Interview with Artist….Janet Briggs

As much as I love to blog and frequent my own blog to see how my latest color-sketch dimensions are really playing out on a piece….I’ve become quite sick of me!!

To infuse this blog with some entertainment and creativity I’ve asked 5 artists from varying backgrounds to be interviewed throughout this month. I’m very excited about their work and their agreeing to be put on the spot here.



To conclude my October Interview series I’d like you to meet a very special Flickr-Blogger friend, Janet Briggs.  When I first found Janet she was participating in so many on-line art classes that she was a walking-talking-artsy advertisement.  She oozed creativity and color.  But where my twin (we share the same birthday) and I differ, is she is drawn to purple and I avoid purple at all costs.  She makes it work, and I make it muddy!

Without further ado, here’s Janet about Janet.

1. What word best describes your art/style?
I'm never sure how to describe my art. If I had to come up with one word it would have to be playful. I hope my art makes people smile and feel good. I'm not a very "heavy" person. I don't dig deep and think about what I'm creating as much as I just do it. I don't plan out my art. I just jump in and start playing.

 

2. What advice/quote do you respond best to?
I love the quote "art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time" by Thomas Merton. That's what happens to me when I'm making art. I find bits of myself I didn't know were there and I can completely lose myself in art.


                                         Georgia (above)

3. How has your work evolved?
I've always loved art but for a huge part of my life I convinced myself that I couldn't draw or paint. When I began drawing again back in the mid-90's it was mostly copying a face from a magazine...I didn't feel comfortable drawing something of my own creation. After taking many online classes and having the support of the online art community I now love to draw and paint. I keep several art journals going at once, and also several collages. Mixed media is perfect for me since I like to play with all sorts of art supplies. Now I'll try just about anything.



4. What interests do you have other than "art"?
Most of my interests are creative in some way...beading, crochet, knitting (at a beginner level!)...I love to read, and I love baking although I'm not an expert at it. I mostly bake to satisfy my sweet tooth. Walking is something I enjoy and this time of year is great for that. Getting out in nature is inspiring.



5. What is your favorite blog post or piece of art that you'd like to share?
I'm not sure I have a favorite blog post although I always have fun with my Academy Awards posts each year. I've been in such an art slump recently that I don't have anything new to share but one of my favorites is Calypso...and I also like Georgia.


                                    Calypso (above)

See what I mean about Janet?  Versatile! Colorful! Talented! Fun! Free-Spirit!  You know….we all have our role models and Janet is one of mine!  Thank you Janet for sharing your work and your art with us today. 

Please check out the links below which will lead you to more of Janet’s work.

website: http://jkbees.blogspot.com 
          or http://jkbeesartopia.blogspot.com
etsy: http://www.etsy.com/people/jkbees?ref=si_pr
twitter: http://twitter.com/jkbees
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkbees/
pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jkbees/

Interview with Artist….Lori Vliegen

As much as I love to blog and frequent my own blog to see how my latest color-sketch dimensions are really playing out on a piece….I’ve become quite sick of me!!


To infuse this blog with some entertainment and creativity I’ve asked 5 artists from varying backgrounds to be interviewed throughout this month. I’m very excited about their work and their agreeing to be put on the spot here.



I’d like you to meet a very talented Artist….Lori Vliegen.  I came across Lori’s blog (elvie studio) a couple of years ago and I was captivated.  She has an incredible way with word art!   Lori also draws very cute, fun, imaginative figures, from pots, flowers and adorable little houses to thumb print people.

1. What word best describes your art/style?
happy-with-a-twist-of-uncomplicated-whimsy




2. What advice/quote do you respond best to?
"always follow your heart"



3. How has your work evolved?
My mom taught me to write my name when i was a little girl, and I've been nurturing a true love affair with the alphabet ever since. I've spent so much time studying the letters, though, that i really didn't have any idea how to combine them with some artwork. So, about five years ago, I began taking a few local workshops and some online classes to learn how to draw and watercolor. I still have lots to learn, but I'm having a blast going through the process!

4. What interests do you have other than "art"?
Spending time with my family, eating a really good bar of Belgian dark chocolate, watching "Downton Abbey", using my camera, sewing, baking brownies, decorating our home, riding my bike, and window shopping in my collection of “pottery barn” catalogs.



Above image from blog post: http://elviestudio.blogspot.com/2012/01/inspiration-monday_16.html

5. What is your favorite blog post or piece of art that you'd like to share?
My pottery barn journal.  You can see a video peek inside here: http://vimeo.com/50724979

Thank you Lori for taking the time to answer my questions and to share your Beautiful Artwork and calligraphy.  Doesn’t Lori’s work make you want to write big colorful words in your journals too!   Or take your favorite quote and display it for all to see!

