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Scribblin’Spiration

As the new school year settles in and everyone begins to adjust to their routines, it seems like a good time for a dose of creative stimulation. With the loss of summer’s freedom, it can be tough to find time for scribbling, but fear not! Your next scribblin’spiration is here and this time it is… autumn leaves!

 


What better time to embrace the change in seasons and use them for our artistic gain? The beautiful changing foliage is all around you, providing inspiration each day. You might take this inspiration literally and focus on drawing trees and leaves. Go to a local park or look in your backyard for a great landscape sketch. Collect leaves to study, press, or trace. Or use them as a starting point to create something different, abstract, or even unrelated.

Colors of Autumn

photo by Pantone, via Plenty of Colour

 

The beauty of inspiration is that it can take you anywhere—different qualities of the leaves can stimulate your mind, perhaps even an image or association you have with them may arise.

 

There are so many elements within changing foliage to find inspiration; one of the most noticeable is certainly color. The rich greens, golds, reds, and oranges create a glowingly warm palette for the season. Try using these hues as a jumping off point for your project or picture.

 Autumn Trees

photo by Corbis, via The Guardian

 

Another interesting quality of leaves is their shape—each type of tree’s leaves boasts a different figure and you can find all shapes and sizes on the ground. Experiment with the scale and design of leaves to inspire your creation. Also consider large-scale shapes, such as whole trees or forests. How are trees’ shapes affected as the leaves begin to fall?

  Different Autumn Leaves

photo via Fermilab Today

 

Finally, don’t overlook texture. The green leaves emerge from summer smooth and supple. As autumn advances, those leaves become dry, brittle, and crunchy. Play with surface and touch in your work to explore this element.

 

What images or ideas to changing leaves bring for you? See how they influence your art all season long. All you have to do is peek outside your window for a dose of inspiration!

 

 

 

 

 

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Published by , on September 28th, 2013 at 4:56 pm. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,kids Tags: , , , , , , , , , No Comments

Pumpkin Vase

One home decoration that’s in style all year long is the floral arrangement. Though the colors and variations may change depending on the season, fresh plants and flowers are never out of place on the table. This autumn, give your vase a seasonal update by using a pumpkin to hold your blooms.

 

You’ll need a pumpkin (orange, white, or otherwise… your pick!), a knife to carve, a glass or vase, and of course, your flowers.

 Natural pumpkin vase

photo via Mother-Daughter Press & Gay Bumgarner Images

 

Start by cutting a round opening on the top of your pumpkin—just large enough for the design you want to arrange, and to fit your glass inside. Gut the pumpkin and remove all the seeds and goop (I believe that is the official, scientific name for it… goop).

 

 Glass vase inside pumpkin

photo via Flower Duet

 

Once the inside of your pumpkin is nice and clean, fill your glass or small vase about halfway with water and place it inside the pumpkin. Finally, put your flowers in the glass and arrange as desired.

 

 White Pumpkin Vase

photo by Roberto Caruso via Chatelaine

 

Depending on how you carry out this project, the results can range from casually rustic to incredibly chic. Consider which look you want when you’re planning your centerpiece. Feel free to experiment with painting your pumpkin a different color and using various kinds of foliage or color schemes to bring your idea to life. This would make a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece or just a lovely addition to your table this fall.

 

Gold Pumpkin Vase

photo uploaded to Pinterest

What tips or tricks do you like using to give your space or décor a seasonal update?

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Published by , on September 24th, 2013 at 10:18 pm. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,Design,food art,holiday,kids Tags: , decorate the table, , , flower pot, , home decor, , pumpkin glamour, pumpkin home decor craft • No Comments

Scribble Picks Vincent van Gogh!

The painting titled Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh is at the top of many artistic achievements! Even though Van Gogh sold only one painting in his life, the mark he has made on this world is priceless.  Starry Night is one of the most well known images in modern culture.  How does it speak to you?

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

Abstract from Vincent van Gogh museum:

Energy and inspiration
From early on Vincent van Gogh was fascinated by the mood conjured up by the evening and the night. Van Gogh regarded the evening and night as a time for self-reflection and creativity, particularly for looking back over the day’s events. As such he loved to work during this hours of twilight and darkness, drawing from them energy and inspiration. When he decided in 1880 to become an artist, twilight and the night gained a fixed place in his oeuvre.

Arranged around the themes Landscapes at twilight, Peasant life at evening – ‘Les Paysans chez eux’, The voice of the wheat and Poetry of the night, the exhibition shows how Van Gogh immortalized the twilight and the night on paper and on canvas.

From painterly tradition to modern art
Van Gogh particularly associated the nighttime hours with a feeling of security, solace and the poetic. At the same time he was not immune to night’s darker side, when one can be overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness and despair. But Van Gogh was above all attracted by the landscape at twilight, thereby linking up with a longstanding painterly tradition. Evening and nighttime landscapes have for centuries been a well-loved theme, and were also strongly represented within the Barbizon School that Van Gogh so admired and initially imitated. After a number of years, however, Van Gogh began updating the genre through his striking use of colour and rhythmic brushstrokes. With his distinctive style he blazed the trail for modern art.

Read the rest of the article about Vincent van Gogh here: http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?page=150362&lang=en#.  If you can go to Amsterdam to visit it in real life then this is your next best chance.

Now go ahead and scribble your own Starry Night! Print out the image below and color in how you see the night to be with it’s stars shining so brightly.  Send in your drawing and we’ll post it for everybody to see.  Email it to .

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh

Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. 1889.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Published by , on September 22nd, 2013 at 10:42 pm. Filled under: adults,classroom,Featured,Scribble Picks,Uncategorized Tags: Amsterdam, , Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh • No Comments

Scribble Artist Interview with Carol Heppner!

Carol Heppner Queen of Cr8tivity

Carol Heppner Queen of Cr8tivity

Scribble Town (ST): Carol Heppner will get your head spinning once you hear about all the amazing things she is up to.  Around every creative corner, there she is!

Carol Heppner (CH): I am co-owner/founder and Editor in Chief of Bella Crafts Quarterly™, a craft magazine that is also available as a free digital download, and I own Carol Heppner LLC, a craft-industry design services company.  I am a designer member of the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) and serve on the Design Section Council.   I am also on the Editorial-Advisory Board of Scrap and Stamp Arts Magazine, in which I have a column, Art Smarts!™.

I am an author, mixed-media artist, photographer and craft-industry consultant.  My work and photographs have appeared in national art shows, galleries, magazines, books, products, trade show booths and advertisements.

As you can see, there is a lot to keep me busy.

ST: Yes, we can clearly see that!  What are you not up to these days ;) ?  With full speed ahead, what does a typical day with you look like?  Even though you have so many different simultaneous projects going on which one are you putting most of your attention to these days?

CH: Every morning, I begin my day by going out for a walk.  This helps me focus on nature so I can relax.

Did you know that craft designers are mostly working on projects that are six months ahead of the current season?  Sometimes, we work a year in advance.  So, while you are getting ready for Halloween, we are thinking about spring.  Because craft-industry clients are publishers, editors and manufacturers, many times we cannot discuss what we are making because the project is being held for publication by the client.  It’s like a top-secret mission!  It’s the same with our magazine, Bella Crafts Quarterly™.  Our fall issue came out on September 1 and we are now working on our upcoming issues.  All columns and articles are always a secret until we publish them.

When I create a craft project, I then have to write step-by-step instructions and photograph the finished project.   It may sound like a lot of work, but I really enjoy it.

ST: So long as you enjoy it then everything is ok.  How did your ‘Queen of Creativity’ career begin?  Were you always coming up with fun creations, even as a kid?  What is something from your childhood that you used to love to create with?

Jewelry making with Carol Heppner LLC

Jewelry making with Carol Heppner LLC

CH: When I was in second grade, I won a regional drawing contest.  I always loved being creative – it’s just the way my mind works.  The more you create, the more creative you can become.  Crayons were a passion of mine in my early years.  Then, I discovered inks and later moved on to batiks. Maybe it’s really a passion for color!

