Made In Magazine Q3 2014 by MADE IN MAGAZINE

2014

QUARTER 3 FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL

ibutors r t n o c d e r featu ort designs

dawud anyabwile • Kaitlyn Parker • Sharon Turner • Oren loloi • Rosanne bennett • Jill Slaney Andrew henderson + yeonmi kim • Anita Sikma • jewels for hope • amanda shatzko • linda sharp

+ sa davenp li enise corcoran d rp

linda sha

QUARTER 3 FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL

2014

contents

featuring 8 32 58 74 98 110 128 146 165 168 184 196 208 226

CONNECT WITH US!

dawud anyabwile Kaitlyn Parker Sharon Turner Oren loloi article Lisa Davenport on colour Rosanne bennett Jill Slaney Andrew henderson + yeonmi kim Project! Denise Corcoran- Felted flower brooches Anita Sikma jewels for hope amanda shatzko linda sharp Project! linda sharp- sock subversion

Cover art by green couch designs quarter 3 | 2014

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be bold.

hello there! a note from the team...

People often ask me “How do you do everything that you, and why?” And I get why they ask as I seem to make a lot of projects for myself and am constantly “busy” (I hate that word but for lack of a better one) ..and the answer is that I just have to do it. I have to. There’s a massive sense of urgency, like I need to get this done and out there right freaking now, not tomorrow, not next week, next year, next... whatever, right now. And the more I do, the more I have to do. Keep that flow of energy going.

What matters is you doing your thing. And keeping on doing your thing. Keeping on learning, growing, experimenting, dreaming, believing, and importantly, making it happen.

And in this I have learned to be brave, just go for it. I’ve learned to be fearless and just ask for what I want. And keep asking. I’ve learned to leave the negative naysayers behind and say, “Oh yeah? Well watch me now!” And leave them in my dust wondering how I did it. (They are good motivators, if they only knew!)

Nobody ever makes it by saying, “I’ll do that tomorrow.” It takes stepping up, and stepping out. Getting up every morning with the drive to create. Being brave and asking yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” and ignoring that answer.

Let’s face it, being creative, no matter what you do, or what your chosen creative outlet is, takes balls. Big ones. Cue the AC/DC track, you know the one... Putting your work, your love, your heart, out there for anyone to see, can be a bit scary and intimidating. The what if’s can get the better of you: “But what if nobody likes my work, or me?”, “What if they criticize me?”, “What if I’m not good enough?”... Let’s cut to the chase. There will always be somebody out there who is better than you, bigger than you, more talented, more... WHATEVER! Does it matter? Not at all, not a smidge, no. They are them, they are on their own path and their own journey. And you are you, and you have your own path and your own story to tell.

It takes hard work. Determination. Effort. Skills. Action. And a will to keep going when others simply give up. Making things happen and making opportunities for yourself when maybe there seems like there are none. There are, just look harder. See?

So! In preparing this issue and reading our amazing featured peeps words and insights, I noticed a common theme in their stories- being brave, being bold, doing what you love, and doing it your way. Giving up things that don’t work and going for those that do. Getting out there and doing what makes your soul shine. Keeping at it. Being brave, and making your dreams happen.

And that’s what it’s all about. We hope you enjoy this issue! Be bold, go forth and make it happen! ‘til next time,

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who did what Creation, design, production, website, and directed by Cynthia + Norm Frenette Green couch designs Mission, BC Canada www.greencouchdesigns.com

The Features you are about to read were written entirely by each person included in this issue, in their own words.

huge thanks to... Huge thank you’s for their contributions to this issue!

We give our thanks to Our most appreciated and valued advertisers,

we couldn’t have done it without you!

Jukebox Print Sew Sisters Lepp Farm Market Whimseybox Habitat for Humanity Warp and Weft Love Kitty Pink Steamtrunk CraftWorks Andrea Gorman Photography

Lisa Davenport Designs, page 98 Denise Corcoran, page 165 Linda Sharp, page 226 Big thank you’s to all of our featured peeps who took the time to enthusiastically write up and send us their information and photos, we wouldn’t exist without you:

Dawud Anyabwile Kaitlyn Parker Sharon Turner Oren Loloi Rosanne Bennett Jill Slaney Andrew Henderson + Yeonmi Kim Anita Sikma Jewels for Hope Amanda Shatzko Linda Sharp quarter 3 | 2014

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FEATURE

dawud

anyabwile

It was all I ever wanted to do.

CONNECT

I have been an artist for as long as I can remember.

websites: www.brothermancomics.com www.bcepressworks.com

Dawud Anyabwile,

www.gorillatactix.com

formerly known as David Sims,

www.facebook.com/dawudanyabwile

lives and breathes his art. From

@anyabwile

his family, his business, and his incredible talent and vision, his unique voice and honest inspiration shines through in everything he creates. quarter 3 | 2014

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I have been an artist for as long as I can remember. It was all I ever wanted to do. I began selling my art as early as the fifth grade and started my own t-shirt business in 10th grade. The journey that led me to where I am now was a long one that ranged from operating my own t-shirt businesses on the streets of Philadelphia and Northern New Jersey, to freelancing illustrations, to whatever magazines that would hire me. There was never an aha moment for me as far as knowing what I would like to do. It was art. The only aspect of this career is that there are so many categories and I have an interest in more than one. I like animation, comics, fine art, 3D sculpture, African art, caricatures and more.

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Photo by Gary Wright

ION T C DU O Father and sons, left to right: Ndosi Dawud, Baba Dawud, and Omari Anyabwile R T I N

I usually find it difficult to define the type of artist that I am because I am constantly evolving with my interests. However, for the sake of helping the readers understand my journey I will share that I am a production artist at Turner Studios in Atlanta where I do a variety of design and illustration work ranging from storyboards, concept art, character/background designs to logo and caricature art. This work is done primarily for the major networks under the TBS umbrella such as Cartoon Network, TNT, NBA TV and more. My claim to fame is from the work that I have done as a co-creator and illustrator of the critically acclaimed comic series entitled, Brotherman: Dictator of Discipline which I launched in 1990 with the help of my family.

Photo by Ndosi Anyabwile Brotherman was ground breaking comic book that is recognized as a catalyst for sparking the contemporary Black Comics movement. Upon itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s release it immediately gained national and international attention for the efforts that my family and I have put into the redefinement of the Black image in comics and the ownership of the products that we produce. I was also a primary designer on Nickelodeonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Wild Thornberrys, and The Rugrats.

What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? My career has always been rooted in the arts. I had a few jobs in my younger days at fast food joints and a local business or two but those jobs were very few and would only last about a month. I always knew that I can make more money drawing than flipping burgers and making tacos. I have been able to provide a decent independent career off and on in my youth airbrushing t-shirts and drawing caricatures for people and at one point in my life I had an epiphany that I would be running a chain of t-shirt stores around the country as my career. I think what I am doing now is still related and that vision still fits right in so I am not far off my mark.

Brotherman Comics No.1, 1990

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1977, age 13

First comic book, 3rd grade

Do you have formal training, are you self taught, or a combination? I was an art major throughout high school. That is where I received my strongest art training. As far as the years that followed I had some schooling but most of it was self taught since I did not have an artistic mentor who could show me the way. Therefore I had to figure out how to do the specialized art like comics and animation on my own. Back in the 80â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that was much more difficult because there was no YouTube and simple tutorials at your fingertips. You had to dig through the library and much of the information was outdated. The lack of information forced the creativity to come from within which actually turned out to be a good thing. It taught me how to Draw from the Soul. How to create my own path.

1985- Rooftop Records (NYC) 12

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favorite career achievement... Outside of becoming a father of two great sons (that called for some serious creation work), I received an Emmy Award in 2008 for conceptualizing a Public Service Announcement for the Dalai Lama to promote his trip to Emory University in Atlanta. This was done through my position at Turner Studios which was a major achievement for me and carries a lot of weight to this day. As great as that is I have to mention that the creation of Brotherman comics has surpassed any creative work that I have ever done in my life. It has reached a legendary status among itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fans and it still has an opportunity to be realized on an even greater level. The energy and sacrifices that my family and I have put into making that book still carries a lot of respect with our fans and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been 18 years since weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve even published a Brotherman comic. I am honored and humbled to have been able to be a part of something that has made that kind of an impact around the world.

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inspiration I am still mainly inspired by what I feel to be the core which is my family and my friends. My sons are constantly creating and that inspires me to continue. They remind me of where I was when I was their age. My friends are also very driven and so it is not necessarily the art work that people do but the attitude of the real people around me who have an idea and put it into motion. As far as what I create, that external reference search is pretty much research after I am already inspired. It all works hand in hand.

Do you do what you do full time, part time, or as a hobby? My art is what I live, it is my full-time job (literally), and I love it!

favorite quote...

estiny is born of one who secures a purpose. How do you balance life, work, play, and down time? I make sure I get the priorities out of the way and then if there is something I want to do with friends or family I make sure I do it.

~ Guy A. Sims Brotherman #1

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Jason and David Sims, at their first Comicon in Dallas, TX, 1990

Mom and Dad, interviewed by BET at the NYC Black Expo, 1990

Who and/or what inspires you and your work and why? So many people and for so many reasons. I can run down a list of artists but let me start with the core of inspiration which is my family. My father and my mother were the ones who encouraged me to be whoever I wanted to be. If I wanted to draw then they would get me the crayons and the paper and let me do my thing. As rhetorical as that sounds I have learned in my adult years that what my parents did is priceless. I found that many children are not encouraged nor supported to do what they love. They are also chastised for thinking creatively. On the other hand, I was nurtured. My family joined in on the creativity. My oldest brother, Michael (who recently passed away), animated way back in 1971 when most kids in the neighborhood could not comprehend how you can even do that. I was in first grade but would watch my brother draw and animate and that blew my mind! My second to oldest brother,Guy was and is still a writer. He wrote plays, poetry, musicals and comedies. You name it. My brother Jason took over on the animation and he and I would build miniature sets in our bedroom and make stop motion animations. He was and is still is a great photographer and graphic designer. The majority of my friends were artists and we all supported each other over the years. I knew artists ranging from illustrators to graffiti artists to graphic designers and they all inspired me to this day. As far as well known artists I give much recognition to Overton Lloyd of Parliament Funkadelic fame, Ernie Barnes of Good Times Mort Drucker and Jack Davis of Mad Magazine. I have a ton of other influences but these names stand out as the ones that made the most impact on the pivotal times of my life.

Guy A. Sims, Writer of Brotherman Comics, 1990 16

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Photo by Ndosi Anyabwile over making songs, scoring a film or working on comic art or animation. I enjoy that kind of creativity around me. I also encourage my friends to bring their children I work from a combination of spaces. At work I am because I like them to express their creativity along with surrounded by a team of talented artists, designers and the older ones. It’s the best way to learn as far as I am animators. We have our own private spaces yet we have concerned. access to each other and we work together on a regular basis to produce the projects. My space is set up with a Macintosh, large monitor and a large Wacom tablet that What is your work schedule like? I use to do my art. We had the animation light tables but within the last 8 years they ceased to be of any use Hectic. I work a full day job and come to continue in our department. I still like having a conventional light brainstorming and working on other concepts and ideas. I do take breaks and spend time with family and friends table although I almost never use it. Ok I never use it. but I have so many concepts that I want to develop and each one demands time for development that I My set up at home is pretty much the same as far as sometimes go non-stop for days and then I get my rest equipment but I don’t have a large team of people on the weekend. around. Now I do have my family and friends around Where do you work from? Tell us about your work places and spaces...

and my home is set up as a “house of creativity”. I work on my comic art and production art while my sons may work on the music production and film production. The garage and basement serve as a sound stage for certain film projects and there are always creative friends

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Book covers by Dawud Anyabwile, Novels written by his brother Guy A. Sims, 2013 What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? I create stories and images that highlight the African and African American experience which particularly celebrates and unifies families. I grew up in Philadelphia and as a Black boy growing up in a city where you can feel the self hatred due to the conditions surrounding us no matter what part of the city you were from. I vowed to use my art to change the way we are portrayed to the world and to each other. My brother, Guy, was breaking down the power of the artists in Ancient Kemet (Egypt) and in this analogy he Brotherman Icon Art by Dawud Anyabwile and Brian McGee stated that as an artist I am the “Eyes of God” and as a writer he is “The mouth of God”. The artists and the scribes were held up high in ancient kingdoms and And your least favorite? for very good reason. I never forgot that and made it My least favorite subject matter is work that is my mission to use my art to raise up the image of my exploitative. Work that demeans people or is overtly people so that they can see themselves as greater sexual or contains gratuitous violence. Although I can than the mass media projects them to be. I have yet watch a film that may contain these elements I don’t to really do the type of work that I want because I am find enjoyment in creating this type of work. I have still evolving. I do feel accomplished due to the fact that Brotherman comics which celebrates the lifestyles turned down work in my past that was too over the top and I just could not bring myself to drawing it. and attributes of Black culture in America has made an Everyone has their limits. impact worldwide in a positive manner the way it was intended. In fact, beyond what it was intended to do. 18

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my favorite tools As far as hardware goes I like the Macintosh computer. I use both platforms but I always have technical problems with PC but that’s me. The Wacom tablet is a must nowadays. I still like conventional painting such as acrylic and oils. I don’t get much time to do it but I will never abandon it. I also like to do music production and sound design and I really like to DJ since that was my love since I was 14. I don’t mean DJ’ing at a club but just making supermixes for my own enjoyment to draw to and listen to in my car. My music influences my art and vice versa.

Portrait of his son Omari Anyabwile, 2002

Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? Not really. It seems that this is the way the technology is designed. Personally I can do the things I need without constantly upgrading. I don’t need all the fancy stuff out there nor do I feel like buying it. What happens is that time rolls around when it’s just time to get with the program and upgrade but after that I am good for a while.

Do you have any favorite vintage tools or supplies? Brotherman, a.k.a Antonio Valor as a child, 2008

Not really. I have conventional tools like overhead projectors and light tables but as far as I am concerned they are just as useful as they were twenty years ago. It just depends on my mood and what I feel like creating.

Did you ever have any major oops crazy mishaps or things going crazily wrong while working on a project? Yes but not lately. I made mistakes in the past like losing a file and having to recreate it. Or I may create a file and reduce the file size for sharing but accidentally save that version as the original thus losing the high quality piece I spent so much time on. Stuff like that. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having a bad day, a project isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around?

Painting props for sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movie, 2012

Working on upcoming graphic novel, Monster

I have those a lot. I step away from the work. I may just do something unrelated to what I was working on or just not create anything at all. Sometimes I get recharged by stepping away and just being an observer. Then I get an epiphany and jump back into my work with new excitement.

What is your go-to, always reliable media or tool? These days it is the Wacom tablet hands down. If I was not doing production art then I would not need it. I would just be doing conventional on the daily. But the technology in the industry is fast paced and the Wacom just makes things a whole lot easier. I am sounding like a Wacom commercial. Hah!

Artemus ScribbleBrotherman Comics 2008

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Do you sell your work? If so where? Any tips on pricing your work? As I stated earlier I have been selling my work since I was a child. I never let up on that. I sell the back issues of my comics which are rare collectors items. I may do caricatures here and there but for the most part my website has the latest products that I sell to the public.

Big City Comics World Headquarters, Philadelphia, 1995

As far as pricing your work, I think that is personal preference depending on who you are as an artist and the value that you put on yourself and that the people are willing to spend on you.

The Seductress, art by Dawud Anyabwile and Brian McGee 2008 22

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Leonard and Carmen Valor, art by Dawud Anyabwile and Brian McGee 2008

Painting and testing props

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Some may feel that I am extremely serious but I am really a big kid inside and I like to hold on to that feeling. I met Bob Marley before he passed and he signed my sketchbook when I was 14 years old. Bob Marley and I share the same Birthday. February 6th exactly 20 years apart. He was 1945, I was 1965.

Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? I love having music playing while I work. I may listen to a variety of genre’s such as Classic Soul, Music Soundtracks, Jazz, Neo Soul, Hip Hop Instrumentals, African rhythms and Capoeira Music from Brazil.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever made or created?

Do you have any hobbies that are really different from what you do in your creative work? My main hobby outside of my art is mixing records and making music. I do that for myself because I just love it.

my favorites...

The movie props for my sons movies entitled JEROTIS and CHARGED. It’s not unusual like it’s weird or anything like that. It is unusual because I rarely get a chance to break away from the computer and build things like I did when I was younger. So when my son needed to make props for his movie I was more than happy to take a few weeks off to join him and the rest of the team to conceptualize these uniforms and paint these props. The uniforms were for characters called Sentinel Police and he needed a futuristic but surreal look to them. After the team sat down and fleshed out the design we had to figure out how to build the body armor and helmets in a very short time.

