Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Something new.
Well, new for me. I know there are a lot of kitchen towels out there, but printing on cloth is something different in my world. I scanned in my original, stamped image then enlarged it a bit, made gocco screens and set out to print. Working with cloth is quite different than paper. Getting just the right ink density is a bit of a challenge, some towels have more and others less. But I guess that's what gives them their unique, handmade look! These four designs are available here.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Vienna 2010
For my big 4-0, my husband and I took a trip across the pond. We traveled via train through Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Our first stop on the journey was Vienna. It's a wonderful old city with a rich history, beautiful architecture, open air markets, palaces and great food! Here are a few of my favorite moments.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
In the home studio with Vivienne Strauss.
As someone who runs a full-time, creative-based business from home, I'm always interested in hearing about others who are doing the same. There are many positive aspects to being at home, but there can also be drawbacks. On one hand it's so great to work in your pj's and on the other hand it's not so great to work in your pj's!
My fifth interview takes us to Upstate New York to the home studio of Vivienne Strauss. She creates stunning paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolor as well as collages often inspired by vintage photographs, movies and even the neighborhood wildlife. She was gracious enough to answer a few questions about her experiences...
1. First, please introduce yourself. What keeps you busy during the day?
My name is Vivienne Strauss and I've been working as an artist full-time for a little over three years now, before that I had many different careers after graduating from college with a degree in Philosophy. My days are spent working on my art and running our household. I'm married to artist Matte Stephens and we both work from home and are lucky enough to spend more time with each other than most couples we know. I mix household work (cooking, cleaning, etc.) with my work, though chores are sometimes dreaded they can also be a nice break from trying to be creative.
2. Please describe your art; what is your creative process and what inspires you.
My paintings (both watercolor and oil) often are inspired by an old photo, something I've read or a movie I've watched. I love searching for and collecting old photos and college annuals and being able to justify those purchases is great! Collage works in a completely different way for me. I love the act of cutting out images and letting them come together. The more I work in collage, the more I enjoy working with the scraps rather than the previously prized images.
3. What is a typical day for you? Do you keep to a strict routine or is your day fairly fluid?
I find I feel best when I can stick to a routine. Typically I wake up really early, anywhere between 4:30 and 7:30. No matter what, coffee is the number one priority. After that, I generally like to do things that have a beginning and an end first thing (i.e. shipping, grocery shopping, meal prep and errands) then with that behind me it is easier to focus on being creative.
4. How do you avoid distraction (ie laundry, house keeping, errands, non work related phone calls, etc)? Or do you tend to give in?
I try to do all those things first before I start working or do them as breaks from working on my art. Regular exercise helps prevent being restless while I work too. When I have a hard time sitting still to work, sometimes putting a movie in and not taking another break until them movie is over helps a lot. I do take periodic breaks to respond to emails or go for a short walk outside.
5. Does working from home affect your art in any way?
I really can't even imagine working on my art in a studio separate from home, to me that would really defeat one of the great benefits of being an artist.
6. How do you transition from "work" to "home"? Are you able to close your studio door and walk away for the evening? Is it easy for you to do?
I do have a habit of closing the door to my studio only to take sketch books and inspiration to bed with me. When I read and watch movies after working all day, part of me is still always finding inspiration and I try to write down all my ideas even if they don't end up being a piece of art for a long time or I may toss the idea altogether at some point. A lot of my ideas reside inside my head for a long time before they materialize.
7. Working from home can sometimes be lonely, do you miss working with other people such as in an office environment? Or do you usually interact with people (in person) during your day? Is this even an issue for you?
I'm lucky that we both work from home so we at least see each for meals or when we want to take a break. We work at opposite ends of the house so as not to interfere or distract each other too much. Most of my interactions are online ones or the ladies at the post office when I ship our work. I recently joined a book group so I would have a specific time to socialize, otherwise it is too easy to keep putting it off to a future date. It has really got me reading more too which I love. I went through a period where it would take me a month to read one book, now I'm back to a book a week at least.
8. Please describe your studio space (is it a spare room in your home, in your garage, etc.)? Is it an inspiring space? What would you change?
