Category: art

In the News: Art, Life and Creative Intention

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Hippie in Disguise Danielle Chassin Makers Post

“I don’t call myself an artist, but I make art my life. Art is a creative act, infused with intention, that speaks to beauty and displays imagination. That said, it is impossible to define art. Art is always changing, evolving, growing, and there are innumerable ways to express ourselves creatively.

I like to think that there is an art to living, that we can live in such a way as to make our lives artful. This is about living with intention, creatively. Art is not always beautiful, but it often speaks to beauty, or rather, our expressions of beauty, because beauty is inspiring. To say a life is art is not to say it is perfect or beautiful, but to say that it is created with intention, in dialogue with the concept of beauty.

Life is creative in every sense of the word. To create is to make something material or immaterial that is new. With every action, every idea, we create our circumstance, chart our future. Through our connections with others we create and evolve together.

We can choose to live artfully, as though our lives are our art, meaning to live with creative intention. This is how I approach life and conceive of art. Life is art. It is our greatest work and most lasting impression.“

— an excerpt from “Art, Life and Creative Intention,” The Maker’s Post, Volume 3

Last summer I was asked to contribute to a journal called The Maker’s Post. A beautiful print volume sharing the stories of artists, makers and creatives across diverse disciplines from furniture making, to pottery, food styling, fashion design, culinary arts and more. To say I was dumbfounded by the request would be an understatement. I don’t consider myself an artist, a maker or creative. I mean, I do make things, I do create, and, art is a big part of my life, but the title ‘Artist’ has never felt accurate. And yet, a life of intentional creativity is what I strive for on a daily basis. I decided to explore this idea and the notion of living artfully and submitted my work to the journal.

To my delight, the issue was published in late in 2016 and is now available for purchase — and it includes my submission! The journal is available in print (for order and shipped to your home or found in select stores in USA) or digitally. Please visit their site to get your copy and support their work. You can also find them on Instagram @themakerspost.

If you aren’t sure yet, here are a few more excerpts from my piece:

“Life isn’t always beautiful, it’s most often imperfect, frequently a struggle. I find comfort and optimism in recognizing the small, but significant, beauties in my day. For me, I most often see this in my children, in their sense of wonder, imagination and naivete, but I also see it in the beauty of the natural world. I decidedly try not to seek beauty, but to recognize the beauty that surrounds me. Seeing, appreciating and recording the beauty of ordinary, everyday moments. Through documenting the plain sight beauty of things my creative intention is to offer a simple, but optimistic, view of the mundane. A life of beauty is available to us.

I am often criticized for capturing only the beautiful moments in my day. As though this is a deception. I disagree. Documenting the beauty that many people do not see is how I create with intention. It is a message about observation, simplicity, gratitude, and small joys.

Artful living: to ‘do art,’ or to ‘live art’, is an embodied way of engaging the world. It is an acceptance, and even a celebration, that we are embedded and connected in important ways. How we live matters in very real and fundamental ways. What we create, whether material or immaterial, matters. My creative intention is to communicate gratitude for life as it is. Striving and struggle only create conflict; gratitude instills peace.”

In Volume 3, you will also find over 20 articles and interviews to inspire your creativity and passion for the arts and life.

The Makers Post Danielle Chassin Hippie in Disguise

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Custom Illustrations: Artful and Creative Childhood Heirlooms

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Illustration by Stephanie Ball

Over the last year or so a few talented illustrators and artists have drawn and painted portraits of Ro and Sen. These gifts has been such a delight and treasure for us, that I wanted to share them here in case you may be looking for a creative gift idea, something that won’t end up in the charity bin or will only last for a certain age span.

If you are going to give a material gift to someone then make it something worthwhile, something that will become an heirloom. The artworks below certainly will.

Stephanie Ball | @pianobythesea | email: stephballillustration@gmail.com
Joana Oliveira | @mydailydoodling | www.mydailydoodling.tictail.com


Cecelia Contreras | @migamigaceci | www.migamigacrea.wordpress.com

Kellie Diguanco | @kelliedigs | email: kellie@iamkellie.com

Lauren Noel | @ladynoel_designs | www.ladynoeldesigns.bigcartel.com

Cheng Kulai | @chengkulai | email: chengkulai@yahoo.com.hk 

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 Sara Goetz | @sarahgoetz | www.sarahgoetz.me

Faustine Badrichani | @wooln_ny | www.faustinebadrichani.com

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With Faustine’s illustration we printed it onto canvas paper and the children painted it with watercolours to make unique holiday cards for friends and family.

