All Creativelike: An Interview with Artist William Schaff

I've said this before, but my creative life is an embarrassment of riches, full of truly dazzling artists who inspire me, challenge me, and cause me to think and feel on a deeper level. Will Schaff is one of those artists. He is dedicated, generous, and always thought-provoking.

Will's home/studio is a place of constant creative motion. Unfortunately, it's in peril. Will and friends are in the middle of an active fundraising campaign to keep this treasure intact, and there are LOTS of beautiful perks for artists and art-lovers who give to the cause. Be sure to check it out HERE.

Will, how do you define creativity? Creativity to me has always just seemed like a way of looking at things. Anything, really. It is certainly not limited to the traditional arts. In fact, I guess a truly creative person wouldn’t let a word like “tradition” confine their actions. So, be it a computer programmer, a visual artist, or a bagger at the grocery shop, creativity is how you look at your task ahead of you.

You work in lots of mediums from drawing and embroidery, to stencil and paper cut. Do you let the subject matter define the medium, or vice versa? Both, really. It can change from piece to piece.

Your work often deals with suffering, whether it be suffering from illness or at the hands of authority figures. Do you look at artmaking as a cathartic practice? Does it help you process and somehow transform the suffering you see and/or experience? It has been a cathartic experience for me, and I feel it certainly can be for others as well. It is cathartic in the way asking questions is a cathartic experience. Being brought to a new level of understanding, or to a better question, can be difficult, but also there is a relief in getting to move on to the next point.

I've noticed dogs and birds show up a lot in your imagery. Can you talk about the connection you have to animals? For years my work only dealt with weighty topics. Folks would often ask, “Why don’t you draw something nice?” I felt there were enough folks doing that, and not enough asking important questions. And, with all my other jobs then, I had limited time to create art, so I focused on what I felt was important. As I have made art a full-time practice I now have the time to comment on that which I find beautiful as well. Animals are what I wish humans could seem to me, a true and high example of the beauty that is God’s creation.

You've collaborated with some awesome musicians (Okkervil River, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Goodspeed You! Black Emperor, etc.) on album covers. How does that process work, do you listen to the music first and then come up with imagery, or something else? I do it simultaneously. A lot of the imagery I provide is as much a look into where my head is on those days, as well as my response to the music. Listening to the music while I work, over and over again, is a big and useful part of the process. And again, none of the imagery I have made for musicians has been devoid of where my mind is at while making it. Hopefully that shows in the work, and helps to make a stronger connection for folks.

You're in the middle of a big fundraising campaign to raise money for your amazing, welcoming, art-filled home studio. Tell me about the campaign and some of the perks folks can get when they donate. The campaign is intended to help get me out of the repetitive cycle of having utilities shut off, and falling into foreclosure. (This is my third time.) I try to keep my art as affordable as possible, while still providing myself with a living. Combine that with the fact that art is not a steady paycheck, and it makes for a tenuous business plan. I have tried to offer perks that allow folks, no matter what their own situation is, to be able to participate. I am offering original work, prints, playing cards I have designed, and an artist residency here at the Fort. The best way to find out all the wonderful options is to go to the campaign webpage.

Everyone's had moments on their creative journey where they really doubt their path. Can you recall a time when you wanted to give it up, and the thing (or person) that kept you going?  Most days I shake my head at what it is I am trying to do. What keeps me going is many things. Mostly, though, people like you, and all those who continue to encourage me.

Favorite artists or influences? Too many to mention.

How about one artist you admire, and what it is you like about their work? Hard working ones. I don't mean to be cagey with my answer, but there are so many I admire. And yet, I have met so many artists who pick and pluck at it like they should be exempt from hard work because they are an "artist." One example of an artist I admire is David Lamb of Brown Bird. He's my house mate and inspiration. Both he and his wife don't take for granted the blessing they have to be working artists. When he is not on the road, I will hear him practicing for hours throughout the day, and then, every night, he and his wife and fellow bandmate, MorganEve, practice together for hours. I really respect that, and it is a reminder to me to never stop honing your craft for the people who are, ultimately, helping you to be able to do that craft for a living. There are others, but I chose him because I literally see him right around me most days.

