Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Dawn Zichko

Hi guys, firstly I want to say thank you to everyone who gave such a warm response to my last post. I know tis only a newsletter, but your response has turned a not so great couple of days round and it truly warmed me to my little fluffy socks that so many of you jumped up and down at it =D anyhow this will be the last post from me for a while because I am off on a mini hol to London on Thursday. I've been that busy that I've only just set the day to Thursday about an hour ago, and though I did plan to schedule some posts while I was away, going on thurs means I might not be able to as I only have tomorrow to do *everything* (all possible prep - hotels, packing, travel etc) =( But rest assured I do have fun things planned to get cracking on with when I get back (next week!)

...till then though please have fun meeting Dawn

and reading her interview:

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what kind of artist you are.
I am Dawn Zichko a visionary artist of the Everyday. I try to infuse the mundane with divinity in daily living. I create journal pages in hand-bound books, altered books and sketchbooks. I paint on canvas, paper and wood panel in watercolor, acrylic, oils. Other favorite things to play with are pen and ink, pencil drawings and collage as well as hand spun fiber and found objects. I love making altars and Sacred Space, permanent and temporary.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
Finding time to create in my studio ~ especially when managing other business throughout the day. Often times, I make up for a lost day by spending a half hour creating/writing in my journal. My studio isn't completely closed off from the house, so I feel I'm still able to be with my family as I create. If I am waiting somewhere, it's the perfect opportunity to sketch in my pocket-sized Moleskine. The Southpaw Sketch is a favorite activity as I possess a willing and available left hand to model anywhere, anytime.

What do you most wish your art to achieve?
Expression of Self, simple joys, inspiration, community.

Do you ever lose your mojo, and if so, how do you get it back?
When I've lost my mojo I just try to keep moving, so to speak. If I'm "stuck" on a painting (no painting is ever really stuck, merely gestating), I'll move on to spinning fiber for awhile or knitting another piece. If I'm not feeling fiber, I'll go back to some sketching. I'll collage SoulCollage cards or work extensively on a journal page. Whatever keeps my hand in something creative ~ even if it's making an awesome tuna sandwich. If I'm really stagnating, it means I've got NDD (Nature Deficiency Disorder) and I need to get outside, preferably barefoot, where I'll create an impromptu Medicine Wheel or mandala for Instagram sharing.

Tell us where we can find out more about you and your art?

Blog: http://mentalmohair.blogspot.com/

My Site: http://dawnzichko.webs.com/

My Instagram: http://instagram.com/deebeezee64

Thank you so much Dawn, I've love some of the journal pages on your blog, just beautiful! What you said about moving onto something else when stuck really struck me because coming up with a go-to-creative-action-plan for those times has been something I've been thinking about doing for a while.  I watched this video below earlier this week which reinforces what Dawn has highlighted and I found quite helpful:

I think for me a trick for carrying on being creative when stuck may be drawing figures, as that is something I find relaxing and see as a *treat* - anyhow figuring out a go-to-creative-action-plan that works for me is another thing on my creative to do list I dare not think about till I come back off of hol lol till then happy creating and see you guys soon =D

Do you want to be a featured TAT artist??

To be featured email me or find all the details here =)