ST: Your expertise on mediums run the gamut- from air-dried clay to wire!  Perhaps you can share a bit about these and how you learned them.  What was your motivation?

CH: My high-school art teacher told our class that if we wanted to be artists, we had to “eat, drink and sleep art”.  He taught us about many different art mediums and the basics of fine art.  He also taught us not to be afraid to explore and try new mediums.
Although I naturally understand how to work in many different mediums, there are some mediums I wanted to learn more about.  I have taken photography classes and stained glass classes which helps me understand the basics on which I can build my knowledge.

My motivation is simple.  I was born with a natural talent and drive.   Having clients is also a major motivator.  The more you know, the more you can bring to the table when working with a client.

Learn to create paste paper in the summer edition of Bella Crafts Quarterly

Learn to create paste paper in the summer edition of Bella Crafts Quarterly

ST: Who encouraged you to be creative?

CH: My parents always encouraged me to be creative, as well as my art teacher.  But, the friends I had throughout life were also encouraging – and still are.

One of the reasons I joined CHA was to be with other people like myself.  I met so many wonderful craft designers, craft professionals, editors, publishers, manufacturers and the association’s staff.  The four owners of Bella Crafts Quarterly™ are all CHA design members and that is how we met.  If I never joined CHA, I would never own a craft magazine today.

ST: On top it all, you are also an author.  Writing about art is so important for your own sake and for others.  What are your writing outlets?

CH: As a professional craft designer, contributor to national craft magazines and editor of my own magazine, I am writing most of the day.   Many times I am writing craft instructions for my clients, but I also write design-team or other craft-business related handbooks.  I also write style guides for client manufacturers.   These guides determine how other writers, who contribute their written work to my client manufacturers, will write their instructions.

Since I am the lead of the Standards Committee of the Design Section of CHA, I am acting as an editor to produce a Designer Handbook for our section.  This project has been two years in the making and should be published soon.  The handbook is only available to CHA Design Section members.

Studio chair by Carol Heppner LLC

Studio chair by Carol Heppner LLC

You will read about my hobby later on in this interview.  I record my findings in an entertaining, yet factual manner.  This research is compiled into a book, which is then given to family members.

ST: When you develop an idea what is your creative process like?  Do you try things out with all the different kinds of materials and techniques?  What are some favorite tools you like to use when creating?

CH: The type of project I need to create usually dictates how I develop the design.  The majority of the time, I “see” the final project in my mind, as well as the steps I need to take to create the project.  I then just gather the materials and complete the project.

Carol Heppner's Clay Chic - Polymer Clay Necklace

Carol Heppner’s
Clay Chic – Polymer Clay Necklace

Normally, my clients tell me what product they need to be used in a project.  I will talk to them about the different ideas I have and they pick the project just from our conversation.  They never see drawings or graphics of the project before it is completed.  They trust my judgment.

Once or twice, I have had to draw a sketch for a client because they had to discuss it within the company, but that doesn’t happen often.

Because I work alone as a craft designer, I do not discuss my client’s projects with others.  So, I am really working alone with my client.  Now, once the project is published, then I help promote it on my social media platforms.

My favorite tool that I use is not made from plastic or metal.  My favorite tool to use is my imagination.  It is the most important tool when creating artwork for yourself and for others.

ST: What are some other hobbies or interests you like?

CH: You may think that with all that I do that I have no time for hobbies.  But I research my family history.  I have a cousin in Italy who is a historic architect and we have been working on our Lopetrone family history for years.

I was able to trace my Lopetrone branch back to the 1700s and then he was able to trace my branch back to the 1500s to the great grandfather of all Lopetrones.  Once my family branch was connected to my great grandfather, I felt grounded.   It was a wonderful feeling to know the names of everyone that came before me.

Because the Lopetrone family is such a small family, it is easier to trace our history than other family surnames.  Some of us have come together to create a universal Lopetrone Family tree.  All those with the Lopetrone name are cousins.  We have our own Facebook group so we can connect with family who are living around the world.

ST: Wow! That is quite impressive that you have been able to trace your family heritage so far.  How gratifying and special that is! What’s your choice of medium, at the moment?  Hmm, I wonder why.

CH: I have a passion for batiks and photography.   Nowadays, my focus is on jewelry making and accessories because I create those type of projects for Bella Crafts Quarterly™.   I like making things that are useful.

Fabric painting and batik by c Carol Heppner LLC

Fabric painting and batik by Carol Heppner LLC

You didn’t ask, but you may be surprised to learn that I really don’t like using oil paints.  Crazy, right?  I will use them only when I have to use them.  The reason why they are not my favorite is because the way they feel when I am using them.  I cannot feel the resistance of the canvas, which for some reason, isn’t pleasing to me.

ST: It never would have crossed my mind that you don’t like using oil paints!  Carol, you are full of surprises.  What is your studio environment like?

CH: My studio is right across from my bedroom. And, yes.  I do get dressed up when I go to work.  It helps me feel professional. That is important when you are talking to a client.

I have a screen door on my studio so it can be closed but I can still feel as a part of my house.  The studio is filled with products that manufacturers send to me to use.  I have fabric boxes for each client manufacturer.  That way, when I need their product, I know just where to grab it.

The chair at my desk is a fun project that my husband and I did a few years ago.  I wanted something whimsical because I want to smile when I walk into my studio.  He helped cut the wood for the back of the chair.  I purchased the chair at a thrift store and it was in very bad condition.  I painted the chair, changed the back and then upholstered the seat in faux leather.

I have some of my artwork around the room because it gives me a sense of accomplishment.  In fact, I made this doll when I was very young.  She sits in my studio and I can remember the very day I made her.  I didn’t have many craft supplies when I was young, so she was made with a lot of imagination.

Primative doll by Carol Heppner LLC

Primative doll by Carol Heppner LLC

ST: Thank you Carol for sharing so much with the Scribblers!  Just keep on doing what you do!  And we’ll leave the Scribblers with your inspirational creative thoughts.

Carol Heppner’s Creative Thoughts

When most people think of creativity, they think of arts or crafts.  But I have always felt that creativity manifests itself in many different ways.  It’s the way you comb your hair, the way you dress or arrange your room.  It’s the way you teach and the way you inspire others.

The person who is writing code for a computer program is being creative and so is the person who is making dinner tonight.  How much creativity you add to whatever you are doing is up to you.  But remember, creativity is just like anything else.  The more you use it, the better you get at it.

CHA’s foundation has a wonderful program that is reaching out and getting everyone interested in crafting.  Make sure to check their website out at Cre8time.com.  You will be inspired by all the great crafts you find there.  You can also make your mark by uploading some of your work there as well.

Also, our goal at Bella Crafts Quarterly™ is to inspire others to create.  In keeping with our goal, our digital copy of the magazine is free to download.  There are many great projects for crafters and craft-business advice for craft professionals.

Thanks so much for asking me to be part of this Scribble Town interview!

Visit the Scribble Shop to get started on making your own crafts!

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Published by , on September 15th, 2013 at 11:32 pm. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,,Books,Design,Scribble Artist Interviews,Uncategorized Tags: Bella Crafts Quarterly™, Carol Heppner, Clay, , , Cre8time.com, dolls, Hobby, No Comments

Scribble Artist Interview with ShaoLan Hseuh!

Shaolan Hsueh, Chineasy, Kickstarter@Robert Leslie 2013

Shaolan Hsueh, Chineasy, Kickstarter@Robert Leslie 2013

Scribble Town (ST): Here with us on the Scribble Blog is ShaoLan Hseuh! ShaoLan’s creativity and energy to build Chineasy is extraordinary.  Let’s hear her story!

