Blog Interview #15 ~ Maria Pace Wynters

I discovered Maria Pace Wynters' artwork while browsing through a copy of the Rat Creek Press sitting at my favourite neighbourhood bookshop, Mandolin Books and Coffee Company. A piece of her artwork was featured in the centre spread of the paper. The colours, composition and pure joy of living sprang off the page. At the bottom of the article, Maria's website address included. I contacted Maria shortly after to talk to her about her art and was lucky enough to attend an exhibit soon afterward to see her beautiful work first hand. So, I'm grateful that Maria agreed to tell us a little more about herself and her work.

So Maria, please tell us about yourself.
I live on a tree lined street in a big old house with my two young girls, my singer songwriter husband, a blue heeler and an orange cat. I am stay at home Mom and artist. I love to cook almost as much as I love to read cookbooks. Currently I am doing a series of paintings called "Too Small" about being a child and at the same time being a mother remembering being a child. I am also working on a children's book about 'Circus Girl', a character I have been developing over the last year.

Why did you start blogging?
I was really making forward momentum with my art, finally painting daily and writing as well. After five years I had finally go my website up and running and I was really proud of how it looked and its content. It really was a natural progression to start blogging. It was at the suggestion of my husband and I admit I was reluctant at first. I had no idea it would become such a huge part of my day to day life.

So you started blogging under your name, Maria Pace-Wynters, last April (2008). Why did you decide to simply use your name?
I decided to just use my own name because when I created an etsy shop a couple of years ago, before I really started on my current path and not knowing what direction I was going in , I named it Thumbelinapaint. I have since wished that I had simply used my own name and decided to not make the same mistake twice.

What did you talk about in your first post?
It was entitled 'Finally' and talked about how I had finally started to do art again. I had a webpage that stated that my website was 'coming soon', for FIVE years! It was so great to finally get that website up, I expressed that and I enlightened people on how I managed to make art with two little children. I can be pretty creative when I want to paint!

Do you prefer to blog in pictures, words or both?
Both, although I seem to have less and less time for the writing part. I would like to change that. I really need to make more time for writing because I really enjoy it. I sometimes write a poem to accompany a painting. I like doing that but I find I have to do it immediately on completion or even during the painting process or it just doesn't work. I have to be end the same head space as I am when I am doing the painting. It is hard to conjure that up after the fact.

Have you met new people through blogging?
Yes, I have. I think that this is my favorite part of blogging. I take part in illustration friday which is a great way to stay in touch with other artist's work and get feedback from them as well. I love that and I love that these people are all over the world!

Describe a friendship you’ve established through blogging.

There are a couple that come to mind. One is this great artist in the USA named Sandy Mastroni. She is a wonderful artist and an incredibly kind and compassionate person. She gives great advice and encouragement.

The other is Stephen Quirke from South Africa. He does these wonderful watercolours and also is very good with the encouragement ~ being slightly neurotic, I need a lot of encouragement.

Did you design your blog or did you have it professionally done?

It is a professional template that is offered through word press. (Black Letterhead by Ulysses Ronquillo).

What does your "About Me" read on your blog?

I am a mixed media artist that works on both canvas and paper. Currently my subject revolves around what I revolve around: My daughters and life as a stay at home Mom. Not always easy but more than a little gratifying.

What feature do you like the most about your blog?

I love the bright orange/red font. It really seems to go with my images. Bright Red is a favorite colour of mine and I am loving it with turquoise, a colour I have been using in my paintings a lot recently. The dark back ground really makes the images pop off the page and I love how saturated the colours look. Of course I love that people can write comments about my work. That is my favorite part of having a blog, the wonderful comments from people all over the world. When you create art, you want people to see it. You want to touch people and you want feedback. It is an important part of the process that I was missing out on before I started blogging.

Is there anything on your blog you’d like to change?

I wish Word Press offered more widgets. I see other people's blogs with all sorts of cool stuff down the sides and am envious. Some might say I have widget envy. Also I would like a pay now feature so visitors don't have to leave my blog in order to buy my art.

