Interview with Ildiko and Flavia of Harem6

All images this post belong to Harem6 and are used by permission.

This week I'm very happy to be interviewing Ildiko and Flavia of Harem6. They create in a variety of mediums: art dolls, jewelry, sculptures, drawing and photography. They have an Etsy shop, a blog, a website and a Flickrstream. 

You went to art school together and have been creating art together since 2003, but when I first saw your work, I didn’t even realize that it was the product of a partnership. Do you both work on the same pieces or do you each have a specialty? 

We both went to art school but we only met three months before I (Ildiko) finished the studies of Art University and Flavia still had one year to study.  Flavia's specialties are photography, painting and drawing and mine was and will be for ever drawing, we only later discovered molding and sculpture.

We usually discuss everything we make, we love working together, there are always amazing surprises to discover in the other one's mind. There are collections proposed by one of us but we create together, each of us has a part to make on the art object.


Flavia usually creates the bodies of the dolls and I create the animals. I am the one who draws the faces and little stories that appear on the objects, but there are a few animals and doll faces that Flavia drew, she makes their dresses too. It's a long process but it's such a tremendous joy that we cannot describe it in words. People who create, artists, can better understand this "travel to an other universe".

Did you always have such a similar aesthetic or have your respective styles merged over the years?

Yes, we have similar aesthetic, but we reached being on the same line regarding style and preferences by working a lot together, it's a sort of fusion of two minds having the same goal. Each one looking for the same thing but having also different keys of searching and also different personalities. These differencies somehow united our work thanks to the similar aesthetic we had.

At first we made digital works combining drawing with photography and then we realized we'd love to make something else. As artists we like exploring a lot, taking chances in trying different medias.

What do you think is the secret of successful creative partnership?


We think that the most important thing is to know to listen to the other one, to know that you are not alone, to be aware of the fact that in order to have something better than before, to evolve with the person you're creating with you must be ONE, when you already have the ingredients we've just told you about.

I really admire your art dolls. Can you tell us a little about how they are made?

It's a mixed media. A combination of fabric with different ingredients, our own formula.

Can you tell us a little about the images and ideas that inspire your work?

Inspiration could come from anywhere, from a sound, a situation we saw, a color, a story told by someone, a book we read. There are also artists we admire: Helnwein, Saudek, Walton Ford,  Durer, Bacon, Chagall. We also watch many, many movies and there are directors who inpire us, Lynch, Haneke or Almodovar.

What projects are you currently working on? Do you have upcoming shows you are preparing for?

We are working on a really exciting series of works, different from what we've been making till now, so we don't want to uncover anything yet in order to keep the surprise for later. It's been going a bit slow due to Flavia's work on her PhD about dolls. All we can say is that they still involve dolls, as they are and shall ALWAYS be the favorites for us. We'll have upcoming shows: one in Bucharest and the other one in Austria this year.

You are both from Romania (which I have never visited). Can you tell us a little about your favorite places in Romania and uniquely Romanian things you miss when living or traveling away from home?

Our country has an amazing variety of places to go to : the Danube Delta which is a unique place in Europe due to the fauna and plants existing in that area, there are also castles you shouldn't miss: Peles, Bran, Castelul Huniazilor, Cetatea Brasovului and the villages and monasteries in Moldova, the wood churches in Maramures.

We miss the most when we are away from home, our friends and dogs. : )

You both love animals and have adopted street dogs. Can you tell us a little more about them?

Yeees ! We are great animal lovers! We had three street dogs, unfortunately Bilet died so have only two now.They are both girls and their names are Leska and Veracruz. We'd love to have many more if we lived in a house with a yard, but when living in an apartment it would be really crowdy to have more than two. Unfortuantely, in Romania street dogs are a big issue and we'd love to offer all of them a shelter. Maybe somewhere in the future we'll have a huge yard full of dogs.: )

Thank you Ildiko and Flavia!

