Tuesday's Artist: Michele Maule

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better. 

This week's spotlight is shining on Michele Maule. Living and working here in Portland, Michele works in a variety of media. I like that she manages to combine collage elements into her paintings in such a cohesive way. She has a knack for editing and restraint that I really admire in a mixed-media artist. I especially love how she elevates everyday objects, captures small moments, and I find her work to be beautifully restful.

She says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a singer in a band.

Today, I'm listening to NPR. 

I'm really good at making guacamole. 

I'd like to be better at being patient.

 I hate it when it rains on my birthday.

When I was a kid I was very, very, shy.

My workspace is weirdly tidy right now.

Right now, I'm really into gardening.

I hope that my art resonates with people.

You can see more of Michele's work here.

Who stokes your creative fire?

Tuesday's Artist: Kim Hambric

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better.

This week's spotlight is shining on Kim Hambric. She makes gorgeous fabric and paper collages and art quilts. She definitely has her own visual vocabulary, using familiar motifs over and over again in her work; and a real knack for color combinations. Her compositions are deceptively simple, perfectly balancing symmetry within asymmetry. Plus, I always appreciate a good use of typography.

Mother Faithful Friends

Kim says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be really, really frustrated. If I had tried harder (a lot harder) in college, I might have become an architect. But at this point in my life, if I quit being an artist, I'd be far too organized (and frustrated).

Today, I'm listening to women who play guitars. Po' Girl, The Wailin' Jennys, Chris Pureka, The Be Good Tanyas, Gillian Welch. These ladies are ALWAYS in rotation in my CD player.

Street Tree

I'm really good at playing with color, reading decorating magazines, buying fabric and making large messes.

I'd like to be better at measuring. Keeping my cool. Drawing.

The Power of Two

When I was a kid I was obsessed with maps and making cities out of anything I could get my hands on, from tinker toys to dominoes.

I hate it when my sewing machine needle breaks and hits me in the face.

Travel Guide

 My workspace is mine, mine mine!!!! And often cluttered.

Right now, I'm really into slapping paint onto boards with old credit cards. Smearing glue with my fingers. Making more messes and mistakes than I used to.

You Are Here II

I hope that my art frees my soul and connects with others.
You can see more of Kim Hambric on her website, her blog, or in her shop.

Tuesday's Artist: Elly MacKay

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better.

This week's spotlight is shining on Elly MacKay, an artist living in Owen Sound, Ontario. She makes her dreamy images by cutting paper figures out and layering them in a miniature theater. Then she "plays with the lights and filters to create atmosphere and then photographs the scenes." I really love the illustrative quality of her cut out bits combined with the depth of the photography. To me, it feels like storybooks have come to life.

She says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be heartbroken. Perhaps I would be a set designer or something else that would allow me to make things with my hands. I've always wanted to run a general store too - filled with wonders in little drawers.


Today, I'm listening to the CBC - Q.

I'm really good at reading stories out-loud to my little girl, making cookies, and finding horn coral on the beach.

I'd like to be better at learning languages, singing, and gardening. Our family has taken up gardening and we are transforming the backyard. The poppies, forget-me-knots, and herbs are bringing it to life!

When I was a kid I was a dreamer. I still am.

I hate it when I realize I've left the laundry out and it begins to rain. Fortunately, my husband usually does the laundry.

 My workspace is messy today. Project on the go.

Right now, I'm really into penny candy and raspberries. I'm pregnant and can't get enough of either.

I hope that my art makes others feel like spending a little time dreaming too.

You can see more of Elly MacKay at her shop, website, or blog.

Tuesday's Artist: Elizabeth Frank

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better. 

This week's spotlight is shining on Elizabeth Frank. Most of her artworks are carved from fallen aspen that she gathers in the mountains of Northern Arizona and New Mexico. She combines the carved wood with an assortment of other reclaimed materials. I love her folky, quirky, colorful creations.

Lady of Wildflowers

She says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be an archaeologist.

Today, I'm listening to Pandora Radio. Coldplay is playing now.