I work from a back bedroom upstairs and my favorite part is having two windows right over my desk. I have squirrels and birds at the feeders just a few feet from me on and off through out the day. That is a really nice distraction and they provide inspiration as well, the squirrel made it into a recent painting I did. Before I worked in part of the dining room which was hard because I had to put everything away at the end of the day just to keep it looking decent. I do still straighten up my studio at the end of the day, but leave out the projects I'm working on.
9. In a nutshell, do you enjoy working from home? What has been your overall experience?
I love working from home! After doing so for three years now, I can't imagine doing anything else. I guess the only downside is managing to take time off from work and no paid holidays.
10. And the million dollar question...do you work in your pj's, shower and get dressed or something in between?
That varies. On days when I don't have plans to go anywhere it is very tempting to just work in pajamas from time to time. More often than not though, I do shower early and dress though it is usually in comfortable jeans and a sweater or a dress and boots.
.
.
.
Thanks a million Vivienne!
Please visit her Etsy shops featuring original pieces as well as prints:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/viviennedstrauss
http://www.etsy.com/shop/vivstrauss
http://www.etsy.com/shop/viviennestrauss
And be sure to keep up to date with her blog:
http://www.vivienneart.blogspot.com
My fifth interview takes us to Upstate New York to the home studio of Vivienne Strauss. She creates stunning paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolor as well as collages often inspired by vintage photographs, movies and even the neighborhood wildlife. She was gracious enough to answer a few questions about her experiences...
1. First, please introduce yourself. What keeps you busy during the day?
My name is Vivienne Strauss and I've been working as an artist full-time for a little over three years now, before that I had many different careers after graduating from college with a degree in Philosophy. My days are spent working on my art and running our household. I'm married to artist Matte Stephens and we both work from home and are lucky enough to spend more time with each other than most couples we know. I mix household work (cooking, cleaning, etc.) with my work, though chores are sometimes dreaded they can also be a nice break from trying to be creative.
2. Please describe your art; what is your creative process and what inspires you.
My paintings (both watercolor and oil) often are inspired by an old photo, something I've read or a movie I've watched. I love searching for and collecting old photos and college annuals and being able to justify those purchases is great! Collage works in a completely different way for me. I love the act of cutting out images and letting them come together. The more I work in collage, the more I enjoy working with the scraps rather than the previously prized images.
3. What is a typical day for you? Do you keep to a strict routine or is your day fairly fluid?
I find I feel best when I can stick to a routine. Typically I wake up really early, anywhere between 4:30 and 7:30. No matter what, coffee is the number one priority. After that, I generally like to do things that have a beginning and an end first thing (i.e. shipping, grocery shopping, meal prep and errands) then with that behind me it is easier to focus on being creative.
4. How do you avoid distraction (ie laundry, house keeping, errands, non work related phone calls, etc)? Or do you tend to give in?
I try to do all those things first before I start working or do them as breaks from working on my art. Regular exercise helps prevent being restless while I work too. When I have a hard time sitting still to work, sometimes putting a movie in and not taking another break until them movie is over helps a lot. I do take periodic breaks to respond to emails or go for a short walk outside.
5. Does working from home affect your art in any way?
I really can't even imagine working on my art in a studio separate from home, to me that would really defeat one of the great benefits of being an artist.
6. How do you transition from "work" to "home"? Are you able to close your studio door and walk away for the evening? Is it easy for you to do?
I do have a habit of closing the door to my studio only to take sketch books and inspiration to bed with me. When I read and watch movies after working all day, part of me is still always finding inspiration and I try to write down all my ideas even if they don't end up being a piece of art for a long time or I may toss the idea altogether at some point. A lot of my ideas reside inside my head for a long time before they materialize.
7. Working from home can sometimes be lonely, do you miss working with other people such as in an office environment? Or do you usually interact with people (in person) during your day? Is this even an issue for you?
