Two posts in one night.  I’m trying to catch up with everything that has been going on. 

I am very excited to be the featured artist on Art Palaver this week.   If you don’t know the Art Palaver blog it is about helping artists sell art by offering resources to help you better market and promote yourself and your art.  The blog has some great advice and artist features.

My husband asked me the other day if I could move anywhere I wanted, where would I go. After I thought about it for a second, I said North or South Carolina, one or the other, because since I’ve started my blogging journey, I see this amazing clay community there. After I explained my answer he looked at me and said, “Oh, we have to stay in the Rocky Mountains.” Well, so much for hypothetical questions and dreaming. For now, I’m very happy to be part of this community via the internet, the next best thing.

Today’s interview is with Jen Mecca, and she lives in York, South Carolina. I love her ceramics. Her glazes are so luscious, and her surface designs are complicated, yet very whimsical. I’ve really enjoyed our conversations, and hope someday our paths will cross in real life.

Jen’s blog: http://jennifermeccapottery.blogspot.com

Become a fan of Jen’s on Facebook.

Tell us a little about yourself! 

I’m a full time Mom who also tries really hard to be a full time potter! In my spare time I teach art history and ceramics to balance out the bills with keeping a five person circus, which is my family chuggin’ along.

I grew up near Ithaca New York and moved to the south while in Junior high school. I come from a small but very close family and spent the majority of my childhood around my paternal grandparents who where Italian. Most of my memories of childhood center on the preparation of food, presentation, eating and the conversation that goes along with all these activities. When my family got up in the morning, the conversation at breakfast was about what we were going to have for dinner!

How did you become an artist?   

As a child I was diagnosed with dyslexia. In the 70’s children with reading disabilities where just getting recognized and helped for these sorts of things. I was lucky enough to have parents who where educators and did everything they could to get me help, encourage me and realize that although I had a disability and I was intelligent and gifted in the arts. My parents always encourage me to create and work as hard as I could at what I loved.

After four years of design school and one internship at an architectural firm I decided that the “business” of design was not offering as much creativity as I needed for a career so I quickly decided I needed to try something else and I found myself managing a large craft gallery in Durham North Carolina by the name of Cedar Creek Gallery. Here I was surrounded by potters and a family who made their living making and selling fine crafts. I was able to learn a lot about the business of owning a craft gallery as well as being a craftsperson. After three years of being on the retail end of the craft business one of the potters who had a studio there showed me how to throw a pot and I was hooked! I than went back to school at East Carolina and got another undergraduate degree in Fine Art and also my masters in ceramics.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?  

My work has always been described as being whimsical and fun. I always have people come into my booth or studio and tell me that my pots make them smile. This is such a great compliment and although most potters don’t like it when people tell them there work is cute or fun, I guess it doesn’t bother me. I love what I do and I’m glad that the work speaks for itself. When I have a moment to be by myself in my studio, it is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable feeling that I experience in my hectic life.

It has taken me a long time to have my own voice and I am still working on this. I’m not sure I was taught to really reach deep down and bring out my own ideas. I have in the past taken what I have learned from other potters and used those techniques in my own work. Sometimes this has worked and sometimes it has not. For myself, I would love the opportunity to work alongside some other wonderful potters and just focus on my surface and “voice” more. In my world, I don’t always have the time to spend a whole weekend staring at one pot and really looking at what makes it my own ideas or someone else’s. I live a life of deadlines and multi-tasking so for the time being, I’ll keep doing the best I can in the amount of time I have to make work that is “my own”.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?  

I love to look at pieces from the turn of the century. Any art from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s really catches my eye because it’s all about the MORE, MORE, MORE. I love detail and color. I love fabric and wrapping paper and fashion. This is what inspires my surface. As for my forms, I always have seen them as little cartoon characters. I think this use to illustrate itself a lot more in my work about 3 years ago. In that past few years I have been so focused on my surface that I have kept my forms pretty straightforward. I would like to re-visit the days when my pieces had an attitude and took on a more gestural look.

In my head my life is a running cartoon or sit-com and I’d like to show that in my work.

What keeps you motivated? 

Funny as it may seem, rejection letters keep me going. I don’t like anyone to tell me I can’t do something. I guess that stems from having trouble in school. If I don’t get into a juried show or a certain gallery I keep trying, over and over again. The initial blow hurts but I just tell myself that my work needs improvement and to just try again. Also, my pottery friends these days really keep me motivated. I have a few really close friends here in the Charlotte area the support we give each other really keeps me going. I wear many hats throughout the day and although I love making pots, at times its hard to keep applying to shows, keeping up with the current trends and choosing the best venues to show my work. I have a great support system that keeps me going!

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces? 

I have a short attention span so coming up with new idea has never been a problem. In fact, I have to tell myself to keep making the same sort of forms and just perfecting them instead of moving onto all the new ideas that pop into my head on a daily basis.

When I do come up with an idea I sometimes sketch it out but usually when the wheel and hands meet up my vision sometimes changes. Once I make that first piece, I take it to shows and see what sort of reaction it gets. I would say the majority of the times, I have to tweak a piece three or four times to get it just the way it needs to be. Sometimes I make something and it doesn’t work but I come back to the same form in a year or so and re-evaluate what was working and what was not working.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it? 

I have always made things every since I was a child. I can remember trying to make a pair of high heeled sandals out of cardboard and ribbon when I was about 7. It has always just been something I’ve done. Now that I’m a Mom and my oldest child has endless projects for school, I jump at the challenge and chance to help him come up with the most creative and ornate projects he can dream up. We joke about how I say “Bring it on!”

What or who inspires you? 