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Artist Profile: Kara Rane and her Cosmic Circles

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Sen, by our bedroom window, enjoying the colours shine through two layered cosmic circles by artist Kara Rane. Such a fun, creative, open ended play thing. I always wonder what he’s thinking about. [ Sen’s necklace is from Tribal Dreaming “Earth Warrior” and his leggings are organics from Mabo ]

I remember well what my passions were when I was a child: drawing and arranging things artfully, dancing, playing in the forest, and (as crazy as it sounds) I was passionate from as early as I can remember about environmental protection. But I also remember thinking from very young that none of these passions could be an adult pursuit. (How wrong I was!!) I somehow thought that happiness came from things, from comforts, and that I couldn’t have those things (and thus happiness) without money. Since the statistical likelihood of earning money as an illustrator, artist or tree hugger seemed quite slim, I decided to be practical and enter a traditional, remunerative profession in order to find myself in a context that would afford me things, and thus enable happiness. Well, surprise ending: Things don’t make you happy. Passions do. People do. 

Today, I’m happy to share with you the story of a woman who knew and followed her passions throughout her life and has been able to provide for herself and her family what they need to sustain themselves and their happiness. Kara Rane is an artist, world traveller, and mother of one, who makes beautiful artwork inspired by her deep connection and reverence for the earth. She and her partner have a small homestead nestled in supportive community committed to sustainable living. What a beautiful environment in which to raise a child! I put much hope in children raised in such an environment for their future contributions to community and sustaining our planet. But I know that us urban dwellers living in the mainstream can also play our part in raising our children differently, it might just be a little harder to drown out the distractions, noise and clutter. But we can do it too!

Whether you are living rurally or in an urban setting I think Kara’s passion for art and sustainability will inspire you to find ways to nourish yourself and your family with creativity and the natural world. I hope so!

Dear Kara, please tell me a little bit about yourself. What is your background?

I grew up at 6,000 feet in the mountains of Southern California, in a log home.  Nature was a huge part of my childhood, and I found my favorite places to be were among the trees, streams, lakes & wilderness.  I also love the ocean so I decided to attend the University of California at Santa Barbara (studying Environmental Science and Art studio) where I could live by the sea.

I am deeply connected to the natural world, but my curiosity compelled me to explore urban life and I lived in San Francisco and New York City.  Having a passion for travel, I also lived for a time in the Caribbean on a tiny remote island, trekked the Himalayas of Nepal, returned to my native Nordic countries, explored Thailand and Vietnam and have road tripped throughout parts of the United States.  All of these experiences I was able to manage on only the money I earned. At times it was a daunting task as often I found myself with nothing other than my creativity to survive.

What part of the world do you live in?

We live in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California on a 6 acre homestead. We have an organic and heirloom orchard of 44 trees, an organic hop yard and small gardens to grow our food.  We love the community, as there are many ‘back to the Earth’ folks. It is common practice for us to trade with one another for goods and this is truly a delightful way to know your neighbors.

at the Farmers Market Kara Rane Cosmic Circles

How do you spend most of your days?

Recently, most of my days and nights are spent caring for our baby.  I have learned to incorporate him into projects via baby wearing, so work continues on. We also make a priority to hike at least a couple times a week, often with other mamas and their babies and children.

Do you have a favourite quote or words that inspire you?

“What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from the great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.” -Chief Seattle

This quote resonates so strongly with me as I feel that I am trying to recover a part of myself that has died due to the loss of so many animals, trees, and the myriad of life forms who are now extinct, or are at risk of extinction due to human caused perils. In honoring these beings I feel wholly united. It is my hope to draw, paint, create them back into the world of the living. In nourishing this wildness, I too am trying to resurrect my soul.

Eco-Art cards - Kara Rane
What are you passionate about?

Our capacity to change as individuals and a collective global society gives me hope. Without this, it would be impossible for me to be passionate about anything as I have a lot of concerns for the future of the environment on which we depend. Hopefully, the work I do as an artist can help bring about this change.

