15 October 2012

Kumi Obata

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Kumi was born in Kanagawa and lives in Tokyo Japan.  She started creating etching at 2000.
Her current activities include picture books, illustration, and product development based on her own etching works.

13 October 2012

Creative Interview : Nate Williams

Over to the sunny shore of Buenos Aires to find out more about Nate and his creative life. He's an illustrator with a love for hand lettering and silk-screen printing. He values creativity, curiosity, inspiration, play, discovery and imperfection. I've never interviewed anyone from here so I'm delighted that he said yes!! A big huge thanks once again.

Describe yourself in five words and how would your friends describe you (in five)!!
Let me ask my wife ... she says curious, fun, smart, nice, extroverted .. okay she obviously wants me to do something :) probably wash our dog ...
I would say curious, optimistic, easy going, moody, distracted
Intersect
Can you reflect on how this year has been for you – and anything new on the boil for 2013 Positive stuff would be having a new son, having time to work on personal projects, enjoying the family, traveling, some great illustration jobs ... the only really negative thing I can think of is I injured my back boxing and had to take 6 months off from exercise which normally is a huge part of my life and keeps me sane .. but luckily I am starting up again .. just in time for South America's summer.

I created a tool to find patterns in my moods and it surprisingly work very well .. so I am pretty happy about that http://www.proconist.com 2013

I am looking forward to painting more and creating lots of personal work. I just started http://www.creactivists.com which has been really fun to see some kids ideas so far and hope to see more people involved.
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What do you love most about what you do and is there a down side
I love making art .. everything involved .. thinking of concepts, the process (play and discovery), connecting with people that appreciate art, etc The downside is what most freelancers struggle with which is instability and worrying about if you will have enough work in the future to pay your bills.

What's your town/area like for supporting creatives
Buenos Aires is extremely inspirational . It's a very artistic city with tons of stuff going on and lots of creative people doing interesting things .. I grew up in the US so it's always more interesting to be in a foreign land .. sometimes I get homesick .. but most of the time I enjoy it ... apart from the crazy south american politics and inflation.
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What’s your ideal working day like
I really like my typical days when I have time to work on my personal projects :) I usually grab a coffee or breakfast with my wife in the morning, brainstorm ideas/projects or review ideas I had then go to the studio to work on them ..

I like switching between mediums .. from wood working, to painting, to drawing, to exercising, to drinking a coffee, to programming something on the computer, to reading and back to painting.. I really like doing personal work because it takes you down a very exploratory path ... that is when I feel happiest.
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What do you do if you ever get a creative block
I do something else that doesn't involved creating .. exercise is good or I use some brainstorming techniques such as http://www.n8w.com/wp/1937 http://www.n8w.com/wp/3242
Brainstorming
Wordplay
Who influences you creatively
I love naive art .. or art made by people who don't have a formal art background or don't even consider themselves artist.

Have you ever had or do you have a PLAN B
Not really .. I think everything is always metamorphosing but ideally I would love to be involved with art and technology in some type of capacity.

Where’s your own favourite place to work and why
Costa Rica .. it's pure and feels like the closest place to earth http://www.n8w.com/wp/4051 it makes you looking at everything in perspective and not to get caught up in the rat race and enjoy the basics .. food, weather, nature, people, love, sex, music, etc
Costa Rica by Nate
Messy or tidy worker - haha Messy all the way
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Would you like to learn anything new and what would it be
Yes I have been learning about cryptology and really like learning about the history of it .. I would love to learn more about history and nature
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Who do you think I should interview next
I think an interview from a stranger walking down the street would be interesting .. someone random .. a group of old people and ask them if they have advice for young people, what do they remember most about life? regrets, etc

Thanks so much for that Nate - I'm off to find out more about cryptology and perhaps I will just grab a stranger and interview them! LOL!

