MUSE Mag by Leah Farquharson

MUSE Volume No. 1

Spring 2024

Inspiring Women in Art. Life. Business.

Colleen Wright:

Transforming Lives

Art through

Color

Magic

Bonnie Christine on the importance & power of color in artful product design

Throw like a

Girl

Meet artist & pottery store owner Sarah Glass

Start

Smart

A Healthy Breakfast Recipe from Kathleen Chase to Fuel your Inspiration

Letter from the

Editor When I began preparations families. I’ve found that for this inaugural issue of embracing this paradox has MUSE Magazine, I started led to an artful life. Hectic? first in a space that was Yes, sometimes. Stressful? near and dear to my heart -Often. But in the end, woman artists. totally worth it.

As I’ve grown in my This issue focuses on practice and business, color: both in theory and I’ve encountered so many in practice. You’ll hear amazing women on very from Bonnie Christine on similar but different journeys the importance of color in in their own practice of product design, Colleen learning their art, and then Wright will share about the turning it into an amazing power of color to heal when business or life. you can’t find the words to One thing has stood out process something, tips for to me. In many ways, our choosing a color palette, and journey is the same as men some color theory basics artists, but the truth is, in and resources. many ways it’s also very In these pages, I hope different. Some challenges you’ll find inspiration and are unversal for working encouragement. Whether women.

For example, photo credit: Allison Corbin you’re looking to boost your although our culture is changing, many women business skills, deepen your art practice, try a new still carry the primary burden of childcare for their medium, or just live your life artfully, the pages families. We often carry the challenge of juggling are filled with the honest comments and advice both home and careers. This is both a blessing and from women just like you --pursuing art, life, and a curse. business.

As women artists, we carry on, and often infuse our art throughout our entire lives in ways that men just don’t have the opportunity to do. This often results in sacrifices in our art carrers and businesses, but it also creates a beautiful infusion Blessings, of life and art that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

This is the paradox that we carry. We love both our careers and our spouses, homes, children, and Leah Farquharson Editor in Chief Spring 2024 MUSE 1

CO N T women in

12 Lives

3 Editor

Transforming

Letter from the

Art

Letter from the Editor

6

Create Color

Magic

Bonnie Christine on the importance & power of color in artful product design.

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art

through

Meet Colleen Wright, transforming lives through art one painting at a time.

10 Nature Inspired by

Create inspired color palettes using photos of your favorite things from nature.

E NTS business

life

22 Girl

Throw like a

Meet artist & pottery store owner Sarah Glass.

30 Act

Balancing

&

28 Theory In Practice In

Color is important.

For your art and your business. Find more resources for learning about color.

A Healthy Breakfast Recipe from Kathleen Chase to fuel your morning inspiration or get you out the door quickly.

Spring 2024 MUSE 3

Editor in Chief Leah Farquharson

Editor in Chief Leah Farquharson

MUSE Magazine

editorial writer Leah Farquharson production designer Leah Farquharson contributing photographers Leah Farquharson Kathleen Chase Colleen Wright Allison Corban Sarah Glass Bonnie Christine

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a r q u

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leahfarquharson.com

Powerful vector design tools at your fingertips, anywhere you need.

Soccer practice?

No problem.

We’ve got you.

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Interview

Magic Create Color

with

Bonnie Christine

by Leah Farquharson Bonnie Christine Forkner is an artist, surface pattern designer, teacher, creative coach and entrepreneur living in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Her work is licensed to numerous companies around the globe and featured on many items including fabric, wallpaper, washi tape, quilts, aprons, and more. Bonnie inspires many artists with her message that you can accomplish great things when you act with courage and consistency. I recently requested an email interview with Bonnie and she was kind enough to take the time to answer some of my ques-

photos used with permission from Bonnie Christine

tions on her work, and the topic of color - and how it can affect saleability of goods that we create as artists.

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What message do you work to convey with your artwork?