Do you ever blog when you don’t "feel like it"?

Yes, because I feel that I want to have new stuff for the people that visit frequently. It is a little easier for me because I don't have to write much. I can just put an image up. If my blog was more about writing I probably would not be able to post as frequently.

What words or themes would you use to describe your blog?
I would say that my blog is all about me and what surrounds me on a daily basis. Theme: 'A Visual Diary of a A Stay At Home Mum/ Artist" OR: ' How a mum creates art while looking after two young children and how an artist looks after her kids while she is trying to paint.'

Do you have any interesting directions you want to take your blog in, in the future?
I would love to do a video of myself creating a piece from beginning to end. I did this using photos but I think a video demo would be really cool.

Do you sell your art online?
I sell on Etsy and I think that is how most people that have bought my art have found me. I think [they] then check out my blog, website, Facebook group and Twitter.

Any final thoughts?

When I was a little girl I would do art any chance I could get. I loved to be creative and was always encouraged by my Mom. It was fun. I enjoyed doing it. In fact, there was nothing I liked better. It was never a chore! It was never dull.

So, what happened? When I was a teenager I romanticized about a lot of things: Marriage, children, getting older.Visions of Picasso danced in my head. Like Picasso before me, I saw my future self eating dinner and then taking my fish bones and making a clay relief. I would have a bohemian house with piles of art and reference books on the dining room table. I would paint along side of my toddler. Look at us painting together for hours at a time. I won't go as far as to say I imagined myself wearing a striped black and white t- shirt and shorts but I will say that I was totally out of touch with reality. First of all, toddlers require constant help when they do art, and their attention span is all of oh, lets say, 15 minutes. If you are lucky. Also, I can't stand stuff all over the place, let alone my dining room table. I need that table to feed my kids and I don't want their grubby little fingers all over my good books! Not to mention that I don’t even like fish very much, let alone a whole fish with bones.
I guess as I got older so much stuff got in the way of the pure process of creation. I had a constant dialogue going through my brain. Is it good enough? Who will like this? Is it too commercial or illustrative? or not enough? Is the palette to cold? Too dark? Too muddy? How could I tap into the pureness of what I was doing if the whole time I was doing it my head was questioning whether I should be doing it all. I don't know who initially put these questions in my head. College, University, people of influence all played a part. Life isn't the way I imagined it. The fun in art definitely was no longer part of my process. I no longer felt excited to create. It was just so much pressure: to create art that everybody likes is really hard. Now, it has come full circle and as a Mother I watch my girls create and I am inspired by them. They don't worry about the outcome. They just enjoy the act of making something. Anything. When it is done, it is done, and they move on to the next thing. They don't dwell on it. It is about the process not the product. Sure we all want to create art that we like, and that other people like too, but if that is all we focus on it becomes a chore and where is the fun in that? It is so nice not to be in that angst ridden part of my life. At forty, it is so great to be able to re-associate art with fun, and know I can still learn new stuff even if it is stuff I knew at the age of three.

Visit Maria's blog and website.

Intermission of sorts ...

For today, since I've caught up with all the artist interviews so far, I thought I'd just show you some work of a friend of ours. James R. Pearson (Rick to his friends) is a Canadian watercolour artist who paints landscapes, barns, farms and grain elevators. When he saw grain elevators in rural Alberta starting to disappear, he started to paint them.
Today, he also paints other rural locations, far northern Canadian subjects and occasionally, flowers.
His wife Gloria, is one of my best-est friends ev-er. I hear she is trying to convince Rick to start painting mountain scenes just so she can go with him on numerous painting jaunts.

Rick begins with his Olympus digital SLR, then makes several thumbnail sketches, and finally works these into a detailed drawings that is transferred onto watercolour paper and presto, out pops a piece of art. It's not quite that easy, of course, but that is the general gist of the process.

Check out Rick's blog at www.splashandpaint.blogspot.com

Blog Interview #14 ~ Claudia Roulier, Roulier's Rusty Reliques

Claudia Roulier is a talented artist who formally trained in Zoology switched to Anthropology, then Fine Art.