Nate Williams : Illustration and Hand Lettering
website:  http://www.n8w.com
twitter:   @n8w

12 October 2012

Sophie Gralton


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As The Studio Gallery describes Sophie's genre paintings are loosely based on 17th Century Dutch portaits of children painted at that time. She uses Australian models, often her own children and they are frequently wearing garments that were hers as a child. The device of cropping the eyes enables the subject to represent 'everychild' and avoids an oversentimentality which can sometimes be difficult to steer away from when children and animals are concerned.

5 October 2012

Creative Interview : Viv Sliwka aka Hen's Teeth

I'm delighted that Viv has given up some of her time to answer my questions. Viv's work is made using collections of vintage fabrics from Europe and USA, haberdashery and paper ephemera, that she has personally collected from many sources, over the years.  I've enjoyed Viv's work for such a long time so I've been looking forward to finding out a wee bit more about about her.  Let's get started ..

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Describe yourself in five words and how would your friends describe you
Me - Obsessive, Impulsive, Creative, Loving, Emotional
My friends - Arty farty, Likes a giggle, Means well, Loves coffee and wine, Loves dogs

Pin Cushion
How has this year has been for you  – and anything new on the boil for 2013
This year creatively, has been fantastic. I finally worked up the courage to teach my own Workshops and I am so glad I did, as they have been such a pleasure to do. I also had the pleasure of having a stand at Selvedge Spring Fair, London. For 2013, I hope to teach more Workshops here in the UK and maybe abroad.
Rabbit
What do you love most about what you do and is there a down side
What I love most about what I do, is getting that excitement deep down in the pit of your stomach when you are inspired. You know, that feeling when you can’t wait to get started and enjoy every minute of the making process. The only downside, for me, is that I spend far too much time on the computer, staring at Pinterest etc.
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In your portfolio what are you most happy with
In my portfolio, I am most happy with my Envelope Artworks. I thoroughly enjoy hunting for old envelopes and then creating a paper/textile collage with them, adding embroidery and paint details…love every minute of working these.
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What’s your ideal working day like
My ideal day, is to not have to go out and I have the entire day and evening to work.
She Loves Her Dog
What do you do if you ever get a creative block
I get a creative block regularly, but I have learnt to just keep at it and work through it. Sometimes tidying my workplace or looking at art can help get my mojo back.

Who influences you creatively
My influences are without question Julie Arkell, Jayne Lennard neither of whom have their own web presence. Another wonderfully creative being is Janet Boulton … I adore her work. The understated charm of her textile work is a pleasure to see.
Julie Arkell : Tippy
Jayne Lennard : Princess And The Pea
Janet Boulton : Red Dresses
Have you ever had or do you have a PLAN B.    No Plan B.
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Where’s your own favourite place to work and why
My favourite place to work is my own studio. I am lucky enough to have a designated studio. It’s quiet, it looks out over my garden, everything in here is mine, all my ‘stuff’ influences my work and I love it.
Doggy Love
What's your creative routine as you begin a new piece of work
I have no creative routine…I am a creative butterfly, flitting from one completed project to the other but with no system whatsoever.
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Would you like to learn anything new and what would it be
I would love to take Pottery classes. I adore studio pottery and would be very happy making vessels.

SOLD
Who do you think I should interview next
Murgatroyd Hoots… I adore her quirky bunny and animal/bird makes.
Murgatroyd Hoots
Viv's Links -

PINTEREST
BLOG
ETSY
MADEBYHANDONLINE
FACEBOOK

3 October 2012

Toni Silber - Delerive



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I love looking down on things or taking a different point of view so Toni's aerial work just caught my eye. The colourful and bold aerial landscapes she creates show the world from a different perspective and by flattening the picture plane reduce details to strong graphic images. 

Working through the lens of the camera her paintings capture the moment, and let the image tell a universal story about a place or experience. The strong shadows hint at a certain time of day, at the same time creating the feeling of a familiar but distant landscape.

1 October 2012

Julia Yellow



Note to students - just draw what's around you!  Julia's sketches are from the world around her - a way to document her life.

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...