An Interview with Yoda Navarrete

Please visit Yoda's website and her deviantart page!

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Your full name: Yoda Navarrete

Your age: 29

Your location: México

When did you first become interested in art?

-Art was always a part of my life since I was borned. My dad was a musician (clasical) and my mum is a songwriter and also writes. Was there anything specific that prompted this interest? I wanted to make animations and my dream was to work with Disney or Tim Burton, also I wanted to make comic books. Now I don't do either, just a few stop motion animations.

Do you have formal training in art?

-I studied visual arts at the university, before that I took classes in Mexico City in the schools "La Esmeralda" and "Academia de San Carlos", even before that I studied drawing and painting.

What inspires you to create?

-Dreams, not just mines but others too, movies, stories or books I read, works of other artists, and sometimes even boredome.

Is there are reason for your choice to create your artwork in journals?

-Is something I've been doing for several years. When I was taking therapy it was part of my "homework"; one day I decided to not only write but also make drawings in it. I thought that just writing down wasn't giving me the whole picture of what I was going through. Sometimes images or just words are not enough.

Many of your pieces include writing, as well as pictures. Do you have an interest in writing or typography as well as visual art?

-I write stories and poetry (though I don't like to use such word). Unlike what people think I don't write things for children, so, many of those I've never shown them anywhere.

You designed a CD cover for Elba Rodriguez. Are you interesting in doing more work like this?

-I'd like to, but is not my main goal.

You work in a variety of mediums - do you have a favorite?

-Drawing with pencils and with ink. Colours are very difficult for me to use, still I enjoy using them now and then.

Your artwork has such a personal feel to it. Does creating art for other people change the way you work? I try not to and do things as I normaly do, but is inevitable to feel certain pressure. There's always a big chance that the person won't like some things or even the whole work.

What was it like being published in the premier issue of bluecanvas magazine?

-It was a surrealistic experience.

What message do you hope your art will convey?

-It doesn't matter much what I would like or not with my art. It all deppends of how the audience will take it, see in it and interpretate. In such case perhaps is to keep true to myself.

How does art affect your work life? Your personal life?

-Art touches everything inside and outside me, but in a way that most times I can't see it because is part of my daily life; I only see it when meet people that have never been in touch with it. In that moment I feel like a carnival freak.

Do you have any future goals for your artwork?
-I'd like my work to be published on big editorials, make a movie, or several, but most of all to be a way for living.

Portfolio Bird

This is an old marker doodle. My scanner killed the colors a bit, and I had to take out the background because the scanner added some random dark spots to the background. Anyway, I decided to make this the new picture for the front page of my deviantart portfolio. Drawn with copic sketch markers.

An Interview with Hannah Kaminsky

I have taste-tested Hannah's recipes myself, and they are fabulous! Please visit her blog, and check out her cookbook!

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Your full name: Hannah Kaminsky

Your age: 20

Your location: Connecticut

You have so many creative recipes! What inspires you to create new things?

Really, the question should be, what doesn't inspire me!  My family always jokes that I have too many ideas, and even the most mundane tasks can set me off brainstorming new projects and recipes.  Mostly, however, I try to at least focus my inspiration on the current season, in order to utilize the freshest and best ingredients available. 

Do you have formal culinary training?

Nope, I just learned through trial and (a lot of) error.

Has baking with vegan ingredients been difficult for you?

Not at all, because I never baked or even cooked before going vegan.  I think that helped me a lot with baking, because I never felt the need to seek out "replacements," as I never knew what the "real" thing was like to begin with.

When did you first become interested in becoming vegan?

I first became aware of veganism when I entered high school.  A lot of my friends were vegetarian, and I dabbled in that for a bit because it seemed "trendy"... But then I actually did some research about animal rights, and realized how horribly cruel the meat, dairy, egg, etc industries were.  Pretty much overnight, I decided to take the leap and go 100% vegan.  I just love animals too much to let them suffer, especially when there are perfectly viable alternatives.

What message do you hope your blog and recipes will convey?