Daily habits or practices? Probably not many that should be followed by others. Don’t ever be “bored.” If you find yourself bored, scold yourself for not figuring out some way to make use of your time towards a goal you want.

Advice for aspiring artists? I always find this to be one of the toughest questions to answer. Between my cynical side, and the side of me that does really believe in the wonders of this world, I try to refrain from giving any advice. It would depend too much on what mood you catch me in. I wouldn’t claim how I have done things is the best way, or the most successful. Instead, I just try to remind the new, nervous artist that if it is meant to be, you will find a way to make it happen. Might not be the most comfortable way, and you might not have a very long run, but like breathing, you find a way to do it. So just keep at it. Keep your loved ones and friends close, because you will need them, and they you as they struggle with their own efforts.

William Schaff has been known for a lot of things. Some of them admirable, some not so much so. In all things, he gives glory to God. You can track Will down on Flickr, Facebook and Twitter. (Photo of Will and his dog Dinner above by Michael Cevoli.)

All Creativelike: An Interview with Fiber Artist Lynn Krawczyk

I've never had the pleasure of meeting Lynn Krawczyk in person, but I follow her on Facebook where she delights me to no end. She's not only a talented artist who freely shares her process and art making experiences, she's also a witty wordsmith. Since I know very little about fiber arts, I'm thrilled I got to interview Lynn about what it's like to stamp, stitch, dye and create art with fabric.

How do you define creativity? Great question! It’s such a personal thing, that definition. For me, creativity is about the willingness to constantly question what I do and be willing to reinvent when needed. Living a creative life takes a lot of guts because we constantly expose our inner thoughts on fabric, canvas, photos – whatever your chosen medium is. It’s the ultimate connection of spirit and mind so sharing it with others is a brave thing to do. To me, that’s at the crux of being creative.

You got interested in working with fibers and fabrics after a back injury. Can you tell us about that moment, and how it lead to finding your passion? It was one of those, “Wow, how did I not know about this??” moments. I’m the kind of person that has trouble sitting still, I’m always doing something. So when I had back surgery and was forced to really slow down, I was constantly searching for ways to fill my time and TV turned out to be one of them. One afternoon “Simply Quilts” with Alex Anderson was on.

It was the first time I’d really taken a moment to listen to anyone discussing quilt making. It was a thunderbolt moment, instant connection, instant love. I did a lot of reading about quilts, because I was still recovering from surgery, and became hooked on crazy quilts. I liked all the options it offered for creativity – embroidery, silk ribbon embroidery, beading, lace making, etc.

I moved on after a couple of years to art quilts and then to surface design, but there is still a strong influence of crazy quilts in my work. My collages are a celebration of pattern and print, and I can’t tear myself away from wanting to hand stitch everything. I'm fascinated by the layering and mixed media processes you employ in making your work. Can you describe your various art making processes for those who may not know about fiber art? Absolutely! As a surface design artist I draw a lot of inspiration from traditional printmaking techniques – for example screen printing and monoprinting. My work always starts with fabric I’ve printed with these techniques. I use these fabrics to create a collage, cutting pieces and fitting them together. It’s a work-as-you-go process. I don’t work to patterns. The last thing is to add stitching and additional printing over the top. I love artwork that you can just sit and study and always find teeny details. That’s what I work to create in my pieces.

Color and pattern play a big part of your work. Where do you find the inspiration? Absolutely everywhere! Since I’m an abstract artist, it’s so easy to find inspiration in the close up details of little things around me. But, I have to be honest, I get most of my ideas for work or projects when I just daydream. I know it sounds sort of cheesy, but I’ll put my headphones on and just zone out.

I think our day-to-day lives just cause too much static in our heads. Sitting still – which isn’t always easy to find time to do during the day, and which explains why my art brain goes into high gear right when I want to fall asleep! – just lets all that nonsense fall away. I’m not talking about any kind of formal meditation. Just put on your favorite music and close your eyes. It’s amazing what will shake loose when you just chill!

You have a new book coming out. Congrats! Please tell us more. Thanks! It’s my first book and I’m so excited about it! It’s called Intentional Printing and its focus is on learning to print fabric tailored to the project you are working on. That way you are sure to be satisfied with your surface design efforts. There are several surface design techniques and projects to get you started on your printing journey. It’s a really accessible book for anyone looking to start working with paint and fabric.