A small sampling of artists are Fela Kuti, The Delphonics, Billy Paul, Babatunde Olatunji, Madlib, Shing Shing Regime, SKAM of Jersey City, NJ, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Donald Byrd to name a few.

Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or community organizations through your creative work?

Never give up on your dreams and visions, and surround yourself with people who support your mission in life!

Yes. I have donated time, merchandise and information to many schools, organizations and individuals around the country throughout my career. I have not always had the resources to just give things away but I did, because it is a part of who I am.

Brotherman: Revelation, Comic panel art by Dawud Anyabwile and Brian McGee, 2011

Have you won any awards or special prizes/ mentions for your work? Yes I have. As early as high school I received numerous awards throughout the city and they kept me inspired to work harder. My most prestigious awards were 2008 Emmy Award, Key to the City of Kansas City for Outstanding Service to Children and I was also nominated for Best Artist in the 1992 San Diego Comiconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Will Eisner Award Ceremony for my work on BROTHERMAN.

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Brotherman: Revelation, concept art, 2011 When you begin a project, what is generally your creative process? First I need time to just think. I like to sit around on a Saturday or go outside somewhere and write down ideas and sketch. After that I may do my thumbnails and then I go for the final work. This process also depends on what I am creating. Comics are usually different from a conventional painting but the bottom line is I need silence or just time to be to myself to get my ideas started. After that I can crank up the music and go crazy.

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How do you know when a project is finished? When I look it over and nothing bothers me anymore. The only problem is that days later I may look at it and see flaws but let it go and use what I just learned to apply to my next project.

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One thing I took away from the cartooning great, Mort Drucker, when I saw him speak was, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The secret is there is no secret.â&#x20AC;? Basically just be you. In time you will learn to embrace every thing you love and everything you have to learn to love about your self and your art. It is at that moment you will master self and it will show in your work.

Do you have any current projects or future plans youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to share? I just released cover art for a new mystery novel entitled THE COLD HARD CASES OF DUKE DENIM. Volume I is now available and Volume II is about to drop. I also did the cover art for another novel LIVING JUST A LITTLE by my brother, Guy A. Sims. I just completed illustrating a graphic novel for Harper Collins publishing entitled MONSTER by Walter Dean Myers. I am back onto the production of the BROTHERMAN: REVELATION graphic novel.

What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? I know that I will be able to raise the awareness of eating better, unifying families and relationships and encouraging individuals to pursue their dream because of the work I have put in and continue to put in within the next few years. That is my goal.

I also have been lecturing at universities around the country where I discuss topics ranging from Art, self employment, family unity, comic art and healing of self. The lecture series is entitled, DRAWING FROM THE SOUL.

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FEATURE

kaitlyn parker

well, I think it chose me.

CONNECT

As for why I chose to be an artist...

website

www.kparkerdesign.net

BLOG

kparkerdesign.wordpress.com

Based in Berlin, Germany.

Kaitlyn Parker is an

adventurous mixed media

www.facebook.com/kparkerdesign @KPDsign

artist, graphic designer, and

www.pinterest.com/kpdsign

creator, with a huge passion

www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlynparker

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ION T C DU O R T I N I’m not quite sure if there was ever a defining moment when I decided, “I will be an artist’ - it just sort of evolved. I distinctly remember wanting to be a veterinarian or marine biologist at one point, and then realized 1) I just wanted to swim with dolphins and 2) that I greatly disliked science and math. Art has always been a passion of mine. I was always doodling and colouring as a kid. It was simply a hobby an activity where I could create my own world. Nothing was ‘right or wrong’ or had a certain answer, it was an escape, where I could be the master and creator of the universe that I drew on the page.

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But honestly, I never knew a career was possible until a couple of high school art/design teachers (and friends) made me aware that artists don’t have to play out the stereotypical role of ‘starving and jobless’. Several dedicated teachers and professors gave me the tools and encouragement to help lead me to the path I am on today. For this, I am beyond grateful. As for why I chose to be an artist...well, I think it chose me. It’s simply my passion and I continually seek to learn and find ways to make a living out of doing what I love. It’s not always the easiest road, but it’s well worth traveling down.

I am an artist and designer living in Berlin, Germany. Originally from the small town of Prescott Valley, Arizona (U.S.A), I went to university in the slightly larger town of Flagstaff, Arizona where I studied art and design. In May, 2010, I completed my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication and Graphic Design. Post graduation, I had several promising job offers - those any newly graduated, job thirsty, college student would die to have, complete with top companies, generous salaries, and long-term career advancement potential. Job offers which I also realized, would commit me to sitting behind a desk for 9+ hours a day, in cities that weren’t fitting for me, and which in the end, weren’t fulfilling my absolute dream and goal in life to live in Europe and create art for a living. So despite fair warning and the disapproval of many, I “threw away” (as they implied) my career opportunities in America and moved to Europe to somehow make it as an artist. And now, I sit here in Berlin, 3 years later, still happily living in Europe and learning how to live, breathe, and thrive off my passion. It’s definitely been the most challenging decision of my life, but I have not, even for one day, regretted my decision to ‘throw it all away’. Since moving to Berlin, I have been pursuing a freelance career as a painter, illustrator, graphic designer and photographer under my company name, KP Design. Every day is a creative, economical, intellectual, and experiential challenge. The things I’ve learned and experienced since moving here to follow my dream are invaluable. I’ve truly realized just how essential it was for me to follow my passion in life and pursue my own individual happiness rather than conforming to the ‘shoulds’ or expectations that life and society had for me. I wish to somehow encourage others to do the same; to chase their ideals over mediocracy and to pursue their passion and happiness, even if it means ‘throwing away’ more socially deemed ‘sensible’ options.

favorite quote...

o LIVE a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. ~ Joseph Chilton Pearce

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Do you have formal training, are you self taught, or a combination? I am definitely a combination of the two. I was fortunate to have very dedicated and influential art and design teachers in both high school (Bradshaw Mountain High School in Prescott Valley, Arizona) and university (Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona).

My education and experiences during my school years are invaluable, yet nothing surpasses the knowledge I’ve gained from ‘the real world’ these four years postgraduation. There’s nothing quite like jumping in to the deep end of life, and learning/teaching yourself how to swim along the way. As Picasso said, “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.”

I completed my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication and Graphic Design in May 2010 and moved to Germany in September 2010 to begin, unbeknownst to me, my freelance career as a graphic designer, artist, and illustrator.

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What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? I’m still very much in the beginning chapters of my ‘career’ and life (I only graduated from university 4 years ago - May 2010). Like most people, I’ve had my fair share of odd jobs growing up. In university I worked as a resident assistant for 3 years. I also had a website design internship opportunity with Deckers Outdoor Corporation which evolved in to a full time job the summer before I moved to Germany to work as an Au Pair (nanny) for a year. In 2012, I moved to Berlin to pursue my free-lance design/illustration/art career. And as I sit here in 2014, I still can’t believe that I am here, making a living off what I love to do. I feel very fortunate and am excited and curious to see where the next chapters of my career take me...

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Where do you work from, tell us about your workspaces and places... The majority of my work is done from my studio apartment (although, I do get to travel around a bit, especially with mural work). At times it’s a challenge working and living in one space, but overall, it’s a brilliant location with amazing, large windows, wonderful light in the summer, and even a small balcony! What is your go-to, always reliable media or tool? I’m a mixed-media gal, though my process almost always begins by hand before entering in to the digital realm. There is something about the touch, smell, and notion of paint, marker, and pencil - tangible materials which digital methods can never replace.

my favorite tools Sharpie markers (especially when creating my Drawing Meditations)!!!!!!!!!! I also tend to use of a lot of recycled cardboard as a form of canvas for my work.

Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? Yes and no. There are of course the necessary ‘big’ investments I’ve had to make along the way: computer, scanner, camera, etc..., but for the most part, I enjoy using recycled goods or figuring out how to up-cycle items and incorporate them in my work.

Do you have any favorite vintage tools or supplies? Does really old recycled material count as vintage? Haha! No, not really. Though maybe these days, with all the increasing technologies, the fact that I still use pencils and erasers could be considered increasingly vintage ;)

What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? and least favorite? One thing’s for sure, I’m obsessed with Colour!!! Beyond that, I am known for my most recent exploration I call the “Drawing Meditation” style in which each piece begins with a specific theme, but the end product is unknown and materializes as the ‘meditation’ ensues. The work is based upon a momentto-moment concentration of each form and how it might progress and flow with each additional shape. Every drawing is completely unique. I like to think that the drawings decide how they will manifest themselves – I simply sit back, draw, and observe what unfolds. I created the Drawing Meditation premise a little over a year ago as a means of relaxation and it’s definitely my favorite ‘go-to’ theme and technique. I was never a fan of drawing still lifes but can appreciate their educational value.

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inspiration Nature inspires a lot of what I do and how I create. Whether it is literal pieces of nature, such as leaves and twigs, that I weave in to my art, or simply going outside and taking a walk or hike, nature has always been and continues to be a great source of inspiration. And just who inspires my work? Beyond my more well-known design/ art idols like Alphonse Mucha, Jackson Pollock, and André Masson, I am greatly inspired by children. At such a young age, they have yet to be tainted with what is ‘right or wrong’ or ‘good or bad’. They embrace, what I believe to be, the true purpose of art: to let go and draw for ourselves, to draw what we love, and to draw for our own happiness and creative release.

Did you ever have any major oops crazy mishaps or things going crazily wrong while working on a project? Oh gosh. ALL THE TIME! But half of the time I ‘ask for it’. When it comes to my work, I’m a big experimenter. I often ‘mess up’ while trying out a new idea, method, or a random whim. It often starts with, “I wonder what would happen if I did this...”. I’m a big promoter in making mistakes and believe they are simply gateways to more creative outcomes.

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Do you sell your work? If so where and do you have Any tips on pricing your work? Yes indeed. I sell both originals and prints. Everything is available on my online shop on my website: http://www.kparkerdesign.net. I occasionally sell my work at shows and markets and am always available for private commissions. My big tip for pricing your work; be consistent with how you price your art - also RESEARCH what others do ;)

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What is your work schedule like? Schedule?! HA. My work ‘schedule’ is more of a fluid matter. Most of the time it’s dependant upon what needs to be done and what country my clients are in gotta love time zones. The flexibility of a free lance life is brilliant, but at times, I feel I could truly work 24-7. I’ve had to learn when to call it quits and how to draw a line between office time and free time.

If you’re having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? I either get outside and go for a walk/run or go dancing (I’m an avid Swing Dancer)!

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve evermade or created? Probably my “A Day of Trash” project, where I decided to track my daily trash output and display it artistically. ***featured on recycleart.org*** http://www.recyclart.org/2012/02/day-trash/

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I lived in Sweden and studied Swedish for a year.

I’m fairly certain I could eat sushi every meal for the rest of my life!

I am completely freaked out by grasshoppers.

Books: Everything by Paulo Coelho and Jonathan Safran Foer. “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel, “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. Movies: I’m not much of a movie buff to be honest but do enjoy most films with Johnny Depp :) Poem: “The Road Not Taken”” by Robert Frost Websites: Hello, my name is Kaitlyn and I’m a Pinterest addict....yes, it’s true. Food: Sushi and Mexican

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Music: old rock & roll (i.e. The Beatles, Queen, The Eagles, etc.), swing or jazz music, Madeleine Peyroux. Artists: Alphonse Mucha, Jackson Pollock, André Masson

Do you listen to music while you work? ALWAYS! I usually switch between podcasts, the radio, and a shuffle of random tunes on my computer. Do you have any hobbies that are really different from what you do your creative work? Outside of art, swing dancing is the love of my life! When I’m not drawing or creating, I’m dancing! I’m also keen on outdoorsy adventures like hiking, rock climbing, and anything near a beach!

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When you begin a project what is generally your creative process? It’s true what they say, “a blank canvas is the artist’s worst nightmare”. As this perfect, clean, white space can often be paralyzing, I have developed the habit of simply beginning. I find it helpful to open my sketch book and just start drawing and doodling, getting out ALL ideas on paper, no matter how crazy. My sketchbook is my space - a place where I can dream, create, write, cut, paste, make mistakes, experiment, and play. This is one main method in how I evolve my ideas and become inspired. Online/literary research, magazines, and galleries also provide great grounds for beginning a project.

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How do you know when a project is finished? Regarding my fine art, there is no definite answer, it’s more of a feeling or intuition for me. Often, a piece will sit for months unfinished. Maybe to an outsider, it will appear finished, but it will still ‘feel’ incomplete to me. It’s not always an immediate answer or epiphany regarding what is missing. It’s something I simply look at and know if a piece is finished or not. As far as design/illustration projects, it’s a bit easier knowing when something is finished or not as there are definite guidelines, deadlines, and normally others (such as clients) with whom I’m working with.

favorite quote...

ll children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~ pablo picasso

(I LOVE practically all of Picasso’s quotes)

Is your creative work your full time job, part-time, or a hobby? Full time: graphic designer/illustrator/artist Part time: English instructor, swing dance instructor, photographer Hobbies: art, swing dancing, hiking, traveling, photography. how do you balance life/work/play/down time? I feel at times that the four meld together. I love what I do, so sometimes, my work feels like my hobby, feels like my play and so on. It’s a challenge to separate work and play at times but I’ve learned it’s also necessary to create some sort of balance in order to maintain my sanity and an income. ;)

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1. Draw and create for yourself. 2. Make mistakes; they are gateways to more creative outcomes. Experiment, get messy, and ‘mess up’! 3. If you don’t know where or how to start a piece, simply begin; scribble, sketch, throw paint…the answer will come. 4. Need inspiration? Get out. Live life.

What do you do to keep work, creative juices, and money flowing? Word of mouth is HUGE! I am often referred by previous clients or offered repeat/long-term projects. I also work very hard for my reputation and pride myself in my work, values, and client relationships. So far, things have a way of working out. My clients are consistent and I am continually inspired by each new project and challenge. Berlin also offers great ‘fruit’ to keep the creative juices flowing. It’ such a vibrant and artistic city!

photo by: Monica Lyons

Have you won any awards or special prizes/mentions for your work? London Swing Festival T-shirt design contest winner; 2013 Hooper Undergraduate Research Award for undergraduate thesis: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typedâ&#x20AC;?; 2010 Mary E. Bayless Visual Communication Scholarship; 2009-2010

Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or community organizations through your creative work? I have in the past and look forward to it in the future.

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Where have you traveled? I’ve lived in Sweden, and have traveled to Costa Rica, Italy, Poland, Germany, Austria, Scotland, Ireland, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Mexico, and various parts of the United States. If you have the chance to travel, DO IT! It’s one of the best things you can do for yourself!

Do you have an inspiration or mood board? I couldn’t live without one! My current one is slowly taking over my entire flat. My one bulletin board has expanded now to three and is creeping on to the walls now. My sketch books are also filled with a large library of inspiration.

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Where do you find inspiration? I tend to find inspiration everywhere, whether walking down the street, reading a book, or trying to fall asleep.

What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? I’ve honestly stopped trying to look in to my future, as I’m learning that I’m not very good at planning it. Never in my future plans was it thought that I’d live in Berlin, yet here I am. I’d love to still be freelancing in Europe if possible...or maybe even somewhere in Asia, but I’m open to whatever comes!

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Do you have any current projects or future plans you’d like to share? I’ve been working on a somewhat ‘long-term’ book illustration project for over a year now - I am happy to announce that it will be released in the first half of this year! But unfortunately, that’s all I can announce for now...stay tuned through my website, Facebook, or blog for the big unveiling! I’m pretty stoked about it!

and... I have founded a day I like to call “Jackson Pollock Day” (May 20th), in an attempt to encourage people to worry less about ‘how to paint’ or what is right or wrong and to focus more on the spirit of painting - to have fun and simply create. We throw paint at canvases (in the true spirit of Mr. Pollock) and inevitably, end the day in a huge paint fight. I ask people to wear all white. In the end, we all have a wonderful piece of art and stylish, new clothing to take home as souvenirs :) This year will be the 4th annual JPD!

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FEATURE

sharon

I love to make art that makes me smile.