While in grad school, I was really inspired by all the wonderful female potters who where current (and still are) like Suze Lindsey, Silive Granitelli, Sandy Parentozzi, Gay Smith and Linda Arbuckle. It wasn’t until I had my first child and really needed a mentor and someone who had been a Mother and a potter at the same time, I found a mentor in LindaChristenson.  I took a workshop with her in 2004 and even though we make totally different work and live different sort of life styles, she has inspired me to be a patient teacher and true to myself as a potter.   I’m a pretty introverted person so networking is not my strong suit. Linda, who is also sort of a funny but quiet individual, had great advice about being a part of a support system and just getting my work out there in as many show as I could enter. I’m still hearing these words or wisdom and I just think of them anytime I need some inspiration.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

OHHH…I’m not so sure I’m as good as I’d like to be at this. One more thing I’m trying to work on. I do exercise as much as I can. I walk and go to the gym. I have always tried to eat right and hopefully soon I will be able to start back at Yoga, which I think is really beneficial if you’re someone like me who is tightly wound at times and has a lot on her plate!  I have noticed in the last 2 years that my work habits, which usually centers around late night studio visits, is getting to be a bit much for my body. This year my new year’s resolution was to get more sleep. So instead of working in my studio from 8 to 11-12 every night, I try to stop working at 10pm. I have many hats to wear throughout the day and I do try my best to spend as much time as I can with my children, husband and also do what I love. My house on the other hand….suffers greatly. Just this year I was able to hire a cheap cleaning lady that comes when I’m in desperate need of some help. This is a true luxury and since she does not charge us a lot, it’s well worth it!

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

Keep good records of everything you buy, make and sell. I think a simple spread sheet to start off with is an important step. I’ve learned that you need to have a good relationship with any gallery owners you do business with. Make sure you ask lots of questions about who they do business and what they expect from you as a craftsperson and visa versa. Not every gallery that you encounter is always a right fit. Also make sure a gallery has been in business for a number of years or has some sort of know-how about the product they are dealing with before you send them your work. Same goes for craft shows. If possible, visit the show you are applying for to make sure it will suit your needs. Ask other craftspeople about what sort of cliental they have encountered at the show to make sure it will be beneficial to your sales.

I also believe that these days the internet is a very good resource for craftspeople these days and it is one that I’m slowly perusing and learning more about.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Attend as many workshops and conferences as you can. Get together with other potters and talk about your work. Just make, make, make as much as you can and keep up with the current trends. Read and educate yourself about historic pottery and the different periods in art. Visit and really look at different types of work in art galleries and museums. It’s all about looking and really seeing what you are doing.

Thanks Jen, it’s been great getting to know you.

This month Plinth Gallery Artist interview is with Hayne Bayless. Hayne is a hand-builder extraordinaire! Bayless constructs his work from slabs of clay and exploits the use of the extruder tool. A master of this forming device, he is able to construct intricate and elaborate shapes that so often defy ceramic convention. His show opens Friday, May 1 at Plinth Gallery in Denver.

Hayne’s website: www.sidewaysstudio.com

Plinth Gallery: http://plinthgallery.com/

How did you become an artist?

After spending 10 years working for a newspaper I was ready to do something else. I’d had a serious fling with clay in high school and a year or two following, but I got distracted and went on to get a degree in journalism. The news business was beginning its downward spiral in the late 80s and by ’92 I thought I’d like to go back to my first love. I quit my job and started making pots.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I think I’ve always felt the need to make things.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

Contemporary studio work, old Japanese pottery, modern Japanese printmaking, colonial silver and pewter, Asian stenciled fabrics.

What keeps you motivated?

In some sense I guess it’s knowing that there will never be enough time to make all the things I’d like to make.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

I want my work to look old and new at the same time. I hope it’s both traditional and fresh. I want to put a new spin on ancient forms and themes. The style wasn’t something I consciously pursued, it pretty much came about on its own. I think it’s something that has to evolve naturally, organically. It’s a tough thing, but I don’t think it’s something you can force or try to make happen. It just does.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

Yes, full time. I’ve learned that keeping a sketchbook close is important. Ideas for new forms and techniques usually come up from my subconscious at odd times and if I don’t write them down immediately it’s like trying to remember a dream.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

I’m not sure I do. But I’m not a workaholic. If I can take time off from clay I do, otherwise I’m in the studio. I can only say I feel fortunate to be as busy as I am.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

I have yet to make the transition to businessperson. It might not ever happen. There is, of course, a certain amount of office time that’s necessary, otherwise things would come to a grinding halt. But I hate it and put it off as long as possible, sometimes longer.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

I think struggling is perhaps the wrong approach. My advice, for what it’s worth, would be to make things that make you happy and try to understand why they make you happy. Try not to worry about what sells or doesn’t, or what other people are doing or not doing. Be fearless. Someone wiser than me said something like, “If you’re afraid of being wrong, you’ll never do anything original.”

Thanks Hayne for your words of wisdom!

Today’s interview is with Kurt Anderson. He has something in common with Jackson Pollack. Both Anderson and Pollock have roots in Wyoming, and then got the hell out. I think due to the lack of startled wildlife in both of their subject matter, they sensed that an art career in the Cowboy State was out. Kurt, with this Wyoming legacy I expect big things out of you; a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art… perhaps.
I think it’s so amazing when an artist from Wyoming, or has roots in Wyoming, starts to get recognized. I ran into Kurt at NCECA and he told me that if he can he would love to come back to Wyoming. I hope it happens, we would all benefit. With that said enjoy reading Kurt’s interview.

Kurt’s email: kurtcharlesanderson@yahoo.com

You can find Kurt’s work at: AkarDesign and at The Clay Studio

Tell us a little about yourself!

Originally I am from Santa Rosa, California, which is an hour north of San Francisco.  When I was 20 I moved to Laramie, Wyoming, to attend the University of Wyoming.  I ended up spending 10 years there, where I finally had a “happy childhood”.  I took a pottery class at UW to fulfill a degree requirement and ended up falling in love with the process.  It’s all I’ve wanted to do since then. 