I’m endlessly inspired by nature, and my work is an homage to it. What I hope to convey are those same feelings I get from being in my garden on the first warm Spring day of the year, or on a hike, surrounded by the most magnificent ferns. I want to capture the feeling that brought me that burst of inspiration and recreate it for others to feel when they hold my fabric.

How does color help you to convey your message or ideas in your artwork?

Because I’m mostly inspired by the outdoors, my color choices reflect that. When I’m building palettes for my collections, I often use inspiration I’ve gathered while on a walk, a road trip, or again, in my garden! Rarely will you find a color in my patterns that can’t also be found in nature, and because of that, I know my work conveys the same grounded and attuned feeling you get from spending time outside.

What have you learned about the importance of color in your designs/artwork?

Color is such a fun, but hugely important piece of the pattern puzzle, and as I tell my students… it can make or break a piece of work. Not only is it necessary to strike the right balance of colors, but all parts of color theory apply when you’re at this step. Hue, saturation, value, and contrast come together to tell your story. When

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balanced just right, your work sings! Not to mention, you can drastically change the narrative or mood of your work just by tweaking a few colors - color is a remarkable tool, and one to be used wisely!

Leah: How does color help connect your viewer/ consumer to your art/product?

Because color is subjective, we can use it to draw in exactly the type of consumer we are designing for. The consumers of my fabric are people quite like me - they’re pulled in by warm colors, and cheerful motifs. I can envision exactly what they might make with my fabric, and I challenge myself to design just for them.

How does color impact the way that the viewer receives the art?

Color can impact everything about the way your viewer perceives art. Color, if not used correctly, might create confusion for the eye, or instantly turn someone away.

While that can be the goal, depending on the artist and the body of work, I want my work to be inviting and even comforting to my viewer. I aim to draw them in and give them the feeling of being swept up in nature or holding a warm cup of tea, and this can all be achieved through color choice.

How does color evoke emotion in your viewer/ consumer?

As I said, color comes together to tell a story. By nature,

my work is cheerful and joyful, but also very organic and grounded, and that’s reflected in the values and saturation I use. With just a few tweaks, I could easily make my work moodier or drabber, but I enjoy the challenge of trying to pull a smile from anyone who spots my work with my choice of color.

Have you ever had artwork/product that was poorly received and revised the colors? How was it then received?

Yes! I really love getting color feedback from the art directors that I work with. It’s so helpful to get their perspective, because they see first what sells best and what sits on their shelves the longest. While I’m always passionate about staying true to my favorite color palettes, it’s always nice to work together to make sure it will be received well with our audiences.

What color rules or guidelines do you follow in your artwork and designs?

I don’t have a long list of rules, but there are a few that I use often. One is to use a limited color palette. Depending on the scope of your design, a limited palette might look like 3, 9, or even 16 colors, but it always means

being very intentional and thoughtful with your color selection in order to create the most balanced work.

Another rule I live by is contrast. Contrast can greatly impact the effectiveness of your design, so I always make sure my work includes the perfect amount of contrast.

How does this make your artwork more successful?

A balanced color palette that includes the right amount of contrast will perfectly tell my story, and draw in the perfect consumer. That’s the power of color!

How did you learn these guidelines?

Lots of trial and error, and some gentle nudges in the right direction! When I was in my humble beginnings as a designer, I was soaking up as much information as I could from the internet, books, and magazines - I was a sponge! Even though it’s slow going, I believe there’s so much value in teaching yourself and honing your ‘eye.’ I believe this time of discovery helped me become a stronger and more well-rounded designer. But, when I landed my first fabric deal, the art director of my company was kind enough to gently guide me toward some guidelines I could apply to future collections. I now teach these guidelines to my surface pattern design students. a You can see Bonnie Christine’s work, courses, membership, or podcast on bonniechristine.com.

Instagram @bonniechristine

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Photo by Joe DeSousa from UnSplash

Stuck for Color Ideas?

