SIGRID CALON

I'm so mesmerized by the work of Dutch artist, Sigrid Calon. The bold graphic nature of her work captivates you with her strong use of color. My favorite pieces are the large "textile translations" of 5 of her designs (pictured above). She's also created a nearly hand-made book that captures her prints. I just ordered one myself and can't wait to receive it.  Calon studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tillburg and her textile background is delightfully evident in her work. 

"Sigrid Calon’s work is formed through the desire and the curiosity to investigate, discover and create. Making new connections and to look differently at what we take for granted...Calon searches for wonderment and is inspired by the things around her, preferably things that are meant for something different: materials, but also objects, situations or spaces." - from Sigridcalon.nl

SEE MORE OF CALON'S WORK HERE

MEGAN CARN

Ready for a dose of happy? Megan Carn and her fun, colorful, modern work are this week's behind-the-scenes feature. I just love her vivid use of color and bold strokes. Read on to find out how she got started, who she'd invite to her dream dinner party and what's up next...

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?

I have no idea. Honestly. I was an art major in college, but it started out as a way to be an art therapist later. Then, I wanted to be a print designer or fabric designer. I loved doing art, but I never thought I could turn it into a living, or a career. I didn't feel confident enough in my work to say 'I'm going to sell art after I graduate and be an artist!' After I graduated from college in 2013, I got a real job that really had nothing to do with art-it played on my love of people and event planning. After being in that job for a few weeks, I realized that I needed to be doing something creative. During the day, I was itching to paint. That was when I realized that I needed to be doing art. And being an artist. Because art is what made me happiest. (I left my job after a year and three months to be an artist full time!)

The unexpected art supply you can’t live without… 

HMMM. Honestly, I use my hands quite a bit. Like literally, put my fingers in the paint and paint with them. It adds texture and I feel like I have more control that way! Other than that, I use pretty basic supplies.

Dream dinner party... (4-5 guests, living or dead...)

Oh, man. This is a hard one. I love cooking, and if I had my way it would be all of my best friends that live in so many spread out places now-- we are never all together at the same time and that would be awesome. 

If I could have a second dinner party, it would be Audrey Hepburn, Kate Middleton and Prince William of Cambridge, the Queen of England, of course, Roxy Owens of Society Social (because she's the hostess with the mostess), Lilly Pulitzer (the queen of parties), and all of my personal art crushes from my blog + the people from the first dinner party. I like big parties. 

Favorite contemporary artist/s: 

I am the worst when it comes to favorites. I have so many! I love de Kooning, a huge list of Charleston artists (Lulie Wallace, Teil Duncan, Sally King Benedict), Britt Bass, Claire Dejardins, Emily Rickard-- so many. 

How do you feed your head? (What inspires you?)

Being outside on a beautiful day, looking through a great photography book, baking delicious goodies, scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest, shopping and looking through fashion books, surrounding myself with friends' artwork... the list goes on! I enjoy beautiful things, and those things always give me inspiration. 

What's inspiring you at the moment? 

I have a gorgeous painting by Susan Skelley in my living room and a wonderful painting by Susie Bettenhausen hanging in my bedroom, among other things-- both of those are challenging me to go outside of my usual lines and boundaries and to push myself a little further. Also, I have been itching to travel-- so I've been working on a wanderlust series. 

Fear in art, how do you fight it?

I have to calm myself down a lot. I get stressed because I'm swamped on commissions and behind on the originals I want to be doing, and what if people don't like my new originals and then I die?! (exaggerating about dying, of course.)

Then I think to myself, stop being ridiculous. I won't die. I'll eventually get all of the commissions done. Someone, somewhere will love my work. I'm an artist; I have an original way of doing things and an original point of view, and someone, somewhere will love it. And if they don't, I'll love it, and so nothing else really matters.

Also, I make lists. A lot of lists. They get me through. 

My uniform... 

Sounds ridiculous, but nike running shorts and an oversized tshirt. Works every time. and I don't mind getting paint ALL over it. 

On the nightstand... (What are you reading?)

Right now, not much. I am starting Amy Poehler's "yes, please!" this week, though! I love reading non-fiction, especially historic things. And of course, coffee table books galore. 

What’s next? Project you are currently working on…

Right now, I'm working on a travel series, some brightly colored nudes and abstracts, and per usual, the animals. (Oh, and a book! But more details are coming on that later!)

SEE MORE OF MEGAN'S WORK HERE

KIANA MOSLEY

I can't get enough of the bright, vivid, bohemian watercolors of Hawaiian-born artist Kiana Mosley. She's been featured in Elle Decor, Anthology Magazine, The Jealous Curator and more. AND she's offered us a peak inside her head and her studio...read on to find out how she knew she wanted to be an artist, what other artists she's loving at the moment, what her upcoming plans are and more...

When did you know you wanted to be an artist? 