I’ve had some great teachers and mentors throughout my career.  Phyllis Kloda was my first “real” ceramics teacher.  I also spent 2 years as a Post-Bac student at S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, where I worked with Mary Roehm. I also spent a year at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design working with Walter Ostrom. He was probably my biggest influence.  In 2004 I Moved to Baton Rouge to get my MFA from LSU.

How did you become an artist?

To be honest, I’m not really comfortable with the label “Artist”.  I’m just someone who make stuff.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

Matt Metz said my pots were “Manga meets Mingei”, which I thought was hilarious.  I am not really a fan of Manga, but I love Japanese folk pottery, and my drawings are definitely cartoonish.  If I were to define my style it would be “Historic Tradition meets Modern Dissonance”.

It took me a very long time to finally find my own voice, and to be honest, going to grad school was what truly helped me to galvanize all of my ideas into a unified vision.   So I’d say it took me a good ten years to finally put all the pieces together and make the work I am making now.  In the ten years before I went to Grad School I made a lot of really bad work, with the occasional bright spots.  These bright spots, along with encouragement from mentors is what kept me going.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

I am definitely influenced by old pots; Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Persian, Iznik.  When I’m feeling a little stuck I look at these pots for a jolt of inspiration.  I am also attracted to archetypal floral motifs, which play a large part in my surface compositions.

Finding inspiration for my drawings feels a little more like “work”.  I look at a lot of advertising logos, comics and graphic novels.  Indie-rock concert posters and street artists are also a huge inspiration to me.  I love the line quality a street artist achieves with a can of spray paint.  I strive for that same line quality in my own drawings. 

There are very few contemporary potters I look at for inspiration.  Matt Metz’s pots were an early influence.  His drawings reminded me of Saul Steinberg, whom I adored as a child. It was his pots that probably inspired me to start drawing on my own pots.  Kirk Mangus was also very influential on my work, though he is much looser than I could ever hope to be.  The same could be said for Ron Meyer’s pots. Michael Simon’s and Robert Brady are so amazing I don’t even want to own their work.  It would be too daunting having that great work around,  knowing  I could never make anything that good.

What keeps you motivated?

Motivation definitely waxes and wanes throughout the course of a year.  There are times when I absolutely DO NOT feel like making work.  I’m sure this happens to everyone.  One way to combat this is to apply to lots of shows so you have deadlines.  Deadlines are a great motivator for me.

It’s also imperative to understand that down-time is a big part of the cycle of making.  I feel that I sometimes need to withdraw from the world to solve problems in my work.  It could be that during these down-times I actually experience the most creative growth.

Walter Ostrom had a great saying about down-time.  He said:  “When fishermen can’t fish, they mend their nets.”

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I have never had the fortune to be a “full-time” artist.  I have always had to have other jobs.  Right now I am fortunate to have a fellowship at Ohio State University, which pays me a stipend and gives me free studio space, firings, and most materials.  I am extremely lucky to be here. 

My creative process is really quite simple.  The first step is to just throw a bunch of pots.  I make them with very little thought to what the surface will look like when they are fired.  When the pots are bone-dry (or close to it) I incise lines into the surface.  My surface work is very intuitive.  I never sit down and sketch out what a pot is going to look like.  I just start incising lines and I see where that takes me.

I have some basic design templates, which are mostly based on Sung and Ming dynasty pots.  These templates help me get started. The rest just kind of flows. 

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I think I was always a creative person.  I just discovered pottery when I was in the right frame of mind to really commit to this type of endeavor.  I took my first pottery class when I was 29.  Before that my life had very little purpose or meaning.

 
What or who inspires you?

I’m really inspired by those in my generation who have figured out how to make a living off their work, without a teaching job or supportive spouse.  Tim Rowan is one who inspires me.  I live near him in the Hudson Valley, so I see him quite a bit.  He is a force of nature.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

I have a dog.  Without her I would be doomed.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

The one piece of advice I have is be realistic about your prices.  If you are just starting out, I would recommend you keep your prices on the low end.  If you find there is a market for your work, then raise your prices incrementally.  I remember having this same conversation with Josh Deweese.  He said you can always raise your prices, but you can never lower them.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

I can tell you what NOT to do.  Don’t go to the latest issue of CM or Art and Perception, or 500 Teapots. This will only encourage you to copy your contemporaries. 

Walter Ostrom always encouraged me to look at the classics for inspiration.  This is when I first discovered Tz’u-chu ware, and Shino and Oribe ware.  The first drawing I did on pots were attempts to copy these types of pottery.  So if you want to follow my template, find something old to “borrow” from, work hard at it, and eventually the work will evolve into something uniquely your own.

It is very important to know what you like, and not worry about what other people think of it.  Be honest with yourself about what truly inspires you. also, do not be motivated by the trends in ceramics.  When I first started making pots in the mid-90′s, wood-firing was the thing to do.  Now there are a lot of unused wood kilns out there.

I would also recommend that you fill up your life with good literature and music and other aspects of the visual and performing arts.  John Havlicek, the Boston Celtics star,  said that if you eat hot-dogs and hamburgers, you will play like hot-dogs and hamburgers.  I think this applies to artists as well, because if we fill up our brains with crap TV and AM radio, then this mediocrity will be reflected in our own work.

I also find that reading good literature is very helpful, especially when it comes to talking about my own work.

Kurt, Thank you for taking the time to do the interview.  Have you considered drawing startled elk on some of your pots?

Margaret Realica’s mixed media work incorporates plexiglass, pneumatic parts and fittings, found objects, and porcelain. She deftly reinterprets ideas of common vessels into highly contemporary art objects. The everyday teapot is deconstructed into its basic parts and then reassembled into a totally new form that abstractly references the original vessel. According to the artist, she”pushes the boundaries for a balance between the organic and the mechanical, working towards a coexistence of the two”. Her work is both playful and totally unique.  Join Plinth Gallery in welcoming Margaret Realica in her first Colorado exhibition.