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Let nature inspire your palette.

Photo by NEOM from UnSplash

Top color and design experts, including Bonnie Christine agree: There’s no better place to turn for inspiration than the nature that surrounds you. Feeling stuck for color inspiration? Take a walk, move around, and take your camera along with you! What better way to be inspired and honor the Creator through your work than to learn from the gorgeous work of His hands. He’s had it figured out from the very beginning. Numerous apps allow you to capture the colors in a photo to create a palette. This also helps to train your eye to really see and understand color.

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Interview

Students participating in art exercises as a form of expression

Colleen Wright:

Transforming Lives

Art through

by Leah Farquharson

Colleen sits before me on a sunny afternoon in South Florida, her tone tinted with the sounds of her native Trinidad. She sits gracefully under a large palm in the booth across from me. My friend has a warm, shy smile, bright eyes, beautiful brown skin and voluminous curly hair. We’ve met at The Ice Box Cafe, a trendy, artsy, garden style, high-end spot in Hallandale Beach. We spend a few moments catching up, (two of our older children were in high school together), before launching into a conversation about the work that Colleen has been involved in since our paths last converged —what prophetic art is, her latest painting collection exhibited for Art Basel Miami, and her work changing lives as a certified Art4Healing facilitator.

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Colleen Wright accompanied by a student and fellow leader at an art camp she led for children.

“Spirit of Refreshing” by Colleen Wright

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Tell me a little bit about yourself: My name is Colleen Wright, and my art name is The 3rd Heaven.

So art wasn’t something that was encouraged in my home. However, it’s my form of expressing myself. I just feel like I get more clear-headed. I am more able to think and, you know, do things with more focus.

So art wasn’t encouraged in my home, but however, I have found that it’s been very therapeutic, not just for me, but for others. I’ve seen it be the biggest game changer for a lot of people.

Just really getting in tune with who they are and knowing, their identity and tapping into their creative skills. Helping them know their own identity.

So, I don’t tell everybody that I’m really a prophetic artist because I feel like a lot of my work comes from a place of intimacy with my Father. With the Heavenly Father. I don’t know what I’m gonna do when I start. Usually it’s done in that place of intimacy. And it’s donethrough the use of creative flow. That’s what a prophetic artist is.

That’s really cool. I can understand. But it’s not something everyone would understand or receive.

So when did you begin practicing art? You mentioned that it wasn’t encouraged at home when you were growing up. So when did that change?

That was actually almost exactly fifteen years ago. Because that’s when I really started venturing into art and really owning that, knowing who I am as a daughter (of the Lord), knowing what my calling was, knowing that I didn’t have to compare myself and have this degree that I so wanted. That’s what I was, that was my goal when I was younger. I just wanted to be in art classes. I wanted to do all these different exhibits, sculptures. It was so interesting. I would get into every art genre there was in school. And every time I did something, I got into a competition.

The 3rd Heaven, Colleen’s Art Brand tured really into that place like, God, what is my purpose?

What do you want me to do? So God started asking me what I wanted to do. So I said, well, I want to paint. I just want to be creative. It doesn’t matter what it is. I love creating things. I love using my hands. I’m very kinetic.

I’m very hands-on. I learned better that way. And I just started creating. And then it was one day I went to, we went to, we were at a facility and I had several words over the years spoken over me, like just by prophets. And they were saying that there’s like a supernatural creativity over you. You should tune into that. And it just became this theme for like a year. Like that was a theme that year. And I was like, what does that really mean? So I really started asking myself, what does this mean? And God would say, okay, this is what I need you to do. He said this, this guy in your community, I need you to talk with him. And he was this, he has his degree in art. He’s an art teacher. He does all these different things. Amazing artist. And I started asking him through an interview one day, have you ever done spontaneous art? He goes, I can never do that. And he was just so negative on the whole thing. But little did I know, as I was asking him these questions to see what his thoughts were, he would say these things back to me, but it would bring life to me.

