him to leap so she can take a superhero portrait.

One of Andrea's creative dreams is to "Publish a beautiful, best-selling book."

Jill Bliss is an artist, designer, teacher, and naturalist now based in Portland, Oregon. She studied illustration in New York City at Parsons, and design at the California College of the Arts, then established her own company - blissen.com - in San Francisco before moving to Portland.

Jill's art is inspired through her relationship with the natural world. She studies the plants, animals and ecosystems in the area where she lives as well as on her travels, and these studies serve as a basis for many of her illustrations and artwork series.

Jill eloquently writes, "Our everyday world consists of both human-made and natural environments that co-exist, which is something we all have to find ways to recognize and come to terms with – whether it be planning, speaking, drawing, photography, writing, what have you. We all have the potential to be thoughtful, creative cultural producers AND consumers everyday!"

When asked about her creative dreams for 2012, Jill said, "It would be awesome to travel to a new part of the world each year so I could intensely study and draw plants and animals worldwide, and learn the differences and similarities of all."

Heather Smith Jones is an artist, author, and instructor working in mixed media on paper, painting, and letterpress. She owns and operates her letterpress business Blue Sparrow Press and in January 2011, her book Water Paper Paint, Exploring Creativity with Watercolor and Mixed Media was published. For the past eight years she has been teaching young artists in the Arts-Based Preschool at The Lawrence Arts Center.

Heather's paintings and drawings are represented in several galleries in the Midwest and on the East coast. In 2001 Smith Jones earned her MFA from The University of Kansas and her BFA in Painting from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC in 1996. Born in the mountains of Tennessee she now lives in downtown Lawrence, Kansas in a little house with her husband and their three cats.

Heather shared with me, "My creative goals include working in new media and I am starting a few personal projects which I intend to work on throughout the year."

Janine Vangool runs UPPERCASE publishing inc., which is based in Calgary, Canada. She publishes books and a quarterly magazine inspired by creativity, craft, design, and illustration.

Since opening in 2005, originally as a gallery and retail shop, UPPERCASE has hosted some notable exhibitions of Canadian talent and curated numerous thematic and group shows featuring international artists such as Camilla Engman, Christopher Silas Neal, Lisa Congdon, Ryan Heshka, and Hatch Show Print. She also ran her graphic design business from the space.

After years of freelancing, Janine took the leap to follow her own creative path and retired from working with clients. She closed the retail shop to focus on publishing, editing, and designing the exceptionally beautiful UPPERCASE magazines and books featuring artists and designers from around the world.

Janine's inspiring creative dream is to: "Live abroad for a year! We hope that someday my husband gets a writer-in-residence position in an intriguing location! Other than all the inventory, UPPERCASE is actually very portable."

Michelle Ward has personally helped almost 200 creative people devise the career they think they can’t have – or discover it to begin with! A certified life coach by the International Coach Academy, a musical theater actress with my BFA from NYU/Tisch, and a Corporate America escapee, she's been an expert contributor for Newsweek, Forbes, Psychology Today, Yahoo! and AOL Jobs. Michelle has also led workshops and seminars at SXSW and the sold-out Etsy Success Symposium.

She encourages everyone to claim their uniquity via The Declaration of You and you can learn more about Michelle and her unique creative coaching programs on her website whenigrowupcoach.com.

Michelle's creative dream for 2012: "Find a publisher for one of my book proposals (I got two in the hopper!)"

Jen Louden is a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the self-care movement with her first book The Woman’s Comfort Book. She's the author of five more books on well-being and personal wisdom that have inspired more than a million women in 9 languages.

Jen has been a national columnist, radio show host, and she even sat on Oprah's couch. She believes self-love + world-love = wholeness for all. Together with Susannah Conway and Marianne Elliott, she'll be leading The Creative Joy retreat in the summer of 2012. Learn more about Jen's books, workshops, and retreats on her website: http://JenniferLouden.com.

One of Jen's current creative dreams: "To write and self-publish my novel in 2012."