First Friday Gallery Opening and Reception with the Artist , April 2nd, 6-9pm

Margret’s website: http://www.mrealica.com/mrealica/index.html

Tell us a little about yourself!
I am originally from the U.K. and Hawaii. Now living and working in northern California. Am an artist, potter, mother and teacher.

How did you become an artist?
I was always one.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?
My style is contemporary but has been influenced by where I’ve lived and by some of the events
in my life.. I feel that ‘style’ is inherent and just develops and matures over time.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?
Colour. Music. Film. Environment. Today’s visual technology.

What keeps you motivated?
Curiosity. Deadlines and the joy of sitting down at a wheel. Having an idea ‘work’.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through
your creative process when dreaming up new pieces.
Yes. I am full time. Have to have a concept first. De-construct, reconstruct, play and edit.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?
Nothing triggered it. I have always done it as a child/teenager and on.

What or who inspires you?
Other artists work including dance, music, street art and film. Architecture and constructions.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?
Take time out to play. Friends and family.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?
Adapt to the times. Be willing to compromise. Open to new ideas.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?
Be willing to play with the work. Find time to experiment and visualize/ Keep going.

Thank you so much Margaret!!

I love blogging!! In my opinion, blogging is the one of the greatest inventions since duct tape. When I first started my blog I thought I was pretty familiar with what was going on in the clay world.  As I started my blog travels I’ve found many amazing artists I had never seen before, and I wanted to find out more. My blog has connected me to fellow ceramicists and now I have daily conversations with them. It has opened my world so much, and I’m so grateful. So with that said… Kip O’Krongly is one of those artists I ran into during my blog travels. Her work is striking, and I think her imagery is unforgettable. Kip is currently living in Minneapolis, Minnesota and working at the Northern Clay Center. See Kip’s work in the March 2010 issue of Ceramics Monthly and at the NCECA Invitational Exhibition, Earth Matters, in Philadelphia March 31st – April 3^rd.

Kip’s blog: http://kipokrongly.blogspot.com/

Kip’s website: http://www.kipokrongly.com

First off, thanks so much for asking me to do this, I’ve really enjoyed reading other artist’s interviews on your blog and I hope this sheds a little light on my own path in clay thus far.  With that, here goes!

Tell us a little about yourself!

I currently work as a studio artist, instructor and the material technician at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis.  I began taking classes at NCC in the fall of 2008, moved into a private studio space in January of 2009 and started the tech job and teaching this past September (just in time for the American Pottery Festival!).  Given that my job and my studio are both at NCC, that’s where I’m spending most of my time these days – luckily my husband and I only live five blocks away!   Before starting at NCC in 2008, my husband and I lived in Pittsburgh for almost three years where I worked as the ceramic coordinator at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (similar to my current job at NCC, but on a much smaller scale).  Since I graduated from Carleton College in 2001, I’ve had jobs as a dental assistant, a bookbinder, a ceramic apprentice, and a baker.  These days, when I manage to get out of the studio, I love to spend time baking (I’m just about to pull some bread out of the oven), knitting, and I’m learning how to sew.  I guess I’m a fan of working with my hands

How did you become an artist?

That’s an interesting question.  Looking back I guess I realize that I always was.  I was fortunate to take a lot of art classes as a child, and would get lost for hours painting and drawing.  It’s not something that I ever thought of as a possible career, however, until I apprenticed with Tom Gilfilan at Whitefish Pottery.  After an intensive year of clay in Whitefish it felt possible (and necessary!) for me to piece together a life with art playing a central role.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

I feel pretty strongly that I’m still developing my voice in clay.  I’ve made some real strides in the last year toward establishing a unique clay vocabulary, but I feel like I have a lot to explore yet (which is a good thing!).  At this point, my work is an attempt to make everyday, functional pieces that encourage conversation.  I use bold contrasts and crisp imagery to draw greater attention to these objects we use on a daily basis.  Meal times provide us with an opportunity to gather and connect and I see these daily moments an amazing opportunity for idea generation.  I hope that my work sparks conversation about contemporary issues and can be an instigator (however small!) for positive change.

It has taken me a loooong time to get to this point in my ceramic work (I started working with clay my sophomore year in college which was 1998 – and I’ve had a few years off here and there) and I am still learning and exploring new avenues all the time.  Starting out there are so many technical hurdles to jump over before you can begin to express yourself well.  Now, I feel like I have a solid “tool-kit” to draw upon when I have an idea.  I still run into problems (glazes have always been my nemesis!), but I feel like I have a framework to break down issues into manageable parts.  Plus, I’ve got an amazing resource in all the wonderful people who work at NCC.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

My current body of work is influenced both by contemporary discussions about food and energy as well as a few pivotal events  in my past.  As a child growing up in Alaska, I experienced our thirst for energy firsthand in the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989 – I was just ten years old at the time.  I had no clue what a considerable weight the event would have on my future relationship with energy, but it remains a vivid moment over 20 years later.   My husband, an environmental economist, also has a significant impact on my work in clay.  His studies of resources and energy weave into our conversations and ideas we discuss often filter into my work.  On his recommendation, I first read the The Omnivore’s Dilemma by food activist Michael Pollan.  This book marked a significant change in my approach to working with clay.  His clear voice gave me a concrete structure to ideas I had previously only been able to piece together.  Using his book as a starting point, I have found a written framework to explore in a visual format.  I continue to be influenced by and draw from some of the concepts contained in his book as I think about my work today. 

What keeps you motivated?

