Childlike Wonder & Fantasy: Ebony Bizys of Hello Sandwhich

If you're not already familiar with the lovely Ebony Bizys of Hello Sandwhich, I highly recommend you head on over there quick smart for your fill of colour, Japanese micro-pop, cuteness and glitter! I started reading Hello Sandwhich awhile ago and it is a constant breath of fresh air in my Google Reader. Not only does Ebony collect and document all things adorable and Japanese, but she is also an extremely talented artist and designer (see some of her Vogue Living spreads over here) as well as being a super lovely gal. I can't wait to go visit her in Tokyo next year!

Can you tell us a little bit about your background? The journey you took to be where you are and what you're doing at the moment?

When I finished school I studied Fine Arts at university majoring in painting and drawing. Actually I am still finishing off my Masters of Fine Arts. Once you enter that school you can never leave! It’s COFA’s (College of Fine Arts UNSW) dirty little secret! At the same time I was at university I began working part time at VOGUE magazine and eventually found myself working full time as Deputy Art Director for VOGUE Living magazine. I adored my job so resigning was a tough decision to make, but last month I made the move over to Tokyo where I now live. I absolutely ADORE it here! I am happier than ever!

 

Tokyo Guide Zine - photos by Justine of Upon a Fold 
(I got mine in the mail this week and it is perfect!)

Why do you create? What is it about being creative (in whatever sense) that makes it something important for you to do?

Creating is a part of everyday life for me. Whether it’s drawing, painting, designing, blogging, crafting, making zines, making installations, making animations or even arranging colourful Japanese foods in a bento box, anything creative is just a very normal daily part of life. I feel happiest when I am doing something creative. It’s the main drive that keeps me going.




Where do you look for inspiration? Who or what inspires you?

Everywhere! I find inspiration in anything from a tiny pastel coloured scrap of paper to an entire Tokyo suburb! I am always searching books, magazines, websites, blogs, art galleries and design studios for inspiration. All creative people who are following their dreams make my heart beat a little faster!

Do you find that there are overarching themes that come through in your work, ideas, etc that you keep coming back to or want to express?

For many years my artmaking has been informed by Japanese culture and Japanese ‘micropop’ art. I aim to explore ‘micropop’ ideas such as childlike wonder, fantasy and dreamlike elements in most of my art works.



I'm sure on the outside, creativity often seems like it always flows easily but I imagine this isn't always the case! Are there ever times when being expected to be creative for work or on demand feels overwhelming? How do you work through those feelings?

I guess I am pretty lucky as there are only rare cases when it doesn’t flow as easily but it’s generally nothing a short screen break or a cup of green tea can’t fix!

What are the most rewarding and most difficult parts of your work as an artist and your creative life in general?

The most rewarding part is being able to do what you love all day with the added bonus of being paid! It’s a dream to stay inspired and nourished through my work. Being able to work creatively enriches my life immensely. I can’t really think of any difficult parts.

If you weren't doing what you're doing now, what would you like to be doing?

Professional Latin American Dancer, hosting a craft show on TV, being Hiroshi Sugito’s artists assistant or opening a Hello Sandwich Shop / Gallery / Creative Space!

Thank you, Ebony!

Staying Nourished and Alive: Lisa Congdon

Next up in the artist interview series is the lovely Lisa Congdon. I've been following Lisa's work for awhile now and have fallen in love with pretty much every new piece that I see by her! She's also a twitter pal, and I've come to not only love her artwork but also really respect her as a genuine and compassionate person. I absolutely love her use of bold shape and colour, but my favourite might just be her beautifully emotive animal portraits. I hope you enjoy the interview!

Can you tell us a little bit about your background? The journey you took to be where you are and what you're doing at the moment?

I started out waaaay back in the 1990's as a school teacher. I taught elementary school for about seven years, and I loved it, but I was really dismayed with the state of public education in the inner city where I worked. Inevitably I went to work for a non-profit educational change organization in the San Francisco Bay Area where I stayed for a decade. I worked with teacher leaders and principals to improve what they did for kids. I also wrote and did some research and program development. Simultaneously, about 10 years ago, to feed the more creative part of myself, I started taking painting classes and began making art in my free time. Five years ago I began showing and selling my work in shops and galleries. Almost three years ago, I left my job to live a more full time creative life. I opened the store Rare Device in San Francisco with my friend Rena and more recently I signed with the illustration agency, Lilla Rogers Studio. My time right now is split between my studio where I paint and draw (both for my illustration work and for fine art shows), my home where I do some digital illustration work on the computer, and Rare Device where I keep shop.

2. Why do you create? What is it about being creative (in whatever sense) that makes it something important for you to do?

I've only been painting and making collage for about 10 years, but I've always been a maker--since I was a little kid. Now being creative is such an integral part of my life, that even thinking about how or why it is important feels weird. It's like eating or sleeping. It's part of what I do to stay nourished and alive. That said, other parts of my life feel equally as important as being creative--my relationships are important, and physical activity is important (I am very athletic and swam competitively most of my life until four years ago and am currently training for a triathlon). It's important to me to have a balance of all those things and being creative (making stuff, thinking of new stuff to make, day dreaming, scheming, collaborating with others, etc), is part of that balance for me.