And God would start sitting with me and He would say to me, Don’t you see? The very thing that you wanted wasn’t My plan for you. That was my plan for him, but

“So art wasn’t

something that

was encouraged in my home.”

You’re talking about the mediums or disciplines within art.

Yes, and my dad would pull me out. “No, you’re getting too much attention. This is not what school is. This is, you know, girls have to be seen and not heard. You are, this is not part of education. You’re not gonna make money…” I’ve heard that my whole life, my whole life. So it’s not until I was really 29, 30, that’s when I really ven-

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Top Center: Colleen Wright stands with a group of children who participated in her art camp. not for you. You’re not meant to be, you’re not going to be the in the box girl, you’re not going to be that person.

You’re going to flow. You’re going to allow your creativity to flow, because it’s in that place that you can hear My voice, and if I’m telling you to go left, but you were trained or taught to stay in the line and head right, it’s like you’re going to feel torn, well, this is the technique, this is the way it’s supposed to be, we blend these colors. Well, He’s saying not to do it this way. So for me, that’s kind of where the whole, that’s what it means. Prophetic is just a fancy word for “hearing God’s voice”. So I really started tuning into His voice and hearing, so what is this blank canvas supposed to be? What do I do with this? And I do a lot with music, a lot with classical music without words.

You listen when you paint?

Yes. I create the atmosphere to receive or to allow what that blank canvas should be. So I feel like when words can’t speak, like when you can’t be expressive with your words, I feel like, your pictures can. So, that’s a big deal for me.

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Love that.

And one of my big, big mottos is, that I’ve learned, is that “words create worlds”, pictures create this inner world. I actually painted that and have it framed by my bedside, and it helps remind me of that. Pictures do paint our inner world.

Absolutely. I agree with that. Right now I’m learning about the evolution of language, and we are studying about the first ways of communicating through symbols and the development of the alphabet. How we first used pictographs. It’s just fascinating. And there’s a lot of research on linear thinking, related to reading and language.

And there’s good things that come from that linear training and thinking by reading, but there’s also non-linear thinking, and that helps you with connections. And when people have ADHD, or other conditions, their brains are gifted in non-linear thinking. They discover things because they leap over, around, above, and through. I’ve done a lot of research and learning on that be-

cause, well, I have it, and it runs in our family.

Yeah. It just helps you find those connections.

We actually have a testimony about that from one of our creative arts camps five years ago from working with a family and child who had autism.

I wrote the curriculum for this camp as I did it.

Yeah, I remember. This was pre-pandemic.

Colleen: It was an amazing experience. And the crazy thing was, children are more connected. They connect easier with their emotions. Especially when it comes to art. And so it was just brilliant.

Right.

I’ve seen it just be this incredible, effortless... Like, we do a workshop where I would sit with a group of about six women. Just a small group. And the amount of healing that would take place at that table, in an hour or two, it is so progressive, versus you’re just sitting there, “Oh, so, tell me about your life”, like, let’s go through this counseling process. And there’s nothing wrong with that, I feel like it has its time and place, but with this, it feels like there’s such a speeding of that process.

“Words create worlds. And

pictures create

This is so funny, because it came up with all of these things we’ve been discussing post-pandemic when I was sitting for my other interview. Sarah was talking about how therapeutic it is for people when they come to the studio, like people that work in mental healthcare, and they book time there every week because you wouldn’t believe the things that they’re dealing with. It helps them to process all of the things they’re dealing with, and just the absolute epidemic of loneliness, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and just all of these things, which many times, often times, are a result of not processing our emotions. I mean psychologists and scientists agree. There are exceptions, but really a lot of the time it’s related to not processing our emotions.

this inner world.”

So how did you discover that idea of using art as a therapeutic exercise? I mean you’ve run these camps, you’ve done these things, and my understanding is that you’ve completed some kind of certification?

Art4Healing.

So, how did you discover that?