Can you tell me a bit about your work as an artist?

Using vibrant, neon, and rainbow colors to layer sacred shapes and patterns, the vision is revealed to me as the lifting of a veil.  Into a dimension of light, a familiar yet brighter and more alive Universe is known. I see a place of harmony, peace and happiness. Through nature and ancient symbolism I glimpse the Divine.

Returning Forward © Kara Rane

Are you able to support your family financially with your artwork?

My art sustains me as a whole person. Throughout my life it has also been a source of income in various ways. Often times, I have been forced to get creative in how this might look. For example: I worked as a studio artist in NYC for a corporate art making company. Although, I was not making my own art I was given a lot of freedom. Currently, I am a full-time mama and have created several eco-friendly product lines featuring my art. They are sold in retail locations, at local festivals and farmers markets and via my website.

Can you talk about your cosmic circles?

The ‘Cosmic Circle’ designs are a kaleidoscopic portal allowing light, color, energy and beauty to fill your Life. I hand create the original designs and Greenerprinter, a business based on the highest standard in environmental printing, reproduces the images. These colorful, transparent clings adhere without adhesive, so they are easy to use, remove and re-use. Better than stickers!!

More ℃osmic ℃ircles © Kara Rane

When you aren’t drawing, what do you love to do?

Working with my hands, in all things!  I am very dedicated to living a sustainable lifestyle, to supporting and growing organic food and to understanding how to best care for the land and creatures we depend on.  This requires a lot of work outside on the land and that is where I love to be, with the trees, birds, sun and sky.

***

Thank you, Kara, for sharing a glimpse into your world and creative vision and purpose. How beautiful visually and soulfully! Readers you can find Kara on Instagram @kara_rane and you can read more about her art and visit her shop at www.KaraRane.com.

This interview is part of my Creative Mothers series, you can find the rest here.

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tuta and coco montreal children art prints

Children’s Art Prints by Tuta & Coco

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On the Christmas of Ro’s second year, a family friend made us and our extended family a custom photo calendar featuring photos of Ro that he’d taken and gathered from family. This was nine years ago when photo calendars were not yet readily available. It was a simple, but very thoughtful gift, and ended up stealing the show Christmas morning. Everyone enjoyed pouring over the photos he’d selected and reminiscing about Ro’s development over the year (children change so much in a year at that age). The calendar was enjoyed that day, and everyday for the rest of the year.

As someone who, for a long time has felt dis-ease with excess and has had a hard time with Christmas mornings, seeing the lovely gifts exchanged and knowing that many will not be loved for long, it struck me how loved the calendar was. So, each year since then we have given this same present to everyone in our family and circle of friends: a photo calendar covering our life in the last year. That’s it. Simple gift, but one they will enjoy the whole year.

I’ve thought more than once that I’d like to make a calendar that features the children’s art work but wasn’t sure how to. This year when I found a local shop, Tuta & Coco, out of Montreal, that produces high-quality prints and paper products from children’s artwork I was really excited to put my idea into print. tuta and coco montreal children art printsWorking with Tuta & Coco was a breeze, I sent them scans of the art work (thank you Dad for scanning all those drawings and paintings!), Tuta & Coco then processed the digital files and emailed me drafts of the calendar until I was happy with it and then they printed it. The work was done.

The hard part came before when I was sifting through and selecting which artwork to include…while I’m minimal in many ways saving my children’s artwork is definitely a weakness. Hashtag understatement of the year.

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

It was a lovely surprise to find when the calendar arrived that each month was it’s own print (separate sheets), the calendar is held together on a small handmade wooden clipboard, so after a month has passed you can continue to enjoy the print off the clipboard (there’s no perforation to ruin the print). The clipboard is a nice clean design. And, in Sen’s opinion the clipboard is “Amazing mama! But, do I have to wait until the end of all these months to use it for me?” Seriously, it is the cutest tiny clipboard!

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

I absolutely love that all aspects of the calendar product will remain useful and loved after the year has gone by. The prints can be taped to the wall, used as postcards or any number of other ways. The clipboard is a fun and functional small size, especially good for children to use, and will be great to bring along in the summer for sketching out in the wild.

