Rabbit Dog Prints: Artist Interviews

I'm so enjoying interviewing artists.I have 2 new artist interviews that I have done. Oreldesigns is the newest.

You can read the whole interview by clicking here.

http://rabbitdogprints.blogspot.com/2011/08/artist-interview-oreldesigns-be-light.html

Another artist that I interviewed earlier this week is CalamityCrowStudio

You can find it below.
http://rabbitdogprints.blogspot.com/2011/08/calamity-crow-studio.html

I'm very excited to share my first artist interview with you. I want to introduce Rachel from the Curious Crow. When I first saw Rachel's quirky little characters, I knew that I wanted to interview her.

1.Tell us about yourself.

My name is Rachel and I’m originally from Kansas City, but now live in Eureka Springs which is a small, quirky, tourist town in Arkansas. I live with my boyfriend, Eric, and two cats, Bob and Lucy. The cats mind better than the boyfriend. I’m a freelance writer, artist and vintage goods peddler. I have two grown kids, Tyler and Whitney, who are the most amazingly intelligent, caring, funny people I’ve ever met. And they’re really cute, too.

2. Were you always an artist or did you discover your creative path later in life?

I didn’t start creating art until about 5 years ago. I made my first collage and it was horrible, and actually put it up for sale. I was too blinded by my own ego at the time to know that it was horrible. Someone actually bought it. I hope I didn’t sign it, because I really don’t want anyone to know it’s mine. I am glad that person loved it enough to want it, though, because it gave me the encouragement I needed to continue making art.

3. Can you walk us through your creative process? It varies depending on what I’m making, but it usually consists of working on something for awhile, setting it down and then coming back to it. I don’t think I’ve ever just sat down and created something in one sitting. I will usually put the pieces together without gluing them down or fastening them together. I’ll move them around, put the piece to the side and then come back to it. I’ve had partially finished projects sitting around for years before I ever decided what the finished piece should be.

4. Can we peek into your studio? Are you a Felix or an Oscar? I am definitely an Oscar. I am horribly messy when I’m creating a new piece. Afterwards, I sift through the carnage and clean up and re-organize, but as soon as I start a new piece, I’m back to flinging things everywhere. My studio also doubles as my office and storage space for my vintage shop, so it’s always cluttered and so full of stuff that sometimes I’m afraid the floor might cave in from the weight.

5. What do you do when you get blocked? There are a lot of different ways I manage my blocks. I watch movies or read books that are highly imaginative. Tim Burton movies are good for this. I love to bake, so I might get in the kitchen and make something. Sometimes, just getting out of the house and interacting with other people does the trick. I never know when something a person says or does will flip a switch in my brain. When all else fails, I’ll actually clean house. This, of course, I save for dire emergencies only.

6. What does your art mean to you?

Different pieces mean different things. My collages are usually humor based and they’re just fun, frivolous things. I usually don’t get attached to them.

My dolls are more like my babies. I become attached to them during the creating process and it is hard to see them walk out the door when they sell.

7. Where do you get your inspiration?

People are my biggest inspiration. I’ve always been fascinated with sitting somewhere watching people interact. It seems as though a lot of people fall into a certain category, whether it’s preppies, hipsters, goths, or what have you. I like to look for the people who don’t necessarily fit into a category. Those who are a little off-kilter are the ones I love the best.

8. As an artist, what do you want to be best remembered for?

Making people laugh.

9. Do you have a day job? If so how do you balance your practical life with your creative one? If not, what's your day look like? My day job is selling vintage and writing a restaurant review for a local paper. I’m lucky that at this point in my life I don’t have to work a 9-5. I may be just squeaking by, but I can be at home all day in my pajamas if I want and I don’t have a jerky boss standing over me. I love the freedom.

10. What's your favorite artists and/or style. My favorite artists are Tim Burton, Edward Gorey, Dali, Chagall, Klimt among many others. Some contemporary artists that I’ve discovered online are Dale Copeland, Jared and Jessica Joslin, Kathleen Lolley, Scott Radke and Elizabeth McGrath. I tend to gravitate towards art that is a little dark, but not bloody and gory.

11. Any advice for beginning artists? Just make something. It doesn’t matter if you’re beginning efforts are terrible. Keep creating. You’ll find your own unique voice and when you do, shout your art from the rooftops.