The other afternoon two women stopped by my studio and were looking at some of my pots with wind turbines on them.  The three of us started talking and we had this great conversation about wind power and alternative energy.  The thought that this work can stimulate constructive dialogue gets me so excited!  Plus, I really (really!) love the material.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

 I am not full time in my studio, but I do feel like I am a full time artist.  Pugging reclaim clay can be an art form!  So can mixing glazes or baking bread.  Working at NCC has provided me with an excellent support structure for my continued work in clay and I get to stay involved with ceramics even when I’m not in my own studio.   Given that I do have some pretty big obligations outside of my own studio time, the evolution of my own work has slowed down a bit.  I do a lot of sketching and try to record those random ideas that pop up for later.  I love post it notes!  Typically, once I have an idea that’s appeared a few times in my sketchbook I’ll start trying to make it in clay.  Something that I’m really excited about right now are cake stands.  But cake stands feel like a big project to dive into, so I’m starting out with some cupcake stands as a place to work out a few ideas.  I am a big fan of starting small.  Taking a problem and breaking it down into smaller components can be a huge help in resolving those larger forms. 

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I can’t really remember a time when I wasn’t interested in making things.  I think the urge to do something creative, to decorate things and to make in general, is a fairly ingrained human characteristic.  It’s just a matter of weather or not that creative side is nurtured and encouraged.  I was very fortunate to have a family who pushed me to explore my interest in the arts.  I have always been drawn primarily to crafts, I’m not exactly sure why.  I did a lot of bead work as a teen, had a business painting furniture as a young adult and one binding custom books after I graduated from college.  Something about clay though, (maybe the combination of science and art), has me thoroughly hooked.

What or who inspires you?

So many things!  Cooking and food (food production, processing and packaging in particular); community, energy use, climate change, technology and the field of science in general.  I also just love color (the work of Niki Buckley Crosby is great color inspiration!) and design.  In terms of specific clay artists, I have long been inspired by Nick Joerling and currently swoon over the work of Shoko Teruyama and Diana Fayt.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

Sometimes, I don’t.  I’ve been in a fairly work-intensive period for the last year, but it doesn’t really feel like “work”.  I think that for me, the line between work and life is pretty murky.  Ceramics is a huge part of who I am, so it’s hard for me to ever fully shut that part off.  Eventually, I would like to be in my own studio full-time, have a little more time for my husband and friends, and to pursue some other hobbies more fully (like baking and sewing!).  But right now, as I’m still in the early stages of establishing my ceramic career, it feels like the studio is where my attention needs to be.

Tell us about your experiences at the Northern Clay Center.

I really enjoy working and having studio space at NCC.  There aren’t many places like it in the country solely devoted to clay – I am thankful every day to be there.  Sure, there are some not-so-fun parts (like when I spilled a garbage can full of reclaim slop onto the floor recently – disaster! Or when the gas kiln didn’t want to shut off until 11pm on a Friday night), but it is so invigorating to be around such a creative, supportive group of people.  A typical day for me means walking to the studio by about 8am, and working on my own work until 10am.  From 10 – 4pm I transition over to the tech position and then back to my own studio for the late afternoon and evening.  During my studio tech hours, I spread my time between reclaiming clay, mixing class glazes, slips and stains, loading and unloading bisque kilns and glaze kilns, restocking supplies, material inventory and whatever else comes up.  The tech position is a year-long job, with the option to renew for a second year pending performance.  I’d like to stay on for another year if possible, and then am thinking about applying to graduate school.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

I just read Ron Philbeck’s interview not too long ago and I think we’re on the same page with this question.  PERSISTENCE is key.  It’s all about working, especially when it’s hard and you don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere (easy to say, but difficult to remember, I know!).  If you want to find that voice, if you know it’s in there somewhere, it often takes some digging (and pulling, and prying) to get it out.  And even once you’ve hit on something, the work doesn’t stop there.  It’s a continuous process of pushing yourself, being present, and then knowing when to just let your hands and intuition take over for awhile (I still struggle with ALL of this, by the way!).  Ultimately, if you keep working, keep talking and keep thinking, with time you’ll look around and find yourself in whatever it is you choose to pursue. 

Kip thank you so much.

Today’s interview is with Jeff Campana who lives in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a lecturer at the University of Louisville; Jeff Campana exhibits his unique style of functional ceramics locally, regionally and nationally. Jeff’s work is definitely complicated; he dissects his pots completely then puts them back together, the results are absolutely amazing.

Jeff’s blog/website: http://jeffcampana.com/     

Jeff’s shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CampanaCeramics

Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up outside Madison Wisconsin.  Right now I’m teaching ceramics at the University of Louisville and Indiana University Southeast.  I spend my days making work, applying to jobs and shows, teaching, and little else.  I’m hoping to get into a residency next year so I can have more time to relax, and more time to make work. 

How did you become an artist?

In first grade when I was first learning to write, I wrote “when I grow up I want to be a sculptor.”  I’ve always known that I was meant to be an artist.  I made the real actual decision to become one when I went off to college as an art major.  I chose the school (University of Wisconsin Whitewater)  for the ceramics program.  My entry to the art world was through pottery.  My high school had an incredible ceramics program, which gave me a nice head start.  I would never have learned anything about art if not for my interest in making informed pots.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

I think of my style as bright, simple, refined, materialistic, stylized natural forms with puzzlesque decoration.  I am still working on making my work more my own.   I think of each piece I make as an attempt at redefining what my aesthetic is.  It is now and hopefully always will be a work in progress.  I had a major breakthrough during my final year of graduate school (Indiana University Bloomington, 2007) when I realized that I was drawn primarily to the seams of the thrown and altered pots I was making.  I stopped altering the shape and began  making seams purely as linear elements of my design.  It had the perfect balance of simplicity and complexity.  I knew I was onto something and just rolled with it. I have been tweaking it ever since.  I think that this process of cutting apart and reassembling my pots is the strongest and most recognizable of my visual signatures to others, but it is certainly just one of many from my viewpoint.  