ShaoLan Hseuh (SH): Hi, my name is ShaoLan Hseuh and I am an entrepreneur, investor, writer, traveler and dreamer! I am also the creator and founder of Chineasy, a Chinese language methodology that will help you learn to read what many consider to be one of the hardest languages in the world to learn! Chinese!

ST: Where are you and what are you up to these days?  What does a day with ShaoLan look like?

SH: At the moment every living breathing moment is spent either working on Chineasy or with my family. With Chineasy’s Kickstarter campaign now over (having successfully raised nearly £200,000) I am now working on the hard part – fulfilling the delivery of all of the gifts I promised!

A day with me: I am a very early riser (you have to be or there just isn’t enough time in the day!), I am very into exercise and eating well and if I am not weight lifting or drinking chilled green tea then I am either with the members of my Chineasy team of my children – when they aren’t at school of course!

Chineasy Mountain

Chineasy Mountain

ST: What is Chineasy?  How did the idea for this new endeavor begin, which is so different from your past experiences?

SH: The Chinese language has long been considered the most difficult major language to learn, largely on account of the vast number and complexity of its characters. Being a Taiwanese native now living in London, this is a fact I am acutely aware of. When I began to teach my British born children Chinese, I realized just how difficult Chinese characters are for a native English speaker to learn. It was like torture for my kids! So I spent many years looking for a fun and easy way to teach them how to read Chinese. After years of searching, I realized that none of the methods out there were engaging or efficient enough. So I created my own!

Chineasy’s goal is to allow people to learn to read Chinese easily by recognizing characters through simple illustrations, but also to bridge the gap between East and West. As the best way to understand a culture is to start with its language.

Chineasy works on a simple building block principal. When you know a few key base characters (or building blocks) you can start combining them to create more complex words (compounds) which, when combined, allow you to create simple phrases and stories. It’s that easy!

Chineasy Mouth

Chineasy Mouth

ST: From what I have read online, you wear many hats and have accomplished so much across many fields.  Please let us know about this adventure you are on. How did you go from Taiwan to London?

SH: It was a very long adventure and it is one I still haven’t finished! As I child I was raised by two very artistic parents and, like most children, chose to study something as far removed from my parent’s interests as possible! As an MBA student in Taiwan I published a series of best selling software books, which were awarded ‘book of the year’. Using the royalties earned from their sale I founded my first software venture pAsia in 1995, which I grew from a team of 2 to a team of 250 by 2001. After moving to London in 2002, I began investing in and advising young technology companies through Caravel Capital, which I founded whilst studying at the University of Cambridge. Following a sabbatical in which I traveled the world I came back to London and decided to try my hand at something new. Today, I am still highly active in assisting young businesses, but I have also expanded to the mentoring and support of education, arts and culture (I am on the Business Advisory Council of Business School in Oxford University and Development Advisory Board of Victoria and Albert Museum). As a social venture, Chineasy is the culmination of both my entrepreneurial experience and my artistic childhood.

Chineasy Fire

Chineasy Fire

ST: Was there somebody that encouraged you to be creative and business savvy?  Also, how do you collaborate with the designers of Chineasy?

SH: Although everyone could be creative, having right environment is crucial. Everyone could be ‘trained’ being a savvy business person, but having good intuitive and constructive environment certainly helps. I happened to grow up in an artist family and loving arts throughout my life. I was also lucky enough to work with world class business leaders and global thought leaders. I am inspired by many people through out my journey. Many of them became my life long friends and consistently encouraged me to be ‘myself’. Being yourself and knowing what your ‘calling’ is helps you to have the vision beyond what people normally see in their ‘career’.

Originally I planed for Chineasy to be a purely personal project for my children and friends, but when I was invited to talk at TED, I started asking several illustrators to implement my creation. One day I chatted my friend Crispin Jameson, who is the director of an agency in London called Brave New World [BNW] and he recommended Noma Bar. This was how I started working with various parties in addition to Chineasy team.

ST: When you develop an illustration what is your creative process like?  What is your process for getting work out of your head and what are some favorite tools you like to use to create?  I especially love your color choices and the relationship between the image and character is so clear!  I wish I had these when I was learning Mandarin!

Chineasy Tree

Chineasy Tree

SH: The truth is it is a long and thought out process, these illustrations are much more than pretty pictures – as our three designers will tell you! Each character we create has to follow the same three guidelines: 
they have to look stunning, be stylistically consistent with what we 
have produced before and, most importantly, they have to be 
educationally effective.

Traditionally ancient Chinese was mainly Pictographic (the symbols were drawings of what they represented) yet over the past thousands of years, many of those pictographs have morphed into very different shapes from their original forms. Instead of trying to reproduce all of the historical links I use a totally refreshing approach to interoperate pictographs, as our illustrations have to be something westerners can associate therefore easier for them to remember.

Chineasy Character Development

Chineasy Character Development

Before we even start designing our team (which is made up primarily of myself, my two in-house designers, my project manager & research assistant) researches the definition, 
origin and history of the character. We then move on to the applications (for example, how to build more characters and phrases) and finally 
we consider how to make stories out of them. After this research our designers create their different interpretations 
of the character. We always have several versions and numerous drawings for each. Between us we then discuss, debate and bounce 
ideas back and forth. When we come across a challenge (which happens with nearly all of them), we discuss, sleep on it and play around with different combinations of colours, or designs.

Chineasy Sun

Chineasy Sun

Finally, whenever a new illustration is created, I show them to my children. If they can guess the answer immediately, I know we’ve got it right. If they struggle, we go back to the studio and do it all over again

ST: When you create a new Chineasy illustration do you take into consideration not only symbolic representations in Chinese characters, but also tonal sounds?

SH: Chineasy was started as a tool to teach my children how to read Chinese, not to speak, and so the illustrations are meant to act as a memory tool in literature not for sound. I am plotting a new method to teach people how to speak, which will be my primary project next Watch this space, soon I will be able to teach you to speak as well as write.

ST: What are some other hobbies or interests you like?

SH: Unsurprisingly, for someone who has done so many different things, I have a lot of hobbies! I like to keep busy and I believe that health is incredibly important! I spend a lot of time doing sports: skiing, swimming, weights, rock climbing. I love music and performing arts. This summer I did some painting class with my children. I would also love to teach them how to do calligraphy one day, just like the way my mother taught me. Everything. I am also very interested in Eastern medicine and spent some times studying acupuncture (that’s when you use needles to cure ailments, you can end up looking like a pin cushion). I am also a very big traveller and believe that you should experience the world through your own eyes if you can – not through foreign press

Chineasy Moon

Chineasy Moon

ST: How can we start using Chineasy?

SH: Its easy to become a Chineasy user. At the moment I update a Chineasy facebook page daily and already have a thriving community who seem to pick up every character I teach – it is very heartening!  I also have a website (chineasy.org) which anyone can access free of charge, as well as my newsletter which goes out to the community once a week! Now that our Kickstarter campaign has been successful I am also happy to announce that I will be having a beautiful, and educational, book published in Janurary 2014. This book will be available in both e and print formats. We are also going to produce loads of learning tools, such as flashcards and computer screensavers!

Chineasy is a gateway into the language, it is meant to help people who wish to learn, but who have always been thrown by the languages complexity. My children have learned at least 300 characters using this method and that is without vigorous lessons.

ST: I’m ready to start learning Chinese with Chineasy! Thanks ShaoLan! http://www.chineasy.org

Chineasy Person

Chineasy Person

Chineasy Door

Chineasy Door

 

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Published by , on September 9th, 2013 at 12:35 pm. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,classroom,Design,Featured,Scribble Artist Interviews,Scribble Press,Uncategorized Tags: Chineasy, Chinese, , London, , ShaoLan Hseuh, Taiwan • 2 Comments

Scribble Artist Interview with Píccolo!

"Petite Print" - Yelena Bryksenkova

“Petite Print” – Yelena Bryksenkova

Scribble Town (ST): Píccolo, a collaborative illustration team, is the dynamic duo Sara Barnes and Lisa Perrin!  These two artists are good at what they do because they bring art to you and help spread the word of unforgettable images from various illustrators. Sara and Lisa are inspirators and makers of the moment.