Tell us about yourself, Claudia.
I'm a mixed media artist living in the foothills west of Denver in a small town (some would say teeny weenie) of about 300 people. I belong to two co-op galleries in Denver, Colorado, which gives me two shows a year in tow of the big art districts. I have pieces in shows monthly, belong to several on line groups and occasionally teach.

Why did you decide to blog?
Blogging is an excellent way to get your art out there and advertise shows and events.

What's the name of your blog?
Roulier's Rusty Reliques

Why did you choose that name?
Mostly because of the type of assemblage I was going and the found items I use in everything.

When did you begin blogging and what did you talk about on your first post?
April 2006, I introduced myself, explained my purpose which has changed some but not a lot.

Do you prefer to blog with words, pictures or both?
Definitely both. I try for fewer words because I think most people don't care much about my daily activties as much as my art. I myself won't read long blogs. I just don't have the time.

Have you met people through blogging?
Yes I have. Every once in a while someone will stumble across me and write to say "hey".

Describe a friendship you've established through blogging.
A fellow artist Mary writes me at least once a week. She's a fabulous glass artist. Her blog is called Working Projects.

Did you design your blog or did you have it professionally done?
I did it and just re-did it again. I try and change things up to keep it fresh.

What does your "About Me" read on your blog?
Not much ... maybe I could work on that.

Do you ever blog when you "don't feel like it"?
Of course, doesn't everybody? I do it because I don't want people to get bored and not tune in, as I said it is an advertising tool.

What adjectives or themes would best describe your blog?
Hmm ... informative and curious art tidbits.

Do you have any interesting directions you want to take your blog in?
I would like to have more tips for artists.

Do you sell your artwork through your blog?
Sometimes I do.

Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
Come visit me at Roulier's Rusty Reliques and be sure to say hi!

Blog Interview #13 ~ Kari Rastrom, Artsy Mama

Kari Ramstrom, better known as ArtsyMama, is a stay-at-home mom and what she refers to as "a very part-time librarian" in Minnesota. She has two young children and since November 2005, she has blogged on her ArtsyMama blog.

Good morning Kari. First of all, can you tell us why did you start blogging?
I started blogging when my children were babies. I was doing creative projects and wanted to create a dialog with others interested in crafty things. I thought keeping an online "creativity journal" on my blog would be a good way to connect with others when I was feeling like I was in a bubble.

What did you talk about on your very first post?
I declared my intentions for the blog. I said, "I decided to plop down on this little spot in cyberspace and start a blog. A place to throw out thoughts, ideas and inspirations. This blog is an attempt to be more aware. To take in my life moment by moment. It's an online scrapbook of sorts; layers of images, text, pieces of this and that. This is my life. Welcome to it!"

Do you blog with words or pictures or both?
Both, but to be honest, I mainly look at the eye candy if I'm looking for inspiration. If it's a parenting blog or a "green" blog I read the words.

Have you met people through blogging?
Absolutely! I have been to many art retreats and am always thrilled to put a face (and personality) with the blogger and meet in person. It's wonderfully fun!

Describe a friendship youʼve established through blogging.
I have developed many wonderful friendships through blogging. Just yesterday I returned from ArtNest, an art retreat in Utah that never would have happened had I not been a blogger. The retreat is put on by the amazing duo of Candice Elton and Julie Collings. I first met Candice at Silver Bella 3 years ago. I'll never forget getting on the airport shuttle and heard her say, "are you ArtsyMama?" Too funny! We completely hit it off and then I met Julie in person at Silver Bella the next year. We became friends and she told me about how they were both putting on this retreat in Utah a few times a year called ArtNest. It was my dream to go and spend some time with them and other amazing artists. That dream came true just this past week!

Did you design your blog or did you have it professionally done?
I worked with Sara Duckett of Sadie Olive design. I sent her the photos and she worked her magic.

Have you ever been featured in Artful Blogging?
Yes, the very first issue!