Monster Heads

I'm really good at standing on my head.

I'd like to be better at speaking Spanish.

Tiny Red Bunny Monster

When I was a kid I was the artist in the class

I hate it when the hollyhocks are finished blooming.

Tin Can Angel

My workspace is sawdust heaven.

Right now, I'm really into making a sculpture holding a giant magic book.

Man and Universe

I hope that my art touches someone’s heart, or bends someone’s brain or makes someone smile!

You can see more of Elizabeth Frank on her website, her blog, or her Etsy shop.

Tuesday's Artist: Kim Murton

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better. 

This week's spotlight is shining on Kim Murton. Her ceramic pieces are just the bees knees! They're colorful without being gaudy, delightfully rotund, and don't take themselves too seriously.  I usually put up polished pictures of one particular piece at a time, but I love these candid studio shots from Kim's blog. There's just something about all those happy groups that makes me want to clap my hands.

Kim says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be something entirely different but I can't image what. 

Today, I'm listening to short stories. Music wise, Paul Westerberg and Radiohead.

I'm really good at forging ahead most of the time-- I don't give up easily.

I'd like to be better at making things happen business wise-- that is always a challenge.

When I was a kid I was little and timid and in my own head.

I hate it when I get wrapped up in things that don't matter.

My workspace is the first place I go when I come home.

I hope that my art never gets stale.

Right now, I'm really into drawing a cartoon drawing every day. It's like calisthenics.

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Besides her awesome ceramic pieces, Kim also does little illustrations for her project called Worry a Day. She has been doodling her daily worries every day since 2009! I can certainly relate to many of them. Here are a few of my favorites:

You can see more of Kim Murton on her blogs, here and here.

Tuesday's Artist: Bryce Wymer

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better.
This week's spotlight is shining on Bryce Wymer in Brooklyn, New York. I'm really enjoying the graphic black-and-whiteness of his work. And totally loving his out-of-the-box choice of "canvases"-- clay, zines, wood blocks, vellum, LP covers. . . Plus, his sketch books are totally cool.

Phalanx (Set E)

He says:
If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be sad. . . But honestly I have been feeling lately that it would be rewarding to actually work on something that has an IMMEDIATE reflection upon people's lives. I like the idea of being a carpenter again (as I was in my teens). There was something about leaving a job at the end of the day and knowing that I had a part in creating a family's shelter. The gratification of knowing that I had bettered a quality of life was always priceless.

Today, I'm listening to Cheveu, Barrington Levy, The Beets, Obits, Shabazz Palaces, and way too many documentaries.

I'm really good at over-complicating things and then stripping them down to the point that they are so minimalistic that they encompass all kinds of new possibilities.

I'd like to be better at living more and working less. I tend to be happiest when Im creating and it seems to be taxing a few relationships.

Deep End

When I was a kid I was a total hardcore devastation to society. Remnants still remain!

Right now, I'm really into (in NO particular order) Mid 80's Hardcore (always), raw vegetables, (sadly) window unit AC units, family, paper towels, bubble wrap, India ink, and wood block prints. 

(a page from) How to Draw Animals

I hate it when. . . I don't think I really hate anything. But I considerably dislike human entitlement.

My workspace is extremely neat and way too tidy. For some reason I can not work in an environment that is in complete disarray. I spend about half an hour every morning cleaning my studio and straightening things before I begin. Its actually pretty sick.

Erecting an Icon

I hope that my art brings all aspects of the human condition into people's lives. I spend a lot of my time trying to strip my work of my own deep confines. I find narratives in my work that mean something to me, and after that I trim the fat, get rid of the solos, and work them into a story that can be read on all fronts.

You can see more of Bryce on his website, or his blog, or via Twitter.

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Who stokes your creative fire?

Tuesday's Artist: Judy Kaufmann

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better. 