Because I felt like I walked through that myself. I found that after all these years as I ventured into art and doing this, I felt like things were being lifted off mentally for me.

Yeah.

You were talking about that leap. For me, it was a supernatural thing. And for me, it wasn’t clinical, it wasn’t anything like, I didn’t think it was like, neurological.

Or that this is a chemical imbalance, things like that.

I didn’t put that together like that. So when it started working for me, that’s when I started venturing into research - art really can be healing. So I started taking these workshops and classes. It’s really all about connecting colors with your brain, your different emotions. It’s really more about connecting with your emotions, not so much the art piece that you’re making. We’re not looking for an end result. We’re not looking to be the next big artist, we’re not looking to paint this car, or whatever.

We’re not working to create the next Mona Lisa.

Right. Exactly! I’m not looking at that. We’re not here to teach you technique. We’re here to connect with what’s going on inside of you. So, again, when words can’t express, when you really weren’t brought up to express yourself, but yet, art is something that just connects with something inside of you. And it is your expressiveness. Especially going deep. Like trauma. Just things that people don’t ever talk about.

Yeah. You know, even just recently with my grandmother [who passed], when I came back home, I just sat with the Lord for almost three weeks. Three weeks, Leah. I laid with the Lord. I couldn’t pray. He told me nope, you don’t need to pray. I backed off of ministry, I didn’t do

anything. And can I tell you, the one thing that God told me to do, He said, I want you to paint. And you know that brain, that one you’re supposed to paint, and I said, yeah, but I’m not feeling creative right now. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to listen, I don’t want to do this.

I don’t feel like it. I struggled. I really did. But I pushed to do that. And can I tell you the visions, and I felt like the Lord was saying, you know that for sometimes for you to be effective, and become an authority in the area that you’re venturing into, you have to take hold and you

Spring 2024 MUSE 17

have to go through your whole process. And the Lord was literally taking me through that process. You want to be this person that walks in Art4Healing, and you’ve seen it evident, but can you really share your story? And I didn’t realize... It was so strategic of God. Just the process that He took me through. Here I am, going through this, and I’m painting the brain, the human brain, and the human heart, and God was so strategic, I would go through this thing, and during this time, I was fighting. And I’m here thinking I’m just fighting these thoughts, not knowing if it was like, a mental breakdown that I’m having, and that God was literally showing me, do you know how many people struggle with this? Do you know how this can go, how it can take root, and go further, and people break down with stuff like that because they can’t manage that?

Yeah, it causes chemical imbalances and depression, and so many things.

He started showing me, and then I would go research, and it would be true. Like, this is how God teaches you.

I’m literally doing this, and God says, you need to finish this. You need to finish painting the brain, you need to finish painting the heart. And when you do this, you’ll conquer this area. And I said, I don’t really feel like doing this. Can I tell you? That when I pushed through that one week to do that? I felt like something literally lifted off of me. Like a cloud. It was literally lifted off of me. It was like I was connecting, I didn’t have a picture of a brain that I was painting from, I was just going from human biology years ago, in my head, this is

what I’m going to paint. It was an abstract brain, and I’m doing it, and God was literally talking to me every day.

He was telling me, “Colleen, this is so therapeutic, you have no idea how good this is for you. You’re connecting with this, and as you connect with it, your art is going to speak, and it’s going to speak to those who are going through issues. And I’m in awe of how brilliant the experience is. So I have just learned to be intentional with my art. Like really just allow Him to do what He just did.

Is that the series of paintings that you ended up exhibiting for Art Basel Miami?

Yes. I did the heart and brain, and I also did something called The Five Senses. And they all have very strong prophetic meanings behind each one of them.

Well, you’re inspiring me. I know I’m supposed to be painting, and I just need to get started, order the supplies, and such.

I love your work. Yes, just get in there and do it.

