getting to know you #10

One of my favorite things to do lately is find out where all of my favorite designers/artists live. I like seeing where the hubs of creativity are around the world. Australia keeps popping up. Susan Fitzgerald, who owns Spin Spin, has a lovely little studio where she prints her gorgeous tea towels and other goods. I just love her bold colors and the "t" is brilliant.

please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art.
I'm trained as a graphic designer but hate the idea of 'working for the man' and 'pumping out design' for a living, so a couple of years ago I started working on my own designs with a vague idea of bringing them to life. I also started making soft toys and took a screenprinting course. From there I began experimenting with printing my own designs on fabric (in my living room!) and then started making toys and tea towels with the fabric. Recently I moved into a shared studio space in Kensington, Melbourne so I have the room to really play around with ideas without worrying about getting paint everywhere (and so my living room isn't full of printing equipment!)


describe your creative/creating process.
I rarely sit down with a plan – usually ideas just morph into life of their own accord. When I've got a chunk of time to 'work', I don't usually have a fixed agenda - just a few broad aims. This means that I can flitter about and not get any one thing finished (I'm a Pisces so I have a good excuse) but that also leaves me room to experiment and play around with ideas. It's also important for me to work on what feels right at any one time because if my heart's not in it, the results will show. Also, if you're really excited about a project, you get the momentum going and it's good to run with it.



what are your favorite places to shop (both on and off etsy?)
There are way too many great shops in Melbourne... Zakkaya in Fitzroy is full of so many cute Japanese things, from wood-mounted stamps to ceramics. Patchwork in Central Park in Malvern has more beautiful fabric than you can imagine. Douglas & Hope in Fitzroy has lovely quilts and other bits and pieces. Industria in Fitzroy is full of remnants of times past and unusual & interesting furniture, and Arthur's Circus in North Melbourne is great for vintage toys and other wares. And then there's Amazon/Etsy (faves include Aunty Cookie, Something's Hiding in Here, PataPri and many more) for hours of online spending joy.


how do you describe your personal style?
I'd say my style is minimal, muted and with a focus on the practical. That said, a lot of the things I've been working on at the moment are full of bright colours and contrast. I'm also a fan of one- and two-colour design and simple repeated patterns. Typography and nature are big influences, along with materials - linen, wood, uncoated paper.



what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?
That's tricky, as I've only recently started myself! I can say that if you're thinking about stepping out by yourself, do all the things you're supposed to do – make a business plan, a budget etc - but if you really feel you need to run with it and you're in a position to, go for it (even if it's just part-time) and don't get bogged down in or put off by the boring bits. You'll never know unless you try and if you have passion and excitement for what you're doing, you'll do all you can to make it work.



name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.
In no particular order:
1. Coffee and/or tea (english breakfast or earl grey, depending on the mood).
2. Internet and email - I have been known to spend too much time looking at the lovely things that are out there.
3. Wondering what on earth to have for dinner and secretly hoping my boyfriend will whip up something delicious (which he often does!)
4. Eating apples or grapes or peaches or pears – I'm not quite yet a fruitarian, but am not far off.
5. I probably should put something else that isn't food! Um, organizing - I'm not a neat-freak, but I like things to look good (there's an interior decorator in my trying to get out, I swear.)



what is your ideal day?
Waking up feeling well rested and then going for a walk around the park, followed by a good coffee. If it's a work day I like getting into the studio early, but I'd be walking to the local cafe for another coffee not long after arriving. The day would be productive and I'd get to work on a range of things, from developing a new design, some colour test printing, more printing and maybe some sewing. Dinner would either be take-away from a great local Thai or Mexican place, a simple home-cooked meal or food at the local pub with a chilled beer. Then either hanging out with friends or a bit of couch time with some magazine reading or knitting and to bed late, reading a good book.


tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
My first job out of my undergrad honours degree was picking apples in an orchard - I must have felt the need to get back to basics after too much staring at the computer! But it led to my first freelance job - working on the website for the orchard - so it helped me see that sometimes you've got to go with what seems right and see what happens.

getting to know you #9

Brigitte Bouquet has amazing talent working with ceramics. Her use of color and texture is incredible.

please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art.