Sara: Hi! I’m Sara Barnes and I am creative person living in Baltimore, Maryland. I am originally from the city of fountains and land of barbecue, Kansas City, Missouri. You can find me running, baking, making art, or coding on my computer.

Lisa: Salutations! My name is Lisa Perrin (I go by my last name for my personal illustration work: www.madebyperrin.com) I am originally from Long Island, New York but now reside in charming Baltimore, Maryland. I can often be found illustrating, designing, pondering and teaching, as well as spending time with my beloved rabbit companion: Blanche DuBun.

ST: What are you two up to these days?  I can only imagine what a day with Sara and Lisa looks like.  I’m sure Piccolo takes a bunch of your time and I think it’s worth it!

Píccolo: We are always organizing new Píccolo projects and events! Right now we are preparing for the upcoming Baltimore Book Festival where we will have a table. We will be selling our petite prints, ‘to market’ tote bags, and a brand new collaborative artist’s book. We are working with 6 amazing illustrators and cannot wait to see it all come together.

A typical day with Lisa & Sara looks pretty adorable! We really share all of the responsibilities that come with running a small business. We divvy up sending and responding to emails, utilizing social media, updating the website, and so on. We generally include snacks in all of our business meetings.

"To Market" - Karolin Schnoor

“To Market” – Karolin Schnoor

ST: Can’t go wrong with snacks :) Your tote bags are great!  I can carry my apples, pens, and books for a day out in the park.  You girls have accomplished so much. Tell us how Píccolo began.  When did you start creating tote bags and prints?  How do you two creatively work together?

Píccolo: Píccolo began in a fancy coffee shop where it was hard to find a table and even the napkins were really nice. It was the summer before the final thesis year of our graduate program. We knew we wanted to collaborate and had a shared love of well made illustrated products. We did a Kickstarter to get our Petite Print Project off the ground in early 2013 and the rest as they say is history! Our line of tote bags were created this summer for an arts festival and to use at farmer’s markets, gallivanting around town, and more!

ST: And then poof! Píccolo popped up! From what I have read online, you both are illustrators.  Was there somebody that encouraged you to be creative?  If there is a story of your path to finding this medium that fits you so well, please share.

Píccolo: Sara has been a working illustrator but has shifted her focus to curating illustration and running her blog, Brown Paper Bag. Lisa is currently freelancing under her penname, Perrin.

"Red Bud" - paper, paint, embroidery thread by Sara Barnes

“Red Bud” – paper, paint, embroidery thread by Sara Barnes

Sara: My parents always encouraged me to be creative and supported me in whatever I do. I am very grateful for this. I started out by taking art classes when I was younger and trying out as much stuff as I could. Eventually this lead me to oil painting, which later lead me to Baltimore to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). While I thought I’d major in painting, I quickly decided that illustration sounded better. I enjoy reading and interpreting text visually, so I thought illustration would be a better fit. I was right! I liked it so much that I went to graduate school for it, too.

Lisa: I was always creatively encouraged by my mother, another creative lady! And my different art teachers were influential as well. My path to illustration was hardly linear. I always loved beautiful pictures and drew compulsively, but I always had lots of varied interests. I was also a pretty serious theater kid too. Ultimately, I went to a liberal arts college and earned a BA in English and a BFA in Painting. I took some time off and then scooted off to grad school at MICA to try and be an illustrator for real.

"Eden -- an Interior" - digital painting by Lisa Perrin

“Eden — an Interior” – digital painting by Lisa Perrin

ST: What inspired you to form Píccolo? Where has this amazing endeavor taken you to?  I’m sure with many surprises along the way!

Píccolo: We knew we wanted to work together. We have unique and different skill sets, but are united in how we feel about illustration, that it is accessible and ubiquitous. Our mission has always been to produce quality illustrated products that are accessible to everyone. We endeavor to promote the illustrators we work with and make things that we would want ourselves.

"Nature of the Beast" - gouache and watercolor by Lisa Perrin

“Nature of the Beast” – gouache and watercolor by Lisa Perrin

So far, it has been a pretty amazing ride! We had a table at Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival, successfully funded a Kickstarter, and recently we went to NYC and Brooklyn to do studio visits with illustrators that we admire. Everyone we have met and worked with has been so genuine and friendly. Making amazing creative pals has certainly been the best part.

ST: When you develop an illustration what is your creative process like?  Also, how is it different for the works created for Píccolo?  What are some favorite tools you like to use to create?  Both of your styles are so unique yet the choice of medium you two choose really brings out the subject in the picture in a perfect way.

Sara: I was always taught to sketch first. I look back at past things I’ve drawn and see if I’d want to incorporate them into what I’m working on. I sketch in pencil first, a bunch of little sketches to try and get the composition how I want it.

"Under glass" - paper and paint by Sara Barnes

“Under glass” – paper and paint by Sara Barnes

From there, I refine my sketch and eventually use it as a blueprint for what I will make. If I am feeling stuck, I will often send work in progress to Lisa, because she really understands my style and how I work.

Lisa: My process begins with lots of thoughts. It Is not unusual for me to just think about an illustration I want to make for days or weeks before it really starts to happen. Then comes sketching and research followed by the revising process. Lately I start everything pencil and scan it in to create my piece digitally. I always send things to Sara in progress because I value her eye and opinion. I don’t think you can have a good collaboration without that mutual respect for each other’s opinions. I always value her feedback!

For Píccolo we give the illustrators certain parameters, like size and color palettes, but generally we give them a lot of freedom to create a unique illustration. Generally, we like letting our artists have a lot of freedom, because we feel that it allows them to make work that they really love!

"Contained Risk" - digital painting by Lisa Perrin

“Contained Risk” – digital painting by Lisa Perrin

ST: For a couple of curious cats, as you two seem to be, what are some other hobbies or interests you like?

Sara: I really enjoy running. I am currently training for a half marathon, and am planning a marathon for early 2014. I also have a major sweet tooth and like to bake cakes and cookies.

Lisa: I love thrifting and hunting down inspiration. I enjoy the process of discovering something that gets me excited and then learning as much as I can about it. I like snacks, movies, and cute animals on the internet.

ST: Where do you find yourself feeling really inspired to create?  Or is there a time of day that better suits these bubbles of creativity?  Who or what is inspirational for you these days?

Sara: My morning routine inspires me. I am an early bird, and make my best creative decisions after I go running, make a cup of coffee, and turn on the radio. Not many people are up as early as me, too, so there is little distraction! I too am inspired by what I see on the web, including blogs, Pinterest, and Instagram.

"Under glass" - paper and paint by Sara Barnes

“Under glass” – paper and paint by Sara Barnes

Lisa: I actively make a point of getting out of my house to go to a studio space because I find fewer distractions helpful for creative productivity. For me it is not about a specific time of day so much as having a sizable chunk of available time to work. I need to know I have a couple of uninterrupted hours on hand (which is easier said than done!) I get inspired by amazing illustrations I see on tumblr and pinterest. I am also a very avid museum goer and Baltimore has got some gems!

ST: What is your studio environment like?  Is there a Píccolo in Baltimore?

Píccolo: We had a studio space while we were in graduate school together. Now we meet mostly in coffee shops. A lot of our process takes place through emails and social media too. Sometimes we see buildings for rent or sale and loftily dream of creating a real Píccolo headquarters. For now we work more simply, and there is a cat or a bunny around, and all is well.

ST: Thanks Sara and Lisa for sharing with us your own artwork and all about Píccolo!  I think it’s incredible that two friends can make their dream come together.  With snacks, of course!  Ok, Scribblers, let’s check out Píccolo at http://shop.heypiccolo.co!