Interview with Suzanne of Sushipot

This week I am so happy to be interviewing Suzanne of Sushipot. I've admired Suzanne's work for years. If you'd like to see more, she has two Etsy shops: Sushipot and Sushipot Parts. Suzanne also has a Flickrstream and a blog.

You originally trained and worked a stone sculptor. What influenced you to switch to collage and assemblage art?

Looking back I’d have to say my initial desire to start working in materials other than stone began while living in Mobile, Alabama in 2005. At that time I was employed as an artist for a company that built Mardi Gras floats. We worked with various odds and ends of materials such as paper mache, wire and wood and we had to dismantle and re-assemble parts and pieces from floats used the year before. It was a challenging job both physically, artistically and ultimately very liberating. I began to scavenge tactile bits of ephemera from the float barns and in my spare time started creating small assemblages out of wood scraps, old toys, Mardi Gras beads, bits of metal, paper and paint.

You are a stay-at-home mother of a young daughter, as well as, a prolific artist who works from home. How do you balance the two? 

It can definitely get tricky at times but I liken the ideal of “balance” to more of an “ebb and flow” or a “give and take”. What works and lends “balance” during one season doesn’t always work for the next. There’s a constant juggling act going on during periods of transition in both work and family life where we have to “go with the flow” or fall off that proverbial tightrope. If it weren’t for my wonderful husband Patrick, being my voice of reason when the going gets tough, I’d have fallen off a long time ago! He keeps me sane and supports my work as an artist 110%.

You’ve been successfully selling your art on Etsy for years now. What are some of the things you believe a crafter/artist needs to do to “make a go of it” on Etsy?

Aside from every artisans’ ideal of a unique product and decent photos--to succeed on Etsy you definitely need to invest in a dependable coffeepot, as much technology as your fledgling business can afford (ie, the iPhone has changed my world!) and a close support network of like-minded entrepreneurs whom you trust to bounce ideas with and share advice. That said—at the end of the day—you need to be willing to work harder than you’ve ever worked before.  

I am especially taken with your new series of curated collections. How did you come up with the idea? Where do you find all those fascinating objects?  

The curated collections emerged from the obsession I have with collecting little objects. I find them all over the place—thrift shops, antique dives, estate sales, junk yards, online venues, yard sales in the summertime and family members tend to send treasures my way too. I either had to stop thrifting ‘n antiquing, or move into a larger studio! By putting together the collections of vintage goodies I can continue to enjoy the thrill of the hunt while financing my habit and desire to work from home. It’s always fun to know that someone, somewhere in the world, is enjoying the collection that I’ve put together.

I also really like your new Bricolage series. Can you tell us a little about those pieces?

The Bricolage series are like the curated collections in a way. They are basically 2 dimensional collections of ephemeral snippets that have been carefully collaged and quilted in a grid-like arrangement. The process of creating these pieces is very cathartic.

Who are a few of your fellow collage and assemblage artists whose work you admire?

Three mixed media artists I’ve admired during my time on Etsy and have enjoyed watching their works’ progression over the last few years are Dolan Geiman, Hollie Chastain and Vivienne Strauss.

I’m sure at this point, your life is full to the point of bursting, but thinking ahead a decade or two, what new creative pursuits or skills would you like to take up?

There are so many things I would like to try some day. One thing I would like to spend more time doing in the future is blogging. I finally started a blog for my business a little over a year ago and wish I’d started sooner. I find myself wanting to spend more time on it but I just don’t have the time these days!

Interview with Angelica Paez of Scrapatorium

 All images this post belong to Angelica Paez and are used here by permission.

This week I am so pleased to be interviewing Angelica Paez of Scrapatorium. Angelica has a blog, an Etsy shop and a fascinating Flickr stream. Angelica is also one of the brains behind Scrapateria and Snapatorium.

What draws you to collage work over other mediums?

I've studied other mediums, but collage comes naturally to me and I have loved it ever since I was a kid.  Since I am a paper fanatic, it also allows me to work with the types of materials that I am most interested in like old catalogs, photographs, ephemera, and vintage books, stamps, magazines.

