Jackiepeppermint Interview!

Love these pillows. Love her work.

Rhinos Smell Roses Pillows

The Arctic Feather Pillow

Where you you like to work? What time of day is most productive for you to work and why do you think that is?

I’ve made myself a makeshift “studio” in the corner of a room, fully equipped with a tiny pink desk, night table with a sewing machine on it, and supplies piled beneath. I work from home, but unfortunately home is a closet sized room in an apartment. I’ve always had trouble working in open exposed space, I like to hole up in my own little world. It’s tight, but it’s all my space, which makes me feel infinitely inspired. As for time of day, I’m an odd mix of both a morning and night person, I’m not so productive or useful mid day 2-6 so that’s when I usually run errands, go to the post office, and meet up with people, then I come back to work.

Where does your source material come from?

I do a ton of research at the library, but I always have to know what I’m looking for first. I usually research topics a bit online and put together a book list before hitting the stacks to search for images, stories and information. For collages though, I have a huge box full of patterns and things I’ve cut out of magazines and scanned out of books so that I’m always ready with a variety of textures, patterns and images to work with. It’s a continual work in progress, searching for inspiration and new materials.

What kind of images inspire you, do you keep a sketchbook?

I used to be a lot better about keeping a sketchbook but I have so much anxiety about work being permanently kept in a bound book that I usually don’t do much sketching inside. I gravitate more towards doing completed mini pieces that just happen to be inside a sketchbook. Plus, I’m a jerk and I glue together pages that I don’t like so no one can ever see them, haha. Most of my sketches for drawings I’m working on are done on loose paper or in a spiral bound “sketchbook” that I can tear out and scan from as things start coming together.

What techniques and processes are your favorite?

I like mixing a variety of processes in each piece, it’s the mix that keeps things interesting. I love working with collage elements and screenprinting, and a friend taught me how to do paper lithography pretty recently, I’m looking forward to incorporating more printing processes into my illustrations.

What is special and inspiring about living where you do ?

I live in Brooklyn right now which is so inspirational but challenging all at the same time. I like the energy, and that everything around seems to be a giant hodge podge of mismatched textures and colors, but I get frustrated with the amount of effort required to do really simple tasks. Some days are definitely more energetic than others.

Small Plush Heart Necklace- Nature Print

What is a normal day like for you, how many hours a day/week do you get to actually focus and produce new works?

Haha, normal day. Every day is completely unique. Some days I get up and work completely normal hours freelancing in design offices, and other days I get up at dawn, do 5 or 6 hours of creating and then go to the post office, do bookkeeping, and supply runs before returning home to start on new projects. Some days I sew and make things all day, some days I do mostly administrative things like returning emails, updating the shop, packing orders etc. It’s a mix, and that’s what I love about freelancing. Every day I work really really hard for well over 8 hours, it’s pretty satisfying to see things take shape.

Girl Brings Universe Tote. (Only 10 bucks kiddies)

Who are your fav designers and artists??

Oh so many! I’m completely fascinated by people who can knit, because I definitely lack the patience.Off of etsy, I really like the sculptural pieces done by EV Day, and the architectural influenced paintings by Kristen Shiele, I think both of them deal with space in a completely unique way, and I am always eager to see new projects from each of them.

Kristen Shiele

EV Day

Love: “The Memory Collector” http://www.etsy.com/shop/memorycollector and on a totally different side of things, I’m fascinated by “Wee Green Spot” and her custom terrariums, each one has a little magic touch. http://www.etsy.com/shop/weegreenspot

The Memory Collector

Wee Green Spot

Do you go to museums? what is your favorite art related place to go (a place you feel inspired after you leave)??? is it a gallery, store, section in a museum???

I have a bit of an attention span problem with museums, everything is so clean, and quiet, I usually wander through, stop at what I like and then leave, with one big exception, I love the Museum of Natural History here in NY and the one in DC is fantastic as well. I think that’s a remnant of being a math and science kid growing up, My favorite room is the one with the giant blue whale and squid hanging in the NY one.

