Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Nina Fenner

Time for Tell All Tuesday, time for Tell All Tuesday, time for Tell All Tuesday, yeah!!

As you may or may not have noticed I've not been around much this month, so I'm super psyched to I have Tell All Tuesday for some arty inspiration...and fyi where I have been I will become very apparent soon (esp if you are a newsletter subscriber - you are in for a treeeeeeeeeeeat!! ;) ) But before that loveliness here's some more in the form of this weeks TAT:

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
I have just turned 50 and have spent all my working life living in the countryside, earning most of my living as a self employed gardener. All my life I have I dabbled in a wide variety of crafts. When I was about 30 I started doing life modelling and I was tempted into the idea of going to art college. I planned to simply enjoyed my foundation year and then go back to gardening, but I got drawn into doing a Fine Art degree. It wasn't really my thing because so much of it was conceptual stuff and I'm really a craftsperson, but I did enjoy exploring processes such as printmaking, textile art and photography, and best of all I did a three day book binding course which really got me hooked. After my degree I went back to gardening but also continued making books and experimenting with other arts and crafts. In 2004 I was asked to teach some workshops which I enjoyed enormously. I continued to run occasional workshops for the next few years and also dabbled in craft fairs (which I dislike doing!) In the last year or so I have really been putting more effort into promoting my workshops. I am also trying out teaching other subjects and I am really enjoy inspiring other to make creativity a part of their lives. I think eclectic probably best describes the work I do, as I am constantly trying new things. I spin and knit, I do patchwork and embroidery, I sketch and write and make baskets. I also love cooking, dancing and singing, and growing vegetables.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
My biggest challenge is always balancing doing creative things for pleasure and for money, and being organised enough to do my own promotion and make the moneymaking ventures as efficient as possible. I try to focus on having a core of paid creative work and then allow myself to do some playing for pleasure, and also offer some freebies for good causes now and then as well.

What is your heart’s greatest desire for your life as an artist?
I still love gardening and plan to continue doing it part time, and would love to be earning about half of my income from teaching workshops and selling some of my work. In real terms this would equate to me teaching one or two workshops per week on average over the year.

What is the best thing / worst thing that art has brought into your life?
The best thing is the wonderful creative people that I meet, and the feeling that I have inspired people to bring more creativity into their lives. The worst thing is the feeling that there are SO many things I want to try and sometimes I feel I take on too much and challenge myself to the point that I feel stressed about it, which is the opposite of what being creative is supposed to be!

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

I have a website, a facebook page and a blog that is a mixture of creative stuff and my life in general. I don't post on my facebook page or blog as often as I feel I ought to, but I try not to feel bad about that!

Thank you  for sharing Nina, I definitely agree about the stressed thing, I want to do so much too and there is just never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever enough time for it all! And it's hard facing the fact that there may never be, especially during those times when you feel like you have used every moment you have available to do so to be as creative as absolutely possible, and still feel like you've managed nothing! I guess this is where the wisdom of 'it is not the destination, but the journey' comes into play, and give ourselves a break over all the creative to do list projects  that will never ever ever even get looked at, and simply enjoy the time we have when we are actually creating.

Want to read your name in the title??

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

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Krystal Hampton

Hi guys is my featured artist time again, 

and just for the sheer point of it I thought I'd show a Jennibellie-inspired project that this weeks artist has created first:

It's a 'Wall Art Journal' I did a tutorial on a couple years ago, it's probably egotistical for me to share but even though it happens with increasing frequency I still get goosebumps when I casually happen across something I helped inspire. And that is what we are all here to do, I believe, so straight into this week's inspiring interview we go...

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.

Hi ! My name is Krystal and I am a 28 year old full time college student majoring in psychology. I am also a newbie art journaler and I am also experimenting a little with mix media art as well. I have always loved art since I was a little (4 years old to be exact, lol). I was into a lot of crafty things like creating things out of popsicle sticks, construction paper, clay, and whatever else I could get my hands on. It wasn't until I reached my mid to late twenties that I discovered art journaling. I was cruising the bookstore one day and I came across an issue (more so it felt like the magazine "found" me, lol) of Art Journaling magazine and I picked it up and started flipping through it. As soon as I opened up that magazine I was instantly hooked and I knew at that moment that I found my artistic calling.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?

The biggest challenge that I face as an artist is having the time to create. With me being a full time student, studying, and just every day life stuff I sometimes do not have the time that I want to spend creating art, and when I do finally have the time I am either too tired to or I tell myself I'll make some time tomorrow and when tomorrow gets here, I end up not doing any art at all. The way that I have overcome this problem is I just simply take my art with me on the go. A while back I put together a travel art journaling kit with all my fav supplies in it and my oh so cute small art journal, and when I have a break in between classes (or when I just need to take a break from studying, lol) I just put out my journal and supplies and create and just have art time.