Where do you find the raw materials for your collages?

 When I am out shopping for vintage photos and ephemera for my collection, I also look for material for my collage work. I prefer old material over new, so I frequent estate and garage sales, flea markets, library and book sales, and thrift stores.  I never destroy good material. I always look for things that are damaged or commonplace for my art.

Who are some other collage artists whose work you admire?

Masters such as Kurt Schwitters, Hannah Hoch, Max Erst, Romare Bearden, Alexander Rodchenko, Ray Johnson, John Evans and Peter Blake.  There are also so many great collagists working today whose work I admire and who have inspired me. I'd hate to leave someone out, so I'll refrain from naming any, but many of them can be found on Flickr.

Can you advise us a little about the process of creating a great collage?

I wish I had the formula because if I did, I'd be using it myself! That said, I think the most important thing is to be original. I also like to experiment and am always trying something different.  I think this attitude is what has helped me stay interested in collage all these years. Although some artists aspire to have a defined style, I shy away from that because I don't ever want my work to feel or look monotonous. 

In addition to making collage art, you have an online business called the Scrapiteria. Can you tell us a little about that?

Scrapiteria isn't a business, but a collage collaboration blog I started in 2005.  We have a weekly theme and members post their work.  It started with three members, but has grown over the years.

Note: After I got the answers to my questions back from you, I realized that I had intended to refer to Snapatorium, your online store specializing in vintage photographs...so, I hope my readers will check them both out!   

If you had to live in any other era, what historical period would you choose?

Without hesitation, I would say the 1920s.  I love the music, clothing, design, and the optimism of the era.  It was also an important time for women who started coming out of their restrictive roles.  Of course, who was to know that the Great Depression was just around the corner.

In my experience, collage artists are almost always collectors of interesting objects. What have you collected in the past and what kinds of objects currently most interest you?

My main collection is vintage photos, but I also collect old toys and trinkets, mid-century modern design, advertising pencils, figural purses, Bakelite and lucite jewelry, 3D viewers, carnival and sideshow items, Popsie dolls, art books, old packaging, ephemera, Halloween stuff, antique medical objects, and much more.  I find that my taste has changed very little since I was young.  I was always collecting something or another and I find that once I truly like something, I very rarely ever lose interest in it.

 Thank you Angelica, for sharing a bit about your work and your life with us!

Interview with K of Fog and Swell

 All images this post belong to K.V. Pederson and are used by permission.

This week I'm very pleased to be interviewing K of Fog and Swell. I first discovered K's beautiful whales on Etsy and then discovered her blog. There are also more images of  her work on her flickr account and her Facebook. If you are a knitter, K has designed a couple of lovely hat patterns which are linked in the right sidebar of her blog.

Elizabeth: You live on Vancouver Island (which I visited last summer and have to say is now on my list of favorite places). Can you tell us about the island and some of your favorite places on it?

K: Vancouver Island can sort of be divided into sections, with the south and east parts of the island being the most developed and populated, while the north and west sides are where it gets a bit wilder, more isolated, in large part due to the increasingly rugged landscape and difficulty of access. Those wild parts are my favourite: the wave-scoured open beaches of the west coast areas such as Tofino and Cape Scott, and the maze of islands and turbulent tidal waters that make up the Johnstone Strait area. When I feel the lure of the mountains, Strathcona Provincial Park has many trails to explore. Once you get outside the larger centres, there are lots of neat small towns too.

I live in the Comox Valley on the east side, which has a nice balance of arts and culture (and let's be honest, more amenities and work), but also offers easy access to to wilderness areas for hiking, mountain biking, skiing, boating and more.

Elizabeth: Sea life is obviously a big inspiration for your work. How and when did you start sewing sea creatures?