*****

I'm blown away by these inspiring women, and I'm so very appreciative of the time and energy they have put into their responses to my many questions about how they've accomplished many of their dreams.

I can't wait to share their in-depth, exclusive interviews with you in my Creative Courage e-course. There are still a few spaces left, so I hope you'll join us on this Monday, January 9th. Find out how to sign up here.

Creative Courage Soul Sisters: Part II coming up!

xoxo

Stephanie

dana komjaty : artists who blog

2011-12-29T13:42:00.001+01:00

Today I am happy to begin sharing more of the conversations I have had with the wonderful, creative women I have met during my travels over the past few months. In all, I've interviewed 16 talented women in five European countries, who were kind enough to take the time to meet me where they live and work.

I'll start with Dana Komjaty, a delightful, charming Dutch artist living in Amsterdam, who runs two Etsy shops - Leililaloo and Dana Komjaty - and who has a warm, entertaining blog as well.

Dana and I have had email contact for quite some time. In May 2009, I did an in-depth interview with Dana for my artists who blog series here, and she interviewed me for her Balancing series on her own blog here! When I decided that I would be visiting Amsterdam, I knew immediately that I wanted to meet Dana and include her in my 12 Countries in 12 Months interview project.

We met on a rainy day in a local Amsterdam cafe and had a lively talk over fresh mint tea and coffee. I asked Dana to tell me a little about her background and here is what she had to say:

"I was born in a small town in the South of Holland, but I have been in Amsterdam for 15 years. Amsterdam is the only city where I can imagine living in Holland now. I like the relaxed, open atmosphere and the international, multi-cultural aspect. People are accepted here.

I studied art and fashion design in Breda, and I worked in surface and textile design for a while, but I found it very isolating. I started wondering about the meaning behind my art... What was I giving back to the world?

So I stopped textile design, and I made an extreme job switch. I worked with refugee children here in Amsterdam as a social worker. Most children were asylum seekers from Angola and orphans and I worked 24 hour shifts. Then, because of political changes here in Holland, the children's home was closed.

For a while I worked doing backstage help with the theater for the National Ballet, but I needed a steady job. I did training to be a home healthcare midwife, who helps women after the birth of their children. It is an exhausting job, but always rewarding."

These days Dana also runs two online shops, and she is very productive making handmade artwork, jewelry, and textiles. She also has two young children, and is a single mom. Amazing!

I asked Dana why she started blogging and she told me that it all started for her when she discovered Rosa Pomar's blog. (I also interviewed Rosa in Lisbon, so you'll be hearing from her later on!)

Dana explained, "After I saw Rosa's blog, I started discovering how the creative world of the Internet works. I researched everything for about 2 years before I got the courage to begin blogging myself. When I started my own blog in 2008, Rosa's blog was the compass for me.

I looked at Etsy and at first, I didn't really understand what it was all about. It has grown so much now, and so many people are blogging and so many have Etsy shops."

Dana went on to say, "I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now without the Internet. I even named my daughter Indie Mae - 'Indie' for the movement in the US, and 'Mae' as her second name was suggested to me on my blog. Faythe Levine's book and movie 'Handmade Nation' are a great inspiration for me."

One of Dana's dreams for the future is to give workshops where women could come together and make creative things collectively. For instance, she loves what she sees happening at the Teahouse Studio in San Francisco, and especially the artwork and classes of artist Mati Rose McDonough.

When I asked Dana what she loves about the city of Amsterdam, she told me, "The creative side, the way people dress and the crazy combinations they come up with. There is a special 'Pippi Longstocking style' among some women - with braids and rain boots on their bikes... What I dislike are the stereotypes with windmills and wooden shoes, also the drug problems in the city.

My favorite day of the year in Amsterdam is Queen's Day on April 30th. There is a fun, funky atmosphere and it is a flea market paradise on that day!"

*****

It was a real treat to meet Dana in person. She has such a great sense of humor and a warm heart. My daughters were so enchanted by the beautiful pillow I brought back from Dana's workshop in Amsterdam, we now have a family of five original, handmade Leililaloo pillows!