Do you ever lose your mojo, and if so, how do you get it back ?
I do have those moments where I will lose the interest to get creative or it maybe hard for me to get in that creative mood. I find that when I feel this way I either will take a small break from my art to think and clear my mind. I also find it helpful to browse around on pinterest and take a look at other artist and their work and see what they create, and I get so inspired and so many different ideas come flooding into my head that its overwhelming, in a good way of course, lol !

What do you love most/least enjoyable about your art?
The thing that I love most about my art is not knowing how it will turn out, what the end result will be. Most of time when I am creating a journal page or a mix media canvas piece, I don't always plan out what I am going to do. I just sort of go with the flow and just let my creativity take over, or I may have an idea in my head of how I want a certain journal page to be and it sometimes turns our better than I had originally planned or I end up adding to my idea or changing it just a little. What I love the least about my art is sometimes I think that I could have done something better or I could have added this, or changed that, or made it more interesting some how.

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

You can find more about me and my art on my blog and I am also on Pinterest, just type in Krystal "artsychica" Hampton to find me :)

Thank you for being this weeks featured artist Krystal...something tells me you like your hearts, no? Lol I love what you said about 'The thing that I love most about my art is not knowing how it will turn out, what the end result will be. ' We can often cut ourselves off before we start with the 'blank page paralysis syndrome' but by flipping it on it's head; by seeing the unknown as something exciting rather than frightening is a great way of tackling that, thank you for sharing.

Do you want to join the exclusive TAT ranks??

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

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Zoey Shears

Hi guys, every tuesday I marvel at how quickly time is going (TAT is kinda like my weekly 'jeez, another one gone already?' check-in) & usually watch with fascination as the seasons progress on almost a snapshot kind of basis every week...well not for the last few! I hope everyone is doing ok through this crazy weather?! 

This week I've a Newbie Artist is in the hotseat, sit back (be grateful to be indoors tee hee) & enjoy xx

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
Well my name is Zoe and I am 29, to be honest I am not sure what type of artist I am yet as I have only been doing it for six months. Mixed media is my passion at the moment as I love mixing and adding in all sorts of items and media into one piece. I have a love of painting faces in my work, not a full face just half a face I think it helps to add the emotion to the face if you can not see it all.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
Confidence is my biggest problem in my art, I worry over every piece and am never satisfied with what I have created. I find it hard to get my work out there as I am always unsure of sharing it and constantly worry some one may steal my work images. To over come it I joined some great mixed media groups on facebook and I try to post a piece of my work in there. The ladies that are apart of that group are of all different experiences and their feed back and support is great for getting that push in the right direction.

What do you love most / least enjoyable about your art?
What I love the most is time stands still and in that moment I am in my own world where I am at peace with myself. Anything could happen in that time and no one gets anything out of me when I am creating. I take a lot of time over my work and find it very relaxing. If there was anything that I do not like I would have to say waiting for everything to dry so I can add more onto the piece.

What advice would you offer to any perspective new artist?
Do not give up hope, my first pieces looked dreadful like the cat has vomited them up. Take time over your work use everything you have when you first start so that you get a feel of what you like to use first. Youtube videos are great for tutorials Jennibellie does some fantastic ones :). Just keep going with your art and practice all the time. Art is something that you need to develop over time and have fun with it.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?
At the moment I am not really out there yet, I am considering a blog and a facebook page but as yet these are just thoughts in my head. I do have an Etsy store called ImagineNades. At the moment there is only 2 pieces in there but I am looking into getting prints of my work and other products too.

Thank you so much for sharing Zoey, it's really nice to have the perspective of someone so fresh to art as it were and so glad you already understand 'art is something that you need to develop over time and have fun with it' - I think it usually takes more than 6 months for most of us to figure that out so really, good job! 

In terms of worrying about being plagiarized please take it from someone who has had it happen to them in a few different forms do not let the worry of such things stop you from doing something you want to do. I feel it needs to be said a little more often sometimes because yes it happens, but so does credit card theft and being hit by a bus...but do we stop buying our groceries or never cross the street? In every scenario there is something bad that could happen so why ever even focus on that (when it may never even happen anyhow)? Live, and share your work, if your version of living means to do so =)

Do you want to be a featured TAT artist??

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

Wishing Tree Tutorial and Vlog

Hey, so I made a video tutorial and vlog about a week ago and sent them out as The Scoop part of my newsletter but am only now just getting around to posting them properly (crazy week = late posting). Such a big plus for signing up for my newsletter I think, as it's one of the only deadlines I set for myself it can actually prompt some creative-posting action from moi lol anyway I'm getting round to it now.