My name is Brigitte Bouquet.I was born in Amsterdam and have moved around quite a bit.....over the last 7 years I have lived in Amsterdam, Chicago, Sydney Australia, and now Brooklyn NY. It has been an incredible experience but also exhausting!

I've been working with ceramics for more than 15 years.

Next to my sculptural work http://web.me.com/bbceramics, I started last year with the Wobbly Plates www.atelierbb.etsy.com

describe your creative/creating process.

I have a nice studio in the basement of our building.

Most of my big sculptures take about 3 to 6 months from the beginning to end and I work on several pieces at the same time.

I am fascinated by patterns - in nature- so most of my work finds its origin there.

My studio is very organized and everything I collect has its own particular place.

Those diverse pieces of inspiration could be sitting there for years before they get used.

The last couple of months have been very hectic. I have an exhibition coming up and plan to show 3 new big ceramic wall sculptures from my circles series and some new objects made from driftwood poles. The poles are wrapped in a net of small pieces of ceramics and copper wires. The driftwood had been standing in the studio for more than a year before I finally knew what I wanted to do with them.

Somehow all my work is connected and ideas and techniques that might have found there origins years ago in larger and more abstract works resurface for example in the designs and textures of the Wobbly Plates. I really like that!

what are your favorite places to shop (both on and off etsy)?

am a 'market'-girl.....I am fond of them......farmers markets - book markets - village markets (when I am traveling) -flea markets....I can spend a whole morning in the summer on a market....fantastic.....

how do you describe your personal style?

one big big mix.... old & new, vintage, from all over the world, it’s very personal,

off trend, on trend, behind trend, ahead of trends whatever..

what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?

Wellllll, I am not really the best person to ask!

I love to create and I am absolutely not devoted to the other part....

For me it’s all about the work and I am not trying to second guess what people might buy.

name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.

morning coffee & breakfast

yoga/pilates

music & local radio - right now WNYC

working in my studio of course

cooking and having dinner with my partner

what is your ideal day?

a combination of;

in my hammock under the shade of the trees with a superb book and brainstorming with my partner about new ideas of projects.

tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.

I hate moving!!

getting to know you #8

Today I present a bit of a different kind of artist. Abigail Munn and I met in dance class in 1997. We were fast friends due to a common love of food, and the fact that we both broke both of our arms in 5th grade. As you'll read, she leads a rather interesting life.

please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art.
My name is Abigail and I am the co-director of Circus Bella, a traditionally staged outdoor one-ring circus with live original musical accompaniment. Running a circus is a multifaceted job. I wrangle musicians, keep clowns in line, juggle three clubs, make costumes for the cast, find funding beneath doormats and couch cushions, and last but not least, am the trapeze artist for the show. My stage name is High Flying Abigail but the cast calls me “HiFly."



describe your creative/creating process.
Music is very important when I am creating a new act. I have eclectic taste and am always searching and listening for something new. Right now I can’t get enough of the Balkan composer Boris Kovak. Besides music, I am very inspired by old movies and video clips. Buster Keaton is a personal hero. I admire his timing and physicality. I am obsessed with silent movies- I see more of them than I do “talkies.”



what are your favorite places to shop?
Flea markets and garage sales. I am always looking for new treasures. I have a terrible weakness for old luggage.


how do you describe your personal style?
I am a little old fashioned. I love bright colors and have cultivated what I like to call “rummage-sale chic.” I have quite a collection of beloved vintage dresses. I love getting dressed up, but because of what I do, I spend most of my time in sweat pant or tights and a leotard.


what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?
David (the other half of Circus Bella) and I always joke that in running a circus you walk the fine line between craziness and stupidity. I think it is important to take risks and sometimes just go for it. Persistence and sweat go a long way.


name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.
I don’t really have a routine. No day is ever alike, but I came up with three:
Yogurt, granola and a cup of coffee – I never skip breakfast
Abdominal exercise – I mix up the rest of my training (trapeze, ballet, pilates, jogging, handstands, pull-ups and juggling)
Dental floss and Listerine – I am a little crazy clean about my teeth


what is your ideal day?
Ballet class in the morning, a trip to the Ferry Building and a nice dinner out on the town OR Circus Bella show day.



tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
I failed P.E. class in middle school. I got a “needs improvement.”