In case you are wondering where the name Leililaloo comes from, Dana's son Leilani came up with it as he was trying to pronounce his name at age one. What a cute and unique story.

Be sure to visit Dana at her Leililaloo shop and on her lovely blog :)

Thank you Dana for being a such a kind, generous host and for sharing your thoughts and artwork with us in Amsterdam! I'm wishing you a wonderful 2012!

xoxo

Stephanie

rhiannon connelly : artists who blog

2011-12-07T13:37:00.001+01:00

I'm so pleased to share an interview today with photographer Rhiannon Connelly from Edinburgh, Scotland. Rhiannon and I had the chance to meet at the Hello Etsy summit in Berlin earlier this year. She did a 12 Cities photography project in Europe using Polaroid film a short while back, and it has been so much fun to hear about her travel and art adventures and compare notes. More about her personal creative process today - enjoy!

Rhiannon's blog: www.starrybluesky.wordpress.com

Rhiannon's website: www.rhiannonconnelly.com
Rhiannon's shop: www.starrybluesky.etsy.com

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

I've always been artistic and creative, from childhood drew and created all manner of things - puppet theatres inside match boxes and a full size pantomime horse made out of papier mache and material. First creative venture was a jewellery business at age 14. But when it came to choose what to study I was torn as I also had an aptitude for languages. In the end I chose languages , partly based on the theory that it would be easier to return to something artistic later on than vice versa. I don't regret my studies as they gave me a broad world outlook and some useful language skills , but it didn't take me long to pick up the artistic threads again ! Now ,if I look at my professional history, the two strands of language and art are nearly always present to some extent. However you can't always combine things so for the last 10 years I've been concentrating on the artistic.

If I had to choose something else I would study ethnography because I am fascinated by folk culture and the way that melodies and dances have moved around the world.

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

I do believe that. But I also believe that it involves a little more than just "doing what you love." I think you also have to do the marketing and promotion so that people will find it.

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

It has definitely influenced my work. It is now easier than ever for artists to take matters into their own hands and get their work into the world. Researching topics can be done in a few hours that would have previously taken days in a library. Blogging enables me to take part in a wider conversation and connect to other creative people whose paths I would never otherwise cross . Not to mention the inspiration of seeing so much art online.

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

These are three blogs that I do come back to time and again.

Geninne Zlatkis - I just love her artwork and have a couple of her little birdies in my house. I enjoy seeing the way she writes about her inspirations, with just enough about her life to make you feel you have got to know her a bit better.

Pia Jane Bijkerk - Stylish and inspirational - always a visual treat.

Flora Bowley - one of the highlights for me this year was to do a workshop with Flora, so I enjoy reading her blog to see her latest work. For those who aren't able to do a workshop in person - great news - she has a book coming out soon.

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

Well, I am inclined to worry. So I do my best not to give it much house room these days. Artistically I suppose the fear is usually "is it good enough?" And what I do about that is to finish working on one thing and then move straight along to the next piece. When I read that people like Degas were frequently not happy with their work then I feel in pretty good company! And I just try to use it to propel myself onwards.

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

I'd like to trade places with someone who lived on Orkney 4000 years ago. I am so fascinated by the remains there and curious about the lives lived - they have left tantalising traces but many unanswered questions.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

Years and years ago I came across the FlyLady website (A site devoted to keeping your house spick and span. Which is a necessary but not terribly thrilling thing.) She encouraged a technique of using a timer, set at 15 minute intervals. So, if I am starting a task I set it for 15 mins and get going. And then repeat it a couple of times to build momentum. The other thing I do is a "Sunday Summit" where I review the previous week and set my goals for the next week. I have also learned to factor in quite a lot of unallocated time - giving me margins to allow for things taking longer than expected - which they inevitably do!

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

Where in the world? Decisions decisions - I am torn between choosing a year in rural northern Romania, where I imagine the natural tempo of the year is still fairly evident and the mysterious, hectic city of Istanbul with all its layers of history. I feel both of these places would lead to very interesting projects and discoveries.