Magic Mini, Seduction. Original Illustration

The very colorful and talented Anna Hovet...

Anna at her Spring 2010 Runway Show, photo by David H. Lasker.

Meet my very talented friend and fellow alumni of SAIC Anna Hovet, she has her own line of ready to wear based in Chicago. I've invested in a Beckett Jacket as seen a few blog posts ago.

I love having talented friends!!!

See more or Anna's work here.

The Rachel Hoodie

What materials do you you use and most like to work with and where do you get them? I love to work with cotton jersey because is so wearable and comfortable. There's also a lot that can be done with sweatshirt fleece that few designers have done before. I'm planning to expand my line with more hooded and uniquely draped sweatshirts. Since I'm still small I buy from retail stores including Mood and Stretch World in NYC, and Fishmans and Vogue in Chicago. As my company grows I will start buy in larger quantities from mills.

Anna in her home studio

What does your workspace look like? I do most of my designing from home, sample-making in my studio workshop, and all my business work from my office.

Where does your source material come from ( do you do reseach at the library to get ideas etc.) The majority of my designs are inspired by creative looks young people are wearing. I spend a lot of time in the Chicago fashion/art/music scene and love to see what the hipster art kids are wearing. I also check out www.lookbook.nu often to see what hot in streetwear around the world.

What kind of images inspire you, do you keep a sketchbook? I don't keep a continuous sketchbook. I do most of my sketching as I'm designing the collection. Many of my images come from blogs and I store all the files digitally.

Can you photograph one of your early works. Above is my favorite collection from my senior year at SAIC. It was inspired by victims of and art addressing domestic violence. The collection was very successful and I now sell a ready-to-wear sweatshirt (the Speak Out Hoodie) that is inspired by the same theme. (As seen below)

What techniques and processes are your favorite? I love draping and knotting jersey. The best way to design is right one the form rather than through flat patterns.

What is special and inspiring about living where you do ? I grew up in North Dakota but I've always been a city girl. I moved to Chicago in 2003 and love it here. Chicago has so many interesting people and places to go. Plus I really believe there is a lot of untapped opportunity in Chicago for young business owners.

The Reversible Megan Dress.

What is a normal day like for you, how many hours a day/week do you get to actually focus and produce new works? Every day is different for me depending on what needs to be done that day. It can be anything from production to designing, to finances, to fashion shows. I'm now realizing that having your own fashion line requires less actual designing and much more business, marketing, and planning.

Who are your favorite designers? Honestly I don't study many other designers. If I had to choose I'd say Marc Jacobs and Vivienne Westwood for different reasons.

Do you go to museums? What is your favorite art related place to go (a place you feel inspired after you leave)? Is it a gallery, store, section in a museum? After attending SAIC I was pretty bored with the Art Institute but now I'm re-inspired by the new Modern Wing. My Spring 2010 is inspired by self-definitions and Joseph Kosuth's work in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute.

Anna modeling her own Speak Out Hoodie.

Interview w/ Willywaw!

My personal favorite, Jellyfish in Pink Small Tote.

Take a minute and read the following interview from Willywaw, the etsy artist responsible for what I believe are the summer's best totes! I love the prints and the colors!  Not only does she make and print these totes she also is an illustrator:

My friends call me Ash, short for Ashley, though I’ve been called Carrot-top and numerous other 

nicknames bestowed upon me by my Mum. I live in Narragansett, Rhode Island with my 

husband, Joe, and our dog, Cody, a rescued Alaskan husky mix. Our little house is on a salt 

marsh river just a short paddle to the sea and my studio takes over any spare bit of space I can 

find inside or out.

I was a studio art major in college and for a time designed clothing and outdoor gear before working as a freelance illustrator for the past fifteen years or so. I started screen-printing my own designs last spring with a desire to have more control over my work and the freedom to create what and when I wanted. My design studio is called Willywaw, named after the ferocious arctic winds that sweep down coastal mountains and blow onto the ocean.