So, you kind of touched on it, but do you have any favorite particular exercises that you love to do with people for that healing process, like you kind of alluded to earlier - sitting around a table with women… because I think you’re right. Sometimes people even struggle to find words, and if they don’t have to find words, then the healing can just happen, right?

Well, we’re really strategic when we do it. I feel like even for me, like music with no words, is what I have at the workshops. I do very little talking, but I explain in the

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because a lot of times when we go into these workshops, we have a team on hand, or we make appointments after.

Yeah, because you’re delving into trauma and you can’t just let people just walk away then. That can be harmful or damaging, also.

Correct. Correct. So that is a big deal for me. Because I remember when I went through it, they were very strategic about it and they advise you that we have the people on hand to pray in the moment, or you can make appointments. And this is where my certification comes in very, very, very importantly. I am not allowed to say that I’m an art therapist right now. I have to finish with the whole process.

Yeah, that requires a degree in psychology and all that, so that’s not what you do.

Correct.

Images of Colleen’s Five Senses series of paintings beginning how, this is not your typical art project, so if you feel like you’re coming in to do an art piece, I usually get that out of the way. I always, go, “all the artists in the room, everybody raise your hand! Well, I have some news for you. Every single thing you know, you’re going to put it aside. And all the those who’ve never painted before, I have some news for you, we’re gonna put that aside.” So people start looking around, like, what are we gonna do? [She laughs.] And people start looking around for the tools, the brushes, looking for the typical stuff. And I have tooth brushes, sponges, toothpicks, forks, just creative stuff. I change it up all the time. And they have to be creative with it. And really it’s identifying with color. We work with four emotions. Like, what does sadness look like? I have ten colors, and you’re going to pick which color represents it to you. And you’re only allowed to pick two colors. So I give instructions, and we do it step by step. You pick two colors that describe sadness to you, and in that box, choose a tool, and you’re going to make what that looks like to you.

But it’s a certificate and you have done training.

Correct, I am certified as an Art4Healing facilitator. AND we have people in our circle who ARE counselors, therapists, and psychologists standing by. Also, because most of the counselors are men, and I’m dealing with women, I usually sit in on the sessions. So I’m getting exposure and experience. And if it’s a church that we go into, we refer them to that church’s counselors and pastors.

So what do you envision for the future? What are your plans for this Art4Healing certification?

Really interesting.

Yeah. It’s so very simple, but its SO effective. And we pray through each one. You’ll hear women crying, you’ll hear them sobbing “Oh, my God, I haven’t thought about this in years.” The testimonies that come out of it are so amazing to me. I’m talking about a little, just identifying with two colors and you start painting, and you break down because of something you never thought about fifteen years ago. You never talked about stuff. And so then, it goes in a little deeper. And we have to be so careful, too,

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I want to have a facility. And I really want that facility to be for children. You have all of these facilities that host art events that are fun. I want something similar, but it needs to be more intentional. Not so much that you come in and everyone is weeping and crying and it’s always constant workshops, but it’s there to help them to tap into their creative world. Because a lot of people come in like, ok, we’re gonna paint this car. We’ll all gonna do the same thing, and have some wine and have some fun. But I feel like there’s so much more, so much more creative stuff you can do, and have fun, and it allows you to be you, to tap into that. Because your creative world isn’t just paintbrushes, there’s so many other things: music, dance, so much. And I just want to create an atmosphere and have a place where people can come and be them. Have different workshops and activities. The serious workshops, the fun workshops, just people really tuning in and being them. You can, this is not a place where you can’t. I’ve heard that my whole life, so it’s like I feel like I need to be the change that I want to see. I tell my kids that they can, but they don’t feel like they’re creative. But everyone is creative in their own way. a Colleen’s Five Senses series exhibited at Art Basel Miami See more of Colleen at www.royalessencedesign.com or on instagram @mrswright_realtor

You can, this is not a place where you can’t.

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The most imaginative and innovative tools of color, line and texture.

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Beautiful balcony walkway into the Sarah Glass Ceramics Studio in downtown Ft. Lauderdale.