Please check out the links below which will lead you to more of  Lori’s work.
website: www.elviestudio.blogspot.com
flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elviestudio/
pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lorivliegen/

Interview with Artist….Sheila Arthurs

As much as I love to blog and frequent my own blog to see how my latest color-sketch dimensions are really playing out on a piece….I’ve become quite sick of me!!

To infuse this blog with some entertainment and creativity I’ve asked 5 artists from varying backgrounds to be interviewed throughout this month. I’m very excited about their work and their agreeing to be put on the spot here.



Today I’d like you to meet another Flickr friend, Sheila (who lives in the UK).  I spotted her work in a doodling group on Flickr.  Sheila not only can doodle with world class flair, she incorporates actual figures into her doodles.  I would spot animals, fish, people in many of her doodles.  It was a bit like a seek-n-find!  Absolutely aMaZiNg!!



1. What word best describes your art/style?
These days I think of myself as a mixed media artist but at heart I am a doodling illustrator, dabbling in everything from stitching to paper sculpture.



2. What advice/quote do you respond best to?
There are two quotes which constantly pop into my head, one is by Henry Ford who said “if you think you can, or think you can’t, you are probably right!” and as I am Queen of the Procrastinators the one I have to say to myself every day is “if not now, when?” especially as I realize the years remaining are not limitless and I want to try everything.



3. How has your work evolved?
I began work in the 1940’s as a commercial artist now more grandly called “graphic designer” and it has been my joy and frustration to live through so many changes – “From ‘Letraset’ to Photoshop” could be the title of my memoirs! I have designed packaging, games for Chad Valley Toys, picnic ware and toffee tins to name just a few and then I retired and discovered a whole new world of fabric, collage, beading, felting and the freedom to explore them all via the internet.

Doodling has become an obsession, from simple shapes to imaginary landscapes and to designing my own doodled font, which has probably been the most fun of all.



4. What interests do you have other than "art"?
Over the years I have been involved with volunteering locally and am a Trustee of several local Charities, one of which is Active Arts Castle Vale a group dedicated to raising aspirations through involvement in art. This year to coincide with the London Olympics, there was a local Cultural Games week and as part of the art exhibition I enrolled local women to crochet or knit a Rainbow Reef. The response was overwhelming, we ended up with nearly a thousand pieces and no two were identical.

I am a voracious reader and collector of art/craft books and never come home from an exhibition without bags stuffed full of new gadgets because it’s not as if my house is not already overflowing with stuff I am going to use next week to try a new ‘direction’!



5. What is your favorite blog post or piece of art that you'd like to share?
Probably my favorite piece is the animated video that my daughter in the Netherlands made using my doodled alphabet. It was her first attempt at animation and I think she made a great fun video. It is on my blog, posted on Sunday 5 Feb 2012



Isn’t Sheila just fun?  Wouldn’t you want to see how she decorates?



To do this kind of work…..with needle, thread and beads on fabric….stitching & stitching & stitching…. takes an extraordinary amount of patience.  What beautiful creations she has made with fabric!



Thank you Sheila for taking the time to answer my questions and to share all your Beautiful…Creative…Versatile Artwork.

Please check out the links below which will lead you to more of Sheila’s work.
Blog: http://2smart-clothencounters.blogspot.co.uk
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bostinstuff/

Interview with Artist….Rachel Awes

As much as I love to blog and frequent my own blog to see how my latest color-sketch dimensions are really playing out on a piece….I’ve become quite sick of me!!

To infuse this blog with some entertainment and creativity I’ve asked 5 artists from varying backgrounds to be interviewed throughout this month. I’m very excited about their work and their agreeing to be put on the spot here.



I’d like you to meet a very talented artist….Rachel Awes.  A blogger friend.  I was not only drawn to Rachel’s fun, whimsical artsy style, I totally love the quotes and the thoughts she puts in her drawings, as well.  I’m so glad she’s agreed to share her thoughts and work with us today.

1. What word best describes your art/style?
i..just..want..to..love..people..up



2. What advice/quote do you respond best to?
From SARK; about being as true and as you, as you can be.  And then show it to us all.



3. How has your work evolved?
From abstract and more effort and slower TO more defined and easier and so fast that i can't sometimes keep up with my own feet. I seem to increasingly need more naps!




4. What interests do you have other than "art"?
Psychology. Walking/running/swimming. Being in nature. A great book. Time with friends. Time with my family. Movies. Looking for agates (a swirly rock found in northern minnesota). Writing. Praying. Thanking everything of beauty. Bowing. Napping.