K: I started making the sea creatures last summer. I was already making art quilts showing west coast landscapes, and I started thinking about bringing some of those coastal elements to life in a three-dimensional way. There are many amazing soft sculpture artists out there, but I thought maybe I could bring a unique perspective to the animals of the coast that I call home. My first one was a humpback whale, which is somewhat my signature creature and definitely the one people seem to respond to the most. I hadn't seen anything like it, so I thought I would see where it would go.

Elizabeth: You seem to work within a fairly disciplined color palette. What draws you to the color blue?

K: The many shades between blue and grey kind of capture how I view the exposed and weathered coast that inspires me. I am also inspired by traditional Japanese boro textiles, the layers of indigo fabric blended together through the intensive stitching. I think this is partly what got me started using old jeans in my work - the myriad of blues reminds me of the traditional indigo, and I love the feel and look of the well-loved fabric.

Recently I have been trying to branch out a bit more with colour - what looks like a wash of grey-blue when looking at the larger coastal landscape reveals a bright rainbow of colour when peering into tide pools and under rocks.

 

Elizabeth: You use a lot of recycled textiles in your pieces. How do you choose your raw materials and where do you find them? 

K: Boro is also in line with my desire to use what i have.  Over the years I have accumulated lots of little treasured scraps, and I start there first. I might go to the thrift store with starfish in mind and luck out with a purple wool skirt, or get leftover silk or linen scraps from another maker.  I love natural fibres - linen, cotton, wool, silk - and while I try to use repurposed textiles or scraps that might otherwise be thrown away, I will also buy new if there is something that jumps out at me.

Elizabeth: Can you tell us a little about the process of designing your three dimensional pieces (they look so realistic!)? 

K: Thanks! I am lucky enough to have seen a lot of the animals I make in real life, but I find my stack of reference books to be infinitely helpful in getting a good idea of a creature and its particular characteristics. I also use Google images to see different views and variations. After that I usually sketch out a rough profile, and determine how best to break it into pattern pieces to create a three dimensional item. With something like my barnacles, I just had a really clear mental picture of what I wanted and so I started cutting and sewing with no pattern at all. But others take a bit more time; a recent dolphin I made has three failed prototypes preceding it - it took a while to get a shape I was happy with.

Elizabeth: Other than textile art, what other art or craft mediums do you enjoy?

K: It's been speculated that my camera is permanently attached to my hand, especially when out exploring, so photography is probably my biggest interest. I also knit a lot, quilt, sew clothing, weave, draw...unfortunately I'm never short of hobbies and ideas, just time! maybe someday I'll be able to do handmade art full time, but for now I also work full time as a graphic designer.

Elizabeth: What is your idea of a perfect day?

K: Camping on a beach in the middle of nowhere with my boy, listening to the waves crash, exploring a remote stretch of shoreline with camera in hand and shells jingling in my pockets, watching a bear and cubs explore the beach or looking for whale spouts on the horizon, listening for the calls of ravens and eagles in the treetops...

Thank you, K! 

Interview: Carla Madrigal of Madrigal Embroidery

 All images this post belong to Carla Madrigal and are used by permission.

 

This week I'm very happy to be interviewing Carla Madrigal of Madrigal embroidery. I first discovered Carla's beautiful work in her Etsy shop where she takes scraps of fabric, vintage ties and other textile bits and pieces and transforms them into "many a splendid adornment". 

How did you develop an interest in embroidery? How did that interest transition into making embroidered jewelry?

During the 60’s, the real heyday of embroidery, I happened upon a shop in Sausalito, California which sold Scandinavian products and embroidery thread.  There were drawers and drawers of spools in seemingly endless colors; my mind reeled and I salivated at the possibilities. Being a “child” of the times I embellished Levis (501’s) and blue work shirts with the collar altered and a slew of other items.  Creating was in my blood, embroidery floss neither cost much nor took up much space so it was a natural fit.

