Tuesday's Artist: Laura Lloyd

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 Laura Lloyd. I'm madly in love with her sculptural pieces! I love everything about them-- their luscious textures, straightforward-but-still-engaging palette, striking expressions, and a healthy dose of humor. I also love how solid they look; there is something very sturdy and still about them. I find their often-exaggerated expressions to be very human and sort of strangely comforting.

Still Standing

Laura says:

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

hmmm, maybe an interior designer? I love those makeover shows.

Giddy-Up

Today, I'm listening to Frank Sinatra.

A Good Head on his Shoulder

 I'm really good at getting lots of things started all at once.

Finishing? Well, no comment.

Dog Person

I'd like to be better at focusing on one thing, 

seeing projects through to completion without tearing my hair out.

Pinwheel

When I was a kid I was shy.

Goatee

I hate it when I have to write anything.....I really lock up.

Much easier to draw and create.

Training Wheels

My workspace is full of art and pictures I like and lots and lots of ideas for inspiration.

Bookmobile

Right now, I'm really into summertime (mothering 5 kids),

which leave precious little time for artwork.

Strong Man

You can see more of Laura Lloyd's work on her website.

Tuesday's Artist: Daria Tessler

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 Daria Tessler. I'm especially taken with her gorgeous multi-layered silkscreen prints. Just the technicality alone is impressive (!) and her images are playful and quirky and often have animals doing people-ish things which (of course) I love. Plus, she seems to have a great sense of humor, which I also love.

Daria says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a physicist, librarian or math teacher.

Today, I'm listening to a book-on-tape, a ghost story about an island of enchanted willow trees, and also the history of the byzantine empire, and also a little bit of space disco.

I wish I were better at imagining dinosaurs with useful nose appendages like tapirs. The future of dinosaurs looks funny. I just can't quite catch up with the scientists on that one.

When I was a kid I was into cross-stitching and soap operas. Needless to say I was not voted most popular kid in school.

I hate it when I spill a cup of tea all over a drawing. I do this regularly. I also hate it when my inky silkscreening squeegee flips backward off my screen and creates a windmill ink splatter all the way down to the floor. I also do this regularly.

My workspace is multipurposed, my clothes dresser is also my drawing table. I have outer space illustrations, a roller skating raccoon drawing, a guitar playing frog and a procession of bird monks taped to my wall there.

Right now, I'm really into the medieval concept that elephants had no knees. also the medieval debate as to whether a shrew mated through its ear and gave birth through its mouth or if it mated through its mouth and gave birth through its ear. Also I am really into the idea of using pizza as riot gear clothing. And robot dance parties too.

I hope that my art finds happy homes around the world.

You can see more of Daria's work on her very cool website or her blog.

Tuesday's Artist: Kelly Puissegur

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 Kelly Puissegur. I really like her less-than-pretty but oh-so-fun work. Love her gritty layered textures, limited palette, and her childlike sense of proportion.

Kelly says:

If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a writer or gardener. 

Today, I'm listening to The Duchess and The Duke, Lou Reed, Lil Wayne, Alex Turner, The Rolling Stones.

I'm really good at lying. 

I'd like to be better at making decisions. 

When I was a kid I was very dirty. I hated to take baths and brush my teeth. 

I hate it when I'm wrong. 

My workspace is not too neat and not too messy but just right to spark creativity (or so I tell myself). 

Right now, I'm really into the movie Adaptation and the book Submarine by Joe Dunthorne. 

I hope that my art gets better so that one day I'll be satisfied. 

You can see more of Kelly's work here or here.

Tuesday's Artist: Suzanna Scott

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 Suzanna Scott. She makes wonderful assemblage and collage pieces. Her work is inspired by "all things old, chipped, cracked, worn, dusty, used, found, buried, designed, loved, pieced, intricate, aged and transfigured." I'm a big fan of tiny art (I just think it's more intimate somehow) and Suzanna does tiny very well. She's also quite adept at combining seemingly disparate ingredients in a cohesive way, while still maintaining a definitely playful quality.

She says-

•If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be a librarian. At least that's what I want to be when I grow up.