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

What's that? Perhaps not the best way, but I don't really make a boundary between the two as one spills over into the other. Sometimes art takes most of the energy and at other times the personal sphere takes up more time (such as when moving house). I do try to keep to a different rhythm at weekends. And I am very alert to not working so hard that I burn out as I have experienced that in the past.

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

To exhibit my 12 city project in some of the cities I visited.

To write/illustrate/photograph a book.

License my designs.

Organise art workshops in Europe.

Develop a range of interior products based on my artwork.

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

Just start.Secondly look for support where you need it. I have found the Artist's Way to be extremely valuable, both doing it on my own and working through it in a small group. And finally, don't compare yourself with others. Concentrate on your own work.

Thank you Rhiannon! What a pleasure it was to meet you in Berlin this year and to hear more about your creative thoughts and dreams. xo

cathy mcmurray : artists who blog

2011-11-27T23:25:00.001+01:00

I'm delighted to welcome artist Cathy McMurry, a native of beautiful Portland, Oregon as our creative guest today! Enjoy :)

Cathy's blog: Habit of Art
Cathy's website: cathymcmurray.com
Cathy's shop: etsy.com/shop/CathyMcMurray

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

Art has always been an integral part of my life. I feel very fortunate that I’ve beenin the art field my entire professional life. I really can’t think of anything else I’drather be doing. Lately, I have been daydreaming about taking some classes incooking and weaving, but only to entertain my restless artist spirit. I am constantlyseeking ways to broaden and refine my creative skills.

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

Very few people get to live a lavish lifestyle as a result of their talents. This isn’t tosay that the rest of us can’t have a rewarding and exciting career in doing what welove. It takes a lot of hard work and time- plus some luck- to get to a place that islucrative (I’m still working on it after two years!). If I was 25, I could afford takingmore risks and dedicating an insane amount of time to my art career, but as it is, Iam nearly 40, married, and busy being mom to two wonderful girls.

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

For one, I couldn’t do what I do today without the Internet. A quarter of my onlinesales are international, and I wouldn’t be able to get that kind of reach with atraditional gallery experience.In the two years that I have been blogging on Habit of Art, I have connected withso many great artists and art enthusiasts. The positive reinforcement throughemails and comments have been incredibly encouraging. I also am able to getimmediate feedback on my work, which can have some influence in the direction Itake with my art.

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

My favorite blogs are those belonging to artists. I especially love posts on theircreative journey and space. A couple that I follow on a regular basis includeGretchenmist and Jill Bliss.Cathy Cullis and Annekata (sadly, not active anymore) are two other blogs thathave inspired me with their slow craft ideas, like dying fabrics naturally and handsewing projects.And, I like pretty things as much as the next girl, so I like to browse design andimage heavy blogs like homecollection and intelligent clashing.

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

Fears go hand in hand with what we value most in life. So, my greatest fears relateto something happening to my family or my ability to create art. What helps meget through these fears and the daily worries of life is my faith.

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

Trading places with an art conservator working on a Michelangelo masterpiecewould be pretty thrilling. Geeky, I know, but I love history stuff, and the idea ofrestoring art seems virtuous. On my blog I have mentioned that if I was asuperhero, my alter ego would be an art conservator by day.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

Having an organized work space is a huge help. I try to clean my work area aboutevery three weeks. That way, I don’t waste time looking for a particular art tool orpiece of paper. I’m a big list maker, too. So, almost every day I make a short listof tasks.

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

My husband and I have often times talked about moving for a year to a smallvillage in southeast France. We were there in ’98, and we fell in love with thescenery. I could live on baguettes and cheese for a long time, too.

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

I work from home, which has its pros and cons. I love that I can work at my artdesk and the girls can play a boardgame in the same room. Or that I can start apot of water on the stovetop and package an order up at the same time. Workingfrom home also provides an invaluable opportunity to teach the girls some thingsabout running a business. (There’s already talk of a beaded bracelet collection thatthe girls want to launch.)Maintainging a healthy balance between work and personal life, however, is one ofmy greatest challenges. And being a blogger blurs that line between professionaland private even more. Sometimes, I’ll purposely leave my camera at home sothat I’m not looking for photo-op moments. But then, of course, something blogworthy happens and my husband or kids will say, “you should have brought yourcamera.”

