Fabulous interview with artist Violette Naranjo Clark.

Hello lovelies, 

I'm so delighted to host and interview with acclaimed artist Violette Naranjo Clark. She took time out of her busy schedule to answer a bunch of my questions. I'm in love with her magical art! Please enjoy. 

1. Please tell me about yourself in general. How did you get into art, and at what age? What prompted you to continue exploring art? Has art been like a red thread in your life?

I have always loved art and created it ever since I was a little girl. My earliest memory is of drawing faces - particularly Twiggy who was a well known British model. I was 8 or 9 at the time. Drawing and art has always been a saving grace in my life. I would turn to it time and time again for solace and simply to express myself.  As a shy child it was a wonderful outlet for me.  Some of my other fond memories are of drawing comics with my little sister when we were camping.

I kept drawing when I had children, teaching them to draw as well as making a variety of crafts.  As a result of this both of my children now have creative careers - one a film maker and the other a Game creator (for his own business). Yes - it's been a red thread in my life, always giving me bliss and saving me at the same time.  One other thing that has been  a common thread in my life is helping others. Art enabled me to illustrate brochures and articles for non-profit organizations as well as creating art for them. Part of why I love to create art and showcase it on my blog, facebook and instagram is because I love to inspire others to believe in themselves and to embrace their creativity.

2. What made you choose to paint whimsical? You have an obvious talent for drawing. Have you done illustrations?

Thank you!  Yes - I have a whimsical bent and am attracted to all things whimsical so naturally that shows up in my art journal pages as well as the illustrations I have created. My illustrations have been featured on Rubberstamps, clipart, greeting cards, , colouring books, bookmarks, prints and bags among other things. In my book called Journal Bliss the editors wanted me to illustrate the how-tos as well as create the art journal pages.

Freak Note.

3. You have a fabulous house. Can you tell me the story how that came about? Why is it purple? (Among other colors.)

Oh - you're talking about my magic cottage - my sanctuary for all things creative, spiritual and peaceful.  Twenty years ago during a major life change I bought this little cottage in a seaside town called White Rock. I surrounded myself with supportive friends whom I affectionately dubbed my Bohemian Tribe - they were creative, spiritual and open-minded. They supported me in all of my wackiness and even helped me paint the cottage in a rainbow of colours. It all came to be in a rather organic fashion. The house was white when I first moved into it and I instantly knew that It had to be purple!  It has been purple ever since!  Once I had a dream that many of the answers to my questions would be revealed if I began painting my doors. So I painted the doors with all kinds of fun imagery and things truly did unfold magically afterwards. My home was featured on a number of different shows including Weird Homes TV show. It was also featured in magazines and in newspapers.

My home and where I live is almost as important as my art - I guess it's a way that I express myself.

 

Magic cottage and pansies.

 Noel at Magic Cottage.

 Violette at graffiti wall in Barcelona.

4. Do you like to teach art? Where and what do you teach? How did you get into teaching?

Yes I like to teach art but moreso online that in person. I'm an HSP Highly Sensitive Person and get pretty exhausted from being around crowds of people.  So delivering online workshops works  beautifully for my temperament. I'm teaching for Willowing's LIFEBOOK 2015 and also Art Journal Summer School. I also have some older online workshops which you can find on my website www.violette.ca

5. In one sentence, what is your art mission?

My mission is to inspire women and teens to embrace their creativity through art - self-discovery through art.

6. Who influenced you early on?

I have been influenced by the impressionists when I was young and later as a young Mom I was very much influenced by Sark - she basically gave me permission to be who I am and embrace myself totally. My world filled with colour and eccentricity after I began buying and devouring her books. Of course if you are talking about back when I was a teenager I would say my art teacher Mr. Rankin was a big influence on me.

 Crones.

 Domino guy.

7. Who is your favorite artist(s)?

Right now it would be Antonio Gaudi since we just returned from Spain.  But I also love the work of many other artists, Chagall, Danny Gregory, Dan Price, Jane Davenport, Suzi Blu, there are so many mixed media artists that I enjoy today - way too many to list!

8. Do you have any art plans for the future, or are you teaching somewhere you would like to mention?

I am teaching with LIFEBOOK 2015 and have just finished up teaching at Art Journal Summer School. I am planning a licensing program for coaches and teachers of girls and teens so that they can deliver creative healing tools to their young charges.

Fun World.

My Muse and Violette.

 Violette at 61.

9. What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

My advice is to follow the voice in your heart and don't try too hard to be like other artists. Try not to compare yourself to others either because you have a unique set of gifts to bring into the world which no one else can share. Here's an example. My book Journal Bliss which came out over 6 years ago was all about art journaling. It was one of the first books on journaling…….there were lots coming out about mixed media art. The trend at the time was to have the artists/authors fly in to the publishing house's studio so they could be photographed creating their mixed media pieces. The company did not want to fly me in but wanted me to illustrate the how-tos. I realized that part of what made me unique was my background in cartooning and illustration so I had originally held off showing them my cartoony work thinking they would not like it. In the end that's what made me unique. Also previously, my work and art appeared in Rice Freeman Zachary's book Living the Creative Life. My illustrations also appeared there and I felt that the book and art were quite different from what anyone else was doing. So my point is: it's important to be true to youself and bring all of your unique gifts to your work.