I always knew I was a creative, I was born of many... but I didn’t think I would ever work in the arts, as they were simultaneously encouraged and discouraged. Watching my family members struggle and face the darker side of artistry, The other positive and truly fulfilling sides were not apparent until much later in life... I had to go/grow through a lot to get there.

The unexpected art supply you can’t live without…

I really never imagined watercolor would end up being my staple - I was trained on traditional mediums, though I did explore multi-media and collage, sculpyure and impermanent forms (like tagging! gasp!) 

I really have to credit my Cousin Courtney O’dell (Sweet C’s Designs) for encouraging me to explore the medium more seriously.

That being said, keep me stocked up in Dr. PH Martins Hydrus and I’m in sheer Heaven... 

Dream dinner party... (4-5 guests, living or dead...)

Well! I think I’d bring a mix of living and deceased (That’s not at all strange in the art “Realm” right?) 

I think I’d just love to see how everybody engages and interacts - here’s my short list (and they can all have +1’s or 2’s 

-Bob Marley

-My Father

-Salvador Dali

-Jeff Bridges

-Gilda Radner

-Shel Silverstein

-Tina Fey

-Helen Frankenthaler

-Pieter Brughel

Oh the list goes on...

Favorite contemporary artist/s

Completely in love with mural artist Maya Hayuk, and the Photography of John Hook - the ceramic work  and paintings of Michelle Blade 

See I have a long list of art crushes... you’re on it too! (tee hee!)

How do you feed your head? (What inspires you?)

Music. Music. and even more music... and if I am able just going out walking somewhere random - or planned. but getting out of my own head is required to jump back in and just flow - I am a fine mix of type A, and type “whatever man” personalities... lol! blame it on being a Gemini, so it just depends on the day I suppose.

What's inspiring you at the moment? 

at the moment I am completely overly OBSESSED with big bold washy interpretive botanical work - blame that on my excitement in moving back home to Hawaii... I mean, I have always loved tropicals - but this is a giant and amazing life change for me. so it’s at the forefront

Fear in art, how do you fight it?

Can’t fight it. It is what it is - You just have to take a deep breath and leap at it.

My uniform... 

hahahaha

okay

ah, ok in heavy rotation: big breezy linen dresses, yoga and sweat pants.

But I clean up pretty good. :)

What you wish you had known when you were just starting out:

I am still learning. I never want to stop - And I think that my particular learning curve has followed the path it has needed to. I’ts been a wild ride! 

I do wish I had gone to school before having a family though... that was a really hard thing to do. possible yes, but it was Harrrrd. 

But I think I also kind of carved my path outside of the traditional school path, so - I don’t know, I just really believe things play out a certain way for a reason. I am still always grateful, and sometimes surprised, even when I thinks it’s “planned” maybe there’s a touch of kismet too... 

I’m rambling. But that makes for a really good, but complicated conversation!

On the nightstand... (What are you reading?)

I just started Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire,

and I just finished (again) Leaves of Grass.

What’s next? Project you are currently working on…

oh secrets!! well I can share that one of them may or may not have a bullseye involved. and the other is just such a dream collabo.

Beyond that, I have hesitated to really start new stuff for the sake of moving overseas... but when  I get settled look out! I really want to start working with much bigger pieces... I dabbled on canvas, but not truly with paper. 

SEE MORE OF KIANA'S WORK HERE.

KENT YOUNGSTROM

I recently stumbled upon the work of artist Kent Youngstrom on Lulu & Georgia and I was immediately smitten with his bold use of color and energetic brush strokes.  His work is fun, inspiring and easy to get addicted to. Check out how he first discovered art, what his process is like and how he handles fear in art...

How did art find you? we found each other.  i was bouncing around between interior design, graphic design and art.  i always came back to or long to be with art.  there is no pretense.  no reason to change something to please others.  art turns me on.

What was it like when you were just getting started?  laughable.  unprepared. intoxicating minus the morning gatorade.  i had no idea what i was doing or what direction i was headed. not exactly sure when i started to be honest.  i think it was and continues to be a blessing that i fumble around like a new dad in the grocery store and try to to follow someone else’s lead.

Why should we do what we love every day?   have a drink with the guy who hates what he does everyday.  that sounds fun huh.

Fear and art. What's it like? Being an artist can have its ups and downs and unpredictability. i’m crawl in a ball and hide under the desk afraid every time i show something new.  i am my work. its called exposure for a reason.

What's your creative process like? i just do.  i wake up.  get off the couch.  show up on time.  work my backside off and i surprise people - then do it all over again.    how do i know it’s done? i feel it’s exhaustion.  

I make paintings with no pretense. I just paint what I like. (And I like to feel alive).

small secret… i occasionally paint things i assume will sell well.  it seems to pan out like ben fleck as batman.  when i put all pretense aside and just let the work flow it is more academy award winning.

What's your studio like? small garage + 1200 paintings in 5 years = need for new space…  warehouse facility in Matthews which contains an office, a gallery and a working studio.  rolling working spaces. large walls to stretch canvas.  room for 20 people at painting classes. gallery openings. holiday and corporate event parties.  grateful.