I'm lucky that we both work from home so we at least see each for meals or when we want to take a break. We work at opposite ends of the house so as not to interfere or distract each other too much. Most of my interactions are online ones or the ladies at the post office when I ship our work. I recently joined a book group so I would have a specific time to socialize, otherwise it is too easy to keep putting it off to a future date. It has really got me reading more too which I love. I went through a period where it would take me a month to read one book, now I'm back to a book a week at least.
8. Please describe your studio space (is it a spare room in your home, in your garage, etc.)? Is it an inspiring space? What would you change?
I work from a back bedroom upstairs and my favorite part is having two windows right over my desk. I have squirrels and birds at the feeders just a few feet from me on and off through out the day. That is a really nice distraction and they provide inspiration as well, the squirrel made it into a recent painting I did. Before I worked in part of the dining room which was hard because I had to put everything away at the end of the day just to keep it looking decent. I do still straighten up my studio at the end of the day, but leave out the projects I'm working on.
9. In a nutshell, do you enjoy working from home? What has been your overall experience?
I love working from home! After doing so for three years now, I can't imagine doing anything else. I guess the only downside is managing to take time off from work and no paid holidays.
10. And the million dollar question...do you work in your pj's, shower and get dressed or something in between?
That varies. On days when I don't have plans to go anywhere it is very tempting to just work in pajamas from time to time. More often than not though, I do shower early and dress though it is usually in comfortable jeans and a sweater or a dress and boots.
.
.
.
Thanks a million Vivienne!
Please visit her Etsy shops featuring original pieces as well as prints:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/viviennedstrauss
http://www.etsy.com/shop/vivstrauss
http://www.etsy.com/shop/viviennestrauss
And be sure to keep up to date with her blog:
http://www.vivienneart.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Some fun press!
Through Etsy, glo.msn.com found some of my goodies to feature in the "High Notes" section of their 9/30 edition. The section highlights a variety of stationery and paper goods as well as the lost art of the hand written note. I'm honored to be included!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Quebec City :: Window Boxes
Over Labor Day weekend, we visited Quebec City for the first time. What a fabulous city! We were instantly taken with its charm, wonderful food and very friendly people. I was able to use some of my very basic French, but most people spoke English. They certainly did appreciate when you made the effort.
We toured the hilly, cobblestoned city by foot, taking in the historic sites, amazing views, charming architecture and awe-inspiring window boxes. They seemed to be on every building and were so well taken care of. (They put mine to shame!) My favorite inspiration was an Italian restaurant that had herbs growing in their boxes. I am definitely doing that next year, what a great idea.
We toured the hilly, cobblestoned city by foot, taking in the historic sites, amazing views, charming architecture and awe-inspiring window boxes. They seemed to be on every building and were so well taken care of. (They put mine to shame!) My favorite inspiration was an Italian restaurant that had herbs growing in their boxes. I am definitely doing that next year, what a great idea.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
More darn butterflies!
The butterfly bush is really doing its job! We have had such a neat variety of these little winged creatures visit our garden this summer. I've been fascinated with them!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday evening in the garden.
Last night I followed this little guy around the garden. Appropriately enough, he spent a lot of his time on the butterfly bush. His second favorite was the bee balm.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Summer Berries.
This year our crop of berries has been outstanding. The raspberries have naturalized over the years giving us baskets full of tasty fruit. Unfortunately the squirrels have recently discovered them and have helped themselves as if invited (any ideas on how to un-invite squirrels?). Luckily we have enough in the freezer to last through the summer. And the blackberries are gorgeous with just the right amount of sweet and tart. They aren't as prolific as the raspberries, but we have been able to sample a few with many more pending.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
In the home studio with Stephanie Levy.
As someone who runs a full-time, creative-based business from home, I'm always interested in hearing about others who are doing the same. There are many positive aspects to being at home, but there can also be drawbacks. On one hand it's so great to work in your pj's and on the other hand it's not so great to work in your pj's!
My fourth interview is with the lovely and talented artist, Stephanie Levy. Working from her home studio in Munich, Germany, Stephanie creates beautiful works inspired by her travels, places she'd like to visit, well-designed interiors and still life. She was kind enough to answer a few questions about her experiences...