3. Where do you look for inspiration? Who or what inspires you?

I live in San Francisco and this city is a constant source of inspiration. There are amazing cultures here, color everywhere, interesting people, delicious food, writers, fashion, art and music everywhere. I am never bored. It's impossible. So I just take it all in. And then right outside the city is the gorgeous natural landscape of Northern California--trees, hills, mountains, ocean, lakes, birds, animals. My work is very inspired by nature, and the California landscape.

4. I'm sure on the outside, creativity often seems like it always flows easily but I imagine this isn't always the case! Are there ever times when being expected to be creative for work or on demand feels overwhelming? How do you work through those feelings?

I don't necessarily have a problem with being creative. I have no shortage of ideas. My problem comes in executing them in the way that they exist in my imagination. Sometimes I get some ideas and I try to draw, paint or make them and I have to scrap them, either because I don't have the technical skill (I never went to art school so sometimes I feel like my lack of technical art skills hold me back) or the money or time or space to execute them. That is the frustrating part for me. Sometimes things are just prettier or grander in your imagination than they are when you try to make them real.

When I do experience frustration, I work through it by trying to see what I can learn, even when things get messy or don't turn out the way I planned. I think part of the reason I have been able to make art with very little training is that I use my experience as my guide, and that includes taking stock of what didn't go well or what I wasn't able to execute. I either decide to figure out how to learn what I don't know or to give up and move on to something else. I don't allow myself to stay in a place of frustration for long.

5. What are the most rewarding and most difficult parts of your work as an artist and your creative life in general?

The most difficult part for me is the constant need to "pimp" my work so I can make a living. It gets exhausting. Self promotion is a necessary part of self employment and I do what I can so that I can make a living, but for me it feels hard and most of the time I'd rather just crawl into my hobbit hole and have some tea by the fire.

The most rewarding part of what I do is when people let me know that they love my work or that they are inspired by what I make. I get emails a lot from people letting me know this, or people come into my store and tell me. That makes all the work and effort worthwhile.

6. If you weren't doing what you're doing now, what would you like to be doing?

I cannot imagine anything else, except maybe to be a world traveler. I'd like to do what I do now AND travel the world.

Thanks so much, Lisa! Be sure to check out Lisa's awesome Collections Project and also her store if you'd like to snap up one of her prints for yourself!

WIP Wednesday: MWM

Looks like I'm just going to sneak this WIP Wednesday in before the day is done! I've been out and about all day, ending with being caught in some kind of crazy rain and windstorm and coming home totally saturated! This was remedied with warm slippers and a delicious cauliflower and sweet potato curry though, so all was not lost!

I caught a glimpse of these paintings earlier today via my lovely friend Anna (who will hopefully be joining us here on the blog soon, hooray!) and was totally drawn to the shape and movement of them. And the colour! You would not know it by looking at my wardrobe (I really do try to break free, but I just love black and stripes so), but I have found myself more and more drawn to vibrant colour and pattern lately and this Crystal and Lasers series by Matt W. Moore totally fit the bill. If you click through and read a little more about the series you'll some of the awesome inspiration he found while visiting Paris for the installation. I love that he went there with no previously made art or idea of what he was going to do and then came out with this beautiful and cohesive body of work. I also love/am in awe of the fact that it's all done with spray paint. People using spray paint never cease to amaze me, I just can't imagine how you have enough control to come out with anything looking even halfway decent, but the crispness and precision of these pieces is stunning.

Colour pop!

via here

You wouldn't know it by looking at my wardrobe, but I've found myself being drawn to bright pops of colour lately. I think it's perhaps a Spring thing, or a combating the rainy, grey days thing. Luckily there's lots of bright flowers around the place in Vancouver for me to bring inside and pop around the house to brighten things up!

Speaking of combating the grey, rainy days, I made my first attempt at making marshmallow last night! I'm a little worried that I didn't quite beat them enough to make them really airy and light, but apparently I'm meant to leave them out for 24hrs (making them ready by 9pm this evening, perfect timing) which in my head has become the magical step in the process that will turn out lovely, fluffy marshmallows. We shall see!

Happy Tuesday! What are you up to today?

xo

Wordless Wednesday: Final bursts of colour.

iluchka

As I was reading Modish the other day, and taking a peek at Jena's Etsy wishlist, I came across the amazing Iluchka from Tel Aviv. Aside from the adorable clothes, I was instantly smitten with the product shots. I love the colours and the campy pop collage kinda feel to them. So good!

Oh, its all too much! I love the guns, the fluro, the glasses and the feisty looking models. I especially love doubles, and that it all looks like it has been taken on some kind of crazy set for a Lost in Space episode. Ilana Bronstein, the woman behind Iluchka, also runs a boutique in Tel Aviv and has a fantastic website that is well worth checking out.

Ok, back to work for me. This to-do list will not finish itself (no matter how had I wish for it).

Happy Wednesday!

xx

Ribbons

New craft supplies. Love.