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

These are more hopes than goals . . .

Move into a studio space with more natural light!
Take cooking and weaving classes
Travel to Europe as a family
Ensure my girls make it through adolescence with little emotional scarring
Have a cabin in the woods

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

Creating is the fun part. Promoting your work is the hard part. Those starting outneed to expect to spend at least half of their energy and time getting their stuff outthere. Start networking with other like-minded makers, and have an online place(i.e. blog, Etsy shop, or a website) for people to see your work. Make sure that thephotography of your work is excellent - can’t emphasize that enough! Andconstantly remind yourself that good things usually take time. So persistence andpatience, my friends.

Thank you Cathy for sharing your thoughts and lovely images with us today! All the best to you and your family! xoxo

Creative Courage in 2012!

2011-11-04T04:59:00.002+01:00

Are you ready to start 2012 with a festival of color, creativity, light, and joy?

I’d like to invite you to join Creative Courage, an international e-course about finding, following, and realizing your creative dreams. Creative Courage is a practical guide to help you clarify your own unique path and give you the tools you need to start making your goals real.

I'm happy to announce that the next session of Creative Courage will run from January 9th – February 24th, 2012.

I've invited 12 expert guests to join us for exclusive Creative Courage interviews. We'll get tips and advice on how to move more quickly in the direction of our goals, as these women us tell their personal stories and explain how they are finding and following their creative dreams.

Our special interview guests this session include:

Andrea Scher, creator of Superhero Designs and Mondo Beyondo
Kelly Lynn Jones, artist and founder of Little Paper Planes
Mati Rose McDonough, artist, creator of Get Your Paint On, co-founder of Teahouse Studio
Jennifer Louden - multi-talented author of bestselling The Women's Comfort Book, retreat leader, and creator of the Savor & Serve Experiment
Janine Vangool - creator of the beautiful UPPERCASE book and magazine series out of Calgary
Amy Ng, Malaysian illustrator and creator of Pikaland and the Camp Pikaland virtual school
Heather Smith Jones, author of Water, Paint, Paper and founder of Blue Sparrow Press
Belinda Kemp - Australian artist and designer, aka Gretchen Mist
Amelia Critchlow - UK based artist and creator of the experimental art e-course
Kate Swoboda - writer, speaker, life coach, and creator of Your Courageous Life
Jill Bliss, artist, illustrator, designer at Jill Bliss: art + craft + design
Michelle Ward, When I Grow Up creative coach and co-creator of The Declaration of You

This amazing group of women from around the world will share their secrets on how they have accomplished their dreams of publishing books, building online businesses, creating workshops and e-courses, and earning a living as successful, thriving creative artists, illustrators, authors, coaches, and instructors.

As a unique bonus in Week 4, we will travel on a virtual field trip to Barcelona, Spain to enjoy European art, architecture, culture, and design. I'll share my personal photos and travel impressions from Barcelona via the e-course website, and I’ll even send you a personal postcard featuring my collage artwork directly from Barcelona, if you'd like.

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.

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 Barcelona, Spain, plus a personal postcard sent to you from Barcelona.

Simply click on the "add to cart" button below, and you will be redirected to PayPal where you can complete your transaction.

Register now to join us for the next session.

Spaces are limited, and the last session of Creative Courage sold out, so please register quickly to reserve your spot.

Thanks so much for your interest, and I look forward to beginning 2012 together with you.

xoxo

Stephanie

p.s. - To find out more details about the course, plus read lots of new testimonials from current students, just click here.

shelley kommers : artists who blog

2011-10-07T13:52:00.002+02:00

For today's guest interview, I'd like to introduce you to Shelley Kommers, a Los Angeles-based artist and illustrator. After studying Advertising at Art Center College of Design, Shelley worked as a graphic designer and illustrator, designed clothing, and owned a small handmade greeting card company. Her latest passion is mixed media collage. She currently lives in a cottage in the woods with her husband and two children. Enjoy!