What does your "About Me" read on your blog?
I am a stay-at-home-mama and librarian. I love to follow the trails of inspiration all around me and craft my daily life. I share it all here as my creative diary. Thanks for visiting a corner of my world!

Do you ever blog when you donʼt "feel like it"?
I challenge myself to blog every few days. I usually "feel like it" but sometimes feel like I don't have anything to share. That helps me to see things differently. If I don't have a craft or project to post, then maybe I'll take some pictures and share a different aspect of the creative life. It helps broaden my outlook and I pretty much always come up with something to share.

Is there anything on your blog youʼd like to change?
I'd love to have a search feature, make my archives more accessible and also categorized. I'm not a techie at all so I just don't make the time to do these things. I'd rather be creating.

What words would best describe your blog?
Creative, inspiring, ever-changing, eye candy.

What is your blogger count at, at this precise moment?
440,621 total visits...about 500 per day. 724 posts.

Do you have any interesting directions you want to take your blog in, in the future?
I have started a private blog that runs for a whole year called A Year of Color. I enjoy that it has a focus on a color theme for each month and examines it from a variety of media. I think for ArtsyMama, I would like to continue to think of new ways to build and enhance our fantastic blogging community and support one another.

Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
Being a blogger has had a profound impact on my art and my life. It has developed into much more of a "habit" and something that fulfils me and enhances my life in so many ways. I have found this vibrant blogging and art community to be wonderfully unique and generous. Thanks for being a part of it. Thanks! This was fun!

Visit Kari at www.artsymama.blogspot.com

Blog Interview #12 ~ Deirdra Doan

I was first introduced to Deirda Doan and her work last year when she won my OWOH giveaway draw. Between the beauty of her site, her husband John's ethereal music, her blog quickly became a feature in my Beautiful Blogs section. Today you will meet the lovely, and very interesting Deirdra.

Good morning Deirdra, and thank you for this. First can you tell our readers a few things about yourself.
I was born and grew up in southern California on a little 2 acre ranch in the midst of a neighbourhood with homes, horse ranches and orange groves. I lived in my grandfather's home who was a real romantic. He was an artist with wood and owned a cabinet shop.

He created dreams for me to grow in. We had a cabin in the mountains and loved spending time in the desert enjoying the flowers and the old west. I grew up in cowgirl boots and rode horses each weekend. [Grandpa] taught me to love making things. i had all the kitties, puppies and chickens a girl could want. My favourite thing was to go riding with him down to the river beds that were dry. Sometimes the horses would start to buck because they were scared by a rattle snake. My Grandpa would take out his pistol and shoot the rattle snake right on the spot taking the rattle off the snake to add to his collection. One time my horse got caught in the quicksand and Grandpa threw out a rope that I looped onto the saddle horn. he pulled my horse out by the rope from the quicksand. Grandpa taught me to face trouble with action and not to panic.

The town we lived in was Riverside, California. Art was everywhere around me both in architecture and natural beauty with the San Gabriel Mountains flanked by a large palm lined streets. There were Arts and Craft style homes, street lights and building filling the town. Riverside was the most wealthy per capita during the time of the3 founding of Navel Orange in Riverside. The Mission Inn was the old world cultural center of the town started in the 1800s with the most amazing architecture. I loved it very much. Our church was held in the old YWCA building down the street from the Mission Inn. I ran all over the building that is now the Art Museum. It was designed by Julie Morgan the architect of the Hearst Castle.

When I was ten years old, I moved back with my mother and lived in Mississippi, Florida, Oregon and England. I had an amazing education in England. I was blessed to see beautiful art and museums giving me a world class education.

I went to California College of Arts and Crafts [and] graduated from University of Miami with a BFA in painting.

Though I had much in the way of travel, romance and beauty, I didn't have the most stable of childhoods with all the moving and family changes. I bonded with Beauty. Beauty gave me joy and stability.

Now I live in Oregon and have a very loving supportive husband, John Doan, who is a well known Harp Guitarist and university professor. We have been married 25 years, [and have] lived an exciting life [involving] travel, beautiful events and people. We have collaborated on his musical career. I have been the photographer, PR, graphics, film and stage/wardrobe director for our company.