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

I am inspired by the natural world, the various roles and traditions of functional and decorative pottery, and by the endless possibilities and problems to solve with my material.  I see a strong connection between my work and works of the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 1800s and the Art Deco/Art Nouveau movements of the early 1900s.  We share basic principles, such as truth to material and honesty in process, exposed construction, simplicity in form, and the utmost importance of skill.  That being said, I am careful not to let things like that influence my aesthetic.  I try to keep my work pure, which to me means it is a reaction that I alone have to the material I am using and the processes I have chosen to incorporate.  It’s pretty much just me talking to myself through the act of making pots.

What keeps you motivated?

I always have some dream I’m trying to achieve.  Once I achieve it, I come up with some new and better dream about what I want in the future.  I repeat that as needed.  When I experience success, it only makes me hungry for more.  During times of low morale, I remind myself how lucky I am to be able to do what I love for a living.  That always gets me back on track. 

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

Yes, I am.  Most of my new creations come from a cycle of finishing work, then thinking about what I would change if I had it to do over again.  I then go ahead and do it over again changing it to be better.  Every once in a while, I will try some new form, some new function, or some new process, just to shake things up a bit.  Right now I am experimenting with slab built and slip-cast forms to then cut and reassemble.  They are nowhere near ready for the public eye, but I’m learning a lot from them at least. 

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

It’s just always been part of me.  Creating is simply what I do.  I am also an inventor, an amateur woodworker, and a very good cook.  I’m constantly making something or other.

What or who inspires you?

My students inspire me a great deal – to be a better leader, a better artist, a better member of the community. 

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

Oh, I don’t.  I work waaayyy too hard.  There’s no balance there at all – and it’s not even remotely healthy.  This is because (I think) I’m in a phase of life where I feel that I need to prove myself.  The competition for academic positions is crazy right now and I just need to work as hard as possible until I get one, as that is the ultimate goal for me.  Hopefully someday I’ll figure out how to relax a bit. 

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

My advice is to keep your integrity and have confidence when dealing with customers. I used to take commissions and custom orders because I thought I needed the money from them.  I found that I was making 5 pieces just to get one to survive, which wasted a lot of my time.  I got such a waiting list built up that I was not able to choose what I wanted to make in the studio, but instead just went down the list of things I needed to make for people.  That pretty much sucked all the joy out of it.  It felt like a job all of a sudden.  I found that when I stopped taking custom orders, my work became more valuable, more special to the owners, and I now have customers who compete with their friends, “who has found the best Jeff-pot?” If they could just order whatever they want, there would be nothing to compete over.  Similarly, try not to make things just because you know they will sell.  When you do that, you are putting the customers in charge of what you make, and then it’s not really your art anymore.  For the same reason, I don’t do wholesale.  I have the attitude that I will make whatever I feel like making when I’m in the studio, and then I’ll figure out how to sell it later.

The number one thing is that you really MUST have an online store.  They are so easy to make and once you do it, there’s a way for people to buy your work whenever they want. Here’s an example: If Julia Galloway, one of my favorite potters, had an online store, I would have a cupboard full of her work.  I have none, though, because it is so rare to find an opportunity to buy it.  There are people out there that feel that way about your work, too.  Give them the opportunity to buy it. 

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

My former teacher Tim Mather used to say “the best way to ensure that you never find your style is to go looking for it.” My advice is to try to follow your own aesthetic compass.  Stop looking at other artists, stop looking at source material, stop looking at what’s going on in the art world.  Just look really hard at your own work, and pay attention to what you, not anyone else, think about it.  Be Specific.  I don’t have a single image in my studio, and don’t ever look at pots with the intention of getting ideas from them.  When you take the other people out of it, then it starts to become your own. 

Become a fan: http://www.facebook.com/JeffCampanaCeramics?ref=ts

Follow Jeff: http://twitter.com/jeffcampana

Thanks Jeff!!!

 Happy Birthday Ron!!!!

Ron’s website: http://ronphilbeckpottery.com/

Ron’s Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ronphilbeckpottery

Today’s interview is with Ron Philbeck living in Shelby, North Carolina. After studying mathematics and horticulture at North Carolina State University, he returned to his hometown in 1992 to begin work on becoming a full-time potter. He focuses on utilitarian pots that he hopes will be used in the daily rituals of eating, drinking, and food preparation.  Ron is so generous he cheerfully shares so much information; he has answered many questions that I have asked him and if you read his blog he is always showing us something new. His blog is a great blog to follow.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I’ll be turning 40 this month! I have been making pots since I was 22. I made salt glazed stoneware for 14 years before switching to earthenware. I live out in the county with my wife, Sarah. I really need a hobby! I have a pretty goofy sense of humor and not very good fashion sense. I enjoy napping, drinking tea, cooking and drawing when I’m not making pots.

How did you become an artist?

My mom drew with me as a child and my father was always building things. I was a creative child, making up drawings and stories and playing on the farm where we lived. I had the desire to go to college to study art but I was not encouraged by anyone to do that. So I studied mathematics and horticulture for 4 years at NC State University. I painted some during that time but it wasn’t until I left college and moved back home that I encountered clay. I took a pottery class with a friend at a local community college. I thought I’d like to be a sculptor. Later, while in Florida taking a workshop, I read an article about Warren Mackenzie and also Susan Peterson’s book on Hamada. I knew then that I wanted to become a potter making functional pots. Here was the chance to make something that was beautiful and useful.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

I throw with soft clay on a Leach style treadle wheel. I think these two things give me pots that have some gesture and aren’t overworked.