Interview

Girl Throw like a

Photography by Leah Farquharson

Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Sarah Glass is making a living, making her art. Her art based, woman-owned business Sarah Glass Ceramics is expanding, growing, and thriving on art, creativity, and community.

I caught up with Sarah recently and got to hear a bit about her journey to embrace her art while building a business and providing a beautiful studio space open to the community for classes, private sessions, or time for artists to work on personal projects. Sarah Glass Ceramics has experienced incredible growth over the last five years, in spite of a global pandemic and challenges for location. She attributes her success to three things: hard work, hustle, and surprisingly… learning to occasionally accept a helping hand.

So, how did you begin your journey as a ceramicist?

Well, growing up, I loved art in school. It was a space of solace for me, and I always excelled in the classes. I’m not really ready to share the full story of what art means to me, but it’s been an important part of living a healthy life. I’ve been throwing clay for sixteen years, and I’ve found that working with clay is extremely therapeutic. I love helping others find those therapeutic benefits. I’m still not sure if we are centering the clay, or it’s centering us.

I see that your studio space occupies several spaces in this beautiful historic building. Has it always been this way?

No. It’s been a long bumpy five years building the studio with lots of hard work and ups and downs! When I first started out, I had a mentor that helped me get started with one of the kilns and some tools, but then I ran into difficulties

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That has got to be the most incredible feeling.

What are some keys you have found to be important in growing the business? You said this isn’t what you originally set out to do when you graduated high school.

Hard work. Really, really hard work. Being willing to get my hands dirty. You know, I never fit into a corporate or retail jobs, but I do appreciate the things that having them taught me. I had to learn to get my hands dirty, work hard, make quotas, all that. I was in pre-med for college for a while, but it just didn’t fit me or work out - but I still carry so many lessons from all of those experiences, and don’t think I’d be as successful without having had them.

Yes! I think its so important to find that balance with art and business, to connect and find the audience for your art - that art isn’t some far away, inaccessible thing. It is absolutely so important to understand that in order to make a living around your art.

Yes! You’d be shocked how intimidated some people are The view of downtown Ft. Lauderdale from the roof of Sarah Glass Ceramics Studio

with the space I was in. I was essentially priced out of the space (South Florida has undergone a serious housing increase in the last several years, and many families have been priced out of rentals, also).

I was desperate to find a new space, and was invited to an art opening way out in Weston. It was so serendipitous. I just can’t tell you. I met someone who suggested a space there, but then I met someone else who knew about this space, and it was just a better fit. It was crazy.

I have learned over the years to be open, listen, and when people offer a connection, or idea, or a helping hand in some way, that it’s good to accept that. We started with just one of the spaces that even doubled as living space for me during the pandemic. Then, we expanded to a second space, and now we have this downstairs cafe area with items for display. So days I can’t even believe it. I’ve now been able to hire my mom, several part time employees, and my fiancee just recently quit his job to work here, as well.

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Inside Sarah’s charming studio space

sometimes to just pick up a paint brush.

So, how can your ceramics be purchased?

I have a few items available on our website for purchase and they also have some of my work in the Ft. Lauderdale Art Museum that’s available. We now have this cafe area that we open for pottery market events, or people can stop by any time I also create wholesale collections for several local restaurants.

Wow. That’s incredible. Congratulations.

You mentioned that you also offer classes and private sessions?

Yes. Not only is it great for my business, it is something I truly love introducing people to. Just the experience of working with the clay, its therapeutic benefits, and the joy that comes from the whole experience. I also offer a monthly membership that allows you to book studio space, wheels, firing, glazing, etc. We have several people that book monthly time as a way to unwind and just breathe.