Also during the past 10 years, my husband and I built a home and garden on a hill. The planning, gathering of old doors and windows etc., building, decorating and creation of the garden was a extremely large endeavour.

Wow, how interesting Deirdra!
Can you explain when and why you started a blog.
I went to Art and Soul for the first time in October 2007. Everyone I met had a blog and the light bulb went on. I was amazed that I could enjoy the most wonderful art from my living room! I was like a kid in a candy store. I wanted to join the party ~ [which I did on] October 22, 2007.

Why did you name your blog simply Deirdra Doan?
Having been the PR department for my husband's musical career for so many years I realized I needed to use my own name for name recognition. As much as I loved the beautiful names of people's blogs, they are hard to remember. Keeping it direct seemed right for my blog. The exact transliteration of my name, Deirdra in Celtic is "God on my Blessing" so technically my blog is called God on my Blessing.

Do you prefer to blog with words, pictures or both?
I like blogs that are heavy on the pictures, but I like words too, that add to the visuals.

Tell us about some individuals that you may have met through your blog.
Well, this coming week, I am going to meet two friends I got to know through blogging, for the first time when I travel to Arizona and California. I have come to know Jane Des Rosier of Gritty Arts Studios, [who is] an amazing productive artist. We talk not only through email and blogs, but we also talk on the phone. She helped me learn to make dolls and we talk about the business of selling art. We have a deep heart connection around our faith in Christ. it is fun to talk to another artist about this part of our art united with our spirituality.

What feature do you like most on your blog?
I love the colour of my background and the first mixed media self portrait on the right side column. I took a photo of myself in the museum in Vienna where Klimt paintings are housed. I put a crown and wings on myself. I like the expression and light. It is called Dreaming of Klimt.

Do you ever blog when you "don't feel like it"?
Yes, sometimes. If it is late or I am tired, but I like all my friends and want to keep them posted. My life seems to have so much going on if I go too long, I miss sharing these things. Also it is a kind of artistic diary I use for my own enjoyment and memories.

What, would you say is the purpose of your blog?
To share beauty: oil paintings, beautiful romantic women paintings, art dolls and the joy of living an artful life everyday.

Do you sell your art online?
Yes, I have an Etsy shop. I just sold my first piece ~ it was my Marie Antoinette doll. It is very exciting and I have had one of my dolls featured by the Etsy staff on a story and video they did about another doll artist.

Do you have anything else to share?
I have lived my adult years making art out of my life; in my decorating, photos, floral work, cooking, parties, gardens, paintings. Often it has been seen by only a small number of people. But now with a creative blog I have the opportunity to share my artful work with many others. And not just the regular population but with other artistic people. For the first time I am not seen as a strange or unusual person who may be considered genius or just over the top. I am understood and loved by other like-minded wonderful people. I can't tell how much it has enriched my life. I am inspired to do more art and share more of my art full life with them. What a blessing to have this forum to share on with the whole Internet world.

Blog Interview #11

Creativity isn't always defined by brushes and paints. In Karyn Hutchinson's world, it often takes shape through her candid photography, scrapping and living life to the fullest with her family and friends around her.

Thank you Karyn for joining us today, would you please tell us a little bit about yourself ...
I am wife of one, mother to 5, mother in law to 4, Gramma to 6 (soon to be 8). I spend more time than I should interacting with folks in the blogging world. I home schooled my children for 19 years - this is my first school year without school and I've been using it to catch up on caring for my home. I love to take photographs of the people around me (mostly candid photos) and the world around me; telling the stories of the photos through blogging.

Why did you decide to blog?
My daughter and her husband introduced me to blogging in 2006 when they left for a 5 month trip to my son in law's home in Zambia. My husband and I were impressed with how they could share their experiences and photos with all of us at the same time then the rest of the family could respond in the comments. Jim (hubby) put out a challenge to the rest of the family to create their own blogs. Everyone blogged fairly regularly for most of the first year but I am the only one who has continued on a regular basis; although my daughter and my niece have begun to post again and my hubby has always posted once every few months.