The blog wasn't created with a message in mind, but more as a simple platform on which I could share my latest creations.  Now, however, I hope that both vegans and non-vegans alike will take away how easy it is to lead a cruelty-free lifestyle, and that it doesn't need to be about restriction and deprivation, but that it can be genuinely fun.  If nothing else, I want to show the world that we aren't missing out, and on the contrary, we're leading the way in many food-related fields.

What was it like publishing My Sweet Vegan?

In a word: Unreal! It all happened so fast, I could hardly believe it. It still seems like some far-fetched plot that's entirely dreamed up.

You have published several e-books! How has this been different from publishing My Sweet Vegan, if at all?

Oh, making the ebooks are completely different than physical cookbooks.  Sure, the process for writing, testing, and photographing the recipes is the same, but on top of all that, I'm completely in charge of formatting and designing the ebooks.  (Trust me, this is a much bigger headache than it sounds like!) The turnaround is infinitely faster, as I can finish an ebook in 1 - 2 weeks if I really buckle down- It also helps that they're much shorter, containing an average of 12 recipes.  Usually I can get them online very quickly, distribute at will, and charge much less than I would for a book, since there are no printing costs.  It's really a win-win for everyone!

How does your cooking affect your work life? Your personal life?

Without cooking, there is no life, in every sense imaginable.  Cooking to me is about physical nourishment, but also about love, compassion, experimentation, art... Just about everything in my life circles back to food in one way or another.  I cook for a living at a tiny little restuarant in town, then I have an internship as a food photographer, then I go home and write about food, and finally, I wind my days down by cooking some more, just for myself.  I guess you could say I'm pretty thoroughly obsessed, for better or for worse.

I know that you not only bake, but also do your own food photography! Has this created any new difficulties for your in your craft? Has it been a rewarding experience for you?

I don't see it as creating additional difficulties, but opportunities.  It allows me to portray exactly what I have in mind for a dish, and have better creative control over the final product.  I feel terrible for other cookbook authors who have to deal with photographers who interpret their dishes wrong because they don't share the same vision!  It's been incredibly rewarding for me, and I've already had my work published in a number of other cookbooks, magazines, and websites.  In fact, I'm currently pursuing a degree in photography in hopes of furthering my skills.

Do you have any future cookbooks or cooking-related goals in mind for the future?

Well I am working on a second cookbook, and I'm currently approaching various publishers with my proposal... It might still be a while, but I'm hoping that I will have something to show for all this work before mid 2010, one way or another...

Library Poster

This was a project for my illustration class. We had to create a travel poster for a place we went over the summer, and, well... I didn't go anywhere except for work, so I made a poster for my place of employment!
It's definitely not perfect, but I learned a lot from working on this. I'll also have full-sized posters printed out soon, which is kind of exciting. Hopefully, the colors will print well.

An Interview with Isabella Baudelaire

Places to reach Isabella:
The Official Home of Isabella's Art
Isabella's Blog
Isabella's Etsy Shop
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Your full name: Isabella Baudelaire
Your age: 24
Your location: Holland


When did you first become interested in art? Was there anything specific that prompted this interest?
-I don't really know how it started as it is such a long time ago that I first started drawing. Also I don't believe it was one thing that prompted this interest but a process of different experiences which resulted in this interest in art. I do remember as a child I loved book illustrations and animations and I don't have any doubts this triggered my interest in drawing. There was some sort of freedom in it, you could create a world of your own and that world wasn't limited by the rules of the "real world" and that is something every child is naturally attracted to.
When I became a little bit older, my uncle, who is very fond of art and culture, started to take me to museums and I do think this played a big part in my will to become an artist. I still remember all the trips we made and the stories he told me. Even the paintings I didn't like became interesting because he could tell so many things about them. He really taught me how to appreciate art, even when something was not really my taste.

Do you have formal training in art?
-I never went to art school, but I have followed many different courses through time . My first drawing lessons I received at the age of 9 and the last course I followed was only three years ago.


What inspires you to create?
-I know it's not very surprising for those who know my work but my main inspiration comes from folklore, myths and legends. Every time I read a book or listen to someone story or even when I hear a song I just want to draw. I can't help it, but every tale I hear and I like MUST get illustrated. It's almost an obsession for me.