I'm calling this an unconventional tutorial, because well frankly I think it is, even for me! Other non-conventional tutorials I've done still seem to follow a thread ie recycled art, or homemade craft supply making, while I guess this is more a tutorial driven by my own heart and set of circumstances. This is why there is also a vlog to follow on from the tutorial. Expect plenty more of unconventional things from me this year, as I found some times in 2013 were difficult to get the creative juices flowing, I will be following my heart this year in all creative endeavors I can imagine, can pursue, can create =D 

So here are both videos, 

I hope you enjoy my unconventional tutorial =)

Much love

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Michele Fawcett

Hi guys, I'm posting a Tell All Tuesday on Tuesday GO ME! Yay, please enjoy this weeks dose of creative comrade inspiration =)

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
I like to call myself the Dreaming Dilettante! This came to me when I was taking a workshop and discovering my archetypes. I felt drawn to the artist, drawn to the writer, the poet and yet deep down knew none of these were mine. Through the journey I realized I was the dilettante, which I imagine by definition is not one most would want! It is a bit like being a “jack of all trades master of none.” Something I also identify with! I find life far too interesting to just focus on one particular task or talent and immerse myself in it until the end of my days. I want to try it all! My art is a lot like that. I am a writer, blogger, poet and candlestick maker. Well, not really but I do hand make 100% soy candles. It is a fun hobby that came to me years ago and has been very well received. I also recently published a collection of my personal poetry called, “The Real Princess Story,” (available on Amazon.com) which is my own personal life journey. It was through the act of creating, putting myself out there and this journey that I finally felt I could call myself an artist. I am also a wife, mother to a 3 year-old little girl and a baby boy due this spring as well as 3 cats and a very old German Shepherd Lab mix name Munson. I have my own business and try to focus my days on my family, my art and my home. In that order.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
The biggest challenge for me was calling myself an artist. It is so interesting to me that the creative fields are the only ones that seem to demand your credentials if you should declare it as your own. If someone says they are an accountant people don’t start grilling them with questions like, “have you prepared the returns of anyone I know?” or “have you done returns for anyone famous?” Yet is seems with the creative world we almost feel we need an impressive resume before we can identify ourselves as an artist. Perhaps that is why I generated so much to The Dilettante. I felt like I was owning the fact that I dabble, explore, stumble and make lots of mistakes but love it all! I do still struggle with sharing this part of myself with people in my “real life,” as if they are going to judge it, smirk and think, “that’s not her.” It is something I work to overcome one blog post and status update at a time!

What is your heart’s greatest desire for your life as an artist?
It is my desire that through my artistic life I can maybe inspire others to live their truest life. To realize that we are able to design a life of our choosing even if it seems far-reaching to others. Our life is meant to be of our own creating; a full, living, breathing expression of who we are and that unique light and spark that is just us. I realize that to express that to the world requires an immense honesty on my part. In order to do this I need to share the struggles, the mistakes and the downward spirals. I still have difficulty with this but releasing my poetry book out into the world, using my real name *gasp!* was a first step. Through my healing art and my blog I hope to do more of this.

Have you ever found anything that originally daunted you as an artist that you can now overcame easily?
When I was training last year to become a Certified Creatively Fit Coach I was having so much fun! One of the struggles a lot of people have with the idea of painting is that they have the voices in their heads; former art teachers or what have you, that tell us what art should look like. In the course we learned that just filling the canvas with paint can stop some people. However I had a blast! I was able to connect so easily with the little girl in my who loved to just play! Then, we had to paint a picture over the color. I chose an owl and froze. I couldn’t even touch my brush to the canvas. Now it had to look like something that others would recognize?! I learned so much about myself through that process. In the end, I finished my piece and was able to love it-even though it wasn’t, in my mind perfect. One day my daughter looked at it and said, “look Mommy that’s your dinosaur!” I laughed hysterically. Here I had spent so much energy trying to make this thing and she didn’t care she saw a dinosaur. And really isn’t that how all art is? The creation of it is the artist’s journey, but how it touches someone, what they see, is all about their own personal journey. We can’t control that. There really is something beautiful and freeing in that.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?
I have a blog that is basically my home page for all the work I do and it is at DreamingDilettante.com I have an Etsy shop as well that sells my candles, Reiki-infused art and other miscellaneous bits of my creation.

Thank you so much for sharing Michele, I enjoyed reading about your journey. You are so right about the difficulty we have identifying ourselves as artists (and the contrast you highlighted - I shall remember to ask those questions of an accountant next time I meet one! lol). Congratulations on, and good luck with your book of poetry, it is a lesson to us all that it is always scary to put ourselves out there so vulnerably (honestly; I don't think there is anyone alive that it doesn't scare to some degree) but in order to be who we are and play our part in the world it is also necessary. Scariness is sometimes there to prove to ourselves that it is the right path for us to venture down! 

Do you want to join the TAT ranks??

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