getting to know you #6

please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art.
My name is Kristen Chick and I am a printmaker living in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. My two favorite printmaking techniques are linoleum and Gocco. In addition to selling my paper goods on etsy, I do a lot of custom work such as wedding invitations, baby announcements, pet portraits and advertising for local businesses. I just launched a new version of my website with more about what I do! www.floating-palace.com


describe your creative/creating process.
I am most inspired by plants and animals. I usually start with a photograph, either one I take or one I find. Then I sketch, then I scan, then I Photoshop, then I transfer (or carve, depending on the medium) then I print. For my linoleum prints, I either hand print with mounted linoleum or use my mini-press with unmounted linoleum. Gocco is a Japanese silk screening system that has spawned a huge following, and yet is possibly going the way of Polaroid: obsolescence. I can and will switch over to more conventional silk screening if Gocco supplies go away completely. But I love the way Gocco allows me to add a variety of color to a single screen. There is nothing quite like it.



what are your favorite places to shop (both on and off etsy)?
On Etsy:
I lovingly curate my “favorites”… the items list. There are so many beautiful things to see, and somehow they all seem to go together so beautifully. Two of my favorite etsy artists are mamabetsy (I own several of her pieces and wear one particular bracelet regularly) and rozssaxseattle (I have a fancy scarf of hers with a crocheted flower on it that ALWAYS gets me compliments!)


Off Etsy:
Daniel Smith – we Seattleites are so lucky to have this art supply store in our city. They are big enough to have almost everything but small enough to care.
Uwajimaya – this is an Asian grocery store chain in the Northwest. Not only can you get interesting ramens, the freshest bok choy, and delicious lunches there, but they also have a bookstore with cool Japanese pens and irresistible papers.


how do you describe your personal style?
I invented a word to describe the style of my home: Ikeaclectic.
Personally, I try to look like a creative, artistic professional without being the wacky lady in the crazy homemade hat. Sometimes it’s a fine line…



what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?
Get good advice but filter it well: don’t substitute anyone else's judgment for your own.


name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.
1. Coffee is an essential morning kick-starter.
2. Newspaper: I prefer the old-school kind that you can read without a screen.
3. I draw or doodle or print something every day.
4. I do the New York Times crossword puzzle every day (Saturday trips me up sometimes though.)
5. Flossing. For real.


what is your ideal day?
I’m not sure exactly the storyline, but it would involve a boat, popcorn, my boyfriend, my kittycat, printing, being outside, a little sunshine, a little rain, adventures, swimming, reading, drawing and root beer. And then it would probably end up at The Tin Hat, my favorite neighborhood dive. With Elvis Costello. And Bob Dylan.

tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
I was once a white water rafting guide on the Colorado River.

getting to know you #5

It's week 5, and it's also the week before Valentine's day. No better time than to introduce you to Natalie Bowen, fabulous floral designer extraordinaire. Working with flowers run in her blood as you'll see from the image below of her grandmother in 1941. She's standing in front of her shop here in San Francisco (Ulloa Street.) If you are in the bay area, order flowers from Natalie to be delivered to your loved one either Friday or Saturday. Her minimum is $45 and if you order before Wednesday, she'll deliver for free-take advantage of this amazing deal! The arrangement images are some of the many options you can order.



please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art.
I own and run Natalie Bowen Designs, a floral design company in San Francisco. We do flowers for weddings, events, deliveries, photo shoots and home interiors. I tend towards seasonal flowers designed in organic yet structured ways. I also make cards and love to include my handmade cards with my floral deliveries.


describe your creative/creating process.
When I have a new project or client I find that initially a vision pops into my mind. I either dig right in or sit with it and see what comes to me. I find that a lot of my best ideas have come to me in my sleep and when I am on a run and free-thinking. If I get stuck I find that I usually ask my boyfriend to brainstorm with me. He doesn’t know flowers as well as I do, he is an architect and can visualize form and shape.



what are your favorite places to shop?
I find that I window shop a lot to find inspiration. My favorite spots are:
- aria
- paper source
- nest
- bell jar
- the ribbonerie



how do you describe your personal style?
My personal style is gathered from a number of influences. I love vintage and vintage inspired designs in combination with modern looks. I am also very influenced by nature and natural textures and forms. I love to group wacky and pretty things together to tell a story. Most of all I always like a clean put together look.