It’s also about having the confidence to use your artistic voice and trust yourself. I think that’s the first step – letting go of the idea that we have to be perfect. Instead just make stuff. Some will be good, some will be bad and each one will be worthwhile.

On your website you say that when you print fabric it's "the most honest part of your day." Tell us about that. What's honest about it? I guess I call it honest because there is never any other agenda when I’m printing fabric. There’s no goal to impress, no pressure to perform. Even when I’m working on a project that has a deadline and I really, really want it to come out well, the fabric printing is always stress free.

That’s because when I really embraced surface design, I promised myself that I would not assign the need for perfection to it. Because that whole business just strangles the joy of it. So when I put paint to fabric, I completely enjoy every part of it and it’s so great! Favorite artists? I honestly can’t say that I have favorites because there’s so much art to enjoy out there, I seem to bounce around with what is new and exciting to me. Of course, there’s Frida Kahlo, Lee Krasner, many of the Abstract Expressionists.

Daily habits? I have a full-time, non-art day job so I’m not able to say that I spend all day in the studio. But, I do make sure that I incorporate art into every day. Whether it’s working through the details of an idea in the notebook I keep with me, reading the blogs of artists I admire, writing a little bit, or stitching in the evenings, there is always something. One of the habits I have is to do prep work for projects on the weekends when I work in my studio. I split up the elements of a project into what needs to be done in my studio and what I can work on when I’m hanging out on the sofa in the evenings with Carter (my doggie) unwinding with a TV show. There are so many elements to the art we make, managing them so that they fit into our schedules is a great habit to develop.

Any advice for aspiring fiber artists? Don’t be afraid of making bad art. I’ve learned just as much from the stuff that doesn’t work as I have from the stuff that did.

You give failure too much power if you become afraid of it. It just means you try again.

And, be persistent. Everything takes time. I’m not so good at being patient when it’s something I really want, so I understand the desire to go quick and be successful immediately. But it rarely works that way. Instead just be yourself, do the work, and over time, things will fall into place.

Lastly, I couldn't let an opportunity pass for you to talk about your second passion - coffee! What makes the perfect cup? Oh yes! Love my coffee! I bet you could ask a hundred different people and get a hundred different answers. But, I will tell you how I like to make my favorite cup. I use an electric percolator. I have this weird belief that non-plastic coffee makers make the best tasting coffee. I like to mix unflavored coffee and flavored ones. My absolute favorite flavored is Northern Michigan Cherry from Paramount Coffee here in Michigan. I like sugar and sometimes creamer. But more often than not I drink it black. There’s just nothing better than a good cup of coffee!

Lynn Krawczyk is a surface design artist and writer living in Southeast Michigan. Her textile work consists of collage, hand stitching, and multiple paint printing methods. She believes art will heal the world. You can contact Lynn, see more of her work, or read her insightful blog at her website, Smudged Textiles Studio.

All Creativelike: An Interview with Painter Whitney Knapp

It's an amazing thing to watch someone blossom as an artist. Many, many moons ago I worked in a gallery with Whitney Knapp. She was just starting out as a painter then, and over the years I've watched her go through years of art schooling to hone her craft and become an art educator herself. Her work continues to astound me, and I find her deep dedication to it hugely inspiring. Read on for her wise, insightful words about artmaking, education and creativity.

How do you define creativity? Creativity, to me, is using the imagination to generate unique, fresh, and inventive ideas.Within a visual language, I think this translates to innovation in approach and technique.

There’s an important distinction for me between creating versus making. I consider making to be the production of something from something, whereas I define creating as the construction of something from nothing. This difference places me in the position of a maker, an idea that is really at the heart of my own artmaking.

What is it you love about the medium of paint? Color is what I most love about paint. I have a greater affinity for oils than for other materials and for more specific reasons. I’m interested in the physicality of oil paint… the way it can be layered, mixed, diluted, blended; and the flexibility that this ultimately provides.

When I was in art school I was challenged to consider why I was using oils, and how they could be best employed to convey my subject.  I began thinking about building up the texture to suggest grass, allowing my paint to run when describing water, scraping, dragging, pushing, pulling, etc. I find the infinite possibilities of approach so appealing.