Piccolo 'To Market' Tote Bag by Jessica H.J. Lee

Piccolo ‘To Market’ Tote Bag by Jessica H.J. Lee

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Published by , on September 2nd, 2013 at 12:45 am. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,Design,Featured,Scribble Artist Interviews,Uncategorized Tags: Baltimore, , Lisa Perrin, , Piccolo, Sara Barnes, 1 Comment

Scribble Artist Interview with Daniel Tillman!

Scribble Town (ST): Daniel Tillman is an artist and artist representative for C3 Designs. He’s a doer and a maker. And as you can see he brings beauty to blankets in warm ways you haven’t yet imagined.

Quilt by Daniel Tillman

Quilt by Daniel Tillman

Daniel Tillman (DT): Hello, my name is Daniel Tillman, through C3 Designs I represent artists and designers, who make products for the architectural community. It took a number of years but I’ve been able combine quilt-making into my business. I live in New York with my wife and two children. They’re not really children any longer, my oldest daughter is 24 years old and my youngest is 20. In one form or another I’ve been working with textiles for more than 20 years.

ST: What are your days usually like?

DT: During the day I help artists and craftspeople bring their beautiful designs to market. I work with architects and designers to find the right artisan for their projects, maybe a hand-knotted rug, crown moulding or hand-blown glass lamp. Sometimes I get to put my own work into the project. At night, and on the weekends I like to sew. I became interested in quilting after seeing a show by the artist Nancy Crow. Her work is extraordinary, the shapes and colors. I’m also very drawn to Amish quilts, I like the subtle color play as well as the fact that they were made to be used and not just admired.

Quilt by Daniel Tillman

Quilt by Daniel Tillman

ST: It’s wonderful that you are part of the process of bringing artists and their work into the public eye and people’s homes. When did you start creating quilts? How did you discover this medium and was there somebody that encouraged you?

DT: I began making quilts twenty years ago, at the urging of my wife Cyndi. She’s a wonderful seamstress and knows her way around fabric and sewing machines. It was a way for me to keep busy, instead of sitting down in front of the TV. One of the first quilts, I made, and still one of my favorites was for my oldest daughter, when she was very young. She would draw on the quilt, in chalk, while I was at work and then I would stitch the drawing at night.

ST: Wow! What a collaboration between you and your daughter! And all with the great encouragement of Cyndi. Can you please tell us more about your quilting technique? What kind of stitch or patterns do you use? Quilting is a tradition in many cultures, such as with the Japanese and Amish.  Is there one type that you often look towards for inspiration?

Corrigan Quilt by Daniel Tillman

Corrigan Quilt by Daniel Tillman

DT: Aside from the color play of Amish quilts I am also inspired by Japanese sashiko. Their stitches are so tiny and precise. I strive to do that whenever I can, with my work. I generally machine piece the quilts, I like the durability that that brings to the structure, but as I put the three layers together, backing, batting and top I prefer to hand-quilt. It is more time consuming but very rewarding.

Sustainable Queen Bee Quilt by Daniel Tillman

Sustainable Queen Bee Quilt by Daniel Tillman

ST: Where do you find yourself feeling really inspired to create?

DT: For the past six years I have been a co-director of the International Interior Design Association Sustainable Quilting Bee. The design field uses many many yards of fabric samples every year. When those designs are discontinued the fabric ends up in a land fill. The aim of the Sustainable Quilting is to have architecture firms design their own quilts and then work as teams throughout the year, at the end of which we have an auction to raise money for a charity. The samples get re-purposed into something entirely different The beauty of the project is that these very creative people get to have an outlet once a month, at the Bee, to be creative with their peers.

ST: What are some other forms of art you practice?

Drawing by Daniel Tillman

Drawing by Daniel Tillman

DT: My other creative outlet is drawing. I have been trying to translate my drawings into a quilt but to date it hasn’t worked as well as I would have liked. The advantage is that quilts are large and unwieldy while drawing is something that you can always do, no matter where you are.

ST: I think you’ve connected the drawing and your quilting quite well! I can also see how your drawing could be a start for an embroidery pattern.

DT: I would like to share a technique for designing fabric that I learned last year. It was a bit messy, but really fun. You take a piece of cotton fabric, others will work but cotton is readily available. Soak it in vinegar until it’s dripping wet. Lay the fabric on a garbage bag outside and then place nails or other objects that will rust on the fabric in a design. Cover the fabric with another garbage bag and leave in the sun for 24 hours that will usually be enough. The vinegar and the sun speed up the rusting process. After it has sat outside for a day or so take the fabric and set it in a bucket of water with salt added. The recipe I used wasn’t very clear, but a couple of table spoons should be plenty. Let it sit in the bucket for 15 minutes and then remove. The salt sets the dye so that it should be fairly permanent. You will want to wash it after this, because it will smell a bit.

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce you to quilting and I hope you’ll try putting fabrics together. It’s a wonderful entry into creating something of your own.

ST: Thank you Daniel for sharing with us! Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s C3 Designs at https://c3design.wordpress.com.

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Published by , on August 26th, 2013 at 1:35 am. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,Design,Featured,Scribble Artist Interviews,Uncategorized Tags: Amish, C3 Designs, Daniel Tillman, Japanese, , Quilting, No Comments

Scribble Artist Interview with Jerry Belich!

Scribble Town (ST): Watch the above video and you’ll see why with an introduction like that we all think that Jerry Belich is a talented artist with a great sense of humor! Jerry, where are you and what are you up to these days?

Jerry Belich (JB): Spatially, I live and work in Northeast Minneapolis. I’m native to MN, but have been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit, including five weeks in London this past winter where the Choosatron was a big hit. I’m the senior mobile developer at Clockwork Active Media, I’m finishing up a movie swede of David Lynch’s Dune, and have been doing a few improv shows in the theatre community! I keep myself busy.

ST: Wow! On top of it all, I’m sure very busy trying to raise funds for Choosatron: Interactive Fiction Arcade Machine.  I first stumbled upon

Choosatron on Kickstarter and your idea sounds great.  Please let us know what the Choosatron is and what you are raising funds for.  We’d like to help you!

JB: Put simply, the Choosatron is small device that prints and plays Choose Your Own Adventure inspired stories. I was trying to think of something I wanted to build, and I thought back to the interactive books I read as a child, along with trips to the arcade. Since I built the first Choosatron, the excitement from both adults and kids has been incredibly motivating. I realized how fun it would be to use, not just as a toy, but a creative platform. It’s a lot of fun to play, but I’m excited to raise the funding for building the writing platform to go along with the device itself. In the broadest sense, I want to raise funding to build a bridge between the technological and creative, with storytelling at the center.

The Choosatron in action at Saint Paul Maker Fair

Choosatron in action at Saint Paul Maker Fair

ST: When did you start creating interactive toys/games/play/amazing machines?!  The thing is that you do so much! You are playful renaissance man. Was there somebody that encouraged you?

JB: I started creating my own interactive stories as a kid. I’d gather friends around, make up a beginning to a story, and give them each a turn to describe what they wanted their character to do in the world. It was my earliest form of roleplaying, though I never participated as a player, only as the game master. From there, making interactive stories and adventures on grid paper, to writing games in basic on an ancient computer. Game design and storytelling have always been lingering in my mind. More recently, it was a client working on the creative for a big installation project in Las Vegas that mailed me an Arduino after I mentioned my interest on a call. I’ve developed software for over a decade, but hadn’t done much tinkering with electronics. I’ve always worked to create more than I’ve been willing to advertise it, so many of my projects get completed, and then a spot on the shelf. It’s due to the encouragement of others that I’ve been more forthcoming. Not out of shyness, but honestly not expecting anyone to find any of it interesting.

ST: What inspired you to make Choosatron? How did the idea develop- conceptually and design wise?  What made you choose text as the source of communication rather than images?