CONNECT

Art is most definitely my therapy.

website

www.scrummythings.co.uk www.facebook.com/SharonTurner. ScrummyThings @ SharonTurner

Sharon Turner is a creative force to be reckoned with! With a love of pattern, and design, she loves to colour her world in her own unique

www.pinterest.com/scrummy @scrummythings

www.spoonflower.com/profiles/scrummy www.denydesigns.com/collections/artist/ ar:sharon-turner+duvet-covers

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ION T C DU O R T I N I’ve drawn and painted and stitched for as long as I can remember. Itchy fingers! Pretty much impossible for me to ‘sit’ and not ‘do’. I took my art exams early at school but decided on science as the way to go. Biological chemistry degree, Biomedical Science Masters and 8 years working in Haematology later.... I jacked it all in to study Interior Design and work at Laura Ashley. I bought a sewing machine and started to make and sell things.... all this whilst setting up home with my husband and having two fabulous kids. ‘Scrummy Things’ began. I discovered Spoonflower early in 2010... what an amazing concept! Sewing fabric I had designed myself ~ woah. 60

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Spoonflower opened up a whole new design world to me... I have made so many new art friends all over the world. Slowly and surely my time ‘making’ has decreased so that most of my time is spent drawing and designing now. But I still love to sew! I have a LOT of cushions in my house. I’m so thrilled and honoured to be an artist with Denver based DENY Designs. They produce really amazing home décor and art products. It’s just awesome to know people are living with my art. Awesome... and very flattering! I love Deny! ( http://www.denydesigns.com/ collections/artist/ar:sharon-turner+duvet-covers ).

I draw, I sew, I bead.... My home is a mass of colour and pattern! I drool over minimalist homes on Pinterest and then my brain starts mentally adding cushions and blankets, rugs and wall art.... I love clashing chaotic homely spaces! Do you have formal training, are you self taught or a combination? Other than standard high school art and technical drawing qualifications Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m self taught. I probably do things all wrong and backwards but I do get there in the end.

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I’m drawn to colour and a great pattern first and foremost, but positively dribble at some of the illustration work I see. I’m surrounded with art and design in all I do, my brain is constantly being fed delicious lines and shapes and colours to chew over! Very occasionally I’ll see a single thing that inspires me to do a particular design, but mostly it’s just a mess of ideas that mesh together. Some of my favourite designs start off as just doodles. I have quite an eclectic portfolio, in no small part thanks to Spoonflower’s weird and wonderful contest themes! It’s a funny thing but I remember my high school art teacher teasing me saying ‘not everything has a black outline Sharon!’. Makes me smile as I sit there drawing in ink. Sorry Mr. Courtney, old habits die hard.

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...inspiration

What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? And your least favorite? Animals definitely! They are so fun to draw and I love that I can just sit and doodle and lose myself in them. My least favourite? Mmmm. To be honest if I don’t enjoy it, then it never usually works out and it gets trashed. I’ve learnt the hard way to stop and say ‘no!’ sometimes!

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inspira

favorite quote...

don’t want to be interesting.

I want to be good. ~ Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, ARCHITECT

Where do you work from, tell us about your workspaces and places... In my dreams I have a big wooden purpose built studio at the end of the garden where I can work without distraction and gaze up at the sky. It might even have a roof top jacuzzi spa pool. Yes, yes, I think it does.... In reality however, I draw, sew and bead in the front room, do my computer stuff in the dining room and package / book keep in the fourth bedroom. The attic room is really quite big and I should use that space more, but it’s a bit of a dumping ground at the moment. We’ve done a lot of decorating this year and it’s all still a work in progress.

ation

What is your work schedule like? I’m a bit of a night owl... and a total zombie before midday! The new kitten is changing that though. Sigh. If you’re having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? I usually thump a cushion and/or have a nap!

favorite career achievement... I’m totally addicted to the weekly Spoonflower design contests. Placing in these is fabulous! Last year I was one of the four winners of a fabulous collaborative contest that Spoonflower ran with Milk and Honey shoes. Part of the prize was a pair of shoes I designed using my winning contest fabric. OH YES! Because I love shoes more than chocolate. Truly. I just love that other people buy my art ~ whether it be a duvet cover, a phone case, or curtain fabric or whatever. Overall, I think I’m getting to where I want to be. And that’s a nice feeling to have.

Have you won any awards or special prizes/ mentions for your work? My fabrics and home wares have received some terrific blog write ups, magazine features and television mentions. Last year UK magazine SEW featured my puffin fabrics in a great bird watching set tutorial, and I’ve had some of my designs used in Papercrafter magazine too. More nice shout outs coming later this year!

my favorite tools I love to draw in ink so my pens are precious. And the smoothest bestest paper I can buy! Most of my art starts as an ink drawing which I scan and mess with to get into a repeat and colour. I love that my ‘job’ includes colouring in. Yay!

What is your social media tool(s) of choice? I love Facebook, Pinterest and flickr ~ I’m fairly new on Instagram but that seems fun too.

how do you balance life/work/play and down time? Sigh. Do you do your creative work full time, part time or as a hobby? full time... Sales, nice customer comments and support from my art friends make what I do very enjoyable :) What do you do to keep work, creative juices,and money flowing? Well, the money isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t easy! But I love what I do, so the working and the creativity never stops.

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Do you sell your work? If so where? My artwork is available through several print-ondemand places. Art prints and canvases, home dĂŠcor items, fabric and wallpaper, fashion and tech cases.... I take commissions and sell handmade items and stationery direct from my website. Check out all my partner links here ~ http://www.scrummythings.co.uk/RETAILPARTNERS(2053213).htm

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My kids, Isaac and Jasmine Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? I cannot listen to music while I design! The urge to get up and dance and freak out is too strong (just ask my neighbours lol). I love music so much it cannot play second fiddle! I watch movies (with my ears) while I work. I love sci-fi, thrillers and horror movies the best and can rewatch my faves over and over (no chick flick weepies!). Some of my cutest designs have been created whilst watching gory horror movies! But, I love music with a passion and go to gigs when I can! I like lots of different music, but mostly listen to guitar based rock / tech stuff I guess. I love Ghinzu, Interpol, Gary Numan, Muse, Kate Bush, Hans Zimmer ~ the louder the better! I’m a total movie and TV fan. Matrix, Inception, all the Alien movies, Alfred Hitchcock, Agatha Christie, Jaws, Wanted, Star Trek, 28 days and weeks later, The Shining, The Omen, American Horror Story, The Walking Dead, 24, The Devil’s Whore, anything with Denzel Washington or James McAvoy or Jack Nicholson... and of course Doctor Who. 70

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my favorites... etc... I live in a 3 storey Victorian house, full of colour and quirky detailing. I love patterns, so it’s quite busy and fun! I have a lot of Graciela Rodo Boulanger prints along with some classic Dali and Van Gogh. Lots of my acrylic paintings too. I want to live by the sea! My heart lives in Cornwall.... we all love it there so much.

How do you know when a project is finished? It depends. Sometimes you could go on forever! But sometimes it’s a tummy flip and warm wave and my heart races. If I get a rush like that then I know (hope) it’s a good design!

Do you have any current projects or future plans you’d like to share?

Our new kitten, Mog

I love ceramics and have quite a collection of beautiful named artist vases, teapots, cats and puffins. I have some of my faves hidden away at the moment in fear of them being broken by our new kitten. Although I’ve flirted with painting ceramics, I’d love to have a kiln and learn to sculpt and paint from scratch.

What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably be doing the same things but hopefully more people will know about me! I just consider myself very lucky that I can earn a living from my art. My dream is to get a contract with a fabric house. That would make me very happy. 72

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FEATURE

oren

I feel very lucky every day that I get to do this.

CONNECT

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a full time artist.

website

www.papercutsbyoren.com www.facebook.com/papercutsbyoren

@papercutsbyoren

Oren Loloi creates beautifully intricate art out of

www.pinterest.com/papercutsbyoren

www.etsy.com/shop/papercutsbyoren

the most humble of supplies, giving beauty, meaning, and inspiration to his clients, one couple at a time. quarter 3 | 2014

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ION T C DU O R T I N I make papercut ketubahs. A ketubah is a Jewish wedding contract. It is one of the basic requirements, along with a ring for the bride, a chuppah (canopy), and a chalice of wine. Ketubahs have been a basic requirement in Jewish weddings for over 2,000 years. Traditionally ketubahs are decorated, and you can see ancient ones in museums all over the world. We know that decorated ketubahs existed in renaissance Italy, in Morocco, Iran, and anywhere else that Jews lived throughout history.

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The ketubahs I make fulfill the religious requirement, but I create something clean and modern looking that couples would want to display on their wall. It is greatly rewarding to know that my work serves an important purpose. It symbolizes all the faith and love that a couple has when starting a life together and it is a huge honor for me to create something so singularly important.

Before I was making ketubahs, I was already working on large papercut artwork. My wife encouraged me to try making art full time. She saw that I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find my work particularly, fulfilling and she knew I always dreamed of making artwork full time. It was my wife who told me she wanted me to go ahead and pursue my dreams and try being a full time artist. In the beginning, my focus was to create a body of work to present at one of the Tel Aviv art galleries. I was working on large scale papercut artwork. We were planning our wedding at around that time and as per usual, our rabbi showed us the basic ketubah that most couples use. She did not like it and asked me to create something for us. A ketubah is a deeply personal thing -- it symbolizes a union. It made her very happy to have one she found beautiful, that she could display, which could be a constant reminder of our commitment.

It was her idea that I could sell ketubahs to other couples. It started out with friends who were getting married, but soon enough it became apparent that a lot of couples found my designs very appealing. Making ketubahs eventually became my primary focus. Because I have full creative control over what I make, it feels like making artwork even though by strict definition Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a craftsman: my work serves a utilitarian purpose. And that is exactly what I love most about what I do. I make art with a purpose. I make artwork that brings happiness to people, and that has strong feelings and emotions tied into it. When a couple looks at their framed ketubah even years later, they are immediately transported to one of the happiest days of their lives. I may not ever become rich doing this, but the rewards are enough that I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine doing anything else. quarter 3 | 2014

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What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? I have been an artist in one way or another for the duration of my career. I worked in commercial arts for a long time, doing design with occasional illustration work. It was the compromise that the majority of art students eventually have to make when they’re thrown out into the world. The bills don’t pay themselves, and waiting for an art career to take off is a luxury very few people have. The illusion is that these commercial fields allow you to be an “artist” while also paying bills. I found that this is not the case.

There is a big difference between making work for others, where you are hired to realize someone else’s vision while being told to change this and that over and over again; and doing work for yourself where you create something exactly the way you want it after which people are free to buy it or not buy it. Once you’re on the hamster wheel, however, it’s very hard to get off of it. It requires a leap of faith. I was doing work for others and putting off doing work for myself, always waiting for the right time to start. Time has a way of slipping by if you’re not careful. If you’re waiting for the right moment to arrive, you’ll be waiting forever, because the time to do something is always right now.

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Do you have formal training, are you self taught, or a combination? I started out as self-taught. Like many kids who eventually grew up to become artists, I spent my childhood drawing incessantly. Natural ability in drawing took me far in a high school setting, but a formal education in art was essential in order to sharpen my skills into something usable. I went on to study art in college, and then continued my studies in a masters program. I consider this my foundation. The most influential part of my studies was during my time at the Art Students League of New York, where I got to study in a classical setting with some truly world class teachers. Learning how to make art has a beginning, but it has no end. The skills I learned during my formal education will stay with me forever and inform my design work today.

What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? In my ketubah work, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very drawn to abstract nature inspired designs. Because my work is Judaica, I tend to choose themes that reflect tradition and folklore.

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favorite career achievement... My favorite achievement in my career was the day I decided that I was going to start doing work that matters to me on a personal level.

inspiration My wife inspires my work every day. It is largely thanks to her that I get to do what I do. It was her suggestion that got me started, her support that kept me going, and her faith in me that allowed me to get through the difficult starting stages. She is wonderful. And as of a month ago, I have a new source of inspiration. I am now a dad.

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Where do you work from, tell us about your workspaces and places... I work from my living room. I claimed a corner for myself by the windows overlooking the park. If I want a change of scenery I move to the dinner table across the room. My basic setup consists of three tables. One of them is a drafting table with a high chair, where I do my designing. And the other one is a lower table covered with a large (A1) cutting mat, where I do all my cutting. The third table is there just to hold piles of paper. I’m a bit of a shut-in and I avoid going out unless I absolutely have to. This is so despite the fact that living in Tel Aviv I can enjoy 300 sunny days a year and a 10 month beach season.

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What is your work schedule like? When you don’t have a 9-5 structure to guide you, your work-day starts when you wake up and ends when you go to sleep.

how do you balance life, work, play, and down time? I don’t really separate my life, work, play, and down time. They are one and the same. I enjoy my work so I don’t mind putting in very long hours. Still, my wife and I make it a point to go and have brunch together once a week and we do find time to read books in the evening and have a nice meal together at home. My office is in my living room, so I get the company of my family while I work. The nice thing about being self employed is that you don’t actually have a schedule you really need to adhere too strictly to. If I feel like taking a walk with the baby in the middle of the afternoon I simply pick him up and go.

Did you ever have any major oops crazy mishaps or things going crazily wrong while working on a project?

my favorite tools My main design tool is my Mac with a Wacom tablet. Other than that, I really only have very few tools: a sketchbook, a pen, a pencil (7H), a steel ruler, a blade and a toothpick. My favorite blade is a simple NT Cutter D-400 from Japan. The blades are thinner than X-Acto and I can get much better detail with them. The NT Cutter makes the X-Acto feel like a hatchet.

Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? Papercutting is an extremely stripped down form of art. The materials are reduced to almost nothing. Blades don’t cost much, paper is paper. Materials costs are absolutely minimal.

What is your go-to, always reliable tool? My steel ruler is my go to tool. It is 100% reliable. My blades break or dull, my pens dry up. But my ruler? It’s always there for me for my most common tasks - measuring things, and making straight lines with either pencil or blade. I sometimes reach for it reflexively even if I don’t need to use it quite yet. You could say it’s like my security blanket.

Yes. This is what makes papercutting special. You only get one chance at making a papercut. One slip-up and you have to start over. And let me tell you from experience, slips of the blade never happen at the beginning of the day when you’re rested and your blade is sharp. They happen at the end of the day. You will be at the end of a 100 hour long project and the blade will slip. You can’t salvage your work. You can’t paint over your mistake. You can’t erase it. You can’t glue it back together. The only thing you can do is take a deep breath, go to sleep and start over the next day. I have certain projects that take me up to three months to complete. When I work on those I take no chances. If I feel my hands getting tired I will put down the blade and leave it alone. Eventually you learn to control the mishaps. Still papercutting is an exercise in extreme focus and concentration. If you’re having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? Being self employed means that if you’re having a bad day, you can stop what you’re doing, and go read a book instead. I find that with the freedom to drop everything I can overcome blocks much more easily than if I were on the clock. Letting go and focusing on something other than work is the best way to get unstuck. This also goes for fatigue. I very often spend 12+ hours hunched over a project. This causes physical and mental fatigue. It takes a certain type of discipline to know when to get up and stop working. Fatigue is the cause of every mishap when making artwork. In papercutting mishaps are irreversible. You want to avoid them at all cost. quarter 3 | 2014

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Do you sell your work? If so where? Any tips on pricing your work?

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever created?

I do sell my work. Making ketubahs is my full time job. I sell mainly on Etsy, but I also do private commissions.

I once had a couple ask if I could make a ketubah for them that has the pictures of a hound and an ape. I often get requests for pets to be included but this seemed a bit strange to me. I thought that maybe a friend was playing a joke. But they went ahead and placed a deposit when I said it was not a problem. It turned out that what the meant was that they wanted to include Suriya and Roscoe, a dog and an orangutan that became famous on YouTube a while back. It’s an adorable story and once I realized what they meant it didn’t seem so strange anymore. I was very happy with how the ketubah came out and they were too.

Pricing one’s work is very tricky. I wish I had some concrete advice to give, but each market is very idiosyncratic. You can price low if you can make a high volume of work easily and get a competitive advantage, or you can price high and even if you make fewer sales you get the same net result. There is no one size fits all strategy that will work for everyone.

Do you do your creative work full time, part time, or as a hobby? Today I’m a full time artist. I feel very lucky every day that I get to do this. And I’m also grateful to my wife for helping me make my dreams a reality.

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I lived in Italy for 12 years and I’m perfectly fluent in Italian.

When I lived in NYC I moonlighted as a concert photographer. It was my way of going to three or four free concerts a week.

I was a rock climbing instructor.

Do you listen to music while you work? This is an interesting question because I recently realized that I don’t listen to music during work at all anymore (I used to). I find it distracting at best, and often irritating as well. My work is meditative. Usually I get lost in my thoughts while I’m doing my work and time flies. Music gets in the way of that. Richard Williams (a master of animation) tells a story recounting that when he was young, he asked Milt Kahl (one of Disney’s greatest animators) whether he listens to classical music while working. The answer, “I’m not smart enough to think of more than one thing at a time,” changed his life. And, I guess, mine too.

my favorites...

