28 February 2012

Johan Ku

Emotional Sculpture
Johan Ku began his career as a free-lance graphic designer since he was 17, and moved to London for CSM MA Fashion course. His signature features sculpture-like silhouette dresses in white with emphasis on the volume of the knitted materials.

27 February 2012

Christien Meindertsma

Urchin Pouf
Christien graduated from the Eindhoven Design Academy and likes to explore the life of products and raw materials.

26 February 2012

Susan Cutts

Cherish
Susan uses her own handmade paper working from the raw fibre using traditional European equipment and techniques.  The process of papermaking is vitally important to her work.  The complex structure of the fibres enables her to create sculptural pieces without the use of glue, stitching or armatures.

25 February 2012

Chiharu Shiota : Art Installation

La Maison
What a wonderfully atmospheric piece - it's almost like a drawing and I wondered if that's where the inspiration came from for this work. Not sure who the artist is .....

I found out!  Great work Linnie - it is, as you said, Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota who was born in Osaka, Japan and now lives and works in Berlin.  Her website is well worth a visit.

24 February 2012

Trendtablet : Mohair : DIYY

Website Link
Fashion and design are experiencing a revival of highly creative textiles and knits. The idea of doing yourself yourself (D.I.Y.Y.) is an innovative look at craft as never seen before.

18 February 2012

Suzanna Scott aka sushipot : Creative Interview

Continuing in the USA I'm delighted that Suzanna accepted my interview request as I have long admired her work and her shop - she has such a 'good eye'!!! She is an artist living and working from her home studio in the "Little Apple" (aka Manhattan, Kansas). She creates and collects art objects, is a homeschooling mum and wife to a PhD student.  I just want to wish Suzanna lots of great adventures in 2012 and beyond and to thank her for her time in answering these questions.

What's new for you in 2012 - do you have any new adventures
More assemblage, more collage. Possibly a new haircut? Still deciding on that one.

Doll House 360
What do you love most about what you do and is there a down side
The best thing about working as an artist from my home studio is that I get to create something every day. The downside is the dust bunnies and dirty dishes that love to distract me.
Collage

What are you most happy with in your portfolio
Some of my favorite pieces come from my Bricolage Series. I'm partial to the Doll Houses too.
bricolage
Doll House #373


What’s your ideal working day like
One where I get to sleep in and work late. A bit of sunshine doesn't hurt either.
Collage

Name three things that you really love OR you can't stand
I love…coffee, my iPhone and fresh vegetables.
Vignette No 2
Music on or off while you work and do you go through a routine before you are about to create
Music off, recorded books on! No routine. Just work!!

Have you ever or do you have a PLAN B
No.
bricolage no 1
Where’s your own favourite place to work and why
My studio 'cuz it's cozy and full of objects that inspire me.

Altered Wall Art
How much time do you or can you give to make a piece of work
Anywhere from minutes to weeks.

Who do you think I should interview next
Jo and Dylan at Cart Before The Horse
Blog link to Cart Before The Horse
Suzanna's links -


Etsy

Blog

Flickr

16 February 2012

Achnasheen Weekend

Our wee restaurant at Ledgowan Lodge

It's still possible to be the only one on the road!

View from the bottom of the lodge

Heading to Inverness - taken just outside Achnasheen - Loch Luichart perhaps?
A wonderful Valentine surprise weekend!  Thank you my lovely - it was such a chill out time and the weather was perfect for February!

13 February 2012

Marina Povalishina : Creative Interview

Marina was born and studied art in Russia, then moved to the United States in 1996.  People have always been Marina's main focus in her work.  Her characters don't have real prototypes and doesn't use "live' models. A human face attracts her not by the individual features of a concrete person, but as a mirror of a man's inner essence.  I just want to say a huge thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and allow me to use some of your wonderful pieces.  Every success for 2012 Marina!!  And now to the questions ....