I feel like I’m still searching for my voice in some ways. It was almost 8 years before I made a good cup. A few years later I realized that I favored a certain kind of pot. I could force myself to make certain shapes but the ones that I could make comfortably and naturally I saw as my own. I’d say it was at least 12 years before I even began to see myself in my pots.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

I’m very interested in English slipware and Medieval Italian majolica right now. Living a slow life out here in North Carolina is wonderful. I am surrounded by farmland, rolling hills, lots of small animals and birds and livestock. This certainly feeds my soul and my work.

What keeps you motivated?

This is the only thing I’ve found that I love to do over and over again; it’s my job and my passion. I think the desire to be the best I can motivates me. I see my work as a journey, as my life, I want it to grow and I want to keep trying to ‘get it right’ and to have fun.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I am a full time potter. I work within the limitations of functional pots. That’s very broad but I do find that I need boundaries to keep me from going all over the place. My forms are fairly set at this point, but I do pay attention as I’m making to see if something new emerges.

I’ve only been seriously decorating my pots for 2 years. I draw in my journal everyday. I pay attention to the things around me; I look at historical pots and other forms of art that move me.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I have always had the desire to make things. I’ve drawn and built things since I was young. I had a brief period in my late teens and early twenties when I wanted to be a painter. I couldn’t seem to find what I wanted to say on the canvas. It wasn’t until I was introduced to clay that I felt I had found the right medium.

What or who inspires you?

There are many amazing pots in the world that inspire me. We have a great collection of pots in our home that we use all the time too. It’s wonderful to be surrounded by beautiful things that are useful. My wife Sarah is a huge inspiration. She keeps me grounded and sane.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

I try to have set hours in the studio and maintain a routine. Of course being a potter often means working 7 days a week. I try and stop working everyday around 6pm to come in and get ready to cook supper. I don’t work at night much any more. I spend evenings with Sarah. I’d like to be doing yoga or exercising more, but I’m not so motivated.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

My mailing list is the most valuable piece of information I have. Early on I collected names and addresses of people who bought my work or who were seriously interested in it. I use direct mail to let folks know when I am having one of my 4 annual studio sales. Now I also use email, my website/blog, and social network sites to keep people up to date.

I have tried to view marketing in as much of a creative way as I do my work. There’s no need for it to be boring or conventional. If I can make it fun and an extension of myself and my work then I think I am more likely to do it and I think it’s more effective.

I try to keep good books, but I do admit that in the past I have always filed my taxes at the last moment. This year I am using an accountant, it’s worth it for me to pay someone to do the job I dislike and get it done on time.

Pricing pots has always been a challenge for me. I have never over priced, if anything I have under priced my pots. This is mainly due to my belief that hand made pots should be accessible to all people. I’ve had to loosen my grip on this system as my work has become more time consuming to make. I feel now I am pricing to the current market price (still a little below probably), for the kind of work I make. I like to get paid for my hard work. There’s no need for me to pretend I want to be a starving artist. I still want my customers to use my pots, and I’d like a student to be able to buy my cups and bowls and such. It’s a balancing act and I have never taken pricing lightly.

I’ve learned to pick which shows work best for me and to drop those that aren’t profitable. I’ve also learned to say ‘no’ when asked for certain commissions if I feel that I am going to hate doing it or have a hard time completing it. No need torturing myself when I can be making the work I enjoy.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Make as much work as you can. It’s in the doing that I have found what works for me and what doesn’t. For me, there’s no use in trying to figure it all our in drawings or in writing although those are helpful places to start. It’s in the making that I learned how I handle the material in my own way.

Pay attention and be kind to yourself.

Become a fan of Ron’s on Facebook.  (I am!)

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shelby-NC/Ron-Philbeck-Pottery/94387339054?ref=ts

Thanks Ron.

Lauren Kearn is now based out of Ventura, California, she just recently moved from Carbondale, Colorado.  Lauren and I met while I was teaching summer workshops at the Carbondale Clay Center.  While living in Colorado she made these beautiful pots about the sea.  Now that she lives closer to the ocean, I wonder if she will make art about the mountains. 

Lauren’s website:  http://www.laurenkearnsporcelain.com/

Tell us a little about yourself!

I have been an artist all my life. I am also a teacher. Currently living in Ventura CA, having recently moved from Colorado, where I was the director of a clay center for the past 5 years. I have been working in clay for the past almost 40 years, as I did start in high school. I wanted to become a painter when I went to art school, but was very drawn to ceramics, so I concentrated my studies there, with Ken Ferguson and Victor Babu being my teachers. I loved to draw and have just taken my first printmaking course of monotypes and loved it. That is my next area of concentration.

How did you become an artist? 

I was born an artist. I announced it at age 4, much to my parents upset.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

Well, Ferguson put it best, you have to make pots on the type of person you are. When one is young, you really are in formation and you are discovering who you are as a human being and artist. In school, I think everyone is highly influenced by all that is around them, and mainly other students and teachers. In my opinion, it is often when one is out of art school, on their own, that they are free to discover themselves as individuals. We are constantly evolving and changing, so work will be a reflection of this process.

It did take me a long time to discover and have confidence in my own artistic pursuit of my ‘voice’ /my style. I have gone through many phases of development and interests that influences my work. I have realized I walk a fine line between strictly functional and decorative. Both influence me and both have inspired me. Now I am more drawn to sculpture and surface, so we will see where I develop from this point.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

My latest work was made while in Colorado. I started with the work and realized I was missing the ocean. I saw an article on fish, and how they see color and that was the beginning of the inspiration. Fish are so beautiful in their color and patterns. I do love to cook so many of the shapes I have created are designed for serving. The sculptures I have done are inspired by the life of the sea rocks.

What keeps you motivated?

I don’t really know. I simply have the desire to create and make art. It is a constant driving force.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I am not a full time working artist at this point. I discovered teaching about 13 years ago and feel very strongly that I have a strong talent for teaching…. So I have pursued that aspect. I was a full time studio artist for many years, and it has been important in my development as a person to do other pursuits, such as dancing and teaching art.