One final cool thing with the calendars is that you can start with any month, since each sheet is separate. This means you can give the calendar to anyone (including yourself) starting in any month of the year. Bonus!

You can find Tuta & Coco’s shop here, they ship worldwide. You can also find them on Instagram here and Pinterest here. **This is not a sponsored post, just sharing a cool find 🙂

Tuta & Coco kindly included a favourite piece of artwork from Ro and Sen in their children’s gallery on their site, which the children are pretty proud about!

tuta and coco montreal children art prints

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Drawing a Day

Magic Feathers

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Last September Kristin, the owner and designer behind the kids organic clothing line, Gardner and the Gang, decided to hold a children’s art competition. Children were encouraged to submit drawings under the theme for her SS15 collection: Magic and Rock ‘n’ Roll. The winning drawing, chosen through open voting, would be incorporated into the SS15 collection.

I loved the spirit behind Kristin’s competition, encouraging children to draw and supporting young artists to pursue their passion. I talked to Ro about it and she decided to submit her Magic Feathers drawing that she had drawn as part of her daily drawing project. The drawing itself had been inspired by a photograph that Kirsten Rickert had shared on Instagram. Isn’t it lovely the way the Instagram community knits itself together, connecting people across vast distances in these beautiful ways?

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Initially, Kristin had planned on donating the profits of the shirt sales to support access for children to art lessons – a very worthy investment I would have to say. The value of art education should not be underestimated. When Ro wrote to Kristin about her inspiration for the drawing and her passion for protecting animals, Kristin decided to invest the money in another way: to protect endangered animals. This is what both Ro and I are most excited about, the shirts are symbolic of a greater cause and will hopefully inspire conversations between parents and children about animal protection.

This morning on the way to school I told Ro that her shirt design was for sale on the Gardner and the Gang website. She replied: “Mom, I’m just so happy that I drew that picture, because so many animals will be saved.” My heart is so proud.

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***

I have an inquiring mind and so I asked Kristin a few questions about herself, the competition and her clothing line. And, now, I can see why she was swayed by Ro’s love for all animals.

Why did you hold a children’s art competition?

I thought it was a nice idea to involve the people I design for and make it a fun happening.  If we can help encourage children to use their artistic talent then that is a good thing and such a good feeling too.

What is the plan for the money earned from sales of the Magic Feathers shirt?

We will donate all the revenue from the sales to a cause chosen by Ro. In this case we will adopt endangered animals through WWF (the World Wildlife Fund).

What is your background, where did you grow up, what did you study?

I am from Sweden, I grew up in the countryside close to animals and nature. I have studied media communication, visual communication, photography and graphic design. My degree is in Visual communication.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

I had all sorts of dreams, but the main one was to have a huge farm. However, I have always been terribly allergic to furry animals, so that is a bit of an obstacle, and the fact that even if I am a country girl at heart, I am also an adventurer and I love the pulse of a big city. I get totally mesmerised by New York City. Like seriously, goose bumps constantly whenever I visit. I will live there some day, at least for a little while.

How did you get started designing clothing?

It all started with me having my first baby girl, Ava. With a background in graphic design and a strong fashion interest, these are what made it all start to move forward.

How would you describe Gardner and the Gang clothing in 5 words?

Quirky, fashion, meaningful, fun, comfortable.

Why does Gardner and the Gang mean? What’s behind the name?

It is named after my daughter Ava, she is named after Ava Gardner. I loved her strong personality and her story . The gang is all the other kids that want in.

What are your sources of inspiration for the line?

I always get inspired in the most unexpected places. A thread through all my designs would be a wish to convey a message to all kids: Do not live with prejudice, open your mind to new cultures, you will learn something. Even if the message is not so obvious I always draw characters that are somewhat outsiders, strong personalities. The message is simple, be yourself: that is as cool as it gets!

What has made you the most proud of what you’re doing?

The fact that children really seem to like wearing my designs.

Your design aesthetic seems perfect for a fun youth line. Do you plan to expand the line?  

Yes, slowly but surely.

When you are all caught up on work, what do you love to do?

I love to do yoga, and to go running with some good tunes in my earphones. Clears my mind. These occasions are very rare though, haha, my life is mostly, kids, work, sleep…

***

Thank you so much to Kristin for supporting young artists and the World Wildlife Fund.