What is the name of your blog?
I actually have 3 blogs. My main blog is Musings From Me. I have [another] that I started for the "Project 365", a photo-a-day challenge that is so popular called Karyn's Project 365 ~ I know, not too original. And I maintain a weight loss blog called A Failure's Journey to Success.

The first two blogs have pretty obvious names, can you tell us about A Failure's Journey to Success?
After trying and failing to get control of my weight for my whole life, I was a failure in that department. In December 2007 I made a decision to quit being a failure and start down the road to being a success in this area of my life. Thus, the name - for which I have taken some flak for being too negative; I think it is a positive name, however.

What date did you start blogging?
Friday, June 30, 2006

What did you talk about on your first post?
I posted about my youngest son working for 4 hours pulling ox-eyed daisies from our fields.

Do you prefer to blog with words or pictures or both?
Both...some of my posts are centered around a photo, some are just words, some have a photo included to support the words

Have you met people through blogging?
The readers of Musings from Me blog are mostly family, although I have recently joined 2 challenges through which I am learning to know a few regulars. My Project 365 blog is quite new and as far as I know, only a few family members look at it (and Arlene, although she counts as family). I have met many people through my weight loss blog ~ too many to link to ~ some of the people I've met here have become folks that I truly care about. The subject matter requires some pretty personal postings, allowing relationships to develop quickly.

Describe a friendship you’ve established through blogging?
My friends in the weight loss community of bloggers have been a source of support on my journey as well as a source of inspiration. A few of these folks have become my 'friends' on Facebook, giving me a larger picture of who they are and of their lives. I don't want to single anyone out because they are all important to me. I know that I could write to these ladies about any happening in my life and I would receive caring, thoughtful responses. Many of them would also pray with faith for me.

Did you design your blog or did you have it professionally done?
My blogs are my own work although I utilize "The Cutest Blog on the Block" to add backgrounds that I like.

Have you ever been featured in Artful Blogging?
No ... I wouldn't call myself an "Art Blogger" although I love visiting Art blogs from time to time and I have enjoyed the magazine at least once. I also love to learn new ways of expressing myself artfully although somehow, art never seems to make it to the top of my list of things to do.

What does your "About Me" read on your blog?
I've learned to embrace change as an adventure - even when I do not want a change....

What do you like the most about your blog?
I enjoy posting for Friday's Favorite Five because it requires that I pay attention to the little things in my life that bless me. I also like to post a random photo, either from my computer archives or a scan of an old photo, and then write about whatever memories the photo brings to me. I love comments, too, although most of my readers on Musings From Me do not comment.

Do you ever blog when you don’t "feel like it" ?
The only time I blog when I don't feel like it is when it is time to post my weekly weigh in on my weight loss blog (I call it my fat blog, BTW)....otherwise, I always 'feel like it'. And just to clarify, there haven't been many weigh in days that I did not want to post about.

What adjectives or themes would best describe your blog?
My Musings From Me Blog is pretty varied, but mostly it is about my family, my 'adventures', and sometimes my thoughts on living a faith-filled life. Obviously, my fat blog is about learning to change my lifestyle to incorporate healthy eating and activity with an end to a healthier, smaller body.

Do you have any interesting future directions in mind for your blogs?
Not at this point.....I'm just trying to balance my 'blog worlds' with everyday life. Who knows what things could be in my future, however? I'm open to change.

Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
First, I'd like to thank you for interviewing me. I like this idea of featuring other's blogs on your blog - I've already enjoyed visiting the blogs of your previous interviewees. (Wow, how many times can I use the word "blog" in one answer?) I would love to have new visitors to any of my blogs and I enjoy getting to know folks through this medium. If someone leaves a comment, I make a point of visiting their blog and learning to know them - I love making new friends from all over the world. Also, I'd like to tell your readers (in case they don't already know) that you, Dawn Supina, are a person worth getting to know. I always have fun when you are around - it is a special gift that you have.....wish I could hang out with you more often. I am thankful that I can always see what you are up to through your blog(s).