A lot of your canvases are significant in size. What is it about a larger canvas that draws you to it? My larger work requires significant time to complete and I am attached to the ambition of these paintings. There is a power generated in bigger pieces that is absent in my smaller paintings. I enjoy the sense of being in my work during its construction, and recognize that the energy in my large pieces reflect this immersion. My larger work allows me to inhabit the paintings and I feel more invested in them.

This is due in part to of the amount of time spent painting, but also to my involvement in their entire execution. For these pieces, I cut and tack raw canvas to my studio wall, gesso the canvas, and later stretch the final piece. This hands-on approach continues to be a more intimate experience than working on pre-prepared small canvases.

How does nature play a role in your work? Nature plays a tremendous role in my painting because my work is really about my own faith, as reflected through the natural world. I consider the emulation of our natural world to be an act of reverence to the Creator. This undertaking reminds me of my subordinate position of maker. My work is also about place, and I paint in order to acknowledge places that have been significant in my life.

Finally, through painting I am able to encounter a heightened understanding of my own environment. This might be one of the most exciting things about making art.

You have an MFA and also teach art. In what ways has education (and being an educator) informed your work? Working toward my MFA was instrumental in shaping me into the artist I am today. Art school challenged my aesthetic and forced me to address difficult questions about my own work. It also provided me with the opportunity to discuss my convictions and explore new ideas. The critiques were often painfully honest, but provided valuable feedback.

Perhaps most importantly, I was exposed to a community of artists I deeply admire.

Being an educator has impacted my work equally. By providing students with an introduction to various techniques and media, I am inevitably inspired to employ them myself. Also, I learn by observing my students. Oftentimes their approach varies significantly from my own in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Teaching also provides my schedule with a sense of structure that can often be missing for self-employed artists. Finally, I’ve found that facilitating critiques and providing feedback has fine-tuned my ability to problem solve in my own studio.

Recently your work had a shift to a more impressionistic style. What accounts for that shift? I believe that artists should never become too complacent with their own work, because this will ultimately lead to the production of stagnant and stale paintings. If one’s process has become too easy or too mechanical, then I think it means one has been in the same place for too long.

I recently began painting with a knife in order to experiment. Working with a knife has contributed to the thick paint application and more vivid color relationships that make my new work feel more impressionistic in style. I find that my colors don’t become muddied working in this capacity, and I like the thicker, layered textures that a knife can generate.

I’m also interested in edges developed with a knife, and enjoy negotiating transitions in this sense. I’ve had to surrender a sense of control working without my brushes, but find it to be liberating. I feel as though I’ve just begun to scratch the surface with this approach, and have a lot more territory to explore.

Any daily habits or rituals? Unfortunately, I’m much too disorganized to have any daily habits, but there are things I’ve found to be helpful in the production of my work. I make a point of looking at other artists’ work: in books, galleries, museums, and online. This serves both to inform my work, and to provide me with inspiration.

I also take photos constantly. I’m primarily a studio painter so I find images to be helpful as reference. Life is busy and oftentimes I can’t begin painting the moment I feel inspired. I take photos to document my inspiration, which enables me to revisit it later.

Favorite artists or influences? I’m influenced by a stylistically varied group of both historical and contemporary artists. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but the following are some of my favorite painters: Alex Kanevsky, Gerhard Richter, Zaria Forman, Bo Bartlett, Ran Ortner, Richard Diebenkorn, Stuart Shils, Antonio Lopez Garcia, Rackstraw Downes, Frederick Edwin Church, J. M. W. Turner, John Constable, Jacob Van Ruisdael, and George Inness.

Advice to young painters? It’s crucial that painters of all ages take their work seriously and make it a priority. A staggering percentage of art students abandon their direction after graduation. I vividly remember making a commitment to myself while I was in graduate school that I would never step away from my work. It’s imperative that you believe you can accomplish the goals you’ve laid out for yourself. It’s important to cling to your convictions.

Artists must build time into their schedule for artmaking, as painting is a craft improved only by doing. Be willing to experiment, to try different techniques, and be open to failure. I’ve learned just as much from what doesn’t work, as I have from my successes. Place yourself in a community of artists, look at as much art as you possibly can, apply to shows and subscribe to mailings.