Last experience that totally blew your mind?  California.  winter.  surfing.  i felt alive but couldn’t feel much else in the cold water.

SEE MORE OF KENT'S WORK HERE

Naomi Ernest

One of my favorite artists, the ultra-talented Naomi Ernest, kicks off a new series featuring fellow art addicts, those that are living the artist's life and creating art. Get ready to get inside their head and see what what inspires them, how they overcome fear and why they do what they do.

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?

Growing up, my parents were both artists-on-the-side. I remember happy days painting flowers with my mom when I was very small. When I was a bit older, my sisters and I would surreptitiously peek through old boxes of the slightly indecorous artwork from my dad’s teenage years.  In high school I was voted class artist; my art teacher entered my work into various school competitions, and I sold my very first commissioned piece to the middle school library. 

"I never stopped creating; like my parents and so many others, I have always been an artist-on-the-side.  Despite a lifetime full of happy creative moments, it simply did not occur to me that I might choose art as a profession.  After years of searching and sorting and patience, I have only recently begun to understand it as a deeper calling."

The unexpected art supply you can’t live without…

Toothpicks and cotton swabs. Very unglamorous, but handy for so many little details in my work!

Dream dinner party... (4-5 guests, living or dead...)

Frida Khalo- to paint and to share the beauty and volatility of human nature

Eddie Vedder- to play ukulele and sing

Mark Twain- to share laughter

Mother Teresa- to demonstrate living fully and humbly

My husband- because moments are infinitely more wonderful when you share them with those you love best of all 

Favorite contemporary artist/s

My art loves are forever evolving. A few of my current crushes: Yago Hortal. Claire Desjardins. Patricia Derks. Kristi Kohut. Jose Romussi. Amy Judd. Zena Holloway. 

How do you feed your head? (What inspires you?)

Like many artists, I am a very visual person.  I have an everlasting habit of seeking details and separating out the world into pleasant and interesting segments. I reflexively deconstruct scenes and moments into smaller compositions of their bare elements— a certain smudge on the window, the flecks of color in someone’s eyes, the shape of a shadow creeping across the wall, the outline of trees against the sky.  My habit is to notice details of color, shape, mood, texture; as long as I am mindful of it, I can constantly find inspiration.  

What's inspiring you at the moment? 

Color color color.  I am a naturally moody person; much of my work reflects that with muted or sophisticated shades and monochromatic colors.  It’s where I find my calm, and where my work feels most comfortable.  But I am trying to stretch myself because I really do love interesting and unexpected color combinations. There is currently just so much vividly good and inspiring color— in art and fashion and decor; I’m trying to see where it might fit with my work. 

Fear in art, how do you fight it?

I arrived in the professional art world only recently.  I am not a trained artist.  I am still discovering my niche.  I work in several mediums. My artwork is varied, organic and intuitive. Because of all this, and aided by that personal fear within each of us, I am very aware of how easily my work can be dismissed. 

But I am usually successful at keeping fear in the back of my mind, where it pushes without paralyzing.  I give myself permission to try new things and to fail at those things.  I often allow my creativity to rest—I  read, take a walk, wash dishes, bake bread, do other things that want doing.  And then I make myself keep trying even when I have no good ideas and no good work.

"I remind myself that we are all valuable souls. At its best, my work shares a bit of my own soul with the world, so I try to remain confident in the value of myself and of my work.  If it is honest and true, it is always worthwhile."

My uniform... 

I love a high-low mix. Destroyed denim and well-loved tees mixed with unexpected accessories, great shoes, and a bit of sparkle.

What you wish you had known when you were just starting out:

I discovered that if something— in art or in relationships or in life— is consistently making me unhappy or frustrated, it’s not right. I’ve learned to say no, try something new, look at things from a different angle, or at least leave it alone for a time. It’s also perfectly ok and quite necessary to let yourself rest and wander.   

“The imagination needs moodling,— long, inefficient happy idling, dawdling and puttering."

-Brenda Ueland

I suppose it might have helped to know all along that being an artist were an option, but I don’t regret my path for a moment. My experiences are all useful.  I have learned to appreciate being exactly where I am.

On the nightstand... (What are you reading?)

“Legal Guide for the Visual Artist.”  Not very fun but very important.  

And I always have a book of poetry and a good novel nearby; Whitman and Faulkner are usually within reach.

What’s next? Project you are currently working on…

I’ve been stocking my online shop with original work for the past few months, but I’m finally starting to feel caught up in that area. I’m working on a few personal projects combining multiple mediums.  I have lofty ideas, but for now, my experimental attempts are in the totally awkward, cannot-possibly-show-to-another-living-soul stage.

I’m also beginning work for some forthcoming shows.  It seems to be taking me forever because I am so very deliberate in trying to find the right fit, but I am really anxious to start showing more.  It’s just a million times better to see original artwork in person.

SEE MORE OF NAOMI'S WORK HERE

Naomi's work is available at Minted.com and Artfully Walls.