I can’t list favorites because my tastes are constantly evolving, but I’ll tell you this: My favorite drink is a good cappuccino and my favorite food is when my wife makes pizza at home. If I have both in one day, it’s pure joy.

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Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or community organizations through your creative work? I have done a lot of charity work for pro-Israel organizations over the years. None of that work has ever made it into a portfolio. I always did it because I was personally involved in the organizations I was helping out and firmly believe in what they try to achieve.

Have you won any awards or special prizes/ mentions for your work? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about awards so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t submit to contests. I have illustrator friends who do always submit to the various juried competitions, but from what I see there is little to no connection between winning an award and finding success in work.

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When you begin a project, what is generally your creative process? I start with thumbnail sketches. Lots and lots of thumbnail sketches. I often look to nature for inspiration. My phone has a great camera on it so when I’m outside I always come home with pictures of trees, flowers, ferns, birds, and anything else that catches my attention. Beautiful things grow everywhere and on top of that, I always look at the bouquets outside the flower shops for something I can take a photo of. Say I want to draw doves taking flight, I’ll refer back to a video I took of a turtle dove (Tel Aviv is flooded with them) and run it frame by frame to see how the wings move. If I want to draw star lilies, I will pull up all my photos of star lilies taken at flower shops and study them.

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The designs come from somewhere inside. I’ve made so many patterns and layouts and designs in my life that I can draw from experience. Still, I look through all my past thumbnails to see if there’s something I might have overlooked in addition to making new ones. My sketchbook is a treasure chest of designs at this point.

How do you know when a project is finished? I let it sit for a while and keep looking back at it. If there’s something that bothers me, I change it. When I don’t have an impulse to change anything more, it’s done.

Do you have any hobbies that are really different from what you do your creative work? The closest thing I have to a hobby nowadays is reading fiction. For many years, making artwork was my hobby. And now it’s my work so that line has blurred. I also love chess. I’m by no means a master, but I do play at expert level, which means I can’t be bothered to play with any of my friends. Instead, I meet up with other chess players a couple of times a month to play some serious games. One of the things I miss about living in NYC is the chess shop near Washington Square Park where I would spend an hour or two a day playing against some of the best players in the city. Where do you find inspiration? Inspiration is one of those things that I don’t believe in (like “creative block”). I think that making artwork is hard work. It doesn’t come down from the ether. It’s the result of sitting down with intent, and working through problems until you find the proper solution. I hardly ever settle for my first draft. Once I finish a piece I let it sit and go back to it the next day and go ahead and change everything. After a few passes I arrive to the real finished piece.

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Do you have an inspiration or mood board? I don’t keep a mood board. The closest thing is my sketchbook, where I do the majority of my visual exploration. I also take lots and lots of photos of things I like when I’m out of the house.

favorite quote... Rabbi Hillel said,

not now, when? It’s such simple advice, but so hard to internalize. I’m glad I finally started living my life according to this tenet.

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People sometimes ask me if I can share any secrets to papercutting. The real secret is that there’s nothing to papercutting at all. All you need is a sharp blade, a lot of patience (if you’re the type to lose it if you ruin a piece at the last moment, this is not the technique for you), and strong drawing and design skills. Of these three, design sense is the most important. By the time you’re out of art school, the most useful skill you will have is the ability to put together a harmonious and properly balanced composition. You have the rest of your life to perfect your draughtsmanship. But a design sense needs to be shaped in the proper environment. It’s also helpful to look at what other artists are doing, but don’t fall into the trap of obsessively looking at other people’s work and ignoring your own. If you’re trying to tap into a stylistic zeitgeist, by the time you’ve identified it, you’ve already missed the boat. The best thing you can do is make work that is your own without worrying about what others are doing. Like in anything else, there will always be someone better than you, but there will never be another “you”.

What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? Right now it appears that my work is taking a linear path in creating ketubahs full time. I believe my business will continue to grow in the coming years, so this will take up the majority of my time.

Do you have any current projects or future plans you’d like to share? I have vague plans to open up a second shop focusing on art prints of my pen and ink drawings. I don’t have the time at the moment, so it’s a project for the future.

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You asked and Lisa Davenport of Lisa Davenport Designs answers your questions, all about...

COLOUR TIPS ON

using & choosing

COLOUR BY LISA DAVENPORT LISA DAVENPORT DESIGNS LISADAVENPORTDESIGNS.COM

feature

ARTICLE contributor

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In January I asked Facebook followers for their pressing questions about using colour. I expected the questions would come from followers that were well, left brained thinkers .... or most comfortable ‘colouring inside the lines’. Well, that was and wasn’t the case your questions were awesome! Read on...

“don’t colour outside the lines” sigh ...... “the grass is green and the sky is blue” grumph .... “stop doodling ..... you need to do something more important....” (insert utter confusion!)

My creative world as a young child was continually met with attempts to derail my unique, original and sometime odd interpretations of how I saw the world. My saving grace was my mother who was and is a fine artist. For every blow I received my mother counteracted it with inspiring words, actions and encouragement. As I grew I continued to beat to my own drum by the time I was a teenager I not only had my own drum, I’d venture to say I had an entire band! I am truly blessed that I could create a career around colouring outside the lines, many aren’t so fortunate, or more importantly are just not comfortable doing so. It’s all good ... these differences make the world go around. I secretly sometimes wish I could be a little more left- brained, it certainly would make balancing my check book easier! Let’s get started...

Who, in this universe, decides what the new hot colours are? ~ Pauline Rose

The Colour Gods!! Seriously ... PantoneTM does. There are many factors they take into account in selecting the colour trends, pop culture, global economy, technology, weather, fashion, music and more . “It has to resonate around the world, to express in colour what is taking place in the global zeitgeist.”, from the lips of Leatrice Eiseman, executive director at PantoneTM. The process takes almost a year and is very serious business! As a designer of Fine Interiors and Furniture, there are years when I’m over the moon with the colour choice and years I sigh and think, huh?! This year, 2014 the colour of the Year is Radiant Orchid! I’m in love, it harmonizes

with grays beautifully, it is delicious with browns, and offers a crisp fresh feeling when paired with whites. There is a beautiful, positive psychological side of Radiant Orchid, it is often associated with Spiritual Awareness, who can’t use a little soul searching every now and then? Vision, creativity ... you can see why I love this year’s colour choice! Above are some highlights on Radiant Orchid from my Pinterest board ... enjoy! quarter 3 | 2014

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What are the must do’s & don’ts for colours? ~ Jaki V. Lauper

Jaki, that is a loaded question! • Do explore colour! Most paint companies now offer pint size samples. Be daring! For a few dollars you can try out, on a small area, that wild tangerine you’ve been dying use in your powder room. These samples give you the ability to paint a 3’X3’ sample on your wall and experience the colour in your conditions ... and I mean this literally. We react differently to colour depending on our moods, the lighting and feed back from others. • Do NOT ask too many people for their opinions on your colour selections. Colour is a very personal choice. Professionals are trained to be objective in assisting you, friends, family and co-workers will have a hard time separating their personal tastes from their opinions. • When mixing colours if you want a lot of excitement choose colours that are opposite of each other on the colour wheel. These colours will actually almost vibrate! As in this example of Yellow & Purple or Blue and Orange. If you want a very soothing combination use variations on a colour, keep the palette almost monochromatic with an accent of colour for interest. Here are four different grays highlighted with a delicious green!

• I always suggest sewing a house together with one colour. You can use multiple different colours as your main wall colour in different rooms, just have a common denominator throughout the rooms. Have fun ... and seriously don't ask too many friends for their opinions!

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Greetings Lisa! What is the best way to make contrasting colours work in a room? I love the palette my partner choose, a soft buttery yellow with a ceiling done in a colour called “yam”, but i miss my blues and greens and would like to incorporate them into the room. also it feels like something earthy is missing! i’m no stranger to colouring hair, but when it comes to this bedroom, i’m stumped! ~ Steven T Uccello Buttery Yellow with a ceiling of Yam ... sounds so yummy!!! This is a bedroom, where traditionally we would design the space to be soothing and easy on the eyes, so Infusing blue into this mix may be challenging. Blue is directly across the colour wheel from orange, which creates great friction when the colours are used together. Still having said that I think you can subtly add earth tones easily and use blues and greens that are very muddy ... check out the combos here.

Make your introduction slowly, keeping in mind all successful spaces have a dominant colour. Let me know how you make out!

How do “I” choose a wall colour for my living room? My answer would be some shade of teal combined with my favorite colour of glitter, and there you have it. ~ Ann nyberg

Ann, aren’t all fabulous rooms incorporating glitter ... after all it falls under one of my “Five Design Must Haves!” Reflection! Teal has a vast range of colours, and it certainly is a colour that is interpreted differently by many. Here’s a few of my favorites that of course would only be totally amazing if we added a top coat of metallic shimmer ... Better yet we can abandon paint all together and wallpaper the walls in Bedazzled by the great Maya Romanoff! Let me know what you think!

My living room is 12x26 (picture a bowling alley), with three very different functions. How do I get a universal colour for cohesiveness, yet define each area? ~ Peggy Wilcox Russell

COOL palette

Peggy... Bowling Alley Rooms are always a challenge! I’m sorry to say that paint is probably not your ultimate answer to space like this! I’ve whipped up a quick little floor plan here illustrating some ideas. You’ll need to dig out a tool belt, or maybe just hire a hunk of a contractor, for these suggestions! (insert wink).

Your space has ‘three very different functions’... this floor plan shows three distinct areas, a reading area, a TV or gathering area and a work/ desk area. The areas are defined by furniture placement, area rugs and ... here’s where we need your hunk or your tool belt: beams in the ceiling. These beams will not only define the spaces but create a visual speed bump as you look down the length of the room. Don’t be afraid to add these if your ceilings are low, you only need a sneeze of a beam. If your room is conducive to built- in bookcases on one of the 12’ walls this will also help counteract the bowling alley feeling, by visually shortening the space.

WARM palette

As far as a colour for cohesiveness, my suggestion is keep the walls a subtle back drop. Without knowing your colour palette its difficult to suggest a colour, but here’s some guidance. If your palette is in the grey family try Benjamin Moore’s Grey Owl paired with Vanilla Milkshake for your trim and ceilings. For palettes leaning more to warmer tones, consider walls in Beach Haven coupled with Mayonnaise. Good Luck!

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hi lisa, this is a nursery colour question. i am in love with pale pink, pale grey and white for my nursery but have one big problem: the carpet in the room is a soft sage green. that really throws off my nursery colour scheme so my question is: do i have any options besides replacing the carpet with hardwood? ~ Keisha Grant-Allison Keisha what a beautiful combination of colours you are blending. Ideally I’d love to see you rip up that sage green carpeting and replace it with a rich hardwood ... and of course add a plush, lush white shag rug! How fabulous will that feel under your piggies at 2 am when you’re up for another feeding? If your current sage green carpet is a fairly low tight carpet you can lay a shag carpet right over the top, this will reduce the amount of green in the room. Tying the sage green into the room shouldn’t be difficult especially if you can cover a good amount of it! Add a few accessories and art with the sage, not just sage but the combination of the grey, pink and sage. It’s no secret I love Etsy and the talented crafters and artist that showcase their goods. Check out a few of these pieces I found that may fit the bill. If not many times you can customize these pieces too! When considering your wall colour ... proceed with caution, pinks can be very tricky, I’ve witnessed more than one bubblegum disaster! Here’s a couple suggestions, for pink.....the best pale pinks have underlying peach tones, which may conflict with the pinks in your bedding etc. For the pink try Benjamin Moore’s Gentle Butterfly. Grey tones might be the best route as the colour will create a great back drop to the pink and white, I suggest Grey Sky it’s understated enough that it will blend well with variations of greys. Send pictures when you’re done ... I can’t wait to see what you’ve done!! quarter 3 | 2014

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I’d love your colour ideas for my living room/music conservatory (big room with fireplace/mantel-wood surround, crown moulding, French doors to foyer, built-in bookcases, antique cherry highboy, a piano, and a large organ)... southern exposure, hardwood floor, an oriental rug i’ll keep (golds, cream, black, blues), upholstery on sofa is patterned in similar shades. ready to ‘lose’ the gold/cream wall-trim combo... I’m feeling drawn to perhaps a slate grey/medium charcoal for the walls with an almost white for trim, and maybe just a hint of a very light grey-blue for ceiling. Thoughts? Thanks! ~ Jan LaFountain Melnik

Pour me a glass of wine and invite Jim Brickman over ... this room sounds amazing! With the southern exposure you can most likely handle some cooler tones. If your ceilings are high you can pull off another colour on the ceiling, here’s a couple combos: For a warmer palette of grays, use Benjamin Moore’s Equestrian Gray for the wall compliment this, with Icicle for the trim, and finish off the ceiling with Tapestry Beige. For a cooler palette of grays use Shadow Gray on the walls pair this with Calm for the ceilings then punch up the trim with Chantilly Lace. I’m very curious to see the final outcome .. make sure you send pictures!

How do I pick a material that has a pattern for curtains in my living room that would also go with a couch that has a pattern? I’m tired of solid coloured curtains. ~ Patty Bevins Erdman

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Maybe a question, maybe a statement but here it goes... i would love to paint my upstairs bathroom in a colour that mimics lichen when it is its brightest. what colour would that be and what type of paint should i use, eggshell, Lichen. I always found it a little amusing that a fungus could be so beautiful! Everyone sees colour differently. My interpretation of Lichen washable, might be grossly different from yours, although I’d be more than happy satin...? to give you a few suggestions to try, like Benjamin Moore Silver Marlin, ~ Aleta Gudelski

Palladian Blue or Turquoise Mist. Keep in mind your lighting will change these colours so its best to try samples first. As far as the finish of the paint, the higher the sheen, the more you will see imperfections on your walls, but in a bathroom where steam could be building up, I’d suggest minimally going with a eggshell to curtail streaking water marks from steam build up. Let me know how you make out!

I had a client ask me once if there was a ‘Garanimals’ for home decorating, I laughed and said “Yep, hire a designer!” Believe it or not there are ‘rules’ to mixing and matching patterns! Basically change your pattern or change your scale! For example if your sofa is a plaid, you can certainly mix florals, mini prints stripes and if you’re really careful you can even use checks! Just keep in mind the eyes like resting points So if you’re sofa is overly patterned and the only other opportunity for pattern is directly behind the sofa, solid window treatments with accent banding maybe more successful. quarter 3 | 2014

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colour....such an important, but confusing (to some!) design element! i always hear designers talk about “cool” and “warm” colours. what is the difference and how can we tell? thanks!! always wondered!! ~ Mary Jones

Mary ... great question! I like to associate the colour wheel with nature. The ‘warmer’ colours are ones we can find in the sun .... ‘cooler’ colours are ones we find in ice and snow. Of course there are many variations in between! The colour wheel can almost be divided right down the middle on this cool/warm line ... but ahhhh, look closely ... we then we have warm versions and cooler versions of a colour. For example check out the two greens at the top of this colour wheel the one on the left has more blue, making it a cooler green. The green on the right has more yellow making it a warmer version. Remember your Kindergarten finger painting? Mix blue and yellow and wallah ... you have green! The proportion of yellow to blue will dictate its colour temperature. Colour temperature, can be hard to diagnose, as many times it is dictated by adjoining colourations. Colours can also take on the characteristics of their surroundings. So a red may look just red by itself but expose it to some orange tones and it could look more plum or tomato depending on what it’s own underlying colour is! Crazy I know ... as my girlfriend Tracey said to me one day after I attempted to explain to her that her room really wasn’t chocolate brown, it was really more gray brown ...”Yeah, whatever Lis, just pick out the colour ....” When all else fails ..... call a professional, wink!

i have low flat ceilings. What is the best colour to paint them to give the illusion of loft? ~ Leslie Korzon

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i want to colour the walls of my bedroom and have a very tranquil room but i’m not into blues. i’ll take any suggestions, thanks! ~ Tamie Carter

Tamie, I’m impressed, you’ve done a little homework. Yes, blues are associated with tranquil, calming feelings, this is why so many spas use the colouration. A peaceful environment can still certainly be created and avoid blues. Consider using very little colour, I believe many times less is more. A bedroom in a series of variations of whites and soft taupes for example can be incredibly soothing. Check out this combination I built around a bedding line from Legacy Linens.

Wait what? You can’t see the grass any colour but green? That’s ok! Give me a call, I’ll show you what Harry Chapin meant when he sang, “There are so many colours in the rainbow, So many colours in the morning sun, So many colours in the flower and I see everyone” ..... You see, the world of colour and design is exciting! Beat your own drum, or start your own band ... I promise you’ll be thrilled with the outcome.