Finally, know that vulnerability is necessary in order to achieve growth.

Whitney Knapp was born in Connecticut, lived in Surrey, England for nearly a decade, and currently resides in Virginia. She earned her BFA from Denison University, and her Post Baccalaureate Certificate and her Master of Fine Arts Degree from Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. She is represented by galleries in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, and she teaches drawing and painting courses at several community colleges in Maryland and Virginia. You can see more of her work on her website here. 

All Creativelike: An Interview with Printmaker Jenni Freidman

Jenni Freidman is one of those artists I've always admired for her consistent dedication. I was super fortunate to be able to attend art school with Jenni in the - cough - 1990's at Hartford Art School in Connecticut, where she now teaches. (Lucky kids!) And, she was as steadfast and committed then as she is now. While her work has changed over the years, she never fails to bring poetry to the process. And, damn, if this gal doesn't know how to rock a party dress. (See Exhibit A above.)

Jenni, how would you define creativity? Wow! Isn’t that the question! Right now I would say being able to solve problems of all kinds in non-traditional ways. Thinking in an abstract way, finding your voice and having the courage to stand by it. I am sure I would have answered differently 10 years ago, and if you ask me in 10 years I will have another answer.

Tell me about your journey to becoming a printmaker. What is it about printmaking that called you to it? I had no idea what printmaking really was when I went to school. I took a class with Jim Lee as a freshman and just decided that what ever he was teaching the next year, that’s what I would take! It turned out to be an introduction to etching course and I fell instantly in love. There is something really wonderful about taking particular steps to reach a goal that is very satisfying to me. It sounds so cliché, but the process was really exciting! There is a magic in the making that I don’t find with anything else. There is part that you can control and part where you have to let go. That balance is really good for me in making my work, and in my life.

When do you feel at your creative peak, or most inspired? Inspiration comes in lots of different ways and in different sizes. My daughter Nona is a huge inspiration, she acts with CRAZY confidence in almost everything she does and it has given me more courage to take risks in my work. Also, I work best always with LONG stretches of time, where I can really immerse myself in what I am doing. Those times are sacred and special, I don’t find them very often. My creative juices flow more like fits and spurts now.

I find, however, that work creates work, so the more time I can spend making, the more time seems to open up, and more ideas start coming.

I am at a really exciting point in my work now. I am just at the beginning of something new. I feel tentative a bit, but mostly excited to see what happens.

For a long time nature played a big role in your work. Can you talk about that? I love natural forms and phenomena. I feel guilty a lot, because I act more as an observer than an active participant. I am not a camping girl, and I am terrified of bugs. But I love to look and to learn. I have always been able to find a metaphor or a kind of explanation for what I am feeling in my life in the forms of the natural world. It has helped me make sense of things both in times of darkness and in light.

Your recent has been more colorful and, perhaps, more about pattern. You've also started integrating other materials into your prints. Can you tell me about that shift, and what you're uncovering with the mixed media process? Yes! I mentioned before what an inspiration my daughter is for me, and in lots of ways. I would have NEVER described myself as girly before she was born. It seems though, that she changed me. Maybe it was all the adorable clothes and toys, maybe it is that she was ALL princess when she was very young, but it could be just becoming a mother, but I am all pink and sparkle now.

I took up baking, scoured stores for adorable aprons and started looking at things I would have never thought to look at, much less be inspired by before. I would go into candy stores, just to look. I started obsessing over fabric designers, color, texture and pattern. It got to the point where I found that what I was inspired by had nothing to do with the work I was making. I decided I had to make a radical shift and teach myself how to find PLAY and JOY in the work and in my life.

It is the first time in my life I went after something like that. The melancholy in the work was inherent in me, it was easy after a while, which is part of the reason I needed to stop. It wasn’t where I wanted to be anymore.

The manipulating of the prints really came from spending time with you in Rhode Island. I had been fascinated with cut paper and embroidery for a while, but felt like I wouldn’t let myself do it. You gave me permission, and the rest is history! THANK YOU!!!* It is just starting and I have a long way to go, but I love the object”ness” that the sewing and cutting create. It allows me to layer in a very physical way. (*Interviewers Note: She's giving me WAY too much credit here. She's nice like that.)