•Today, I'm listening to Kansas Public Radio. Classical music is something Lizzie (my 6 year old studio mate) and I can both agree on. 

•I'm really good at thrifting. Practice makes perfect! 

•I'd like to be better at using a sewing machine. I thrifted a vintage Singer sewing machine and I can't seem to find a few quiet hours to get down to business with it. One day soon perhaps. (**sigh**)

•When I was a kid I was a middle child. ('nuff said)

•I hate it when my coffee gets cold before I have a chance to drink it.

•My workspace is always in a state of organized chaos. 

•Right now, I'm really into Instagram. If you have an iPhone you absolutely have to check it out!

•I hope that my art speaks for itself 'cuz I've never been good at talking about my own work.

Suzanna Scott has two shops-- one for her art objects and one for her vintage finds. 

Or you can visit her on her blog, Instagram, or Twitter (@SushipotArt).

Tuesday's Artist: Jennifer Davis

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 Jennifer Davis in Minneapolis. I love her curious creatures, rich patterns, and her playful and unexpected use of color.

Circus

She says:

•If I wasn't an artist maybe I'd be some sort of planner/organizer. "Type A" behavior is fun for me.

•Today, I'm listening to National Public Radio, cat snoring, birds chirping...

•I'm really good at using my imagination.

•I'd like to be better at cooking.

Kitty

•When I was a kid I was prone to talking to myself. Still am.

•I hate it when there is a US Postal Service holiday. I live for mail.

Curious

•My workspace is white.

•Right now, I'm really into painting, my bicycle, Netflix, reading, playing outside...

Falling

•I hope that my art makes people feel happy.

You can see more of Jennifer Davis on her website, her blog, or on flickr.

Tuesday Artist: Inaluxe

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 Kristina Sostarko and Jason Odd, who together make up Inaluxe (you know I love a good partnership), from Grampians, Australia. I enjoy their uncluttered compositions, generous yet thoughtful use of color, and their impeccable use of repetition within each piece. I love how their stuff uses all the grown-up sort of design techniques, but still maintains its childlike quality.

Hopeful Sooty Owl

Kristina says:


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

Today, I'm listening to Camera Obscura and Johnny Paycheck.

A Forest of Three

I'm really good at making a mess mostly, and putting things together. And I make a pretty mean coffee. 

I'd like to be better at building and renovating.

Our Little Friends

When I was a kid I was fixated with an old Croatian lullabye my father sang about a white rabbit that gets lost in the snow and dies. I used to make him change the ending of the song so the rabbit would live. 

I hate it when it rains and you've just put the washing out, when you come to the end of an awesome series like Northern Exposure, and I hate running out of wine. 

One Million Short Stories

My workspace is a monster that takes up most of the house! 

Right now, I'm really into organising, and spring cleaning. Out with the old, in with the new! On a cosmetic home level, and personal level. Gearing up for spring here, and look forward to building our large vegetable and herb garden. 

I hope that my art is constantly evolving and changing. 

Belly Rubs and Fox Cubs

You can see more of Inaluxe in their shop or on their blog.

If you're going to San Francisco. . .

Who is that amazing artist featured in the San Francisco Chronicle? 

Why, it's none other than my fabulous little sis-in-law Yellena! Her show starts tonight at Gallery Hijinks. If you go, be sure to tell her and my brother that I say hi and that I wish I could be there :)  

I recently featured Yellena in my Tuesday's Artist thingy, so click here if you want to see a little more of her.

Today's Table

This morning's table is sorta all over the place. A bat, a bird, a couple of anthropomorphic mushrooms. Dylan's kitschy B-movie robot/space helmets are taking shape. Today I'll be playing with clay-- adding some detail to the helmets, and sculpting manes on various maned creatures. If it ever stops raining, I'll be playing in the dirt too. Got a new planter which will double the size of my "garden". I suppose I'll do some boring house-cleaning chores today at some point too, but that's so not worth talking about.

In other news, there are still three one-of-a-kind Kaitlbugs available. 

Poppy, Thistle, and Meadow.

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Also in other other news, I'm bringing back the Tuesday's Artist feature! 

Tomorrow will showcase the fabulous Elsa Mora.