The Choosatron Prototypes by Jerry Belich

Choosatron Prototypes by Jerry Belich

JB: Arcade machine and interactive stories. Specifically choice based, where narrative still has a stronghold over each step in the story. Sandbox games are endless fun, but for very different reasons, and I prefer to get lost in the story. Text is what I’m used to working with. I can’t draw to save my life, so there wasn’t much of a choice. That being the case, I did work on an interactive story using only pictures for the Little Printer by BERG at their second hack day in London. It was called “Ways to Die”. Once a day you’d get an image, starting with you washing up on the shore of an island. It would print a few QR codes, and the one to scanned first would determine the path for the next day. It might take a week, or even two, but one way or another you’d meet a terrible end on the island. I thought it was hilarious.

ST: When you develop software what is your creative process like?  Would you call yourself a software developer?  Your talents run all over the place!  What are some other hobbies or interests you like?

JB: I tend to design as much in my head as possible, and then create the skeleton for the software I’m going to write. It’s all generally quite practical in that sense. What language, what platform, what are the constraints…you have to be pretty organized and have a process in order to work on a lot of projects at once. I’m already scatterbrained enough as it is. Software, and now hardware, is my career. I spend the rest of my time writing stories, putting together or taking part in improv shows, playing the theremin, and making videos or animation. I love hobbies and variety, so will just pick something up for a while and see if it comes in handy, like knitting or building puppets.

ST: Where do you find yourself feeling really inspired to create?  In other words, is there a time of day that better suits these bubbles of creativity?

Picture of Jerry Belich

Picture of Jerry Belich

JB: I’m an extrovert, so being around people gives me energy. I also find the white noise of public places soothing, and have an easier time getting tasks done. I’ve carefully crafted my spaces at home to reduce how easy it is to get distract or too ‘comfortable’, but ultimately I can only get so much done at home. It used to be late at night was my most productive time, but I discovered that it was just being uninterrupted that helped. Actually, even just KNOWING I won’t get disturbed gets me into the right frame of mind quickly. The other element that helps is having access to the minds of whoever I know can help me with a creative problem since I work things out best by trying to explain them to someone. I really have these terribly opposed needs to get through my creative cycle which gets maddening sometimes.

ST: What is your process for getting your work out of your head? Do you sketch with pencil, paint, computer graphics, talk with certain friends for some good dialogue etc. ?

JB: Ah, well just was I was saying above! It’s talking and dialogue. I feel a strange disconnect between what I see in my head and what I’m able to jot down. I hate it because it makes capturing certain ideas much more difficult. I use a combination of a notepad that is always in my back pocket, a small pressurized pen in my front (I hate pens that stop working the moment you need them), and talking everything out with friends and professionals.

Choosatron and Spark Core (https://www.sparkdevices.com)

Choosatron and Spark Core (https://www.sparkdevices.com)

ST: What is your studio environment like? This is where the magic happens!

JB: Organized, at least usually. I get very anxious when I’m in big time crunches that don’t allow me to keep my work (and sometimes not work) spaces clear. I like large tables where I can spread out, and see everything at once, which is helpful for my absent mindedness. There are usually post-it notes with various types of todo lists, and a specific balance of comfort and utility. I want to want to be in my work space, but not want to take a nap.

ST: Since I haven’t yet played with the Choosatron, the idea led me to Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies game.  Your game brings the player to the next level of the story all and Oblique Strategies helps the player break creative blocks by moving progressively forward, like a story does.  What games do you like to play?  Also, any game theorists you often looks towards for inspiration?

JB: Oblique Strategies is an interesting example. They created something for themselves in order to inspire themselves. In that fashion, the Choosatron is similar. I’ve created a tool that gives me a framework to write and design in a completely fresh way. The content of the cards themselves don’t do much for me though. I’m particularly fond of cooperative games, especially when players are not forced to cooperate with each other, or when one of you isn’t who they seem. I’m fascinated by the influences that cause people to band together and turn on each other. I love Betrayal at the House on the Hill and Red November quite a bit. Munchkin is a fantastic game. My new favorite is Epic Spell Wars of the Battle Wizards. I don’t know that I have specific game theorists that I look to, but I love exploring well known theories such as the Prisoner’s Dilemma within different mediums, and seeing how storytelling can affect the perception of the players. I’ll stop there as I could probably go on endlessly if you let me!

ST: Yes! You’ve given us, Scribblers, all whole lot to think about and plenty of inspiration to get started on making our own inventions, stories, and games.

JB: I think the scariest moments in life, especially creatively, are taking the first step to starting something new. You don’t know if you’re doing it right, or well (and in fact probably aren’t), but you have to push through that in order to find the really great work you are capable of. You need to make the mistakes, gain the confidence, and practice. Trust yourself, and you’ll be rewarded for it!

ST: Thanks Jerry! That’s perfect advice! Just make your idea come true and let’s see where that shall take us. For more information on Jerry Belich and his artwork, please visit his Choosatron website and Monkey with a Mustache Entertainment.

Logo of Jerry Belich's 'Monkey with a Mustache Entertainment' Check out all of Jerry's projects at http://monkeytheater.com

Logo of Jerry Belich’s ‘Monkey with a Mustache Entertainment’ Check out more of Jerry’s projects at http://monkeytheater.com and http://choosatron.com

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Published by , on August 19th, 2013 at 5:38 am. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,classroom,Design,Featured,Scribble Artist Interviews,Uncategorized Tags: Choosatron, Digital Art, Jerry Belich, Minneapolis, , No Comments

Scribble Artist Interview with Susa Talan!

Day 106 by Susa Talan

Day 106 by Susa Talan

Scribble Town (ST): The perfect combination of image and words made by Susa Talan brings the meaning of the highlighted quotes to new visions. Susa’s artwork speak to me. The voice of the author from the quote she bases her artwork on is heard. And I think I’m not the only one! She is often on the move so I wonder, where are you, Susa, and what are you up to these days?

Susa Talan (Susa): At the moment, I’m spending time on a beautiful lake in Southern Maine. My partner and I moved out of our tiny home in rural Massachusetts in May and have spent the spring and summer traveling and visiting with friends and family before deciding where to make our next home. We have lived and traveled in many places over the last 6 years–both in the US and abroad (England, China, Burma, New Zealand, Australia). We like to travel. I actually find it inspiring to draw when we are on the move. That said, I am in the middle of a 365 day illustration project, so I am drawing every day and also starting a small stationery line. It’s definitely more challenging to do all this on the move! So as September looms, we’re both feeling ready to make a home again.

Day 58 by Susa Talan

Day 58 by Susa Talan

ST: The movement of travel and seeing everything new and unexpectedly is very exciting! Drawing on the road is a great way to capture it all. When did you start illustrating? Was there somebody that encouraged you? If there is a story of your path to finding this medium that fits you so well, please share.

Susa: One of my strongest early memories of illustration is from middle school. I did a project on Walt Disney, the artist, and I made a poster full of Disney characters that I hand-drew myself. I really appreciated how precise and detailed those drawings were and I learned from his example. I loved that poster and kept it on the wall of my bedroom. I still have a vivid memory of what it looked like!

My earliest experiences with art, however, come from my time in elementary school. I attended The Common School, in Amherst, Massachusetts which is deeply rooted in creative learning through art, theatre, music, the outdoors. For nine years I was given the choice to draw as a morning activity, surrounded by art materials and free time to explore them. Because of this, my relationship to learning and to making things–anything, really–is naturally integrated with my impulse to make art. I also have a creative older sister who is a musician and an artist. So both at school and at home there were really immediate artistic influences.

Day 96 by Susa Talan

Day 96 by Susa Talan

For many reasons I moved away from art and poetry in high school and it wasn’t until my senior year in college, that I ended up in a poetry class, by some small miracle, and it really changed the course of my life. I dropped my senior thesis in psychology and I started writing poems again. It wasn’t long before I was painting and immersing myself in art. Over the next 7 years, I went to museums and galleries and poetry readings. I read artist biographies and explored painting. I reconnected with my love of both writing and art–and even began, for the first time, to combine them by putting text and language into my paintings. This has always been a very deep wish. To bring text and words into my art. Among many, one person who influenced me during this time is Janeen Koconis, the artist behind the very successful cards, KOCONY. I loved her work. I still love her work. I never met her, but I bought her cards over and over again. She was the first person who I saw putting text together with art in such a way that really moved and inspired me.