I have no idea where ‘it’ comes from. It just comes and I don’t question it. I go into my studio and just start working and let it happen. Sometimes I have drawings, first, sometimes I bring in pictures…. Sometimes I look at books. And then I start.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

I don’t remember. I just started at 4 and have not ever really stopped, except for certain periods of my life…. That took that creative drive/focus to use that energy in another direction.

What or who inspires you?

My teachers have inspired me. Periods in history have inspired me. Victor Babu, Kurt Weiser, Engish porcelains, the art of the Asmat, Indian weavings, Japanese lacquer ware etc.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

I try, that is all I can say – I try to have a balance in my life, while pursuing my passions. I am certain of one thing. That having a priority of creating helps in creating a center from which all other necessities and interest fall in line. I fell in love with training dogs, and wanted to become a horse trainer, but realized I would have to do that in another life. Same with dancing – I was too old by dance standards to become a dancer, plus I have no desire to be on stage or be a performer. But it is essential to know that all one does in life only adds to their artistic life.

You, like most people enjoy the process of making and crafting and didn’t get into it for the sake of “business”. But eventually you found yourself having to make the transition from crafter to a businessperson. What have you learned so far and what advice can you give others in the same situation?

Here is the advice I can offer now:

1. Have great pictures taken, invest in good photography 2. If you do wholesale craft shows: lighting is of utmost importance, and having good brochures for buyers to take with them is really important. 3. Visit the galleries that you think you would best promote your work. 4. Take advice from everyone and discard what is not useful to you.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Keep working. Go into the studio no matter what. One has to make bad art to make good art. Don’t be intimidated, as everyone is going through the same thing.

Karen Swyler’s interview marks the first of monthly interviews in conjunction with Plinth Gallery in Denver, Colorado. We will be highlighting interviews with the artists who are currently showing with Plinth. Karen’s show opens this Friday, March 5^th from 6-9pm.

Karen’s elegant porcelain is both understated and eloquent. While they may reference the vessel, their altering and pairing speak volumes about relationships.

Karen’s website: http://karenswyler.com/

Plinth Gallery: http://plinthgallery.com/

Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up on the north shore of Long Island, close to the beach. As a child, I played with clay in my mom’s pottery studio and worked with my dad on school science fair projects. Their artistic and scientific influences had a strong impact on how I viewed the world from a young age. I currently teach full time at Green Mountain College (an environmental liberal arts college in Vermont) while maintaining an active studio practice. I’ve found that my teaching and studio work fuel each other and that I truly enjoy being part of a collaborative educational setting that supports my studio work.

How did you become an artist?

Although I had access to clay from a very young age I really didn’t get interested in it until high school. I took throwing classes and found I loved making pots. This was something that felt natural to me – probably due to the fact that I grew up in a home surrounded with my mom’s handmade pieces. From there, my education in the field was very linear. I was fortunate to attend institutions where I received a strong technical background as well as exposure to critical theory and dialogues about art. I think it’s impossible to define a specific point in time when I became an artist. Instead, I view the process of making art as an evolution. My work is always changing; sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. This is what keeps things interesting, so I hope I never arrive at anything that feels like a conclusion.

How would you describe your style? One of the hardest things for artists to do is to stand apart from everyone else. How long did it take you to come up with your own style and signature look?

While my style is constantly evolving, I had a major breakthrough during my graduate studies that continues to inform the work I make today. My visual sensibilities lead me to make work that is organic in form and subtle in color and pattern. Through this approach I aim to create pieces that are elegant and beautiful. These decisions are intended to draw the viewer in and emphasize the conceptual intent of the work.

What is your inspiration for your pieces?

When I was 12 my parents gave me the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Since then I have been an avid bird watcher and outdoor enthusiast. The natural world is a strong influence in my work; I see beauty in organic forms such as the curve of a bird’s neck or the subtle pattern of a bird’s plumage and aim to capture this in my pieces. Conceptually, I am interested in ideas that investigate communication and relationships.

What keeps you motivated?

Looking at art, reading about art, and talking about art with colleagues and students keeps me motivated and constantly raises new questions for me to think about in my studio work and my teaching. I also keep a full schedule and usually have shows planned well into the future. Setting these specific goals gives me deadlines; I like this way of working. The ebb and flow of the academic year also creates a schedule that allows me to balance studio work and teaching.

Are you a full-time artist? How do you come up with your creations? Can you walk us through your creative process when dreaming up new pieces?

I am a full time college professor and studio artist.

When developing ideas for new pieces I always look at my most recent work. Using this work as a reference point allows me to improve upon an idea or push an idea further by learning from successes and failures. To test new ideas I often sketch in clay, making pieces that will be sacrificed to experiment with a new form. I also make drawings, but have found there is little substitute for practicing with the actual material.

What was it that made you want to start creating? Did something specific trigger it?

It’s hard to say; I can’t think of a specific event that triggered it. I have always been shy. The idea of art making as an alternate form of communication was attractive to me. I like the notion that I can make something with my hands that can communicate in a much more nuanced, powerful and multifaceted way than either the spoken or written word. I think that’s why art and art making are so integral to human society.

What or who inspires you?

My sister and my mother. My sister is a writer and has recently completed her first novel. The amount of perseverance, dedication and time spent on this single, intensive project is awe inspiring.

How do you maintain a healthy work and life balance?

It is a constant challenge, but I try to take things day by day. My husband is very supportive of my art and teaching practices and also helps me maintain a balance; we enjoy outdoor activities together including cross country skiing, hiking and bird watching.

What advice can you give aspiring artists struggling to find their own voice and look?

Gaining a strong technical background and exposure to contemporary and historical artists can give you a good foundation, however I think the best thing to do is look to your own passions, even if they have nothing to do with art. This will help you make the most honest, personal work.

Thanks, Karen!