This week's spotlight is shining on Judy Kaufmann. Born in Chili, she now lives and works in beautiful Barcelona. I'm a sucker for repetition and adherence to traditional rules of design, which she uber-utilizes in many of her works. But I'm especially taken with her highly stylized and deceptively simple portraits of pop culture icons. She manages to capture not only the likeness and personality of her subject but also to interject her own personal style, and with such restraint! And yet, her work manages to somehow be both restrained and spontaneous. How cool is that??

Judy says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a psychologist.

I'm really good at sleeping.

I'd like to be better at math.

When I was a kid I was a non-stop moving girl.

My workspace is comfortable & colorful.

Today, I'm listening to my boyfriend singing!


Right now, I'm really into my bed! (It's Sunday!)

I hope that my art will feed me for the rest of my life.

You can see more of Judy on her website, her blog, or her shop.

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Who helps stoke your creative fire?

Tuesday's Artist: Yellena James

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better. This week's spotlight is shining on Yellena James. 

You may have noticed that Yellena and I share a last name. Coincidence? Nope, she's my sister-in-law. I'm very lucky to have her and my brother so close by (they live in Portland), as both of them are constant sources of inspiration. Yellena and I were even art majors together 10 years ago. Naturally, I have several of her pieces hanging in my home. I love how they're both familiar and foreign. Glimpses of infinite fantastical distant nebula, but also peeks into tiny unseen microscopic worlds. Both organic and cosmic. Plus, they're just really pretty! 

Season

She says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a piano player.

Today, I'm listening to Balkan Express by Gramatik.

Biome

I'm really good at drawing.

I'd like to be better at being more organized. 

Silk

When I was a kid I wore giant yellow glasses.  

I hate it when I spend too much time without making new work.  

Bluster

My workspace is a beautifully renovated studio that my husband just finished for me a month ago. It's my favorite place to be.  

Right now, I'm really into jewelry made out of porcelain. 

Allusion

You can see more of Yellena on her website and in her shop.
Also, she has a show next month at Gallery Hijinks in San Francisco.

Tuesday's Artist: Elsa Mora

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better.
This week's spotlight is shining on Elsa Mora.
Born and raised in Cuba, Elsa now lives and works in LA. I especially enjoy her fearless experimentation in a multitude of media! I also love how she incorporates a healthy dose of symbolism, myth, and folklore into much of her work.

Bee Miniature Paper Sculpture

She says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a patient in a mental hospital obsessed with my arts and craft therapy :)

Today, I'm listening to what my son is trying to tell me without words (he's autistic and needs me to be able to listen beyond his words).

The Secret

I'm really good at being on time, I'm never late.

I'd like to be better at sports (specially swimming).

When I was a kid I was like a little grown up inside and very smiley and friendly on the outside.

I hate it when. . . So far I don't hate anything. But I get upset about any kind of injustice.

Tree House

My workspace is my little planet.

Right now, I'm really into answering these questions.

Femina Pantarum

I hope that my art keeps helping me stay happy and sane :)

You can see more of Elsa Mora on her blog or her Etsy shop.

Tuesday's Artist: APAK

In order to keep my creative tank chugging along I like to fill it with all sorts of visual fuel. This "Tuesday's Artist" thing is my way of sharing some of the artists that inspire and delight me. I asked them to do a little finish-this-sentence sort of mini-interview so we might get to know them a little better.

 This week's spotlight is shining on APAK. Husband and wife, Aaron Piland and Ayumi Kajikawa Piland make up APAK. And you know I love a  husband-and-wife art team! Working here in Portland, they create rich and colorful paintings featuring the Utopian lives and adventures of curious little beings living in fantastic environments. Tiny creatures, imagined forest-scapes, camping. . .what's not to love?

Ayumi says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be. . .

a sea turtle. 

Today, I'm listening to the sound of my baby snoozing.

I'm really good at relaxing in the bath.

I'd like to be better at walking and riding a bike.

When I was a kid I was smarter...

I hate it when I open a bad avocado.

My workspace is comfortably messy.

Right now, I'm really into making my 5-month-old son laugh.

I hope that our art makes you smile :)

You can see more of APAK's charming art on their website or in their Etsy shop.