Though I desperately wanted to go to art school, I was afraid that I couldn’t make a career of art. I was convinced that it was impractical and so I made a very practical decision to become a teacher and go to graduate school in education. I loved children and teaching came naturally to me, so there were many good reasons to have made this choice. And this became my focus for many years—nearly 15 in all. I worked in schools as a teacher and then a tutor and later I consulted with teachers and parents. I still care deeply about the development of children and their experience of learning.  And even today, I run occasional parenting workshops for parents.

Day 108 by Susa Talan

Day 108 by Susa Talan

Over all these years, my deep love of art and poetry stayed alive in lots of ways. I made cards for friends. I made small paintings. I wrote in a journal and I wrote poems. I eventually even went to art school for one year, in my early thirties. Unfortunately, it was a year of artistic struggle that felt a lot like artistic failure. I didn’t know how to make the kind of art I truly wanted to make. I didn’t know how to trust my artistic voice. At the end of the year, I left feeling very discouraged. I abandoned art-making altogether.

In 2006, a family crisis put everything in perspective and I left my home and life in Boston to join a Buddhist meditation center. For the next 3 years, I didn’t make any art and immersed myself in meditation and contemplative practice. Eventually, I left the center and life took me back to teaching and education and travel.

One day, without plan or preamble, I picked up a single micron pen and an old sketchbook. I started drawing. I drew and drew and drew. So many wonderful things began to happen! I drew butterflies and trees. I drew people and buildings and birds and dogs and patterns. This went on for a year and then another year. Eventually, words starting coming, too. Words of my own and quotes from people I admired and read. Poets, writers, scientists, biologists, artists. Anyone who had inspired me. Eventually, one thing led to another. Two different singer-songwriter friends asked me to illustrate their album covers. I bought the Adobe Creative Suite and learned Photoshop and Illustrator. In December, 2012, on my 39th birthday, I committed to giving myself a year of daily gratitude, a year of making illustrations every day, a year of creative discipline.

Day 137 by Susa Talan

Day 137 by Susa Talan

And the rest, as they say, is history. I am finally living the dream of making art full-time. I’m selling my cards in stores around the US, as well as working on a 2014 calendar and a 365 Days of Gratitude book.

ST: I love the way you told your story! Your earnestness for art making is very much felt in the vibrant way you use words. And now we have a calendar full of your artwork to look forward to!

When you illustrate what is your creative process like? Does your image come after your quote or vice versa? How do you come across these amazing and meaningful quotes?

Susa: My creative process is pretty much the same each time I work, with some variation depending on the project. Most often, I start with a quote or words. Choosing them, selecting them, is it’s own process. There are so many writers whose words have kept me company over the years that finding authors is not the challenge. The hard part is finding quotes that pass something like a sparkle test. Which basically means it moves me, pretty instantly, in some deep way. Like a little whir or spark. A hit of recognition. Because there are a million wonderful quotes out there, but not all of them produce that sparkle in me—something that feels universally meaningful. It’s hard to explain. But I know right away when I come across a quote if it will work.

Day 213 by Susa Talan

Day 213 by Susa Talan

Once I have some quotes, I look for one that produces a similarly quick visual idea. Since I’m working with a daily deadline for the gratitude project, I don’t have much time to re-work an idea. If a quote with sparkle gives me an image, I run with it and start drawing. If it doesn’t produce an image right away, I put it on hold and keep looking.

ST: Time and silence are sometimes the best way for ideas to rise to the top. Please tell us a bit about your 365 Days of Gratitude project. What day are you on?

Susa: The 365 Days of Gratitude project was conceived as both an exercise and a gift. On the creative side, I was looking for a long-term project that would get me working everyday under a deadline. Last fall, I discovered the work of artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon who was only a few months away from finishing a 365 Days of Hand-Lettering project. I was so inspired by her work and her commitment to this year-long project. I knew I wanted to do something similar. On a personal level, I wanted to offer myself a year of gratitude for my 40th birthday year. That seemed like a meaningful way to enter my fourth decade of life. So I started the project the day after my 39th birthday. It will finish at the end of December 2013.

Some days I have to remind myself of what I’m grateful for. That sounds kind of funny given that I’m engaged in a daily gratitude project. But it really feels like part of the path of being human. Don’t we all need reminders to be kind, to feel something directly and not just think about it? So that’s a big part of this project for me, personally. I try and remind myself throughout each day what I’m grateful for. And then creatively, it’s just been amazing to evolve artistically this year and be working so much each day. Today is Day 218!

Day 80 by Susa Talan

Day 80 by Susa Talan

ST: It must be nice to wake up and be totally aware of which day it is and how it places in context to the yearly calendar. Sometimes I don’t even know what day it is!

What is your process for getting your work out of your head–do you sketch with pencil, paint, computer graphics, etc?

Susa: I don’t sketch or plan out my drawings much beforehand. Once an initial idea comes into my mind, I run with it and the drawing evolves while I work. Most of my drawings come out in one take. I don’t tend to re-work or redo a drawing.

Once the image is done, I’ll scan it into the computer. If any minor edits are needed, that happens in Photoshop. Once the lines of the image are set, I’ll bring it into Illustrator and colorize. In terms of my tools, I work with about 5 different sizes of black micron pens.

ST: When you are creating these days what kind of music are you listening to? What is your studio environment like?

Susa: I don’t tend to listen to music when I draw. I enjoy silence and find it pretty necessary for the kind of concentration I use during the drawing phase. It doesn’t need to be pin-drop silent. I just like a quiet space, and the natural sounds of life happening around me. Once I enter the computer phase, I do listen to music and often to podcasts. My current favorite is “On Being” with Krista Tippett. Even though I don’t often listen to music while I’m working, music is a big part of my creative life. I play guitar and it provides a really different, but complimentary, creative outlet. So lots of inspiration there. Recently, I’ve been going back to Paul Simon. I came across his album “Graceland” and forgot how much I love it. He’s such an innovator.

Day 199 by Susa Talan

Day 199 by Susa Talan

ST: Many childhood family road trips were spent belting out Paul Simon. I should bring him out again too! Out of all of the quotes and sayings you have depicted, which one holds a very close spot to heart at the moment? For me, Thich Nhat Hanh’s quote for Day 199 really spoke to me and your picture made it all the more clear, tangible and understandable.

Susa: Each gratitude page holds a different connection and relationship for me. And yet, over the year, different pages do, inevitably, feel more or less impactful. Right now, Day 207, the Ernest Hemingway quote, “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them” has been a strong one for me. I was really pleased with how the illustration came out and felt it embodied what I had hoped to with the quote—which is so potent, so true, in my experience. The practice that the quote implies, moving towards trust when you feel untrusting, is a deep one.

Day 207 by Susa Talan

Day 207 by Susa Talan

ST: Susa, you have touched us and opened our eyes to many great people who value life and being. Thank you for that! To see more great artwork by Susa, please visit her website, http://susatalan.com/.

Special treat today is ‘Drawing with Susa Talan’ on the Scribble Shop! To do the art activity with Susa, you can click here. Let’s enjoy the moment, but I have to say that I’m getting giddy for the Susa’s 2014 calendar and 365 Days of Gratitude book. Check back for more details!

Day 136 by Susa Talan

Day 136 by Susa Talan

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Published by , on August 12th, 2013 at 2:03 am. Filled under: adults,Arts & Crafts,classroom,Design,Featured,Scribble Artist Interviews,Uncategorized Tags: 365 Days of Gratitude, , Massachusetts, queen of hearts, Quotes, , Susa Talan • No Comments

Scribble Artist Interview with Andres Amador!