You create breathtaking silhouette images. Is there a specific reason behind your choice to work in this style?
-I made my first silhouette drawing 4 years ago when I followed a course in Illustrating. While I was working on this drawing I had so much fun. I literally had sleepless nights because I was so enthusiastic about making the next drawing in this style. I never had that before and it was also the first time I was satisfied about my own work. It is not that I prefer silhouette drawings above other styles, it just suites me.
If I would have had this feeling with other styles such as traditional painting, I would have done that but that never happened.

Can you explain the "Tell me a Story" project? How did this get started?
-It started out of frustration As said before my biggest inspiration is folklore,myths and legends but there never was much reason for me to draw these stories. You must understand that there aren't many publishers of folk tale books or magazines. Though I made illustrations for magazines etc, this was only occasionally. Besides that, at my shop the illustrations I made of folk tales were the ones which sold little, because many people didn't know these stories and thus went for the other drawings they could more relate to. Albeit I didn't made much money with these drawings, but it is my one and true love.
So, to find a solution for this I came with the idea of creating a book myself, filled with folk tales from all over the world accompanied by my illustrations. I was especially interested in oral tradition. Sure I could have filled a book with tales collected from other books myself but I preferred collecting them from the people. Also because I was curious if these tales were still "alive" or if they were nothing more then a vague memory in our minds.
Thus I made a call for stories at several places on the Internet, asking if people wanted to tell me their story. In advance for this they would receive a free print of the illustration I made of their story. I received many wonderful stories, though I can still use some more, the book is already getting shape.


What are your ultimate goals for the "Tell me a Story" project?
-Of course in the first place I just want to make a book which I can be proud of and a book which other people enjoy reading, showing my best work and the best stories people have shared me. It is my goal, as it is with all illustrations I make of folk tales, to contribute in preserving these tales.
I know it is quite a task but I also hope this project will help me spread my name as an illustrator of folklore, myths and legends, as that is what I really am and want to do the rest of my life.
I hope this will be the beginning of many wonderful projects!

Can you explain the importance of story-telling and fairy tales in your artwork?
-They are the center of my work. Every drawing I make is a fairytale in it's own right. Sometimes it's a story I created but most of the time I make drawings of existing tales. Without stories I would not have become an artist, it's because of these stories I draw.

You also create stunning shadow puppets. When did you begin creating shadow puppets and why is this art style interesting to you?
-When I started making silhouette drawings I also became more fascinated in the history of this art form. While I was reading books on the subject and visiting exhibitions I once came a cross a Victorian, paper, shadow-theatre. This really caught my interest and soon afterwards I started experimenting myself.
I find this art style fascinating as it brings life and movement in my work. Normally these figures are just "standing still" on paper but as a puppet they really come alive.


What message do you hope your art will convey?
-I do not really have a message, apart from the message each individual tale I illustrate tells. I know, nowadays every one seems to have a message but I just don't think I can say something that has not already been said. I just try to preserve these wise words, so we won't forget. There are so many voices in the world these days, so many people who want be heard. I do not think the (art)world is in need of another person who speaks but instead of more people who listen. And that is what I try to do. My art is not a way to show what I have to say but a way to show what I have heard.


How does art affect your work life? Your personal life?
-Well, I am very blessed that making art is my work. Art has shaped a big part of my life as I am now running my own business. And I am certain of it that being able to create new art every day made me a much happier person. This however is a big contrast with the other side of my work. It is also hard work and there isn't one day in the week I am not busy with my work in some way. Thus It affects my personal life in many ways. It's hard keeping balance between work and my personal life and I often fail in keeping that balance. It is just a way of living which asks for a lot of sacrifices. I therefore ask myself one question every day: "is it worth making these sacrifices". And as long as the answer is yes I will continue doing what I do.

An Interview with May Ann Licudine

One of my all-time favorite artists... please visit Mall's Blog and portfolio!