Leslie, low ceilings are difficult to raise visually. Keep your ceiling light, preferably a white. One of my staple whites is Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. White Dove is also a fabulous trim colour, I have yet to find a colour it doesn’t work with! If you have crown molding in this space, I would highly recommend that the crown and ceiling be painted the same colour. This little trick makes the transition from wall to ceiling almost impossible to delineate, it ‘blurs’ the line between the two and visually raises the ceiling ... I know I’m brilliant!

BIGlisaTHANKS! davenport lisadavenportdesigns.com

rosanne photo by Angela Fama

FEATURE

CONNECT

and the spaces in-between

photo by Angela Fama

Favourite subject matter : landcapes, abstraction

website

www.rosannebennett.com

www.pinterest.com/winningstripes

Rosanne Bennett is an artist with a quiet and unique style, who draws on the beauty in the natural world around her.

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photo by Angela Fama

ION T C DU O R T I N

As a kid I’m pretty sure I always wanted to be an artist. While I was growing up I had a lot of support and encouragement in that way from my family and friends, so I feel I was pretty lucky. You know, I think I just really love to work with my hands. I love to create, to draw and to form images. A lot of my career choices have hinged on that ability and nope, “no regrets…!!”

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I am an artist, though that’s often been a difficult title for me to accept. I have often found myself too shy to describe myself as an artist first, because I have balanced a number of different jobs while also working on my own artwork. At this moment I balance my art practice, while working with thoroughbred horses on my family’s farm. It’s a 50/50 commitment that thankfully has room for a lot of give and take and countless rewards. (If you’ve ever seen a newborn foal stand-up for the first time you’d know!).

From the series Land Marks, Clearcut, mixed media on board 2013

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Do you have formal training, are you self- taught or a combination?

What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why?

Right out of high school I studied Fine Arts at the Okanagan College in Kelowna. I then moved to Vancouver to study painting and printmaking at Emily Carr College of Art & Design with a BFA in 1994. I returned to school for a Diploma in Art History from UBC in 2012.

Many favourites!!â&#x20AC;ŚLandcapes, abstraction and the spaces in between that reference non-objective and sometimes geometric forms. This includes what surrounds me in my every day life so all of these themes have become present in my artwork. Sometimes I will explore these subjects individually and in-depth through a series, or more often they all just happen at once.

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What is your background, as in is your creative work you do now your lifelong career or have you done different things before this?

photos by Angela Fama

After art school I was keen on finding new and interesting non-commercial venues for emerging artists to show their work, and of course show my own artwork. In 1996 I started a small retail business with friends that allowed me access to the shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s informal wall space for a gallery. While the flowers and our designs paid the rent, it was perfect as a space for an off-the-mainstream gallery. I was able meet new artists and continue with making my own art by creating regular exhibition deadlines for all of us. Through both the floral retail business and an additional small-artistrun gallery, I spent twelve years coordinating local emerging artist exhibitions in Vancouver. I really enjoyed the whole process of presenting artists work - this gave me invaluable experiences and opportunities to continue meeting so many great artists and supporters of the arts. The artist-run gallery: Columbia St. Studio, Vancouver, BC, Canada The flower shop with gallery: The Flower Factory, Vancouver, BC, Canada

my favorite tools My favourite materials have always been graphite or charcoal with a nice new Staedtler eraser.

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From the series Land Marks, Alpine Rocks, mixed media on board 2013

From the series Nursing Manual II, Rubber Bag, collage 2013

favorite career achievement... I would have to admit that as far as creative achievements it would be through helping to build the retail flower business The Flower Factory. Though I stepped away from the business after 12 years, I am still very happy and proud for its successes.

photo by Angela Fama Where do you work from, tell us about your workspaces and places... More and more Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to work from my home. I make use of the attic in this old house we (husband, geriatric cat and I) are renting - its quite charming and a gem of an old home, but realllllly cold in the winter - the space heater has become my best friend. Basically, as long as I have a wall to work on and a good ventilating window nearby - Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy. This one comes with a view = bonus!

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inspiration

I’m inspired by seeing in new ways - for example, noticing how the sun casts a particular shadow in the winter, framing a photo a different way, all discoveries of what I’ve never noticed before often something that’s always been there, up close and right in front of me.

From the series Land Marks, Diamond Mine, mixed media on board 2013

From the series Nursing Manual II, The Pulse, collage 2013

What is your work schedule like? When I have a deadline I can set out a plan of so many hours per day to desired completion. (In the early years I would be left freaking out finishing my projects in the wee hours - haha, who am I kidding? this still happens….). Otherwise I just enjoy bursts of creative activity and inspiration whenever they occur.

If you’re having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? If its cold (like now) I’ll throw myself into supercleaning…maybe even the whole house - once all these simple yet tedious tasks are complete I am thankful to be back to my project at hand. Really good music can help too….. Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or community organizations through your creative work? There are so many charities that are worth the effort - I find that donating my time can be more rewarding than donating artwork - but every fundraising situation is different, as I’ve also donated a painting for an artist that lost her work in a studio fire, to an animal rescue organization and to not-for-profit gallery fundraisers.

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From the series Nursing Manual II, Sterile Brush, collage 2013

A COUPLE of

When I was 9, my mom encouraged me into taking an oil painting class with a ‘famed and local’ westerntheme painter. My fingernails grow at an alarming rate.

my favorites...

I’ve enjoyed following certain writers, namely Doris Lessing, Timothy Findlay, Haruki Mirakami, Margaret Atwood and David Sedaris. More recently I’m beginning to follow Lisa Moore and Joan Didion. I really love movies - some of my favourite movies that have stood out (or I have seen several times) include: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? All About Eve

Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? What’s on your ipod/iphone?

The Princess Bride

Yes - music while I work! I have a constant selection of albums that I’m nearly exhausting by over-playing... Dark Side, Simian Mobile Disco, Major Lazer, Daft Punk and when I’m feeling sombre a little Feist or James Blake.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Young Frankenstein Blade Runner Upstream Colour Okay, food that I find the tastiest but that I sooo cannot cook properly: Thai Food. Some favourite artists (this is just a short-list): Louise Bourgeois, Daniel Buren, Dana Claxton, Marcel Dzama, Betty Goodwin, Angela Grossman, Mona Hatoum, Ryan Heshka, Eva Hesse, Hannah Höch, Brian Jungen, Robert Motherwell, Mark Rothko, Jean-Paul Riopelle, Tom Thompson, Cy Twombly…. quarter 3 | 2014

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From the series Land Marks, Tree Grove and Buren Stripes, mixed media on board 2013

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Do you do your creative work full time, part time, or as a hobby?

When you begin a project what is generally your creative process?

Right now I balance working in the studio and researching my art projects on a part time schedule.

I try to start with some of the ‘prep stuff’ - ie: measuring, priming, sizing, cutting, sanding…and anything technical like stripes I will then measure and sketch that out first. I get used to the pencil or paintbrush back in my hand and then everything seems to flow from there. I also work on loosening control and have poured ink or coffee on the surface to break up the surface.

Do you have any hobbies that are really different from your creative work? My biggest hobby is getting out with my horse - it keeps us both active and outdoors - love it! I have replaced bike riding in the city with horse riding in the country. Its great because we’ve been learning together, I’m feeling pretty lucky. Where do you find inspiration? Outdoor settings, vistas, and lighting - it can surprise and overwhelm me - I’ve documented parts of the highway drive between Vancouver and the Okanagan, which helped fuel research for my recent series Land Marks. I can find inspiration in objects that surround me – like working with images from my mother’s nursing manuals from the 50s I found I thought a lot about her while making the collages (guess I could tell her that?). I also have discovered that just hanging out with the horses on the family farm has been a new place to chill with them, to meditate on ideas, share some good nose-pets…

How do you know when a project is finished? When I feel I’m close to complete, I usually make myself take a break from the work and come back to it after a few days …or weeks before making any final decisions. Experienced the hard way, I have learned the art of patience and the benefits of not over working a surface.

etc... As I’ve mentioned, I currently work with thoroughbreds from my parent’s farm – many of which move onto different athletic careers after retiring from racing. My family has a website that lists these amazing horses: http://flyinghorsefarm.ca

From the series Nursing Manual II, Infection, collage 2013

What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? Ahhh…my Dad started saying the phrase “what’s your five year plan?” when I graduated from art school…I think he actually tried it on the whole family …and without success (haha). I still don’t really know how to answer that type of question without feeling a bit of a youthful panic…. Okay, I know I will be happy…

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Do you have any current projects or future plans you’d like to share? My husband Larry and I are working with a handfull of artists/friends who we both have invited to the farmhouse where we currently rent. It is working out to be a form of a casual residency. The artists usually only have a short amount of time - a weekend to a week with a space for their work to begin or to be completed - or both! At the end of our stay these creations, writings, ideas will be available digitally (stay tuned for fall 2014 - posted on rosannebennett.com)

FEATURE

jill slaney

There are no rules.

CONNECT

I’m still learning, trying new things, I don’t think that ever stops.

website

www.jillslaneyart.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/jillslaneyart www.facebook.com/kittymeowmeowstuff

@ Jillslaney

Jill Slaney lives and works in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where she brings the abstract to life with brilliant colour in her own true style!

www.pinterest.com/jillslaney

ION T C DU O R T I N I’ve always been creative. My parents have always said “when you were little, you were happy if you had a piece of paper and some crayons” haha...they’re right, I really was. Even in high school I was always doodling instead of paying attention. I should’ve paid more attention, but art was where my heart was. Our school dropped all of their creative programs so I guess doodling was my only outlet. I’m still learning, trying new things, I don’t think that ever stops. I’m always trying to improve and experiment, go in different directions. There are no rules. I love to draw,paint, make jewelry, the list goes on and on and it’s always changing! Why stick to just one?!

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I studied Textiles at College Of The North Atlantic in St. John’s, Newfoundland. My courses consisted of drawing, colour theory, knitting, weaving, natural dye, screen printing, sewing, art history, among other things. Being in that program definitely helped hone my skills. We didn’t spend a lot of time focusing on painting, I did a little in my design work, but I’m mostly self taught in that area.

I started selling paintings here and there after our son was born. Before that I was working retail and didn’t really have the time to devote to being creative...I would draw, and sometimes paint, but I never thought I could make it work. Then when our son came along, I found myself at home permanently, and started painting nonstop whenever I could. People started enquiring as I would post things on Facebook, and I started selling them. I really think everything in life plays out exactly the way it’s supposed to. Everyone is on a different path. Mine has slowly but surely been leading me back into the art world. I love painting and making crazy fun stuff, if I couldn’t be creative on a daily basis, I’d feel really empty inside.

favorite quote...

o everything with a mind that lets go, do not expect praise or ~ Achaan chah reward. quarter 3 | 2014

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favorite career achievement... In my second year of studies at CONA I received The Heather Stone Emerging Artist award at The Halifax ACTS show. That was a great moment, I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expecting that at all. That memory always makes me smile :)

What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? I’ve always wanted this to be my lifelong career, and I believe someday it will get to that point where it can be, but I have done different things. I was an interior decorator at a paint store for 2-1/2 years, which I’m really grateful for, it taught me a lot, and I still use those skills today. Where do you work from, tell us about your workspaces and places... I work from home. I have a room that I’ve converted into a studio space. It used to be our guest room, but I’ve claimed it and kind of taken it over lol.

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What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? And least favorite? I like the female form. I like painting women. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m all over the place with my subject matter, but I really enjoy painting the female form, getting all girly with the colours and frills and hair, Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of fun. I think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to start doing even more of that ;) I hate landscapes. I love nature just as much as the next person, and I have mad respect for artists that are into that kind of thing but something about painting that stuff just really turns me off. Its not exciting to me.

inspiration

Other artists inspire me, Picasso is a huge influence of mine, Denis Chiasson is another, stuff that I see in magazines, online. Sometimes Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be at the park with my son, and see some other mom with a bright coloured bag or see a flower or an object around town, and it just kind of gets my mind going and takes off from there. Life is inspiring! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to get out and enjoy everything, see something different, appreciate.... appreciation breeds creativity.

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Do you sell your work? If so where? Any tips on pricing your work? I mostly sell my work through Facebook and gallery shows here and there. As for pricing, I believe when it comes to pricing you should never sell yourself short. I think the amount of time you work on something, the materials used, the size, all of that should be taken into account. Be confident, believe in your work and others will too. What is your work schedule like? I work on my art whenever I can fit it in, normally after 8pm. My husband works, and I stay at home with our 3 yr old, and he’s normally in bed by then ;) If you’re having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? I meditate. It’s my game changer. I used to think it was silly, but since I’ve started making it a daily practise in my life, I can honestly say it’s an invaluable tool; It wipes out stress, helps me appreciate the “now” , keeps me present, focused and boosts creativity....love it! Hooked for life ..give it a try! Even 3 minutes can make a difference :)

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my favorite tools Windsor & Newton Acrylic paints and brushes, gel mediums, sometimes I use really thin tissue paper for texture. I love palette knives, sticks, old Costco membership cards for spreading paint lol ....I think it depends on the painting and what I have lying around ;) I wish I could find a way to use more glitter ....I’m obsessed with it, but it just doesn’t work at all with anything that I do...some day glitter, some day!!

Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? I don’t really spend a lot of money weekly on art supplies. I do pick it up as I need it, replenish old stuff when it gets worn down, It all adds up tho....art isn’t cheap, and you should never buy under par supplies, it makes a huge difference in how easily you work and the finished product. You need to be working with good tools.

What is your go-to, always reliable media or tool? Painting with acrylics is my favourite way to express myself creatively. I love a lot of different mediums, pencil drawing, collage, paper mache, but acrylics are my thing.

I have a twin sister.

My childhood dream was to model or act.

My sister and I want to collaborate on a children’s book someday.

Do you listen to music while you work?

my favorites...

Yes, music is a must! I listen to a little bit of everything....Arcade Fire, Amy Winehouse, broken bells, vampire weekend, Charles Bradley, David Bowie, The B-52s, Tegan and Sara, Sinead O’connor, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys ....I could go on and on and on, I love music.

Food: I love Indian food, Korean food, Japanese food...we have some great restaurants here in the city. What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever created? When I was studying textiles, I created a corseted wedding dress completely out of paper. It was pretty cool, wish I’d kept it. Where have you traveled? I’ve been out of Canada only once, I was 6, my family went to Florida. The idea of travelling now sort of freaks me out, I think I watch too much CNN lol...does from the house to the grocery store count? ;)

Books: I’m really digging Gabrielle Bernstein’s books right now, and Jack Canfield is one of my faves. Music: I love so much music, from huge names like Beck, or Led Zeppelin to some of my favourite local bands like Rick Lambe band or The Long Distance runners, Dave Picco, The Novaks, The Once....all amazing :) Watching: I’m really digging Tara Stiles yoga videos on her YouTube channel right now, and I’ve recently discovered this geeky show called “Chuck” that I can’t stop watching lol .

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Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration in everything...books, magazines, tv, walks downtown, things my toddler says, everyday life...

My dad gave me the best advice ever when I was a kid,

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life”. I try to live by that.

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Do you have an inspiration or mood board? Yeah, I keep one on my iPad, it’s great to keep all your positivity quotes/reminders/mantras/goals in one place. I need to remember to look at it more, I’d love to have it out in the open, but I don’t want people to think I’m nuts! Lol

Do you do your creative work full time, part time, or as a hobby? My artwork is definitely part time right now, at least until our son starts kindergarten, then it’s on like donkey kong.....do people still say that?! ...meh,I do! ;)

Do you have any hobbies that are really different from what you do your creative work? I love yoga, meditation, cooking, gardening, decorating, sleep...is sleep a hobby? Cuz I like sleep ALOT! Lol

What do you do to keep work, creative juices, and money flowing? When you begin a Project, what is generally your creative process? Throughout my day I might see a fun image or object that I’m drawn to and incorporate it somehow into my painting, rework it, sometimes until it’s completely unrecognizable. Some days I start off with an idea in my head, some days not, but almost always it turns into something completely different, it’s not up to me, it’s like the art is making itself. That’s the beauty of it, it’s this wonderful surprise at the end, even to me.

How do you know when a project is finished? I know when an art piece is finished when I stop getting ideas and I’m happy with how it looks.

I find exercise helps me get into a creative headspace, meditation helps too. As for the money thing, You can never control that, just keep working. To me, the money thing shouldn’t be why you work, it should be joyful, then the money comes.