(Rhode Island Coast, Cody, Frog men)

Nature and wild places inspire me the most but I'm influenced by colors and shapes as well. I relish pouring over books and magazines, getting ideas from unlikely places. I have a small library of field guide books that I treasure. My sketchbook is more of a collection of loose paper with drawings and notes kept in piles. Since I scan most of my sketches to work on the computer it is easier to keep them that way. I like working in a variety of mediums from oils to watercolor but screen-printing is fun because combines art and design and I am able to create functional pieces for people to use and enjoy. I enjoy figuring out and drafting patterns as well. I mostly print on organic cotton canvas and hemp for my totes, pillows and tea towels, use t-shirts dyed in Vermont, and post-consumer recycled paper for my note cards. Currently I am enamored with Fabriano Medioevalis paper made in Italy and am printing greeting cards on the stock. My fabric comes from NearSea Naturals, Sew Eco-Logical and Hemp Traders and I do most of my sourcing online.

(Inspiration block, sketches, dragonfly greeting card)

A typical workday for me begins about 5 am. I’m up with the sun and the birds, Cody wanting breakfast, and Joe leaving for work (he’s a ship builder). Rarely are two days ever the same but I check email and fill orders, some times sew a bit before Cody’s walk and second breakfast. I definitely like working early, it’s quiet and I can concentrate with a clear head. I have a small room for an office and spread out all over our house during the day. We definitely ran out of room a few years ago and are close to needing a large, separate studio but I love working from home despite the lack of space. I tackle the biggest project mid-morning around 9 am whether is printing or working on new designs. After lunch I’m more at ease to sew, cut, heat-set ink, or burn screens. Sewing is by far the most time consuming. I never have enough time to work on new designs and since joining Etsy I seem to be online much more than I expected. In the evening I ponder new ideas, sketch and work on “the list” which is everything to do for the next day. Some days I take off to paint outside, work in the garden or on our little house. My summer project is to build a shed with sleeping loft and trap door for my nephews.

(Prints drying, my cluttered corner office, work table set up in the kitchen)

We still have plenty of time to spend at the beach, surfing or kayaking. Joe’s passion for the ocean, diving, and underwater photography is a huge influence in my current work. We snorkel at the mouth of the river and dig for Quahogs, gather shells from the rolling surf and find mermaid’s purses among the seaweed. We are greeted by nesting Ospreys in the spring and watch the Plovers and Least Terns tend their chicks in mid-summer. There's lots of swimming and surfing and picnics and scooting about in our little boat, Squid. By fall the beach turns quiet again and the crowds have gone home, the water is still warm and the colors on the marsh start to change to burnt orange and raw umber. Winter is the hardest time for me because I miss being in the mountains. We both love to telemark ski and mountain bike and I spent several great years living in Utah and Idaho before coming back east. 

(Farmer's market booth, Spring collection of totes, Humpback Whale greeting card)

Etsy has been an incredible outlet for my work. I've found that the more I put into it the more I get out. I've met and sold to people all over the world and have been able to create a nice little business for myself with a lot of potential. I sell at a local organic farmer's market as well in the summer and by word of mouth and for now that is keeping me very, very busy and quite happy.

I have several favorite artists on Etsy -

My new friend from Alaska, who makes the most meticulously crafted boxes as well as rubber stamps from her own illustrations (we share a fondness for mushroom spore prints) is at http://www.maggiehallam.etsy.com

My favorite, super cozy, wooly slippers are made by a Cape Town artisan athttp://www.sheepskinslippers.etsy.com

And I can’t forget my first Etsy friend from across the pond,http://www.halfanacre.etsy.com, with her funky wooden creations, hag stone wreaths, sock bunnies and fantastic sense of humor, who gave me a great review in her blog and encouragement when I was a newbie. For a fun read go tohttp://www.halfanacreblog.blogspot.com and to follow The Warren go tohttp://www.sockbunny.co.uk (That's Widget pictured)

Interview w/ PearsonMaron...

The Mobile Idea Factory.

I would like to introduce ...

Quincy (and Troublesome Violet)

and

Adam

of PearsonMaron.  

They make delightful witty small ceramic sculptures.

Where do you like to work? What time of day is most productive for you?