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Your full name: May Ann Lumbang Licudine
Your age: 28 years old
Your location: San Fernando City, La Union, Philippines

When did you first become interested in art? Was there anything specific that prompted this interest?
- My interest in art started when I was in my kindergarten school and was prompted by the awards and attention I earned from my works. During those time I was not accepted by my classmates because of my hearing impairment but with my skill, I was recognized. Moreover, my parents told me that they have observed my interest in drawing when I was just 3 years old.

What sort of training did you receive in art?
- In my high school years, I took summer art classes for oil painting, charcoal and pastel. In my art college, I took up in Certificate in Fine Arts-Visual Communications for 3 years. Then I also took up in Fine Arts-Painting for 1 year.


What inspires you to create your art?
-Other artists (Hayao Miyazaki, Winsor McCay, Maurice Sendak, Helen Hyde, Mary Blair, Edward Gorey), nature, music, dreams, nightmares, photography, and God.

Has your hearing deficiency impacted your art in any way? Does it inspire any of your pieces?
- I don't think so. As a matter of fact, It help nurtured my skill because it allowed me to concentrate on my work and made my other senses keener that normal. It also made my ideas and concepts more creative and dreamlike.

Your were interested in realism for a while. What prompted your focus on children's illustration?
Yes. I was initially interested in realism but then I was not contented with my work which were comparable with the work of other artist. It other word, my realism style is common. My friend suggested that I try illustration. I tried it and I was able to express my ideas and style freely. Most of my works are focus on children's illustration because for me..childhood days is the most wonderful time in a parson's life since your mind is very creative and free to dream and imagine.


Can you describe your early jobs in the art field?
- After I graduated in college, I worked as a freelance face painter, henna tattoo artist, mural painter, caricature artist, prop artist and art teacher for homeschooling kids. After some times I was hired as a textile designer for 6 months. My worked as a designer honed my skill in color mixing, details and the ability to work under pressure.

You have worked on a huge range of projects, such as children's book illustration, advertisements, gallery shows, and even a commercial. Is there any type of work that you prefer to do? What do you like about it?
- I prefer art commissions and gallery shows. I must admit that I like more art commissions more than gallery shows because I enjoy doing every new challenge what clients request about theme, medium and concept, it is also less stressful because of few revisions. For the gallery shows, I love to exhibit my art in gallery shows since it allows me to show my work with other known international artist.

What was it like winning an award for your children's book? Do you hope to illustrate more in the future?
- It feels great! I like to do more children's book illustration if my schedule permit it. I also dream making an animation movie.


What message do you hope your art will convey?
- I wish to convey Hope, Love and the pursue of one's dream. We must keep on dreaming in a child-like manner coz it will help us cope with our chaotic and constantly changing life. We need to escape once in a while.

How does art affect your work life? Your personal life?
- Art is actually my work life at the moment. It is my main source of income. However it has a bigger impact on my personal life since I relate to other people via the internet..and my work limit my interaction with other people not in the art world.

Swan Sketch

I had a bit of free time in illustration class today while waiting for some tech help. Instead of doing nothing, I threw this together. About five minutes in photoshop.

An Introduction

It has just occurred to me that I have never formally introduced myself on this blog.













Well, here I am, showing off my house colors, waiting for the last Harry Potter book to arrive! Clearly, this picture is a few years old, but I still look essentially the same, only sometimes I wear my hair down, and sometimes my eyes are open.

Girl Sketch

Sketch I may someday finish.

Sketch Dump

Cozy...

This is how I feel today. The heat came on in my house for the first time this season, and I felt so cozy and snuggly. I woke up, put on fuzzy socks, and made myself a nice cup of tea for breakfast.
One of my older wood block prints.

I had also completely forgotten that I had made this little stamp. I think I dismissed it because the line underneath them is so choppy. Maybe when I get the chance, I will find this little eraser stamp and cut the whole thing out.

I have some sketches to scan, but my scanner isn't hooked up properly right now, so they will have to wait until I have enough time to fix it. I'm hoping to finish my school work soon enough so I can 1.) Hook up the scanner and 2.) Play with photoshop.

Busy!

Life has been hectic lately! School and work have been keeping me busy, and also I got engaged last week!

Well, I hope you will forgive that all I have to show right now is a doodle. Hopefully there will be more to come soon...