Art journaling in Spain.

Here's where you can find Violette:

Blog: www.violette.ca

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHzJW3hF6W5Tzyy4IEba8JA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/violetteclark

Instagram: https://instagram.com/violetteclark/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/violettec/

Thank you so much Maria for interviewing me - I really appreciate the opportunity to share with your readers.

Thank you for your grace and kindness, Violette. And thank you for your childlike enthusiasm! :)

xo

Maria 

Gelli printing, guest post 3, with Jacqueline Williams

It is another gorgeous day in Florida.  We've had some gloomy days, but the sun is back and I love it! 

I will delight you here with another gelli print guest post, with Jacqueline, or Jacques, Williams, from Somerset, England. It always amazes me how much you can do with gelli plates, the variations are almost endless.  Here's my interview with Jacques:

How did you get started with Gelli printing and what kind of art did you use to do before you got into Gelli plates? 

I’m a mixed media artist and studied the art and science of printing in my late teens.  I loved the organic feel of printing and didn’t mind getting my hands black from the various inks and paints, from screen printing, monoprinting and later using the Rotaprint machines in publishing.  I was saddened when everything started to become digitalized. The print factory closed down and I retrained to secure a better future. During the summer (2014), my DH transformed our shed into a printing space for me. It was a dream come true and I loved spending the light evenings out there with my youngest daughter. 

Then one day I went out there to find an unwanted resident mouse had eaten its way through several stacks of prints, so I moved my printing back inside until we could remove the mouse!

I first heard the word Gelli when I joined a creative Facebook forum almost a year ago called ‘Be Creative’.  I researched it, and then invested in a Gelli plate.  I found that my 8 x 8 plate was perfect for printing postcards for swapping within the Be Creative group.  I first played around with just black standard acrylic paint, but found it dried out too quickly. I then opted for tubes of water color and preferred the effect the colors had on the plate and on the card stock I was using. I then discovered the Facebook group, Gelatin Printing Enthusiasts.

Was it hard to learn how to make the prints?  What is a good beginner's guide, if any?

I confess, I didn’t read up on any specific techniques on making prints or how to use the plate.  I made stencils back in the 80s and relied on my printing background.  I still prefer to use watercolor rather than acrylic paints; I’ve invested in some Open Acrylics, but the box is still unopened because I like the flexibility and transparency of watercolors.

How have the prints evolved for you? 

To start with, I just practiced making prints using what I had available from the garden: leaves, petals, flowers, nails, and feathers.  I didn’t embellish them or draw on the tops of the prints. Later I began experimenting with lino on the plate, ghost prints, and then printing on fabrics such as silk and calico.  My favorite prints have included tree silhouettes, exotic birds and the outlines of buildings against a backdrop of textures.

What tools do you use to make a variety of prints? 

I picked up some textured brayers at a boot sale (yard sale) – one is covered with oak leaves.  I’ve also used the bottoms of fizzy soda bottles (petal shapes), various lids, the orange mesh used for holding oranges, pen caps, upturned cups, the corrugated innards from chocolate boxes, cutlery and rusty nails, string, lino cuts, and handmade rubber stamps.

How do you use the prints?  What do you suggest to beginners (as far as using the prints in other media?) 

I’ve used the prints for collage, mini notebooks, making price tags for a craft sale, pictures for frames, greeting cards, and postcards.  I’ve printed straight on fabric, tote bags, and silk ties.  I will be rolling some sheets of my spare stock to create pen pot holders and beads.

Tips and tricks in general.  Anything special to know about Gelli plates?  Anything you wished you had known when you started?

The cost of the plate isn’t cheap.  However, I think that the enjoyment I’ve got out of using it and because it’s so versatile and adaptable to a range of printing surfaces makes it worth the expense.  Before investing in one, I’d recommend that you think about what sizes you like working with best.  One day I would like to buy a large plate, but for now I’m happy creating textured backgrounds for my journal pages, and I can move the smaller plate around on larger surfaces to build up the layers.  Gelli plates pick up so many textures.  Hunt around the house and you’ll find yourself digging in drawers and cupboards to find items with texture. You can also look at objects in DIY stores that you may not have considered before.  Sometimes you can salvage cartons and containers from the trash just to try a different texture.  Also, try cutting an apple in half and putting that down on the Gelli, or a pepper, but bear in mind that fruit adds moisture to the paint or ink you’ll be using!  Most importantly, experiment and have fun!  Having fun is what it is all about.

 Thank you, Jacques, for this lovely post.  Again, I'm amazed at the variety of prints that can be made with gelli plates.  These are so much fun, and I love the Nature inspired motifs.