what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?
The most important piece of advice I would have for somebody is to have the energy to do what it takes to make your business happen. There is SO much more to running a business than just doing your craft. I find that I only work with flowers about twenty percent of the time I am actually working. It also means working long hours and learning how to stay centered when there is ALWAYS something to do. Most of a all if you get discouraged, keep at it.



name five things that are a constant in your daily routine.
I start my day with a cup of decaf English breakfast tea.
I go to the flower market every weekday morning and try to get there by 7am.
I take a yoga class or go for a run almost every day.
I cook at least one healthy and delicious meal every day.
I check my email a LOT.



what is your ideal day?
My ideal day is day three on a trip abroad either by myself or with a person I love. I have adjusted to the time change and figured out the City enough to have a feeling for the layout but still have it be a mystery. I am excited and ready for adventure, exploring, being inspired and eating a delicious meal. Oh, and I have a fabulous outfit on!

(at the flower market in Taiwan)

tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
I was a cheerleader in high school. Wait, is that surprising?

getting to know you #4

It's week 4 of getting to know you, and today we have a friend of mine, who I've never met. I contacted Amy after seeing her amazing fabric on Etsy, and you will probably recognize it from our tandem project. The blankets are still available at Rose and Radish. Please also notice her amazing cut-outs.

please tell us who you are, and a bit about your business/art
My name is Amy, I'm from Australia and I design screenprinted fabric under the name Umbrella Prints. My friend Carly Schwerdt and I worked together to create Umbrella Prints. We both have different styles which compliment each other and we can explore our own groove and help each other under the one business name. Umbrella Prints is about beautiful imagery and pattern. We use organic hemp/cotton which is soft and strong-a bit like us really (!)



Describe your creative process/creating process.
Wow, big question Ive never thought of it as a process as such. As a visual artist my process is cumulative with ideas growing bit by bit over time and through playing with materials-it is a creative mess which pulls together at the moment the final work is complete. With Umbrella Prints the process has to be different because there is two of us and its a business. Luckily Carly and I tend to come up with similar thoughts at the same time and we both trust and admire one another's view on design so can boss each other's aesthetics until it all fits together as a collection. We have so many thoughts and ideas that our creative process is often a matter of culling and refining than needing to create!


what are your favorite places to shop?
Every cent goes back to building our business so not much shopping happening right now except in my imagination. I work on the Etsy shop for Umbrella Prints and have built up quite a list of favourites which are pretty indicative of what I would be buying if I was shopping up a storm. I often scroll through those lists and smile at the beautiful different things people are making. I love music shops, gardening centres, homewares and tool shops, jewellery, markets and any interesting shops with patterned or sparkly things.

how do you describe your personal style?
A collage. I often wear plain clothes but open my wardrobe and you will find a cornucopia of coloured, patterned clothing from the 50's, 60's and 70's and sparkling ridiculously girly high heels.


what is your top piece of advice for someone trying to run their own business?
Too many! Um! Don't talk about it do it. Get strong and get educated. If you have an idea grow it and present it as best as you can don't be wishy washy.
Use your instincts and ask for help. Don't wait to be discovered.


five things in your daily routine?
Until my child goes to school there is no way I can have a proper work routine. I work in windows of about 5 minutes throughout the day and then I go to bed.
Daily jobs are phone calls, emailing, updating internet, sketching, collecting bits of colour, photographing, jotting down notes, answering questions, picking up and dropping off. It might be surprising but when I say I am a textile designer well its more like administrator when you weigh up time spent designing and time spent selling and merchandising and organizing.


What is your ideal day?
An ideal work day would be waking up slowly at 10am, having breakfast whilst reading a new Italian Vogue on the verandah. Finding a gazillion orders for fabric in my inbox which our assistant would diligently pack whilst we do some sketching for a design brief (MIssoni have called). Our latest fabric arrives perfect from the printer and I do a huge a new window display which causes a frenzy of fabric shoppers to arrive and we sell everything.......that'd be nice!


tell us something about yourself that we might find surprising.
When I'm not wearing my glasses things are a bit fuzzy I have had a number of new design ideas from totally misinterpreting what I am seeing!