Shelley's blog: www.oiseaux.typepad.com
Shelley's website: www.shelleykommers.com
Shelley's shop: www.oiseauxnoir.etsy.com

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

I've been an artist since I was a very small person, and honestly, I don't remember there ever being a decision about it. I can't imagine doing anything else.

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

Yes! Because it's true.

How has the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

I tip my hat to the Internet for helping me blossom as an artist. Years ago when I was pursuing illustration, there wasn't a way to share your work with the world unless you had a website (which I didn't) so my work was seen solely by my friends and family, and the handful of publishers it was sent to. I didn't have a real sense of myself as an artist and I was pretty insecure about my abilities.

When I discovered the world of art blogs in 2007, my head just about exploded. I was an exhausted new mom, and I wasn't creating at all, but I was so excited about how much talent there was out there, and most importantly: that all of it was unique and valuable in its own way.

It was posting my fledgling collage works to Flickr in 2008 that got me hooked on sharing my work. The feedback that I received gave me the confidence and excitement to continue. I began to see value in my work, and creating was a joy again. When I began my blog and opened my etsy shop, my work expanded even more, and I was lucky enough to be discovered by several great design blogs. Because of the Internet, I have a support group of artist friends from around the world... and for that I am very thankful.

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

Out of my long list of favorite art and design blogs, my favorites lately are these three, which aren't so much focused on "art" but the "art of living":

Ill Seen Ill Said: http://seenandsaid.blogspot.com

Bluebirdbaby: http://bluebirdbaby.typepad.com

Simple Lovely: http://www.simplelovelyblog.com

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

That I'm not good enough/don't know enough/am not ready. This shows up in my life disguised as ennui, procrastination, indecision, and overwhelm.I have to overcome it every single day, by doing the work regardless of how I feel. Recently I challenged myself to a month of daily creativity on my blog, and what an experience! Talk about having to show up regardless. I highly recommend it to anyone.

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

I'd love to trade with the Loch Ness Monster. Swimming about in the cool, sparkling water... teasing the tourists... for a day, it would be heaven.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

I work when my little one is at school or asleep (I'm a night owl, so that's helpful) and I rely on many, many, detailed lists.

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

I keep imagining myself in the italian countryside with my family, making art and picking olives. That is a life that seems simple and beautiful. I like simple and beautiful things.

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

I say no to a lot of stuff; not in a limiting way, I just know that I require a lot of quiet and space in my days. Spending time with my family and creating are both things that feed me immensely; most of maintaining a balance comes from managing outside things like invitations, duties, etc. and choosing wisely where I want to put my extra energy.

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

1. Have my second child (due September 30th!) Note: Callum Corby Luna arrived on Sept. 26th! Congratulations Shelley!

2. Expand my artwork in scale and diversity

3. Publish a "how to" art book

4. Publish a young children's picture book

5. Learn to cook

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

Choose to do it. Look at how others did it. Surround yourself with support. If you're scared (and most of us artists are) get this book and read it: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, and then do it. The funny thing is: no one is out there waiting for our creative dreams to materialize. But the world deserves our creative dreams!

Thank you Shelley! Your words and beautiful collages are a joy!

alena hennessy : artists who blog

2011-10-06T14:24:00.000+02:00

Alena Hennessy is an artist, designer, and author based in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Her extremely popular artwork, designs, apparel, and accessories can be found online and in stores throughout the US, and she is currently working on a new book. Enjoy Alena's sense of humor and lovely artwork in this special interview today!