If you are interested in buying a shirt visit Gardner and the Gang, the shirts are limited edition!

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Erin Hanson Poet What if you fly poster

What if you fly? An Interview with Erin Hanson

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Last week, a long time Instagram friend, Stephanie Matthew, asked me if I could help her promote a project. She told me about how she had recently read an article about self-esteem in girls, stating that self-esteem peaks at nine years of age and only goes down from there. Stephanie’s thoughts went immediately to her seven year old daughter, who only two hours earlier had been dancing in the driveway with no self-consciousness whatsoever and earlier that same day had worn her plastic princess shoes to the store without a moment’s hesitation. Whether or not the article’s conclusion was perfectly accurate or applicable to all children, Stephanie knew she wanted to do something for her daughters, but also more broadly to help other children and to raise awareness around this issue.

Thinking back on a recent occasions when a few perfect words – “We can do hard things” — had been the motivation her daughters needed to stick with something challenging, like learning to tie shoes, the popular phrase “What if I fall? Oh but my darling, what if you fly?” came to mind. She pictured the words as a dialogue between parent and child. But she also knew these words would suit a nursery room as much as a boardroom wall – they felt universally relevant. Stephanie decided to design a print to hang up for her girls, but she wanted every child to have these motivational words hanging in their home, so she talked to her friend Rebecca who runs Children Inspire Design.

Erin Hanson Poet What if you fly poster

If you haven’t heard of Children Inspire Design you should check them out. They are an online art shop that produces modern, eco-friendly and culturally diverse wall art, inspired by children. Rebecca believes in the importance of global responsibility and in cultivating a love for art and the world’s many cultures, which is why her shop always pairs art with giving. Throughout history art has been a strong and important force for social change, so while the prints Rebecca sells help teach children about important issues, such as caring for the earth, the sales help support women and children around the world by sharing the proceeds with a variety of charities.

While working on the design for the print, Stephanie’s research led her to finding out who had written those 12 profound words. Erin Hanson, is a 19 year old Australian poet, who wrote those now famous words, as part of a longer poem, when she was just 18. Impressed and intrigued by the fact that the words had been written by such a young mind, I sought out contact with Erin and asked her a few questions. Here’s my interview with Erin Hanson:

What do the words mean to you?

They mean a lot, as I’m the kind of person who can quite often back away from the things that I want purely because I’m scared of trying really hard for something and then not reaching it. They’re as much of a personal reminder for me as they are for the other people who read them.

When did you start writing poetry?

I started writing silly little poems when I was around 11, but I didn’t take it seriously until I started my blog in 2011.

What are you inspired by?

Everything! If I had to pick something in particular it would be nature, or more specifically how if you watch it for long enough you realise that its patterns can be related almost directly to the patterns and emotions etc. that exist within a human being.

What motivates you to share your art?

Everyone who’s ever told me that it’s helped them in some way. I know how much words can help people, so if mine have the opportunity to then I’m happy.

Erin Hanson Poet What if you fly poster

Stephanie and Rebecca have partnered to offer a print of Erin’s motivational words. The print is only available for purchase until February 25, 2015. All of the proceeds will go to Free2Luv, an anti-bullying organization dedicated to empowering youth, celebrating individuality and spreading kindness. The limited edition 11×14 print is available for purchase here, and as a thank you Children Inspire Design will include a free 5×7 print with your purchase. The prints are made with eco materials and inks, and the packaging is biodegradable. Check marks all around!

With this project Stephanie hopes to remind her girls and the rest of us that life is magical and that we should always think big – what if  you fly? I think most of us have witnessed the social media community come together around crises and social issues, and I hope Stephanie’s project will be another beautiful instance of community engagement and support.

Erin Hanson Poet What if you fly poster

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Drawing a Day

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On the first day of summer vacation I gave Ro and Sen each a fresh new sketchbook, a small soft covered one that was easily portable so they could take them around town to parks and on our daily adventures. Ever since I can remember an empty sketchbook was a thing of delight to me, offering endless possibilities of how it would be filled, how it would become “my” sketchbook. I was happy to see that both Ro and Sen were excited at the prospect of empty pages waiting to become records of their creativity.