You are also a professor at University of Hartford's Hartford Art School. How does teaching inform your art making, and vice versa? I love my job, and it’s like a dream come true to be able to teach at the Hartford Art School. The students challenge me all the time to learn new things, both technically and conceptually so I can be a good resource for them. They open my mind and help me to examine and re-examine what art is all about. I don’t think I would ask those questions on my own and I LOVE being part of the community. It’s like a second family.

I mostly try to keep my art making separate from my teaching. I want students to find their own way. I, of course, have my biases, as we all do, but I try to keep them in check so I can help them explore their own subject matter.

You recently had a solo show in NYC - Congrats! What was the like for you? So many artists hold that experience as a pinnacle of career. Was it everything it's cracked up to be? It was and wasn’t. The best metaphor I can make is to my wedding. We planned for a year, had all the details attended to, and made sure everything would go off without a hitch. It was expensive and over in an instant. What I learned about the wedding was that it was a blip in the span of our relationship. That what happens before and after that one day is far more important. It is important to do it, because it’s a marker, but it is only a moment in a big line of moments.

If you are worth your salt, you make love and art last for more than just a moment.

What are your influences or favorite artists? My favorite artists change all the time, depending on what I am trying to deal with in my work. Right now I am hugely inspired and humbled byLeslie Dill. She speaks in poetry and her work is weightless and heavy all at once. I cry every time I hear her speak, it goes straight to my bones. I love Agnes Martin and Vija Celmins. There are countless friends whose work I have in my home that light me up on a daily basis. I drink and eat from pieces made from artists' hands and sit now typing surrounded by work of my students and friends. Feeling pretty blessed, actually.

Any advice to aspiring printmakers? Do it because you love it. Make the best most honest work you can. Don't be too hard on yourself. Take lots of risks. Share your work with others.

Jenni Freidman makes prints and drawings, as well as limited edition books. Her work has been shown in exhibitions across the United States and abroad. She teaches at the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford, and lives in West Hartford with her husband Brian, daughter Nona, and their dog Vinnie. More info about her and her work can be found on her website HERE.

All Creativelike: An Interview with Artist Sara E. Lynch

Sara E. Lynch cracks me up. She makes animal mugs with little feet on the underside, and turns a head of cauliflower into a mortuary urn for a beloved cat. It's hard not to be drawn in by her attention to detail, technical mastery, and whimsy. Though I know Sara mainly as a ceramic artist, she's adept in multiple mediums (Lucky dog!), and a pretty smart businessperson to boot.

Sara, how would you define creativity? I would say creativity is the skill of finding a new and different solution to a problem. My daily problem is: I have this damp, mushy material called clay, what can I do with it? This needs to be looked at without preconceived notions or limitations so you can explore all possible solutions then decide what is best. The process of creativity involves being open-minded, pondering as many options as possible, and then eliminating them one by one until you have a solution you think is worth trying. Then, you need to focus and test your solution to see if it's any good. If not, go back to the beginning again, or order a pizza.

What started you on the path to becoming a ceramic artist? This is a rather funny answer. I did one clay project in high school and HATED it. I felt it was unpredictable and way too technical, so I stuck with painting, drawing, and photography. Then I got a full scholarship to Alfred University, which is a great art school, but also a world-renowned ceramics school. Although I was set on being a painter, I couldn't turn down free tuition. When it came time to choose sophomore classes I figured I might as well try a wheel class since it was such a good place for clay. I had zero ideas about how pottery should be, and my teacher was much more into using the wheel as a tool rather than making finished products. Many of the students with prior pottery experience struggled, while I just explored whatever idea struck me. It was the only class I got an A in, so I signed up for it again, and again, and again.

What is it about clay that draws you to it more than other art mediums? I actually wouldn't say I am drawn to it more them other mediums. I do a lot of photography, jewelry, and weird mixed media paintings as well. I am a lucky recipient of a grant to expand my ceramics studio, so it's been taking up more of my time, but I still love all of the other things I do. I love clay because I can create a useful object that is also art. This contrast creates a really compelling tension. My painting, jewelry, and photography work also focuses around a combination of art and craft. I obsessively sew stuff on my paintings, machine stitch my photographs, and my jewelry is usually classified as art jewelry because it is so unusual. This probably comes from going to an art school with a strong connection to crafts, as well as me being a bit of a rebel.