A: I enjoy working in my studio, preferably at night, so I can listen to one of my favorite radio shows " coast to coast."

Q: I prefer to work in early morning on new ideas.  If I'm painting I like working in my office where I can listen to music and easily access my computer if I need it.  Our daughter (Troublesome Violet) likes to play in our office so sometimes it allows me to work and watch her at the same time which is a difficult thing to manage.

What materials do you use and most like to work with? Where do you get them?

We like to work in clay because it is so forgiving and can be inexpensive.  We pick up most everything we need locally.  There is a huge ceramic supply warehouse near us and we live near LA so we can find most everything else there.

The PM Studio.

What does your workspace look like?

We work out of three little studios located at our home.  A drafty garage that contains our kiln and woodworking tools, a converted porch that houses our screen-printing equipment and a table for working with clay, and a shabby master bedroom where all painting and finish work is done.

Where does your source material come from?

A: Most my ideas just come to me.  I find inspiration in my enormous clip art book collection from the 70s and 80s.  I also derive inspiration from George Pal Puppet animation and the clay animation of Bruce Bickford as well as Mexican folk art.

Q: Ideas usually come by accident, from pop culture references, overheard conversations and childhood memories.  Usually we'll be discussing something random and one of us will get a weird idea from it.  The end product is usually nothing like what was originally discussed.  We have stacks of funny ideas.  It's usually finding the time and motivation to execute them that is the hardest part.

Quincy's Sketch

A sketch from Adam.

What kinds of images inspire you? Do you keep a sketchbook?

Adam has a gigantic sketchbook that he will occasionally draw in when planning a large sculpture and he keeps three ring binders of source material, usually everyday object photos of animals and random industrial street shots.

Quincy: I prefer to paint instead of sketching with a pencil so I'll sometimes make little watercolor sketched of ideas.  There are bits of paper with little paintings or drawings of ideas scattered about everywhere.

Quincy's work in progress.

Adam's work in progress.

How long have you been working in your medium? Are you trained?

We both have BFAs from Cal Arts which is a very theory heavy school with very little technical instruction (at least is was when we were there) and no ceramics classes or lab.  So we are mostly self taught in ceramics and painting.

What techniques and processes are your favorites?

A: My favorite technique is sculpting in clay and painting a piece once it has been fired.

Q: My favorite parts are the beginning and the end of a project.  I like coming up with ideas and I like opening the kiln to see what comes out.  Its very dramatic; either things are perfect and lovely or it is a huge disaster.

What is special and inspiring about living where you do?

We live in the suburbs about an hour outside Los Angeles.  It can be a bit of a cultural wasteland so creating new art is a way to keep grounded and feel connected to the artistic community.  We live within walking distance of  a Mexican restaurant turned folk art environment which is pretty amazingly crazy, complete with enormous toy collage sculptures and hand built fountains.  We live close to the Santa Ana River so we are visited quite frequently by a variety of wildlife: coyotes, fox, raccoon, skunks. and opossums.  We even have a flock of wild green parrots that come to our yarn once a year and sit in our trees and scream.

Spotted  Loch Ness Monster- Mini Sculpture on Wheels

What is a normal day like for you?  How many hours a day/ week do you get to actually focus on creating new works?

We're both full time artists but we have a tiny daughter named Troublesome Violet who keeps us pretty busy.  We get up at 5 am every morning and work until 6 or 7pm while taking care of the aforementioned little one.  It's really exhausting and hard to get things done with a three year old but somehow we juggle things.

Who are your favorite designers and artists?

A: Joe Coleman and the Clayton Brothers.

Q: Alexander Girard and Herbert Hundertwasser

Do you go to museums? Where is your favorite art related place to go?

A:Lately I have been going to the local art museum and the art walk that happens once a month.  I love going places that are turned into folk art environments that you can walk through and notice something new every time you go.

Q:I really like seeing new work at the Hammer Museum.  They always have interesting shows.  I also really like the Craft and Folk Art Museum.  There is always something inspiring to see.

Cloud Factory and Heart Factory.