Describe yourself in five words 
creative enthusiastic independent responsible ironical
Boy With Hat
What's new for you in 2012 - do you have any plans
In 2012 one of my daughters is going to leave home for college. I don't yet know how much I will miss her. As for me, I have no exact plans for this year but I would like to travel somewhere. I have decided that in spite of everything (money, free time etc) I will not let this year( and all following ones!) pass without seeing a new place. We have so little time, and the world is so big and interesting!
Far Away

What do you love most about what you do and is there a down side
I paint and do graphic work. I love doing it because when I stand with my brush in front of a canvas, I have a wonderful feeling of creating a world, even it is as small as a canvas or a piece of paper. It is a territory full of my freedom! I love the process of painting because it is often unpredictable. I love the rare moments of divine inspiration and happiness: those moments overshadow the plainness of everyday life. I cannot speak for other artists, but for me, I know I can get those blessing moments only if I am brave, sincere, and trustful to the extraordinary power that leads me.


I am not sure what to say about the down sides of being a painter... I think an artist often has doubts, often feels weakness, not always satisfied with his work, but I cannot call it a down side : it is a natural part of creating.
Carolina


What are you most happy with in your portfolio
Unfortunately I have tendency to be too criticizing toward my portfolio; always dreaming about a real masterpiece in the near future. It sometimes interferes with my plans : I delay and postpone participating in shows, or submitting portfolio to the desired gallery etc. Nevertheless, there are some pieces I consider to be my best so far, such as the "Couple" painting or the mixed media "Outfit" (ETSY).
Couple - Etsy Shop
Outfit : Etsy Shop
What’s your ideal working day like
I wake up early after having a good night of sleep. I have fruit juice and cup of coffee for breakfast. I go outside for a short walk, greeting a sun, sky, and world around me. I am full of energy. I go to my studio. It is bigger than my real one. It has big windows on the north side (my real studio doesn't have windows at all). I paint. I have a break and talk with a next door fellow artist. I paint again. I am
satisfied with what I have done. My ideal working day in studio is over. I go home. I find my house being cleaned by someone, and the dinner is prepared by someone, so all what is left for me is enjoying the rest of the day. Just one more thing. Checking out my e-mails I find that one New York gallery offers me a solo show, and the London's one just sold few my paintings. What a good day!
Three
Are you a coffee or a tea girl
I am a coffee girl. I drink only a cup of coffee a day, preparing it myself in a special coffee jar on the top of the stove. I don't like bad coffee.
Anya
Have you ever or do you have a PLAN B
It seems I never had a plan B. At 15, I left school for an art college, and since that time my life always was related with art. I worked as a decorator, as an art museum guide, as a painting restorer, as a graphic designer, as an art teacher, and as a painter. If I hadn't gone to the art school, maybe my life focus would have been in literature or a language field. Or maybe I would be an art historian.
Doll
Where’s your own favourite place to work and why
I have a studio and love doing painting there. No one disturbs me there. I can start and stop working at any moment and don't worry about cleaning up after. But for doing my smaller graphic pieces I prefer our dinner table at home. From there I can watch TV the same time; and a refrigerator is only one step away...
Notebook
How much time do you or can you give to make a piece of work
It depends on the piece. I can do a bigger painting for a month, and then return to it again and again. Even after a few years I can make attempts to "improve" my old work. And about my small graphic work, if it goes well, I can finish it in an hour.

Marina's links -

Website

Etsy

9 February 2012

Glasgow Decoupage

A wee trip to Glasgow and I found an example of decoupage for my students new project! Great!

6 February 2012

The Needles : Summer Girls


awoodentree : aka Kirsty Anderson
Watch the song here!  I can't believe Kirsty made these characters so long ago either! Kirsty was asked to make some animal heads for The Needles, Summer Girls single which was set in Seven Oaks an amazing forest

Crowdfunder Clay.Coven Ceramics

Just a few more days to go to achieve their dream of bringing the creativity of clay to the local community. And as my lovely friend Tash sa...