Years passed and embroidery flitted in and out of my life. Two and half years ago I quit my day job (geologic/environmental illustrator) to explore the unexplored.  The pull of embroidery came flooding back.  It began with neck ties for both men and women and graduated  to the cuffs and necklaces, items I thought people might actually wear.

You use lots of recycled and upcycled components for your pieces. What are some of the items you typically end up recycling? What is the most unusual thing you’ve ever turned into something else?

Gently used neckties, fabric samples, and scrapes of cloth are my main stays.  Some supplies are purchased from Goodwill and SCRAP, a recycling center here in San Francisco and I also use bits of fabric which I have collected over the years.

Plastic netting and a set of miniature castanets are a couple of examples of found objects I have incorporated in my decorative work. Buttons are an important component to my cuffs and if not vintage are interesting. 

How do you develop your embroidered jewelry designs? Do you envision a finished design at the outset or do your pieces evolve as you go along?

Maybe there is loose idea of what I will do but for the most part it’s ad lib, taking advantage of the particular piece of fabric pattern and texture.  I may draw an elemental feature and work out from that. I have a huge collection of floss, maybe a couple of hundred spools and they are the equivalent of tubes or jars of paint and I lay them out and pick and choose.

What craft medium that you've never worked in would you most like to explore?

Not quite sure how answer that. I have worked in a variety of mediums and rotate through them. I draw and knit (crochet a little -just enough to add dimension) and worked in clay. I have made cards, painted on fabric and shoes. Just a lot of this and that.

You live in San Francisco. Can you tell us a little about your favorite places around the city?

My top places to shop are the
1. S.F. Friends of the Library. They have a wonderful selection of books and an equally wonderful coffee shop and are located in one of the most spectacular places on this planet - Ft Mason which is on S.F Bay and looks North to Marin County,
2. New People in Japan Town. Fabulous Fun place for toys, books, clothing, Japanese this and that.
3. Satin Moon Fabrics is the best fabric shop in San Francisco. They sell unusual fabric and have a small but wonderful selection of domestic and imported buttons.
4. SCRAP where “ you’ll always find an abundance of “art parts,” “.  SCRAP is a recycling center with an ever changing selection and is loads of fun for kids and adults.
5. Haight Street Market, a family owned market which sells anything your body or soul  could want.
and
6. The Ferry Building Farmers Market. I have been buying my fresh foods from this market since it’s lowly inception (many years ago) on a bit grass across from Pier 39. It’s a community.

San Francisco is a walking city with a number of parks worth visiting and exploring: Chrisy Field, The Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Buena Vista Park, Sutro Heights Park to name a few.  S.F. has a rich architectural and cultural history also worth investigating.

Can you tell us a little about Jack and Vincent (great names!)?

Jack is a seven year old polydactyl cat with stripes.  He was  found at a dog park in Brooklyn, New York by my daughter and Jet Blued to San Francisco when he was approximately 2 months old. He invents games and then teaches Ben and I how to play.  He loves loves toy mice.  He throws them up in the air and hides them under rugs. I can not imagine how he ended up in a dog park!

Vincent is a fluffy Tuxedo cat who is very cuddly and a bit reserved as his furry outfit suggests. If you speak sweet words to him he purrs as if he were being petted. He is about 14 years old and we rescued him from the SF SPCA 8 or 9 years ago. He had been languishing in a small cell for 10.5 months. I can not imagine why he was relinquished. I could very easily be a crazy cat lady.

You like to read (me, too!). What are the best books you've read lately?

Currently I am reading Plastics - A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel.  Ms Freinkel offers  a fascinating and captivating story of the history of plastic and how it has slowly invaded our lives for better and worse. One of those hard to put down books I love to find.

Last week I finished The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel  Wilkerson. This is the history of black migration from the Southern U.S. to the North and West. Ms Wilkerson follows three individuals and their families through their geographic and emotional journeys. This book holds a massive amount of enlightening and fascinating information about this amazing migration which took place over 7 decades, beginning during WW I. Great read.
 
Thank you Carla, for sharing a bit of your work and life with us!