Alena's blog: http://alenahennessy.tumblr.com
Alena's website: http://www.alenahennessy.com
Alena's shop: http://www.alenahennessy.com
Alena's facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alenalovestopaint

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

Since I was tiny I have been drawing so its hard for me to say why I "decided" to be an artist. It chose me in a way. But in terms of choosing it as a career, I think I saw there was a real possibility to support yourself creatively via the web. I got inspired by what other artists were doing and knew that I liked to do the same things and so I wanted to give it a real go. I am so grateful I did and when I did, too.I am sure I could do other things too. I love to dance and write (OK those are still considered forms of artistic expression), but maybe teach at a college level or do traveling/consulting or humanitarian work. I once had a job doing window displays and that was pretty fun.

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

Absolutely! Its been true in my life and a part of the current book I am writing.

How has the Internet influenced your work as an artist?

It's what got me started. I am constantly inspired by what other artists/crafters/designers are doing around the world. It keeps us connected and able to support one another. It's a vital tool for visual artists.

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

design*sponge - I love how Grace has evolved her blog over the years. She wrote about my work the first day my website was live so I feel very loyal to her.

Delicious Days - If you like to cook, this is the blog for you. Its fabulous. I also love blogs that are photo heavy.

Wit & Delight This is kinda random but I like the layout of this blog. I almost used it for my own in fact. There are so many blogs out there, it is nice to change up the design.

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

Wow, well I have a few for sure! I was married for many years and went through a divorce several years back. I am dating some and had one serious relationship since then. So its something to the tune of ending up alone or not falling in love again. Ah, so sad I know.... but I am hopeful! I keep myself in positive thoughts and perception and try to see reality as it is and practice feeling grateful. Opening yourself up to gratitude is an amazing way to shift your state of mind.

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

Matt Damon's wife?! Haha just kidding. I think Mother Theresa honestly. I greatly admire her humanitarian work and ability to unconditionally love all people.

What are your secrets for managing your time wisely?

Being able to multi-task with ease. Also, prioritizing and working on things in a steady fashion.

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

Oh wow, fabulous question and yet so difficult to answer! Maybe Bali and can I also say Paris? I need to satisfy both sides of personality: one that loves Eastern culture and natural beauty and the other that loves, well, anything Parisian.

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

I do not have Internet at home and its the best decision ever! But I do come to my studio quite often. If I do not balance the two, I can get kinda wonky so I make sure to keep balanced with play time. Plus I adore my friends and family.

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

One I am accomplishing right now which feels totally amazing and daunting and that is writing a book.

Another is to be a homeowner once again. I love having your own place to call home and to tend a garden and all that domestic bliss stuff.

A third would be to travel more for my work, to teach workshops or to do book signings (especially in Europe!).

A fourth would be to marry Matt Damon. OK kidding.

And my most important goal overall in life is to continue to enjoy it as much as possible.

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

Stay true, stay focused and know what you want. "Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains" ~William Penn

Thank you Alena! I can't wait to see and read your new book! xo

artists who blog in Vienna: Manuela Buxer

2011-08-29T03:12:00.001+02:00

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

2011-08-27T08:34:00.003+02:00

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

2011-08-25T06:55:00.002+02:00

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!

Stephanie

Coming Soon: Fresh Interviews with Artists in Vienna

2011-08-04T18:57:00.000+02:00

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!

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

Packed with Artist Interviews: My New E-Course

2011-07-19T21:05:00.006+02:00

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!

2011-07-14T17:52:00.000+02:00

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

2011-06-24T22:03:00.032+02:00

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

2011-04-15T22:59:00.001+02:00

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

2011-04-06T14:44:00.001+02:00

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

2011-02-28T19:24:00.003+01:00

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!

lari washburn : artists who blog

2010-12-05T14:14:00.003+01:00

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.

Lari's blog: www.lariwashburn.blogspot.com

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.

shona cole: artists who blog

2010-11-18T20:35:00.002+01:00

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 blog: www.shonastudio.blogspot.com

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!

constanca cabral : artists who blog

2010-10-27T13:48:00.004+02:00

Today's featured artist is C onstança 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!

heather cameron : artists who blog

2010-10-17T17:31:00.005+02:00

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.


Heather's blog: www.heathercameronstylist.blogspot.com 
Heather's websites: www.heathercameronstylist.com, www.missinggoat.com

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 itseven??  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.