1. First, please introduce yourself. What keeps you busy during the day?
Hi, I'm Stephanie, an artist/illustrator and mother of two little girls, aged 4 and 2. I'm American, but I've been living in Germany for the past 14 years. Between my family, making art, and keeping up with my online business - I am busier now than ever before in my life!
2. Please describe your art; what is your creative process and what inspires you.
I create mixed media collage artwork of things that delight and inspire me. I love to travel and visit new places, I adore beautiful interiors and interesting design, and I also enjoy baking and cooking delicious treats. All of these themes appear fairly often as subject matter in my artwork - sometimes simultaneously. I create ink drawings and layer these with different types of papers and paint. My collages are usually quite colorful and full of pattern.
3. What is a typical day for you? Do you keep to a strict routine or is your day fairly fluid?
7 am: I wake up, get my children ready for preschool, eat a quick breakfast, and walk them down the street to their school.
8:30 am: Afterwards, I try to get in at least an hour of walking outside - especially now that it is summer - to get some exercise and fresh air before I start to work. Sometimes I can combine this with running errands like grocery shopping or going to the post office.
10 am: I'm back at home, and when it's a "good day" and I don't have any terribly urgent deadlines to meet dealing with some sort of bureaucracy, I can actually create new artwork in my home studio for anywhere between 3-5 hours. Other days, I must spend at least part of this time tending to email, paperwork, bills, taxes, etc. Optimally, I try not to turn on the computer before at least noon, and then I take care of updating my blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr. During these hours the time flies by so quickly, it is amazing.
3 pm: I look at the clock and I am usually shocked to see that it is already time to go pick up my children from preschool. We all go for an ice cream or to the playground or do something else fun together.
4:30 pm: My husband comes home from work. We have some tea together and attempt to exchange a few sentences with one other (which is usually impossible because the kids are hopping around and want to tell Papa all about their day too!) Then, either my husband or I make dinner.
6:30 pm: We all have dinner, and afterwards we start getting the kids ready for bed - and depending on how quickly they go to sleep after reading bedtime stories, we may or may not have time to spend together as a couple before we go to sleep. Sometimes I get back online and try to answer email, relist artwork in my shop, and take care of the “business” side of things.
Before my children were in preschool, I would often start a complete second work shift and work on my collages and/or on the computer until the very wee hours of the night. I basically went around like a zombie for a couple of years, with only 3-4 hours of sleep each night. I did get a new website built and opened my online shop, but the negative result was that I developed a little thyroid problem last summer, and since then I have been trying my best to eliminate all-nighters. I only do it when I have a deadline that I can't otherwise meet.
It is sometimes frustrating to have so little time during the day for my artwork, but it is also important for me to spend time with my children and my husband. I often think there are simply not enough hours in the day to do all of the things I want to do! But having daycare for my children now definitely helps, and I am getting more sleep these days. And my thyroid is fine now :)
4. How do you avoid distraction (ie laundry, house keeping, errands, non work related phone calls, etc)? Or do you tend to give in?
Oh, that is a big problem for me! Often when I come home after my morning walk, I look at my apartment, see all of the housework that needs to be done, and feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. Sometimes I give myself a time limit - like 30 minutes to 1 hour - to get as much housework done as possible, and then I force myself to stop. Most days I just throw a load of laundry in the machine, and unload/load the dishwasher, forget about the rest, and get busy doing the work I actually enjoy :)
5. Does working from home affect your art in any way?
I probably work in a smaller scale because I don't have very much workspace at home. I would love to have a large studio where I could really spread out and create some big scale artwork too.
6. How do you transition from "work" to "home"? Are you able to close your studio door and walk away for the evening? Is it easy for you to do?
I don't. I wish I could. I do try to turn off the computer at a reasonable time in the evenings and resist working too much on weekends. It seems like I never have my personal "to-do" list under control, that there is always more to do than I can possibly accomplish during my limited hours during the day. My dream would be to have a large, separate studio one day – perhaps in a large studio collective with other artists. While I’m dreaming, I’d also like an accountant, and some household help.