Jersey Beach Art Festival. Andres working. Photo: Stepane Gimenez Photography

Jersey Beach Art Festival. Andres working. Photo: Stepane Gimenez Photography

Scribble Town (ST): The world is your canvas!  Visual artist Andres Amador proves that to be true with his landscape art whose primary canvas currently is the beach.  After you read more about Andres I think you’ll be inspired to create with the earth and appreciate it for all its beautiful components that make it fresh, colorful and alive.

Andres Amador (AA): I call myself an Earthscape Artist, though this feels to more capture the heart of my pursuit- engaging the natural world at the landscape level using natural materials.

ST: I think Earthscape Artist encapsulates what you are doing and what the art is about!  Where are you and what are your days like?

AA:
Currently I reside in an open-walled, safari-style tent on a family homestead farm outside Grass Valley, California. When I am not working on the farm, I am working on projects for clients and developing the next iterations of my art.

ST: You live and work with nature- both with sand and soil.  When did you start creating beach murals?

AA:
I started in 2004. The idea came to me as I was studying crop circles and sacred geometry while on vacation in Hawaii. I was on the beach explaining concepts to a friend when, like a bolt from the blue, I saw what could be possible on the beach.

ST: Wow! I can imagine the blue bolt came straight out of those Hawaiian blue ocean waters! You never know how these ideas will volcano out from your imagination. When it comes to visualizing your projects, does the place inspire your style or is it the purpose of the drawing that takes precedence?

AA:
In general the design is primary. However, there have been opportunities in which the shape or limitations of a location suggested a certain way to work with it. There have been rare moments in which a location inspired a design.

Inspired by the cave and the narrow channel leading from the cave to the larger beach. I started way at the back of the cave where the sand started. In my mind the cave was breathing flames which turned into vines, then flowers off of which bud planets and stars. Plemont Beach, Island of Jersey. during the MyMemory.com World Beach Art Championships.

Inspired by the cave and the narrow channel leading from the cave to the larger beach. I started way at the back of the cave where the sand started. In my mind the cave was breathing flames which turned into vines, then flowers off of which bud planets and stars. Plemont Beach, Island of Jersey. during the MyMemory.com World Beach Art Championships.

Currently, now that I am using a remote controlled aerial camera, I will have the opportunity to truly work with the landscape- to know what it looks like from vantage points higher than I have been able to see from before and to capture the imagery. This is the cutting edge of my art development and has me quite excited.

ST: It’s great to see how technology is advancing your artwork not only with documentation but also with accessibility.  I can really see how the cave and the rocks guided the flow of your design elements!  What other forms of creativity do you do?

AA:
At the moment I am appreciating origami- its tough! I also love contact improvisation dance, in which I have been developing a signature style. Sculpture weaves in and out. Cooking is a major love. Many creative thoughts pass by me all the time, like butterflies flitting about. It feels as though I am capturing and expressing such a tiny percentage at any particular time. As my major expression at the moment is the earthscape art, many of my ideas turn towards pushing its boundaries. Often this means entirely new lines of creativity being born and adapted to the beach.

ST: For a person that has so many different creative interests, sometimes it’s also good to just put more attention to one project or medium. How do you start planning your projects?  Some have been very big productions requiring a lot of help from others! What is then your process for creating it on the beach?

AA:
The main thing I do is somehow capture the idea- whether as a sketch, a written note, a phone message to myself, a recording- whatever I have on hand. For the past 10 years I carry with me practically all the time a pencil case with pencil, sharpener, and flash cards. I have found flashcards to work the best for me. With them I can do many sketches of ideas and make variations then later group them into categories and later still select a few that would make good candidates for being on the beach. I also carry an iPod touch, the kind with a camera. I use it for taking notes, for doing recordings, and most usually for taking quick photos of inspirational imagery.

Andres Amador's example of a flash card with a design sketch.

Andres Amador’s example of a flash card with a design sketch.

If there is geometry to work out then I will use Illustrator on the computer as it makes the process, and being perfect, very easy (with the geometric designs perfection is important).

Once on the beach I will turn to a number of techniques. Often I am coming up with new ones to fit the needs of the design. In general though, the main thing I am working with is keeping a sense of what is happening around me while I work from the inside. Its an acquired skill, keeping it together. With the geometric is about knowing the steps I have set for myself. With the organic designs its about knowing the process I am engaging, which shifts according to the design. I am always learning more. Now that I am using an aerial camera, the scale can go even larger, which means that the lines that have generally been good enough now much be much much larger to be visible. So there’s a constant re-orienting. For me that’s part of the fun. There is no ‘way’ to do it. It’s a constant exploration.

Here’s a guide I made to create a geometric design,

Torus-recreation

Torus-recreation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

which became this:

Ocean Beach, SF

Ocean Beach, SF

Below is a photo of an organic design.

Ocean Beach, SF

Ocean Beach, SF

ST: I really like the impermanent aspect of your work. So much effort only to last for a short time. I wonder in what ways do you document your work (to make it permanent : ) ).

AA: Impermanence was not an aspect I was looking to engage when I started. But its the overwhelming feature of the artwork. Often as I am working on a piece it is being simultaneously washed away. I was being filmed recently and as I finished and the film crew was flying a camera up, a huge wave bit into the art- too soon! We had to redo the creation the next day (fortunately we had that option!). Prior to this art form I was doing large sculptural installations. I still have a garage full of my art. I can’t let it go! With the beach, I have no choice, which is refreshing :-)   Of course I do take care to capture my creations and so am dealing with digital detritus(!)

If someone didn’t know how large my works were, the designs alone would not be so impressive. But knowing that so much effort went into something with such a short lifespan creates a different impact. Attention is given to the work and the reasoning behind it. Philosophically, the aspect of impermanence has had a big impact on me. In the end, our own existence is temporary. Nothing that is made will last forever. We subconsciously anchor ourselves to what we feel is solid in the world. We act as though the lives we live have stability to them. But that is an illusion. When upheavals in life happens we are reminded that the only thing we can count on is change.

It can seem as though making my paintings on the beach is a pointless act. But in reality, all acts are ‘pointless’ in that there is no inherent meaning. When we are able to stand tall and enthusiastically create from our hearts unencumbered by such concerns, aware that all our acts and achievements are but drops in the rain but engaging regardless, the offering becomes even more powerful, more poignant, more infectious. It doesn’t matter what we do- if it is done as an expression of love- that is its own validation and it is then a true offering to the world.

ST: Even if your beach murals have faded, they have made an impact on who has experienced them. Have you done collaborative beach murals with other artists?  I got an idea- what about collage beach murals?!  Your murals would be a perfect stage for a performance- instead of a curtain you can draw the next props to set the scene!

AA:
I’ve done lots of collaboration. I love collaboration- the mixing up of ideas and abilities. At the moment I am collaborating with the director of the Santa Cruz Symphony. I am always open to interesting collaborations. And I have done performance within the artwork [see image below]. I look forward to other opportunities to do interesting things within the art I create.

‘This Constant Yearning’ dance performance

‘This Constant Yearning’ dance performance

Over the years the art has dictated the documentation. As I got more serious about the art, I had to get more serious about the recording of it. I’m working on the next iteration of that trend as I shop the next level of camera I wish to use. I recently did a memorial ceremony artwork [see image below] that had about 200 participants, which was very powerful.

Ceremony artwork by Andres Amador

Ceremony artwork by Andres Amador

ST: Please tell us more about your Playa Painting Workshops.  How can we get involved?

AA:
I haven’t been as active with the workshops since I moved from the San Francisco bay Area. However I do work with groups and very much enjoy working with schools. I am also looking to do some very large creations for which I will be putting out calls for assistance. The best way to be involved with something I do is to join my facebook fan page:

ST: Thanks Andres for all your insight and inspiration!  Scribblers, here’s an activity Andres came up for you to start with your own Earthscape Art.  Click here to have a look.  See you by the shore!

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