 

 

 

 

Jacques' clickable links:

www.facebook.com/squarebird.co.uk

https://squarebird.wordpress.com

https://theelevatorpress.wordpress.com

https://uk.pinterest.com/jacquelinehwill/lino-and-gelli-plate-printing/

What do they read in Singapore?

Since my other personality is a writer, lol, I have many friends in the writing business.  Due to the Internet, I can now have friends all over the world, which is fantastic.  I'm always curious about other cultures and their ways.  How do I connect writing with art, since this is an art blog?  Book covers have always been a fascination of mine, and when I was a romance writer in the past, my book covers were always painted by mysterious artists in New York, most of whom I never met. Some of the book covers I loved, and some I didn't.  I had no control over the process.

Since the huge rise of self-publishing, I thought I'd talk to someone who is into this modern way of creating books and book covers.  I did an interview with Eddy Kong an ebook publisher in Singapore.  He has put out a bunch of books, and I really like his book covers.  They are stylish and visually beautiful.  Here is one from the book THE THIRD.

I asked Eddy some questions and this is what he said:  

Eddy: I am a small-time publisher from Singapore during the night.  During the day, 

I am a full-time equity trader.

Maria:  Tell  me something about your work as  a publisher and what makes you

love your job. 

Eddy:  In fact, I was a clickbank infopreneur selling some health & fitness ebooks,
but found that the revenue for my info products was not moving as fast as it could due to

overwhelming competition.  I decided to become a publisher after transferring

some of my info products to sell on Amazon Kindle. I now see some decent results 

without doing much work since 2011. I noticed I could earn more being a fiction 

author and publisher representing other writers. Now I am publishing full-length novels

for them and myself.. I am still formulating a simple system to create, engage, and 

connect with my readers/fans.

Maria:  What are people's reading habits in Singapore? 

Eddy: We are a reading nation due to the government campaigning to cultivate the 
reading habit.  This is a good initiative.  However, getting a Kindle tablet in Singapore 
is pretty tough as shipping overseas has to be done via a third party delivery
service.  I hope that Amazon will be able to open up shipping more Kindles
to my country.  This would increase the availability of reading material.

Maria:  How are books bought there? 

Eddy:   We mostly buy our books from bookshops or borrow them from the local 

library.

To answer some questions pertaining to the cover art.

Maria:  How do you go about choosing a cover for one of your books?  

Eddy:  I collaborate with a book designer.  I give her the book synopsis that tells her 

what the story is about and the mood I try to create

Maria:  I have here the cover of The Third by Zsu Hsia, and it is very elegant.  What 

makes you decide on the colors? 

Eddy: I give the choice to my cover designer, I do not suggest the colors to her since
I trust her artistic sense.

Maria:  Is it difficult to design the right cover?  Even if you have a designer,you give 

them guidelines.

Eddy: The designer just makes 2-3 drafts and I chose one that fits the book 

synopsis the best..

Maria:  Does the designer use real models for your covers?

Eddy:  No, she doesn't. From stock photos she can put together a cover with 

Photoshop or similar programs. 

Maria:   Are covers important for book sales? 

Eddy:  I find them rather important as first impressions do have an impact on my book 

sales.  People tend to buy more copies of the book if the cover intrigues them.  

Maria:  How do you use fonts, or choose the right ones? 

Eddy:  Again, I don't have to choose the fonts myself for the title or the author's name. 

I just let the cover designer choose since she is more experienced.  Since I'm 

working full-time, I give her full freedom with the cover art designing process.

Maria: What are things you don't like about covers?  What makes you pick out a 

book from a shelf? 

Eddy: I don't like covers that are too simple, with no matching color tones, and  with 

uninteresting fonts. I pick a book from a shelf based on its attractive cover art, and 

I like embossed fonts for the title and author's name.  I like to be able to see what 

the book is about just by looking at the cover.

Maria: How do you deal with the back of the book cover?

Eddy: Since I don't publish in the traditional way yet, all my books are ebook editions. 

But the back blurb is important on the cover of a paperback.  A great book blurb 

sells more books. 

Maria:  Any advice for artists about book design?  What can they focus on to make

a big impact with a cover? 

Eddy:  They should read http://www.creativindie.com/8-cover-design-secrets-

publishers-use-to-manipulate-readers-into-buying-books/  It is a good article 

about cover art.

Maria:  I would like to add that most covers are done digitally these days and the

knowledge of Photoshop or some other design program is a valuable skill to have. 

Thank you, Eddy, for giving me this information and a peek into your life on the 

other side of the world!  

For more info about Eddy Kong's books, please visit his website:

 My Readers Press.

You can join his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/myreaderspress

You can see some more of his great book covers there.

Zhu Hsia's author's page on Amazon:  HERE  The books are written in English. 

Why not read some books set in contemporary Asia?  I intend to read some 

to learn more about their culture.