7. Working from home can sometimes be lonely, do you miss working with other people such as in an office environment? Or do you usually interact with people (in person) during your day? Is this even an issue for you?
I don’t mind working alone so much, because most of the remaining hours of my day are filled with my family. However, I do miss having “real life” contacts with other artists. In my dream studio collective situation, I would have artist “neighbors” that I could go over and visit, get inspiration, share a cup of coffee. I do have to say that I have made some wonderful contacts with other artists through the Internet, and their encouragement and help has made a world of difference for me! I couldn’t have accomplished all of the things I’ve done during the past 2 years without the support of so many online artists friends. (Thank you!)
8. Please describe your studio space (is it a spare room in your home, in your garage, etc.)? Is it an inspiring space? What would you change?
My “studio space” has basically taken over our former living room. The computer, my worktable and all of my supplies, as well as the children’s art table and supplies all share this room. The only thing that perhaps still qualifies the space as a “living room” is the sofa and our tiny TV – which we hardly ever watch anyway – no time! It’s not an ideal situation, and it is one we want to change, but rent prices are incredible in Munich, it’s like living in NYC, so we improvise for now. But we do have big plans for the future.
9. In a nutshell, do you enjoy working from home? What has been your overall experience?
It has its advantages, and I am glad that I can do the laundry at the same time that I work! But eventually, I would like to have a much larger, and perhaps separate studio. We shall see what the future brings!
10. And the million dollar question...do you work in your pj's, shower and get dressed or something in between?
Since I have to get up every day to bring the kids to preschool, I’m showered and dressed by 8 am. But – I am sure that if I didn’t have that responsibility, you’d catch me occasionally in my pajamas ;)
.
.
.
Thank you so much Stephanie!
Please do visit her Etsy shop where you can purchase her original work as well as prints. She shares her travels, creative process, new artwork and the occasional recipe on her fabulous blog!
My fourth interview is with the lovely and talented artist, Stephanie Levy. Working from her home studio in Munich, Germany, Stephanie creates beautiful works inspired by her travels, places she'd like to visit, well-designed interiors and still life. She was kind enough to answer a few questions about her experiences...
1. First, please introduce yourself. What keeps you busy during the day?
Hi, I'm Stephanie, an artist/illustrator and mother of two little girls, aged 4 and 2. I'm American, but I've been living in Germany for the past 14 years. Between my family, making art, and keeping up with my online business - I am busier now than ever before in my life!
2. Please describe your art; what is your creative process and what inspires you.
I create mixed media collage artwork of things that delight and inspire me. I love to travel and visit new places, I adore beautiful interiors and interesting design, and I also enjoy baking and cooking delicious treats. All of these themes appear fairly often as subject matter in my artwork - sometimes simultaneously. I create ink drawings and layer these with different types of papers and paint. My collages are usually quite colorful and full of pattern.
3. What is a typical day for you? Do you keep to a strict routine or is your day fairly fluid?
7 am: I wake up, get my children ready for preschool, eat a quick breakfast, and walk them down the street to their school.
8:30 am: Afterwards, I try to get in at least an hour of walking outside - especially now that it is summer - to get some exercise and fresh air before I start to work. Sometimes I can combine this with running errands like grocery shopping or going to the post office.
10 am: I'm back at home, and when it's a "good day" and I don't have any terribly urgent deadlines to meet dealing with some sort of bureaucracy, I can actually create new artwork in my home studio for anywhere between 3-5 hours. Other days, I must spend at least part of this time tending to email, paperwork, bills, taxes, etc. Optimally, I try not to turn on the computer before at least noon, and then I take care of updating my blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr. During these hours the time flies by so quickly, it is amazing.
3 pm: I look at the clock and I am usually shocked to see that it is already time to go pick up my children from preschool. We all go for an ice cream or to the playground or do something else fun together.
4:30 pm: My husband comes home from work. We have some tea together and attempt to exchange a few sentences with one other (which is usually impossible because the kids are hopping around and want to tell Papa all about their day too!) Then, either my husband or I make dinner.