One of Sarah’s part-time employees works at a pottery wheel inside Sarah Glass Studio

It was an incredible experience to meet Sarah. You can tell she just absolutely goes for it. As she said, she works hard and finds a way to make things work. She is so excited to be able to hire and add to her staff in order to free up more time for her to push herself and her ceramic practice into larger pieces and more fine art. She’s working to exhibit again at Art Basel Miami and continue to expand all things Sarah Glass Ceramics. a

You can check out Sarah’s Instagram @sarahglass_ceramics and her website sarahglassceramics.com. See upcoming open shows, book a class or studio time, or attend an event.

Everything about the studio speaks to a a sense of calm hustle.

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Pottery wheels and unworked clay inside the studio.

Pottery Sarah designed for a local restaurant sits on a table after firing waiting for finishing

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A cup sits on a potter’s throwing wheel.

Sarah Glass pauses for a quick photo on a busy day beside her pottery firing kiln in Sarah Glass Ceramics Studio in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

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The Color Wheel

analogous colors

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complimentary colors

triadic colors

& Art & Design

Theory In

Practice In

85%

of consumers are influenced by the color of a product when they make a purchase*

75%

of snap judgements about a product are made based upon the color of the packaging**

The bottom line: color matters. As artists, we make work for ourselves, but if we also want to make a living, it’s important to understand how much color can influence the marketability of our art, or the audience that we’re trying to reach.

Color Theory can feel like a mystery sometimes, but there are lots of resources that you can tap to unravel the theory and put it into your practice. *www.insightsinmarketing.com/how-does-color-affect-consumer-behavior **inc magazine

COLOR CHOICES: Making Color Sense out of Color Theory by Stephen Quiller “Internationally renowned artist and best selling author Stephen Quiller shows readers how to discover their own personal “color sense” in Color Choices, a book that offers readers a fresh perspective on perfecting their own color styles.”

More than any other book I’ve read, this book has helped me understand color, and how it works. It may be for painters, but the fact that it is, makes color a real, tangible thing. And that helps in understanding so abstract a concept. Understanding color theory is a lifetime pursuit, and this is a helpful tool along the journey.

The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair Although not on the subject of color theory, this insightful history of color helps make sense of much of the ideas and preconceived notions that we carry regarding colors culturally. Plus, it’s just plain fascinating to read. I promise as a color enthusiast, you’ll get lost in its pages.

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Recipe

Act la

ba

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in c n

Photography by Leah Farquharson

Busy lives mean busy mornings. Kathleen Chase, musician, artist, wife, homeschooling mom of two, and worship leader at Northwest Baptist Church shares one of her favorite recipes for healthy and quick morning fuel-ups when they hustle out the door.

This recipe is freezer friendly. We place removed egg bites on a cookie sheet and freeze them. Once frozen they are popped into a freezer bag.

Defrost overnight then heat up for 20-30 seconds in the morning for a quick, healthy breakfast on a busy morning.

Keto Low-carb Egg Muffins Ingredients 12 eggs Salt/pepper to taste 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (we prefer breakfast sausage) 1/2 onion, chopped 1/2 cup green pepper chopped 1/2 cup red pepper chopped 1/3 cup mushrooms 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella (we use vegan cheese) 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar (again, we use vegan) 1/2 cup of fresh finely chopped spinach Prep time-15 min Cook time-15 min

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Instructions - Preheat oven to 350° - Whisk eggs in large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste - Spray muffin tin with cooking oil - Pour whisked and seasoned egg a into tin, filling each only halfway - Toss bacon, veggies to mix and add to each tin of eggs - Top with shredded cheese mix - Bake 14-16 minutes or until eggs are set - Cool completely before serving. If you remove too soon the edges won’t release cleanly from pan.

Kathleen originally discovered this recipe on staysnatched.com, a blog by Brandi, featuring quick and easy, recipes that don’t compromise on taste. She lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with her husband Dave, Northwest Baptist Church assistant pastor, and their two daughters Olivia and Veronica.

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This recipe is a favorite because it helps us get out of the house on a busy day with a fresh, healthy breakfast with minimal work!

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