Do you have any current projects or future plans you’d like to share? I’m working on a pin-up/burlesque girl series of paintings, may even turn it into a show. I also plan on doing lots more pieces for charity this year. What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? I’m not really sure what the future holds, I know I want to be helping others through my work, the “how” will somehow find me, I guess I’ll just have to trust in that and keep doing what I love to do.

andrew henderson angela yeonmi kim

to compliment each other creatively.

CONNECT

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucky

website

www.designature.me

blog

Andrew Henderson and Yeonmi Kim are a creative duo with a knack for using unexpected materials

eyesage.blogspot.ca www.facebook.com/designature.me @ eye_sage http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/andy-henderson/ 89/b12/5a7/

to create beautifully unique and one-of-a-kind pieces of upcycled and repurposed furniture and home decor. quarter 3 | 2014

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ION T C DU O R T I N We make original furniture, art and home decorations with numerous materials but reclaimed and recycled antique wood has become our trademark. We sometimes upcycle and incorporate antiques. We also do construction, interiors and displays. We both sew and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m also a photographer. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re both trained painters but Yeonmi is the master illustrator and painter. We have so many creative pursuits that the production comes and goes in waves. We got to use many in our first house we built. Then we opened a shop and sold everything and anything we made. 148

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Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve moved across the Pacific to BC and are starting all over again with a major renovation on an antique character house and opening a new shop. After building our house in Korea, Yeonmi wanted to start a shop. We returned to Bali and ordered tons of furniture and decorations and imported it all. We used lots of reclaimed wood for the interior design of the shop and not long after opening , our customers were asking us to custom make pieces. I quit my good job at the university to pursue art and craft full time- a rare dream opportunity- a simple choice really.

At the shop, we got to produce, sell and explore all our skills doing interiors, decorations, paintings, furniture. The last project we did before migrating was a complete commercial building including the design, construction, fixtures and furniture.

favorite quote...

ruth is worth more than pride.

... is my favorite and it extends to all matters of life- being deluded about reality will never bring peace of mind or satisfaction. There are many ways to interpret this. I believe that honesty is paramount. It comes from a Neil Finn song.

Do you have formal training, are you self taught or a combination? We both studied fine arts in university, majoring in painting, but that often means you can do whatever you please. I loved the woodshop at our college so much. I dabbled with furniture after graduation, once I set up my own studio. I did a lot of handyman and trade work so I’ve always collected more tools, skills and knowledge. When we decided to build a house, I knew I had the talents. When the shop orders started taking off, we got more tools and equipment, and I studied books and videos continually. I had made some furniture years ago, but this was an intense crash course. It’s the second trade I got from just doing the job. You tell the customer you can do it- then figure out how to do it. ( the exception to the quote about honesty) We’re both similar in not limiting ourselves creatively and always exploring, learning by doing. Now we can conceive and realize any pretty much anything. It’s incremental of course, so the best is yet to come!

What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? Yeonmi worked in merchandising in the fashion industry and then on to interior design and displays, all the while continuing other personal creations. All her skills merged together and now they include furniture. I went from working in signs and awnings into marine fabric work for yachts, which is a creative and fine skilled trade- making three dimensional stuff out of two dimensional material. The love of travel took me overseas and I was teaching ESL when I met Yeonmi, so that’s definitely different work , however, teaching is the family profession. We’re lucky to compliment each other creatively. She’s more creative and I’m more experienced technically. So I’m the engineer for her architecture. Making functional art is rewarding for both the artisan and buyer. We’re so happy and lucky to bring people pleasure with the things we make- that’s really the greatest reward. It sure beats collecting our own works that don’t sell like countless paintings and drawings from years ago. quarter 3 | 2014

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What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? There’s a variety of themes going on in Yeonmi’s art but nature and freedom are quite evident. I’ve been concerned with nature, environment and sustainability for twenty years , so finally I can say my work addresses the greatest issue of our times. Art object making by its very nature is wholly environmentally unfriendly- it is a luxury, using materials and creating things that serve no functional or necessary purpose. It’s a difficult position for artists concerned with sustainability or environment. By working with natural, recycled and reclaimed materials, we can produce and market our goods as guilt- free, local and earth friendly.

favorite career achievement... The house we built was the most satisfying. It was also the most challenging both for the scope of the project in time and money, and for our new marriage. It was a such a success that the hardships were easily forgotten. We learned a great deal from it whole process. And we had a beautiful home in an idyllic natural setting minutes from the city, so the rewards were numerous.

Where do you work from, tell us about your workspaces and places... We are between our new small retail gallery/studio and the home workshop where the machinery and materials are. And the house is a renovation project so we are immersed in our work continually. We need to collect quite a lot of wood and it has to be constantly managed: kept dry, sorted by kind or size. Storage space is pretty important.

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inspiration Any artists who both master their craft and continually explore; and the beauty and perfection of nature, of course.

I believe exploration is an artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duty; ideas, material, culture. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m at my most creative removed from my normal milieu. quarter 3 | 2014

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our favorite tools My first foray into furniture was with wood that was the old fire escape of my apartment. It was black and gross on the outside and when I ripped it to reveal the luscious tones of aged old growth pine, I was smitten. Recycled wood offers amazing textures and colours. Here on the Pacific Northwest coast there is lots of Douglas fir so that’s kind of the staple now. The old saw blade marks add to the charm. I like to harvest and mill my own wood when possible from blow-downs or other sources. I’ll avoid buying commercially or taking down trees unnecessarily. Free used wood is my favorite. A wood shop takes quite a bit of space, machinery and tools. Setting up the shop is an art in itself. In addition to all the tools and materials for woodworking, we also both need an industrial sewing machine, which we can’t live without. A welding machine also gives us unlimited powers of fabrication.

Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? A woodworking shop is a big investment, but once you have everything, you only routinely spend on adhesives, abrasives, fasteners. Bits and blades are costly. Regular blade sharpening can be expensive if you don’t put in the time and effort to do it yourself. We frequently need more oil for finishing.

Do you have any favorite vintage tools or supplies? I have some sentimental tools that I cherish, given to me by family or friends. They are good quality and they last for years. I have a few items I brought to Korea and back with me. 156

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What is your go-to, always reliable media or tool? The table saw is the heart of every workshop. However, a cordless drill has been a daily part of my working life for 20 years now. It is an extension of my body. Did you ever have any major oops crazy mishaps or things going crazily wrong while working on a project? Sure, and that’s how you learn. Complicated glue-ups with numerous pieces which require every clamp you own can get pretty hectic. I learned how to avoid catastrophic mistakes by working on yachts. Drilling holes into million dollar boats doesn’t allow much room for ‘oops’. If you’re having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? Go to the forest. Breathe in the air. Marvel and integrate with nature. Take our Husky, Blue the happiness counselor. We have a lot of great beaches here and they’re a good substitute for the woods. There’s wood and birds there as well. Cinema is a good escape as well, but not as healthful. quarter 3 | 2014

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What is your work schedule like? Wake up, work, collapse. Start over again. Seriously. Sometimes breaking off for coffee or meals feels more of a burden than work ever is. With that pace, we get to a point of exhaustion, then a day off is in order. My body tells me when to quit and I listen.

Do you sell your work? If so where? Any tips on pricing your work? When I met Yeonmi, she was running a cafe that she designed and had built. She exhibited and sold her work there, and it brought her design and display contracts as well. Three years later we opened our furniture and decoration shop before coming to Canada. We did some markets last year for exposure but now we have a storefront with regular hours. Online shops, and exhibitions are very valuable tools as well. Pricing seems like a never ending compromise.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever made or created? The house we designed and built in Korea was the a huge experiment. We used a lot of second hand materials and learned as we went. The standards are totally different and availability of tools and materials and information radically different than here. It’s better now than 2008 with on-line shopping, but it was tough at times. I have a great manuscript which tells about the house, its construction, the pastoral village and community, our relationship and all the challenges and rewards we experienced during the undertaking. Have you won any awards or special prizes/ mentions for your work? Yeonmi won an award given by a prominent home and lifestyle magazine for her work on our Korean house . They did a feature on us and sent us to Hawaii as the prize. That spawned a TV feature for a show about modern country living, and another architecture magazine feature. Then we turned down about a dozen more TV offers in the three years after that. In that case it was deciding between inspiring others, self-promotion or being entertainment. We weren’t short of opportunities in Korea.

Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? Music my constant companion, like breathing. The serenity of nature far from civilization is the only time I’m without music. I listen to absolutely everything. Reggae is what sets me right when I need energy. I’m fascinated by Africa and the diversity of its music there are sounds and rhythms that make no sense to westerners. Like jazz, there is so much to discover compared to formulaic popular music, of which I also overindulge. I could never tire to listen or talk about music. Good and frequent local concerts is one thing I missed most about Canada when living in Korea Yeonmi loves music just as much but not in an obsessive compulsive way like me. She often tires of the strangeness of some of my choices and longs for more soothing sounds or just plain quiet. I’m congenitally hearing impaired so I like it loud enough to hear all the instruments and such.

etc... Some of my greatest heroes are musicians who have dedicated themselves to their craft and explored and experimented tremendously. Or they are groundbreakers or have real and valuable things to say about art and individuality, civil rights, politics. Some are genius innovators and have expanded the realm of reality in arts or thought. These include Bob Marley, Neil Young, Roger Waters, Daniel Lanois, Jaco Pastorius, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, the Beatles, Robbie Robbertson, Neil Finn, David Bowie, Bruce Cockburn... the list is extensive. I like a good melody but if the accompanying lyric is shallow, it doesn’t move me. Probably my favorite current group are the Decemberists. Colin Meloy is an adventurous and gifted songwriter and they can play any style of music. I consider all my artist heroes as teachers. Mostly they are musicians or writers- the most accessible form of arts. I have favorite painters and visual artists but you can only embrace their work on the occasions we travel and visit galleries. Images and reproductions of most art objects don’t move you in a fraction of the way the real thing would.

Do you have any hobbies that are really different from what you do in your creative work? Not really. Everything contributes to a life of art , lived creatively. And exercise benefits brain function as well as the physical body, so it’s all related. I think about my work when I swim or cycle or hike, or look for wood as I go along! Neither of us has any interest in fantasy of any sort. We don’t play video games or participate in much that has no relation to reality. Truth is stranger than fiction, as the saying goes, and this big world has a lot to offer. We tend to read more non-fiction than fiction. We both love film but Yeonmi’s mostly interested in artistic merit. I need to escape reality with sci-fi, or action or comedies sometimes.

our favorites... Where do you find inspiration? We listen to materials. Some objects or pieces of wood stand out and speak for themselves. It sounds cliche but its true. We both started art making as painters where the practice is to use stock materials to produce something that is likely to be preconceived. If the creativity is all in the design stage, then the rest is merely rendering. We’re lucky when we can continue to have fun and make decisions throughout the process.

Where have you traveled? Between the two of us, we have visited over 60 countries. I lived in Africa and Europe as a child. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a major part of our lives and why we are a couple. We are trying to design our lives to facilitate regular travel. Our future may see living on other continents again or having places in either country simultaneously. Travel is the greatest education and truest teacher about all aspects of life on earth. It also is a source of inspiration and creativity as you learn that there are so many different versions of reality amongst humans. We both are nomads and have no problem moving around frequently, actually we embrace it. The most difficult part is having both work and travel. We took a two month trip in central Europe late 2012 after selling our house and shop in Korea.

Recycled wood can be tricky: there are nails, cracks, paint, shrunken knots to deal with. CyanoAcrylate fast curing glue is my best friend for stabilizing cracks, knots or filling holes. As much as I love power tools and shortcuts, nothing beats old world technology: hand planes, steel wool, chisels, hand saws, linseed or tung oil.

When you begin a project, what is generally your creative process? We have tons of ideas. And there are millions of furniture makers , so we strive to be really unique. We often simply just respond to the limitations with the material- how much of it there is, really. Once those parameters are established then decisions can be made about what design and size can be produced with what’s available. Is is not so easy with custom orders this way when you can’t just buy more of the material you use, because it doesn’t exist or isn’t available, so customers have to be flexible.

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favorite quote...

it’s worth doing, its worth doing well. My closest friend, Roy Chandler, taught me that when we were in college- now he’s our partner at our new shop. He approached us for the venture so I guess he approves of my efforts! Always do your best at anything do and you’ll be at least satisfied.

What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? More travel, more creating. Bigger and better creations. And we hope to have a permanent hideaway with a dream studio where we can horde wood and antiques and bits to keep making stuff till we drop dead. I have a goal to live off the grid in 10 years from now, set up a self sufficient home/farm/studio to enjoy a tranquil life more in tune with nature. quarter 3 | 2014

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denise corcoran of thriftybydesign.ca shares an upcycled flowery brooch you can make yourself for a quick and “kewL” gift, or any time you need a dose of spring time crafty fun!

project FELTED UPCYCLED WOOL

FLOWER BROOCHES BY DENISE CORCORAN

Hi again my Made in Mag peeps! I’m back and I have another funky tutorial. We’re making more kewl stuff out of ‘junk’. This one is a new addiction for me. Just like my tutorial in issue two, wine cork earrings, I am lovin’ these floral brooches made from upcycled wool sweaters (my friends are too since they’ve been receiving ‘gratitude gifties’ in person and via snail mail) and I’m sure you will too!

THRIFTY BY DESIGN THRIFTYBY DESIGN.CA

www.facebook.com/ThriftyByDesign

feature

@ThriftyByDesign

contributor

@thriftybydesign

ARTICLE

www.pinterest.com/thriftybydesign quarter 3 | 2014

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Felted Flower Brooch TUTORIAL

by denise corcoran, thriftybydesign.ca You’ll need the following supplies:

BIG THANKS! denise corcoran thriftybydesign.ca

• • • • • • •

a felted wool sweater something round approximately 3 inches in diameter chalk scissors a bar pin embroidery needle* embroidery floss*

* feel free to use a regular needle and regular thread if that’s all you have

let’s get started!

Before you get started making brooches, you’ll need to felt a wool sweater. Luckily I had a bunch of scraps leftover from the Repurpose Old Clothing Upcycling Workshop I had in partnership with the City of Richmond in January. I went crazy before the workshop! I’m a thrift store groupie it turns out. ;-)

1. First step is to trace out six rounds. As you can see I used the top of a glass for my ‘pattern’. Once you’ve traced the six rounds then cut them out. 166

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2. Now that we have the six rounds good to go we’re ready to hand stitch together our swanky floral brooch. You’ll want a long piece of thread since you can easily stitch the six rounds together and the bar pin using one continuous stitch.

Take one round and fold it in half. Then fold it in half again. Next is to stitch the middle of the round where all the folds connect. You want to stitch this to ensure the folds stay in place.

Now take the second round and fold it in half. Then fold it in half again. Place the middle of the second round alongside the first round. Note: you want the fold in the opposite direction. Hand stitch the two rounds together where the folds connect.

Once you’ve stitched all six rounds together you should have a flower. Easy peasy! The final step is to sew the bar pin to the back of the wool flower.

3. For rounds three to six you want to fold in half then fold in half again then add to your floral. You want to add them together where you stitch the center of the folds together but in a different direction each time. By doing this you create a flower.

And you’re done! It’s quite the quick and dirty upcycling project. I made a bunch out of different scrap pieces of felted wool sweaters. You can always get super duper funky and use various colours together or add scrap buttons maybe even repurposed jewelry to add bling to your floral brooch. I’m actually going to attempt making a headband with mini flowers next. Why not?!

Happy crafting everyone… Until next time! quarter 3 | 2014

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anita photo by Angela Fama

FEATURE

made with my hands and my time.

CONNECT

...my own design,

website

www.anitasikma.com www.facebook.com/AnitaSikmaDesign

@anitasikma

Anita Sikma lives and

www.linkedin.com/pub/anita-sikma/ 5a/716/ab0

works in Vancouver, BC, creating beautiful and original jewellery designs, full of thoughtful details and Art Deco-inspired style. quarter 3 | 2014

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photo by Angela Fama

ION T C DU O R T I N

I’m a practising jewellery designer. Everything that has my stamp AS on it, is my own design and made with my hands and my time. I guess I’m fitted in the bracket of someone who has always been artistic. I know that sounds cheesey, it is totally cheesey. But it’s true, I’ve always been creative and when it came to academics I always struggled. I’m not a total disaster, but I never applied myself in any other way than the arts. In my second year of post secondary studies, I had the opportunity to choose “textiles” or “jewellery” as electives in my Foundation year at ACAD. I obviously knew myself well enough to say, yah I wanna take jewellery 100%, but my girlfriend and roommate at the time fully convinced me because

“you love jewellery”. All of this sounds so cheesey, but it’s exactly how it went down. I was one of those teens that wore all the necklaces I could comfortably fit around my neck and whatever didn’t fit, I’d loop through one of my purse straps. I was incredibly tacky, wore tons of arm bands, rings...I even wore those belly charm chains around my ankles and made a complete racket when I passed through the hallways of my highschool. I thought it was cool, maybe it was? But thankfully I grew up and refined my style. After a year in Calgary at ACAD, I packed up and moved to Vancouver. I left my friends and left jewellery behind. I transferred to ECIAD (Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design) and continued my studies AKA party time/early 20’s/student loans money/loose wallet and irresponsible decisions without

favorite quote...

the option of jewellery as a course at ECIAD. I lasted a little bit over a semester at ECIAD before I dropped out and got a full-time job that I hated. A few months later I enrolled in the Jewellery Design and Metalsmithing diploma program at VCC (Vancouver Community College).