Drawing a day project

I am definitely a parent who believes wholeheartedly in the benefits of unstructured play and days without plans aside from walking out the front door. At the same time, I recognize that children can crave structure and that summer time is a chance to develop those skills in your children that may not be cultivated at school. So, in the interest of creating a beautiful record of our days and in helping the children see how practicing something daily could be very rewarding, I set the children the task of doing one drawing a day over the summer.

The task was fairly open ended: draw anything. Draw something you see at the park, draw something from your imagination. Just draw.

Sen, being just a young 3 years at the time, had never had his own desire to draw, as Ro did at the same age. But, Sen does love a good challenge, so he happily set to drawing whatever happened to come to mind: a tractor or the popsicle he had just eaten. As the summer went on, he had days where he just wanted to scratch some colour on the page and have it done with so he could run and jump in the pool. And other days (when the pool wasn’t there to jump in) I could see him scanning his surroundings looking for inspiration. Tip: if you want your children to do something they may not be naturally inclined to do, make sure it’s more interesting than other options available to them, like a pool.

Sen’s drawing of a popsicle – most days Sen would carefully draw something, taking his time to thoughtfully shape his drawing, and then once the shape was done he would (un)ceremoniously colour it in, leaving it looking like a scribble, as you see here.

My favourite drawing of Sen’s was from a day we sat at a pond in our neighbourhood and Sen excitedly knew exactly what he wanted to draw. It may not seem remarkable, perhaps, but it was remarkable to me. And it was for him, because he didn’t need anyone to feed him ideas, he had his own. He couldn’t wait to sit down with his pencil and put his idea on paper. “No looking until it’s done, Mama!” But…I may have snuck a little peek. And what I saw were long green lines. Ah, yes, I thought, he’s inspired by the park, by the beautiful grass. A moment of self-approval washed over me for being that parent who inspires their child to draw the beauty of nature. “It’s done, Mama, you can look.” “Wow, Sen, that is beautiful grass. Good for you.” “No, Mama, it’s very long green hair!”

Ro, on the other hand, loves to draw. This past summer she was very interested in learning to draw from photos. Being intrigued by the curious Instagram app (that her mom paid a little too much attention to…), she asked if she could look through the photos there for inspiration on the days that we were doing drawings at home. As she scrolled through my Instagram feed, she began to understand why I was so drawn to it, with all the inspiration and creativity found in little 3X3 squares.

She ended up doing a few drawings over the summer that were inspired by photographs she saw on Instagram. I found it really interesting that she naturally chose photos from artists. A drawing I particularly liked was a fern study inspired by a photograph by artist Kajsa Wallin who goes by @kawaspics on Instagram. For this drawing, she had to really slow down and focus on the small differences between the leaves from different varieties of ferns.

On another day she drew dream catchers inspired by artist Faith Evans-Sills, who you can find as @faithevanssills on Instagram.

It might seem that way sometimes, but Instagram isn’t the only source of inspiration (note: read in sarcastic tone of voice). Something I try to do often is talk with Ro about inspiring historical figures like artists, peacemakers, politicians, and environmentalists. But just as important is talking with her about how we are all capable of great things and of inspiring others to action. One of these everyday people is Paulie Eaborn who is the creator of the Pray4Trax necklace. After hearing about the necklaces, I wanted share the story with Ro. These handmade, child safe necklaces are sold to raise money to support a boy named Trax, who is living with cystic fibrosis. Paulie and her son Tysi, have never met Trax or his mom Kassi, but they knew they wanted to help. What started as a small project selling necklaces to raise funds for Trax’s treatment, turned into a wave of support for Trax and awareness of the disease. And perhaps, most importantly, reminded us how one small action can have a huge impact. Tysi and Trax’s story really moved Ro, and she wanted to see the necklaces right away so she could draw them.

With my thoughts already, and always, drifting toward summer vacation, I am looking forward to renewing this activity while off with the children. Ro’s drawing technique has really evolved over the last few months, and Sen has finally found his own organic interest in drawing (mostly robots and ninjas, in case you were curious). I can hardly wait to see how they will fill their notebooks this summer, recording our days through the simple ritual of pencil to paper. Whether the rewards of last summer’s practice were felt by Ro and Sen, I’m not sure, I think that realization will take longer to come. And so, another summer of drawing it is!

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