Above photo courtesy of Carissa Paige. This book is now in Rachel’s etsy shop.  You can pre-order now. The book will be available by December 1, 2012!!!

5. What is your favorite blog post or piece of art that you'd like to share?
Hard to pick a favorite but I will choose "the world waits" because it's one of the deepest invitations I want to extend to people's hearts. I also must add the blog post that is airing october 1, 2012. A book i have been working on for four years and is a culmination of all the love I can think of spilling into the world is in this book and I announce it on this day. endorsed by authors/artists SARK and KELLY RAE ROBERTS,...I am so thankful.

Thank you Rachel for taking the time to answer my questions and to share your Beautiful Artwork and Book.  I believe Rachel’s art and words make this a better world to live in.

Please check out the links below which will lead you to more of Rachel’s work.
Etsy Shop: http://rachelawes.etsy.com
Blog: http://allididwaslisten.blogspot.com
Facebook Page: 
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/all-i-did-was-listen/110783468961315
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rachelawes/rachel-awes-art/

Interview with artist….Julie Leuthold

As much as I love to blog and frequent my own blog to see how my latest color-sketch dimensions are really playing out on a piece….I’ve become quite sick of me!!  Haha.  I use this blog as a learning tool, and since I’m in colored-pencil-sketch-mode I’m sure the variety and inspiration that others stop by for has been a little waning.  I stop by to learn, you stop by for inspiration. 

To infuse this blog with some entertainment and creativity I’ve asked 5 artists from varying backgrounds to be interviewed throughout this month.  I’m very excited about their work and their agreeing to be put on the spot here. 



I’d like you to meet a very talented artist….Julie Leuthold, my flickr friend.  I was drawn to her work immediately.  She has a wonderful way with color and has many varied pieces of art.  From watercolor flowers, to yoga girls & blue jean girl series and her latest mixed media paintings.  I’m so glad she’s shared a few of her amazing pieces with us today.



I asked Julie a few questions which she agreed to answer for this post.



1. What word best describes your art/style?
The word that nearly everyone says when they first see my artwork is....."It makes me HAPPY". I refer to my artwork as "Hidden Joy". I hide the word "joy" in each piece. People love looking for it.



2. What advice/quote do you respond best to?
The one word I try to live by...."Be Kind".



3. How has your work evolved?
I started painting in watercolor about eight years ago. I am self taught. My father was an artist, I think I inherited his talent. Recently, I moved into acrylic and multi-media. My new creations are quite unique. I use a variety of patterned doodles with pen and paint, stones, crystals, gesso and as many ways to get different textures. People often say it reminds them of Gustaf Klimt, which of course is an awesome compliment.



4. What interests do you have other than "art"?
I love to walk outside in beautiful Bellingham, WA. Whether it be on the trails through the parks or along the waterfront. I just love to walk and talk with my husband or friends.



5. Where can we find your work?
Julie has begun selling her work.  If you’d like to find out more about a piece or to see if something is for sale please go to her flickr page.
Shared art at www.flickr.com/julieleuthold

If Julie’s art doesn’t give you inspiration then I don’t know what will.  Check out her flickr photostream to see what I mean.

Thank you Julie for taking the time to answer my questions and to share your Beautiful Artwork
 

I splurged on this…..

 

 

 Last week when Artist- Rebecca Anthony put her Daisydoll Goddess Postcards up for sale I had to get them.  These are the most beautiful, most colorful, most interesting faces I’ve ever seen.  It was hard for me to pick my favorite, but the one pictured above would be on my Most Favorite List, Most Viewed List, Most Colorful List, Most Interesting List….yep, all my lists, she’d be there.  I was astounded to realize that Rebecca does all this by hand, with her paints.  When I first came across her faces, I thought she had used some photo-editing.  But no, that’s not the case.  She just has a super steady hand.  I adore her use of colors.  Probably because she seems to be a big fan of REDS & GREENS….just like me! 

She has made some really awesome things from her Goddess series.  Hairbrushes, pendants, postcards.  You’ve got to see for yourself, check out her etsy shop at www.daisydolls.etsy.com

And for your viewing pleasure, more pictures of Rebecca’s Daisydoll Goddess postcards.

 

I thought they’d look real nice hanging from my Ikea Deka Curtain Wires that I have hanging in my studio.

 

As an added bonus, you’ve got to see the back of these postcards.  This is the blueprint, if you will, of her faces.  Such a cool feature for Rebecca to include.  Because after she’s painted all those layers, it’s hard to see how these Goddesses got started.

Now, do you see what I mean?   Do you see what all of the fuss was about??