My best bet would be to go with what my mom always says to me,

ust

take one step at a time.

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You will always be a student, never take yourself too seriously.

What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? I started out my post-secondary thinking I was just gonna study art, master my drawing skills and take it from there, basically had no clue what the hell I was doing, but had student loan funding to make it comfortable. For the past eight or so years this has been my full-time passion and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had full-time jobs to support my studio work. However, over the last few years, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked part-time and been able to focus more and more on this. For the last year, jewellery is solely what I do, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I intended my career to be so I work hard at it.

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my favorite tools My most favorite tool is my hand saw, ‘cuz I feel it’s the most essential for what I do. My second favorite would be my knife graver, and third my dividers. I work mostly with green carving wax, I have a box full of odd cuts, fuck ups and unfinished unworthy attempts on projects. I seriously can’t part with them, I’m a bit of a nostalgia hoarder. This past December I got a Ryobi grinder, took the stone wheels off and threw on some soft cotton wheels. It’s what pretty much every jeweller has in their space, it’s kinda essential. I sold my big polisher back in my 20’s, dumb decision. So everything before the Ryobi was polished using my flex shaft, the worst ever, took forever and killed my wrists. Glad that’s over.

Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? Ya, it’s a costly career for sure! Metal is expensive! I try my best to save all my scraps and fillings and buy silver when it’s down. Tools aren’t cheap, but if you take care of them they can last a long time. I’m still working with the basics of my tools since I was a student. I mostly burn through emery paper, polishing compounds, cotton wheels, rubber wheels and I’m great destroying my soldering tweezers... so mostly just those things.

Do you have any favorite vintage tools or supplies? Not so much vintage supplies/tools but I’ve collected pieces of machinery for years. I find stuff on the road or out at my dad’s mechanic shop, like big rusted washers or old wrenches, engine bits, those sort of things I love! My favorite tool is my Miter vise, it’s a perfect bench accessory...and it’s handheld and manual, so you don’t need to worry too hard about losing your fingers. In my last year of studies I bought almost all my equipment and some tools secondhand. Some jeweller was getting rid of his old tools and posted a sign on the board outside of the first year studio. I snagged it, called him up and that weekend me, and my fellow classmate and friend Cera, drove out to his place. I wrote him a cheque for $1100 with my student loan money, we crammed it all into her little car. He gave us each a bottle of water along with lots of great and weird advice, like “always stay hydrated, depression is the first sign of dehydration”. Also gave us handfuls of mixed nuts before we left, I kept thinking of my mom examining all our Halloween candies and here’s me eating salted cashews from a stranger. Still have the tools/equipment, made it out alive.

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Where do you work from? Tell us about your work spaces and places...

What is your favorite subject matter or theme?

I have a great little studio space in East Vancouver, close enough that it’s a short bike ride from where I live. It’s just under the 1st Street bridge and tucked into the corner of a big garage. In the main garage there is a metal fabricating company, a few dudes with torches/ welding gear and a constant reverb of noise from that and all the jam spaces and motorcycle shops around me. I used to live and work out of an old studio/bachelor apartment on Main and 10th, so having my own space to work that separates living with work is frickin’ amazing. I absolutley love it.

I’d have to say Art Deco is my favorite theme of art. I use a lot of lines, play on symmetry and perspective, shapes etc. I like to see flaws in art, I want to know it was handmade. I love seeing drawings that have no eraser marks and you can see “mistakes” as soft gestural lines the artist made ‘til they found the proper stroke. If I were to group myself into a ‘theme’ I would like it to be decorative arts. Makes most sense?

What is your work schedule like? It’s kinda whatever works, like if I have major deadline I’m in my shop as much as possible. I work hard when I need to, never miss deadlines and always stay creative. By far the summer is the hardest. Can’t help but reference David Bowie.. know when to go out, know when to stay in...get things done...

Least favorite and why? I’m not a huge fan of a lot of things, I’m over seeing lots of the same designs being handmade. I guess when designs are mass produced, people see them, they become everyone’s own, open to anyone’s interpretation. I just wish I would see more new ideas and less of the same ideas.

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inspiration I’m totally mystified with Art Deco jewellery, for example Raymond Templier’s work and the sketches he made... incredible! I’m still inspired by my instructor Dariusz Bebel, he will continue to be my jewellery hero... total hard ass, mad skill and impeccable patience.

Anyone who is driven and challenges themselves inspires me.

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Do you sell your work? If so, where? My favorite type of work would be custom/ commission-based. I love making a single piece that someone will have for years and pass on through generations, and most of time those are wedding/ engagement rings so it’s already exciting. It’s an incredible feeling seeing something you made adorning someone else’s body. I sell online and in just a few local stores, Cavalier Gastown, Eugene Choo and online though Garmentory. This year is my time to branch out more, I feel I have a bit more work to show and look forward to spreading out across Canada, getting into some American shops and possibly Europe, but yet remaining quite exclusive.

Did you ever have any major oops crazy mishaps or things going crazily wrong while working on a project? Oh yes! The worst by far is the couple times I’ve finished a labor intensive wax ring and dropped it on my concrete floors. I sketch out almost all of my design ideas before I start working on them, but everything grows and changes as you work. So, that being said it was incredibly dramatic those times. Glad no one was around to see those reactions... If your having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? I’m a pretty stubborn person, but I don’t give up. If something is going terribly wrong, I make myself make it work. If that requires a minor freak out, so be it. I’m the worst at taking a break, or calling it a day, I kinda enjoy a bit of suffering.

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What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever made or created? Oh that’s an easy one, my first year end of term project. It was a Victorian styled headdress that sat around your collar bone and had large wires looped and soldered around it and then was covered in tight iridescent nylon. Ya, really weird...sort of more costumey than jewellery. I guess I was experimenting? I finally got rid of it last June when I was moving, it felt great to destroy it.

I love listening to new country on the radio.

I’m hooked on American Idol.

My mom almost named me Bonita.

Do you do your creative work full-time, part-time, or as a hobby? This was part-time for years, I kept afloat working in cafes as a barista. But now it’s full time, but never was a hobby. How do you balance life, work, play, and down time? That’s the easiest part of my job, the balance is so easily submitted through life/work/play because it’s who I’ve become.

Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? I always have music on, it’s the first thing I do when I get to work. When I moved in with my boyfriend I took all my records and stereo to my studio, so there is a large variety to listen to. It all depends on my mood really, but I love keeping it loud. The last album I played was Dusty in Memphis, Dusty Springfield.

What do you do to keep work, creative juices, and money flowing? I love to draw, I’m constantly sketching down ideas. I think that keeping a creative mind/journal helps me stay motivated and focussed, gives me that motive to create. Also just keeping up with social media has been helpful, but as far as money “flowing” haven’t quite hit that yet, but intend on it.

my favorites...

etc... To be totally honest, I’m not a big book person. I only read something if it’s an instructional manual, guide, technique or an article I’m interested in, like in a magazine or something. That being said, I f’n love fashion magazines! The favoritist movie I’ve seen lately is Karl Lagerfeld Draws His Life. My favorite artists are Tamara de Lempicka, George Barbier, Patrick Nagel, Jason Nocito, Andy Dixon, Ben Frey, and my friends LACAR jewelery, there’s a lot of art I love but those are my favorites.

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When you begin a project, what is generally your creative process? I start most of my pieces off with series of thumbnail sketches, then I graduate to a more a concise design/ illustration or proposal. Then I draft it, and once it’s drafted I translate that into 3D form by observation. Nothing is ever traced, there are no computers or lasers used, everything is handmade. I’ve learned that my mistakes can also end up being successful designs. When I’m working in wax, I draft onto the wax then the shape is cut out, worked on (designs), cut/engraved, filed, sanded, smoothed, lots...etc. and then cast (I try to document/photograph all my steps, but get lost and caught up in moments... still haven’t successfully done that). If this is the first piece (not yet produced) it’s treated from start to finish. For example, after wax is cast into metal it needs a lot of filing, sanding and polishing etc. to get it smooth enough to be molded.

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Then a rubber mold is made out of that form, the rubber mold will be the mother to every piece cast. A wax is injected into the rubber mold and then each wax is carefully handled, seams are removed, lines are cut deeper... it’s reworked. Once those are done, it is cast again, then ‘produced’ into the desired metal. Then we remove file, sand...solder..clean, patina...polish. It’s a lengthy process for every piece. I’m not the greatest at explaining it, but you get the idea? How do you know when a project is finished? I know a piece is finished or nearing finished by the steps and guidelines I was taught, and the ones I learn and practice. Polishing is usually my last step, also stamping my hallmark ‘AS’. But in reference to knowing when a design is finished, that’s totally subjective, you just know... really, it’s just a feeling of satisfaction.

Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or communtiy organizations through your work?

What does the future hold for you and your work-where do you see yourself in a few years?

Yes I do, I have a charity set up at Cavalier Fine Jewellery Shop. Just over a year ago a greatly talented musician and friend of our lost his battle to colon cancer. In his honor his family and friends set up an account called The Jay Hamilton Memorial Association, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funded by those who love and knew him by their generous donations and impeccable support. Proceeds fund a music scholarship, festivals and raising awareness.

I hope to see myself leading an all-female production team for Anita Sikma Design. I would love to hire extra hands for polishing, filing, sanding, patinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s...etc. Being a one woman show can be difficult when demand increases. I would love to move to a bigger, brighter studio space and have someone doing my PR...basically a rep.

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FEATURE + SHOP

FEATURE

sandy stevie dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;andrea jewelsforhope.net

We love what we do, and feel that Photo by Christopher Annino, 2013

everyone should

in some way.

CONNECT

give back

website and shop: Jewels for hope

www.jewelsforhope.net

Sandy and Stevie D’Andrea make jewellery pieces full of hope and love,

www.facebook.com/jewels4hope @jewelsforhopect

www.pinterest.com/jewelsforhope

giving back to their community, and sharing their philosophy of,

www.etsy.com/shop/Jewelsforhope

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ION T C DU O R T I N Jewels For Hope was founded by Sandy D’Andrea after she was a caregiver to her mother who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia. Sandy’s eldest daughter Stevie joined the company a year after Sandy started it, and it has been a whirlwind of fun ever since. Stevie taught Sandy the ins and outs of Social Media Marketing while Sandy taught Stevie the art of jewelry design. They are the perfect team! They create handmade jewelry and donate a portion of the profits to over 20 organizations. Everyone wearing Jewels For Hope can Look Good While Doing Good!

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From causes such as We Stop Hate (anti-bullying) to Labs 4 Rescue, Sandy and Stevie donate to a wide range of worthy causes. Their motto is “Look Great & Donate!” Sandy started this business when she was a caregiver for her mother. She had to stop working and be a fulltime caregiver. While she was sitting at home, she needed something to do. She decided to re-take up jewelry design. She would hand out her creations to the Hospice nurses who came to care for her mother. It was then that Sandy thought “ why not sell the pieces and donate a portion to Hospice”. From there, Jewels For Hope was started.

Since then, Sandyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eldest daughter Stevie joined the company and now they are up to 20 organizations. They feel everyone should give back in some way. They love what they do- handmade jewelry and donating to amazing organizations. Jewels For Hope has been able to up their donations every year in business and they hope to continue to grow in years to come. Every dollar counts to these organizations and Jewels For Hope is happy to be able to help.

Do you have formal training, are you self taught, or a combination? We are completely self taught. Sandy taught Stevie jewelry design over the years, while Stevie taught Sandy social media marketing. Sandy has created jewelry for over 20 years and is learning more and more every day. Stevie graduated with a degree in Advertising & Marketing Communications, from The Fashion Institute of Technology so she has taken her degree and put it towards the promotion of Jewels For Hope. The perfect team!

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favorite career achievement... I could say my Breast Cancer Necklace or seeing Meredith Vieira, Rodney Atkins and Rose Falcon wearing our jewelry. Or being in The Artisan Group. But I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when I read the emails we get from women telling us how beautiful they feel when going for a treatment and wearing our jewels. Or people thanking us for donating a piece for their charity. Stevie and I helping people in a small way but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a great feeling.

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inspiration I could see a tree and think of a bracelet to make, the sky, sun and flowers. I guess what I’m saying is anything outside. I love to be outside creating.

What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? Sandy: I started creating jewelry over 20 years ago when my first daughter was young. I stopped over the years to raise my three beautiful children. I took it up again when my mother moved in with us and I had to care for her since she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Dementia. I am completely self taught and I am thankful to be able to perfect my craft day in and day out. Stevie: I have been lucky enough to have my mother teach me the art of jewelry design. I graduated from The Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications, so I was able to take that degree and put it to use promoting Jewels For Hope.

where do you work from? tell us about your workspaces and places... We work from home. We have our own workspace in our house, but our goal is to have a separate workshop. One day that will happen, but until then we are very content working within our home.

What is your work schedule like? We are working all day and all night. When we get inspiration we have to create when we feel it. If we aren’t creating, we are promoting. A business owner is never fully off duty!

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our favorite tools Both Sandy & Stevie can say, they absolutely love working with Swarovski Crystals. The shine, the sparkle, everything about them makes them one of the best materials for their jewelry. Both mother and daughter love a bit of bling- so working with these phenomenal crystals is right up their alley. You can see most of their pieces have some sort of Swarovski Crystal incorporated in them. Do you do your creative work full time, part time, or as a hobby? Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? We have been on a very tight budget over the last several years. One day, we would love to be able to have every tool and crystal available to us, but for now, we are working with what we have. We don’t need the most expensive tool to make a wonderful item, we just need to put our hearts into it.

Sandy: I do this full time. It is my passion, my love. I have been doing this full time for a couple of years and hope to be doing it for many more. Stevie: I currently am doing this part time but my longterm goal is to make this my full time job. how do you balance life, work, play, and down time? Sandy: My family tells me all the time I’m not a mother/ wife anymore. My life/work/down time is creating. I love what I do. What do you do to keep work, creative juices, and money flowing? Sandy: My mind is always going. I could be driving my daughter somewhere and I’ll yell out I could make this, do it this way. As for money, what’s that? I am hoping one day we can make a living from Jewels for Hope.

For me creating a website was a big step! I had never done anything like that before. Working on photographing a wedding was also an achievement for me. It can be very intimidating to try and capture someone’s big day. It’s also incredibly rewarding.

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Be happy. When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy I could create anything!

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Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or community organizations through your creative work? We donate to over 20 organizations. It started out with us donating to Hospice, but over the years it has grown to more and more worthy causes. We wish we could help everyone out!! We have certain organizations mentioned on our site and we also donate items as a one-time only donations for silent auctions/ raffles for charity events.

Sandy: I love the beach, I feel reborn when I go by the ocean.

I love music.

I also love to dance, If I hear a song that I love I will stop everything and get up and dance.

Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? There is ALWAYS music on while we work. We can’t have silence. We are a musical family and music has to be on in the background. Normally, we have our country music station on- but honestly any music will do.

etc... Sandy: Fave food: I love pizza! Book: I call the Secret my Bible, I read that a lot. Movies: Singing in the Rain, Tuner and Hooch, Guess who’s coming to Dinner , A Star is Born and What a Girl Wants. Music: Carole King, Christina Aguilera, Earth, Wind and Fire, Taylor Swift ,Eric Clapton, Rodney Atkins, Bruno Mars, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Eagles, Lady Gaga, Rose Falcon, Tim McGraw, Santana, I could go on and on.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever made or created? One of our favorite pieces, is on that incorporates a starfish in it! It is perfect for the sealover, and we just loved working with such a different item. If you’re having a bad day, a project isn’t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? Take a step back, turn the music up really loud, and just sing and dance. I know that sounds crazy, but it really helps. We love music and it helps us zone out and relax a bit. If you ever get stressed out over a project and nothing is working to relax you- try this!! Did you ever have any major oops crazy mishaps or things going crazily wrong while working on a project? We always have this! Every company has to have some of these moments. When working on some of our one of a kind pieces, it takes days to actually get it to where we want it. When it is meant to be, it will work out perfectly the first try. If not- we have had to go back through and start from the beginning.... which happens more times then I would like to admit. When that happens, we have to take a step away for awhile, regroup, and then try again. Good thing we both love what we do- even going back over an item numerous times, the finished product makes us so happy- it is completely worth it!