When do you feel most open to your creativity or at your creative peak? It's weird, but I often settle down to do my best work at midnight or later. This can make normal activities, like going to the bank and mailing stuff, difficult, but I love it. When I finally quit my day job last September it was such a relief to finally be able to get work done and sleep more than four hours a night. I also do various physical activities such as swimming, biking, yoga, and distance running. I love getting to work after a really great yoga class or other activity. It's like all my ideas and creative energy had time to percolate and now they can all come out.

One of the things I love about your work is the humor you bring to it. Where does that come from, and is it a conscious decision you've made or a happy accident, so to speak? The first artist talk I ever gave was to a group of mostly older ceramic artists that I really respected. I put my first slide up and everyone started laughing. Not in a mean way, but in a "this-stuff-is-really-funny" way. I decided to go with it, and I now give an absolutely hysterical artist talk that people love. It's really great, because you can't be stressed when you're laughing, so I actually enjoy giving talks. With my work, I am interested in the push and pull between the humorous and darker aspects. I try to keep my work in the middle of these two qualities, but sometimes it veers a bit more towards one or the other.

How do you get your art out into the world? I sell most of my work online to people in California, Western Canada, the UK, and Australia via Etsy.com and my website. I'm not really sure why this is. I also use the site CustomMade.com to get many of my commissions. I do about 2 to 4 gallery shows around the continental US per year, and a few craft fairs to mingle with the locals. When I first quit my day job many people were worried I wouldn't make it because they knew someone else who tried to make a go of it as an artist 30 or so years ago and it didn't work out. I appreciated their concern, but I wasn't really sure how to explain that with the internet it is very easy to find your audience and get your work to them.

You seem to have found a balance between being an artist and being a businessperson. Can you tell me about finding that balance? Well, that's a work in progress, but I'm getting there. To pay the bills I do a lot of custom work. Basically, I'm creating other people's ideas. I make a point though, of only saying yes to things that I find interesting and think I will enjoy. Also, when I feel compelled to sew sparkly fabric on an old badminton racket or explore an abandoned building I do it. I can't make decent work for my clients if I'm not feeling happy and engaged, and I know what things I need to do in order to feel this way.

Who are your favorite artists? I'm pretty much a visual omnivore. I love the work that Freight and Volume shows. They do a really great job of showcasing interesting and clever work by today's artists. I love Judith Brown's jewelry. I just recently rediscovered that I love Fred Tomaselli's paintings. I look at a lot of old fussy English ceramics for inspiration, as well and cheap thrift store mugs. For favorite ceramic artists though, I will always be blown away by Beth Cavener Stichter's animal sculptures, as well as how my former teacher Susan Halls handles clay. And actually, I recently started a Pinterest board called "painting envy." Since it's fairly new there isn't a ton on there, but here it is.

What are your daily or weekly habits and practices? It depends on what's going on. In general, I like to swim, run, do yoga, visit with friends, and volunteer at the animal shelter once a week. I don't always get to all of these. Daily, I like to meditate, sleep, cook, mess around in my garden, and pet my rabbit. The work I do dictates its own schedule depending on size, drying time, firing, cleaning up, photographing, and shipping. It's so random that I can't let that dictate my life, so I work to fit it around the other things that I like to do. I also like to take classes, go to residencies, and apply to shows, so sometimes applications take over my life. This is not fun, but I love to travel and do work in other places, so it's worth it.

Any advice to aspiring artists? I would say if there's a skill you are interested in, take a class about it. This may require you to travel to a craft school such as Penland or Haystack. It may stretch your budget, but it is the absolute best way to learn. The more teachers you have and people you work alongside the better. If you think you know everything you need to know, go to a residency. Don't go with a project to create, go with an open mind, no plans, and have fun learning.

Sara Lynch is a multimedia artist living and working on the northern edge of New York State. She loves spending time with animals, and attempting to grow things in unusual containers. Visit her website for more information.(It's currently under construction, but still looks pretty lovely!)