6:30 pm: We all have dinner, and afterwards we start getting the kids ready for bed - and depending on how quickly they go to sleep after reading bedtime stories, we may or may not have time to spend together as a couple before we go to sleep. Sometimes I get back online and try to answer email, relist artwork in my shop, and take care of the “business” side of things.
Before my children were in preschool, I would often start a complete second work shift and work on my collages and/or on the computer until the very wee hours of the night. I basically went around like a zombie for a couple of years, with only 3-4 hours of sleep each night. I did get a new website built and opened my online shop, but the negative result was that I developed a little thyroid problem last summer, and since then I have been trying my best to eliminate all-nighters. I only do it when I have a deadline that I can't otherwise meet.
It is sometimes frustrating to have so little time during the day for my artwork, but it is also important for me to spend time with my children and my husband. I often think there are simply not enough hours in the day to do all of the things I want to do! But having daycare for my children now definitely helps, and I am getting more sleep these days. And my thyroid is fine now :)
4. How do you avoid distraction (ie laundry, house keeping, errands, non work related phone calls, etc)? Or do you tend to give in?
Oh, that is a big problem for me! Often when I come home after my morning walk, I look at my apartment, see all of the housework that needs to be done, and feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. Sometimes I give myself a time limit - like 30 minutes to 1 hour - to get as much housework done as possible, and then I force myself to stop. Most days I just throw a load of laundry in the machine, and unload/load the dishwasher, forget about the rest, and get busy doing the work I actually enjoy :)
5. Does working from home affect your art in any way?
I probably work in a smaller scale because I don't have very much workspace at home. I would love to have a large studio where I could really spread out and create some big scale artwork too.
6. How do you transition from "work" to "home"? Are you able to close your studio door and walk away for the evening? Is it easy for you to do?
I don't. I wish I could. I do try to turn off the computer at a reasonable time in the evenings and resist working too much on weekends. It seems like I never have my personal "to-do" list under control, that there is always more to do than I can possibly accomplish during my limited hours during the day. My dream would be to have a large, separate studio one day – perhaps in a large studio collective with other artists. While I’m dreaming, I’d also like an accountant, and some household help.
7. Working from home can sometimes be lonely, do you miss working with other people such as in an office environment? Or do you usually interact with people (in person) during your day? Is this even an issue for you?
I don’t mind working alone so much, because most of the remaining hours of my day are filled with my family. However, I do miss having “real life” contacts with other artists. In my dream studio collective situation, I would have artist “neighbors” that I could go over and visit, get inspiration, share a cup of coffee. I do have to say that I have made some wonderful contacts with other artists through the Internet, and their encouragement and help has made a world of difference for me! I couldn’t have accomplished all of the things I’ve done during the past 2 years without the support of so many online artists friends. (Thank you!)
8. Please describe your studio space (is it a spare room in your home, in your garage, etc.)? Is it an inspiring space? What would you change?
My “studio space” has basically taken over our former living room. The computer, my worktable and all of my supplies, as well as the children’s art table and supplies all share this room. The only thing that perhaps still qualifies the space as a “living room” is the sofa and our tiny TV – which we hardly ever watch anyway – no time! It’s not an ideal situation, and it is one we want to change, but rent prices are incredible in Munich, it’s like living in NYC, so we improvise for now. But we do have big plans for the future.
9. In a nutshell, do you enjoy working from home? What has been your overall experience?
It has its advantages, and I am glad that I can do the laundry at the same time that I work! But eventually, I would like to have a much larger, and perhaps separate studio. We shall see what the future brings!
10. And the million dollar question...do you work in your pj's, shower and get dressed or something in between?
Since I have to get up every day to bring the kids to preschool, I’m showered and dressed by 8 am. But – I am sure that if I didn’t have that responsibility, you’d catch me occasionally in my pajamas ;)
.
.
.
Thank you so much Stephanie!
Please do visit her Etsy shop where you can purchase her original work as well as prints. She shares her travels, creative process, new artwork and the occasional recipe on her fabulous blog!
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