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Where do you find inspiration? Anywhere and everywhere. A lot of the time, music and certain songs really get our creative juices flowing. We find that when we are least expecting it we find something to inspire us and we just have to create then and there. Sandy says that usually when she is driving her youngest daughter around to and from work, she gets an idea and has to pull over and write it down before she forgets. Inspiration is everywhere ; you just have to let it happen! How do you know when a project is finished? Sometimes it’s hard to stop while you’re ahead. I know certain pieces of jewelry we want to completely add more and more and at times that isn’t the way to go. We are lucky enough to have one another to ask for opinions. Both of us are really open with each other and we can flat out say “don’t add any more crystals to it!” and know that it is the right call.

My advice is to

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Do you have any current projects or future plans youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to share? We are proud to say we are currently working with country music singer/songwriter Rose Falcon on a line of charity jewels. Rose is an amazing singer and recently married country music star Rodney Atkins. Both of them rock Jewels For Hopeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charity creations and we are honored to be working with Rose on such a fun project. What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? I am hoping that Jewels for Hope will be in more stores, stores that give back. My dream would be to have a home by the beach. What would be better than that?

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FEATURE

amanda

the arts truly have the power to unite people from all sorts of different backgrounds.

CONNECT

I have found that

website

www.amandashatzko.ca www.facebook.com/AmandaShatzko

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ION T C DU O R T I N I am a visual and performing artist that creates live art, anywhere from the ground to the air. My art focuses on movement, the human figure and audience interaction. I grew up in the Okanagan with a supportive family who encouraged me to experience a variety of sports, dance and art lessons. It became natural for me to perform and express myself to an audience through the arts. I am very curious in nature and am always interested in learning something new or a different point of view.

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Since the age of 10 I have been traveling internationally performing on worldwide stages in rhythmic gymnastics, dance, circus acrobatics and art shows. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say that constantly being inspired by different cultures and people I have encountered has lead me to where I am today. I am always pushing to discover and create new artistic experiences. I have found that the arts truly have the power to unite people from all sorts of different backgrounds.

Do you have formal training, are you self taught, or a combination? I have my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Emily Carr University of Art and Design. I majored in painting, art history and public art.

favorite quote...

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What is your background, as in is this your lifelong career or have you done different things before this? I’ve had the privilege to, in some form or another, always be a part of the art scene. I am continuously learning to excel at something new so that I can add it to my repertoire. The more I learn, the further I can expand and push my artistic boundaries. Think of Picasso... he constantly discovered and created more; developing new artistic movements and styles. I mean, who doesn’t want to be a father of multiple art movements...er, mother? While I love to learn, I also love to teach. I have always painted and performed on stages; I have also taught my skills to others by instructing in public schools, advised on government funded art advisory boards, hosted seminars and artist talks around the globe, and worked internationally in director and manager roles for art galleries.

What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? Figurative artwork. I am fascinated by the human body and it’s impossibly fluid mechanics. Each body is unique in its size and composition. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, muscle tone, durability, skill, thoughts and emotions that effect how they move and interact. How do you know when a project is finished? I give myself a time line and parameters for a performance project. When the time is up, that’s when I am finished. As an artist, we are always trying to fix and tweak the little things. I have had to learn to give into the process and journey of creating.

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favorite career achievement... I have so many favorite moments for different reasons. I guess an achievement that helped take my career to the next level was during the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. I was commissioned by the Whistler Arts Council, VANOC, and Government of Canada to paint athlete portraits live in Whistler Village during the games. It was an intense test of my artistic tenacity and just an all around cool commission to have! I loved every second of it. As well the first time I attempted Aerial Art live was a thrill, as the turn out in spectators was fantastic. I had 100,000 people swing through the Vancouver Convention Centre (where I was painting live) on Canada Day.

Where do you work from? Tell us about your workspaces and places...

Do you do your creative work full time, part time, or as a hobby?

I have studios in both the Okanagan and Vancouver, BC Canada. I travel quite a bit as well with a “portable” studio to create hands on in different countries and cultures. You can often find me traveling abroad with my easel, paints, camera and sketch book documenting different places and social gatherings.

Yes, I create work in the art industry full time. I couldn’t imagine any other industry I would rather work in. What is your work schedule like? To begin I would say that I love my work, so it doesn’t feel like work at all. I generally work about 17hrs a day. To create my work, it consists of a variety of activities such as painting, designing, research, marketing, going to the gym (need to stay in shape for performances), rehearsals, lunch and dinner meetings, and public art talks and seminars.

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What do you do to keep work, creative juices, and money flowing? I am constantly trying to learn something new and meet new people that may spark an idea. Anything from reading an article online to traveling to a remote village on the other side of the world to witness a native dance. how do you balance life, work, play, and down time? To wake up each day inspired, I am constantly alternating different projects that I am working on. Though if I am on a roll- I will often stick to one project consistently until its finished. Just like a successful diet; the key to wake up with a sense of purpose and create is to do everything in moderation.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having a bad day, a project isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going your way, or everything just sucks, what do you do to turn things around? I can admit if I am having a bad day, it is tough to gain inspiration to create. Luckily for me; I look at the world through rose coloured glasses. To avoid bad days and remain positive I find that regularly exercising and eating healthy dilutes my body toxins. I also listen to inspirational audio books and meditate. I cant control the attitude of others, but I do have 100% control over my own thoughts and feelings.

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Do you sell your work? If so where? Yes, I sell my artwork through private commissions, public art commissions, and live art auctions. Do you have an inspiration or mood board? Absolutely! It is full of places I would like to go, things I would like to own, projects and activities I would like to experience, inspirational quotes, and positive affirmations. I have had pretty good success at achieving many of the goals that I paste onto the board.

my favorite tools Acrylic and oil paint, ink, wax and resin.

Do you have any favorite vintage tools or supplies? A trusty old school method of pen/pencil and paper. While I do enjoy the technology of an ipad for documenting; nothing can beat the freedom to express on paper without limitations.

What is your go-to, always reliable media or tool? I can never go without my handy leatherbound sketchbook to document my ideas and inspirations.

Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? Yes, I choose a variety of different music to listen to depending upon the type of performance or painting I am creating. Audio plays a large roll in setting the tone and atmosphere of a project.

Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or community organizations through your creative work? I am a large believer in paying it forward and giving back to my community. I have donated and help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for children charities, art initiatives, breast cancer, hospitals, and athletic scholarships. I am privileged to be where I am today due to scholarships, endowments and community support.

Where do you find inspiration? Everywhere. From a song playing in a store as I walk by, to the colour of a leaf I find on a hike. This is when my leather bound sketch book comes in handy!

etc... my favorites...

Inspirational books and audio books, Disney movies, live dance performances, gymnastics, Cirque du Soleil, festivals, galas, walking in warm wind, sunshine, chocolate, green tea...

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Container art exhibition, attendance 800,000 people What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in a few years? I am planning on expanding my network and brand exposure. I have many large project ideas that could create awareness and support for different communities and causes. But like any large project, a required budget is necessary to carry it out with success. I am working towards a future with new donors, gallery representation and art dealers.

You have 100% control over your life.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait around for someone to save you, or a grant to land in your lap. Continue to progress, create and push boundaries... you never know what could happen.

FEATURE

linda sharp PLUS!

feature

ARTICLE contributor

Check out Lindaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun and funky Sock Subversion project page 226

I currently have enough art supplies

to survive the Zombie Apocalypse.

Linda Sharp is an Ăźber sense of wit and humour that she draws upon to create her one-of-a-kind artwork in many different mediums, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d best let her explain... wink!

CONNECT

creative dynamo with a wicked

website

www.rockpaperstitches.com

ION T C DU O R T I N Rock is for jewelry. I make handmade glass beads, with silver inserts and captured sand from special places. Own a desert island, or have a beach you especially connect with? You can have a bit of that place with you always in a signature piece. Paper is for cards and illustrations. Sweetly silly and satirical. Stitches is for art textiles. Sometimes funny, sometimes fuzzy.

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I worked my way through Art School by serving in the Army Reserve and was brainwashed by both organizations simultaneously. As a result I can strip, assemble and fire an FNC1A1 semi-automatic weapon while deconstructing Post Modernist Theorums. I studied Animation and then Art. If I keep on working alphabetically it is going to take me a long time to get to Medicine.

When I Grow Up I Want to be a Goat

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What is your favorite subject matter or theme and why? Animals! Every time I draw an animal it feels like a self-portrait.

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And your least favorite? Organisational charts. Every time I draw an organizational chart a kitten dies.

favorite career achievement... One day while drawing a street scene in Singapore an elderly gentleman brought me a cup of chai from a street vendor in a cup made from a milk can with the lid peeled back for a handle. I gave him the drawing and we were both pleased. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t declare the chai on my income tax.

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my favorite tools Presently Shiva oilsticks on fabric. They can be heat set, and become washable.

Do you need to spend a lot of money on your tools of your trade and upgrading? I currently have enough art supplies to survive the Zombie Apocalypse.

Do you have any favorite vintage tools or supplies? My lovely knee operated Singer sewing machine and its friend, the Singer treadle machine. The instruction books tell you how to fix everything. One machine was a gift from the estate of a dear elderly friend, and the other was just coming into the Salvation Army Thrift store and got no further than the parking lot.

Where do you work from? Tell us about your workspaces and places... Kitchen table and every surrounding horizontal space. We have been working on a renovation to incorporate a studio for some time. Renovations are zen. They have helped me glimpse eternity. What is your work schedule like?

I amuse the squirrels outside my window

I try to do the hard things first. If there are no hard things, I do the creative stuff first.

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Did you ever have any major oops crazy mishaps or things going crazily wrong while working on a project? Working in hot glass it is entirely possible to have bits of molten material explode and go down the front of your shirt. I don’t think the word used was “oops”. Do you sell your work? If so where? I love selling through my home craft show and network of friends so I can keep prices reasonable. Do you have an inspiration or mood board? I have books full of clippings, photos, scraps, sketches and notes to myself that I no longer understand. The books are divided by topic; Jewellery & Glass, Leather, Fabric & Quilts, Motifs, and Humour.

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inspiration Everything inspires me. I have an embarassingly low pleasure threshold.

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Do you donate to charity or work with any charities or community organizations through your creative work? I used to be a museum and gallery docent, and that was a great deal of fun. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still not sure if it was supposed to be. Now I have a great volunteer gig that I recommend to any visual artist - volunteering for local theatres. I do graphics for some local theatres, and I paint sets for plays. It is incredibly freeing to paint huge areas of theatre skins, and to know that it will be all painted over in a month.

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favorite quote...

The most hilarious person ever is God.

I did stand up comedy. A lot of my act was about being Canadian. It turns out a lot of people didn’t know about one of the very traditional Canadian foods Hockey Cake! You know Hockey Cake - it’s the one with all the icing....

Do you listen to music while you work? What is your favorite music to work to? I listen to CBC radio and 8tracksradio.

etc... Books: Favorites include the books “Vanity Fair” by William Makepeace Thackeray, and “Small Gods” by Terry Pratchett, both for the wit and intelligence of their narrative voice. Favorite illustrations include many by Tomi Ungerer, whose museum in Strasbourg is a both a visual delight, and an intelligent inquiry into the process of creating visual work. Favorite fabric artist is Sue Benner, who is a fabulous colourist, and an articulate and insightful teacher.

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What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever made or created? - An embroidered diaper entitled “Art Happens” for a show called “Domestic Textiles”. - A visual art piece for blind people - A series of glass eyeballs - A larger than life lifelike felted chicken with a secret compartment.

Sketch outdoors, and then have interested kids sketch in your sketchbook. I always learn lots.

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Where have you traveled? We have been lucky to travel to many places with my husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, and have lived in Asia and Africa. Our son was born in the Philippines. The medical care was great, but my husband was injured when he got out of the car to help me, (waddling and in labour), and he fell into an open manhole. Travel gave us plenty of lessons on how to observe. Three places we have visited have shaped my idea of how art belongs in my life. Nepal, Bali and Strasbourg all have a deep integration of art into every aspect of the manmade environment. Windows, doors, and cookie cutters were all works of art. I am not a craftsman of that level, but I love the idea of making the utilitarian beautiful. Or at least visually interesting. I have painted our fuse panel cover and medicine cabinet cover with Botticelli based puzzles with objects hidden in the paintings. It amuses me, and my 7 year old niece.

Where do you find inspiration? Typos. Sometimes the combinations of ideas is so surprising it awakens my brain. The last one that made a big impression was from a menu in a small town in Mozambique. it read: “Dessert, small bowel, or large bowel”. When you begin a project, what is generally your creative process? Draw and sketch ideas. Buy too many supplies. Change idea. Make it harder than it needs to be. Finish and repeat. How do you know when a project is finished? I wait for the “Ping”. That is that subtle signal that it works. I had a great art teacher who tried very hard to get us to pay attention to when things were finished. He used to take things away from the students when he thought they were done, and since he was a very imposing man who looked like a biker, no one argued. I think he was a Hell’s Angel that went over to the dark side and became an art teacher.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seven Deadly Sins Plus Two Bonus Sinsâ&#x20AC;?

What does the future hold for you and your workwhere do you see yourself in afew years?

We evolved to make things. Anyone who creates with their hands can experience that deep satisfaction of fulfilling one of our purposes.

Adopted by an advanced race of aliens who are doing their gap year volunteer work doing business plans for earthling artists.

Also those of us with non-electric tools will be highly valued when the zombie apocalypse comes...

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project CUSTOM DYED SOCKS

SOCK SUBVERSION! BY LINDA SHARP ROCKPAPERSTITCHES ROCKPAPERSTITCHES.COM

feature

artist linda sharp brings you a funky way to colour up your dancin’ feet for spring! Custom dye socks with two quick simple approaches that kids will love. You can make great designs with commercial stickers or cut your own stencil. Bonus, socks don’t have to match!

ARTICLE contributor

BIGlinda THANKS! sharp rockpaperstitches.com

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let’s get started!

r u o y USING stickers... tag OR stencils rags

stickers METHOD: Use star stickers, page reinforcements, or letter stickers on both sides of prewashed, dry, natural fiber socks. Use letter stickers to send messages if you are a glamourous international spy.

* I always have left over address labels. I never seem to have exactly 144 friends...

dye directions for both methods:

You will need: Spray on fabric dye (I used S.E.I. Tumble Dry brand dye) Garbage bags or plastic sheets to cover your work area (cut the bags open!) For each sock, one plastic bag you aren’t emotionally attached to. Prewashed socks made from cotton, bamboo or rayon.

Tape stencil in place and cover adjacent areas unless you want overspray at the edge of your stencil. Stencil everything within reach.

Or, cut your own stickers from label sheets.*

• • • •

STENCIL METHOD: Cut a simple stencil from card with an Xacto knife.

Use a plastic sheet to protect work area.

Gently stuff socks with bags to prevent bleed through. Shake dye before using. Spray dye on in several coats - let dry between. If you soak it, it will bleed. Let entire sock dry, then heat set in dryer. quarter 3 | 2014

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ADVERTISE WITH Our next issue is Quarter 4- May/June/July 2014 with Release date mid-May 2014 Made In Magazine is an online magazine targetting creative people and those who love them. Since we’re fresh on the scene, we’re offering super low introductory ad rates for our next issue, Quarter 4 May/June/July 2014, going live online mid-May 2014. Don’t miss your chance to advertise to an enthusiastic and creative audience who love unique products and services, who buy supplies and tools of all kinds to use in their work, and who love to support fellow creative shops and services! Drop us a line to find out more and get in on our next issue! We’d love to have you!

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Call for features Our next issue is Quarter 4- May/June/July 2014, to be released online mid-May 2014. We are already planning and filling up our next issue and are opening the call to creative people everywhere to share what you do with our readers. We feature creative people who make or do unique things in their field or media. Would you like to be included? Know somebody who should be featured and want to put them in touch? Drop us a line and briefly tell us your story... give us your elevator pitch! We want to know what you do and how you do that thing you do so well. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get back to you as soon as we can and set you up with all the relevant information. Serious inquiries only please.

info@madeinmag.ca

We reserve the right to decline any inquiry and/or content that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fit the spirit our publication.

quarter 4 Next Issue release:

May 2014