Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween From The Cre8ive Klatch

From all of us to all of you...

have the spookiest Halloween ever!!

Happy Halloween

Come join the spooktacular conversation in our Facebook group:



Thanks to Itkupilli for the clip art graphics that I used to put this together.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Ideas For Bringing Back Your Muse

Do you ever find yourself in a creative slump? A day or more of fleeting ideas and a lack of creativity? It feels like you just can’t come up with an idea or figure out what or how to tackle your creative tasks?

What do you do? How do you bring back your muse? What ideas do you use to coax your art back?

I took a poll from our fantastically artistic group..who just like you…has those same moments and this is what they said...

I have a great network of creatives from a variety of backgrounds that I lean on. Artists, musicians, dancers, writers....I could go on.... I brainstorm with them, swap ideas, explore my project, and before I know it, the creative juices start to flow. I truly believe that we create more than we could alone when we allow another into our play world!

Scribble Swarm


Also the Scribble Swarm.  Another thing I do is just start scribbling. Doodling has become an art form, so if I think of it that way, it is about being creative. But scribbling can be messy and energetic. 
Rachél Payne of Creativity Tribe

Do something non-art related
Like dishes, laundry, purge a closet. Also just painting super freely/abstractly in my art journal that no one has to see. That gets me in the mood!
Jill Lambert of Jill’s Dream

Get up and dance to a great song. Pull out some great books and/or magazines and look for color, texture & shapes. Go for a walk. Do something boring.        Linda Kinnaman of Linda Kay’s Art

I go for a walk in nature … Or my favourite way is to visit a store in town that I find inspiring and makes me feel like I am "Refilling the Well" {a little artist's date a'la Julia Cameron} then I go home, put some music on, get my art supplies out and get onto it.          
Cat Athena Louise of Bohemian Dream

I go for a drive or read.     
Ursula Smith of Ursula-Smith.com

Drag out some of my 843678986 Stampington magazines.
Lori Leissner of LeissnerArt

Start a non-creative project that I don't want to do! That almost always works!
Janet Forrest of Tattered N' Worn

I go to nature or meditate... Clear my mind of the local traffic.... Daily crainess...
Kim Hyer of A Paper Addict

I do something unrelated to art. Dishes, start something in the crockpot, chop firewood or something else physical. Works everytime.
Sally Rose of Hidden Talents


Pinterest, I just get on and do something creative - I usually start by finding something I like on Pinterest and copying it then I make another one and modify it and another making it more my own.
Michelle Reynolds of Shells in the Bush

As for me…well...my first inclination is to clean the studio. But you can read my top 6 fixes for my creative slump over at my blog...Susan’s Art Circus


In between posts you can always join the conversation on our FaceBook page: 



C’mon over and tell us what you do when your muse leaves you!

Until next time,
Susan

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Gr8full For All Of You...and Moving Forward.

Well...we have been here for almost two months. All our bio posts have run and you, our reader, have stuck with us through our experimental soft launch. I truly want to tell you how gr8full I am that you've shared your precious time here. 

This has been an idea on the back burner for quite some time and its a thrill to have it come to life.

Gr8full For The Cre8ive Klatch

If you missed any of our fabulous artists you can look them up on our biography page.

Moving forward we are going to start with some fabulous ways to make gifts for Christmas...which if you've looked at a calendar is coming up fast! Too fast...

The girls also have some tips for your studio. Moving it from your home to an outside space, how to fit one into your house, and if you have a studio why its okay that its never tidy.

Business tips, show season foibles, quick cre8ive things for the holidays, and lots, lots more.

Our hope is you will continue to come back for more...continue to find something here to connect with...discover cre8ive ways that resonate with you.

In the meantime come join the conversation on our Facebook page: Cre8ive Klatch 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Gr8Full Cre8ives Project: Signs of Gratitude


Signs of Gratitude

Gratitude helps lift the Cre8ive Spirit, so the crew here at Cre8ive Klatch is sharing what brings us joy and peace through the Gr8Full Cre8ives Project.  Here are our Signs of Gratitude!

We would love to know what you are gr8full for.  Let us know in the comments or join the conversation in the Cre8ive Klatch Facebook Group!





Monday, October 20, 2014

Getting To Know The Cre8ive Crew: Joana Carvalho

Our next artist is a unique gal and her name is Joana Carvalho.

 She is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but has been living in Southern California with her husband and 2 children for 9 years.




What kind of art is your passion?

The colorful kind. Mixed media, but mainly acrylic paint.


How often do you create? 

Not enough! It's hard to make time to paint, especially with 2 small kids at home! I try to go in my studio daily, but it doesn't happen all the time.

How does it make you feel when you're creating something? 

Depends on the stage of the painting! When I like where it's going I feel great, but during the 'ugly' stage it's just frustrating!


How do you know when a piece is finished? 

I used to think about that a lot when I started painting, and always thought it would be a big problem for me. But it isn't. I just let the painting sit overnight and when I look at it the next day, I just know.

When/how did you realize your life had to have art in it?

Not early enough! I've always been creative and liked arts in general, but had a preconceived notion of what it meant to be an 'artist'. And I didn't think I had it in me. So I stuck with graphic Design for a few years before taking the leap.

Joana's Abstract


How has your view of life (art) changed over the last 5, 10 years? 20 Years? 

Well, today I no longer think that just a lucky few are 'special' and talented enough to be called 'artists'. I think anybody can paint or do something creative. They just have to let go of the fear.

Tell us how your creativity blends over into the rest of your life? 

Hmmm, let's see...I make cute tags for my kids' toy bins, I make labels out of washi tape for EVERYTHING in my home...that kind of thing.

Whats your superpower? 

I used to think it was speed - because I do work fast. But lately I've come to realize that speed might actually be my 'kryptonite', and it's just a symptom of my anxiety to get things done!

Which side of the bed do you sleep on? Can you sleep if forced to change sides? 

Currently on the right side, but we switch every once in awhile.

Joana's Abstract #2


If money were no object in what country, place, or on what planet would you live? ...and why? 

If money were no object I think I would be traveling all over! And then I would decide where to live!

Are you an introvert or extrovert? 

How do you feel about that? Introvert. Wish I wasn't though.

Whats your most embarrassing moment? 

Walking into a glass door, face first! Ouch!

If we all came to your house for dinner what would you make for us?

Something with tomato sauce, which is pretty much the only thing I know how to make. ;-)

Joana's Abstract #3


For more about Joana and her artwork click on the links below:


Thursday, October 16, 2014

Getting To Know The Cre8ive Crew: Rachél Payne

 Meet the wonderful Rachél Payne (sounds like Rah-shel) from just off the coast in South Texas.



When asked, “What kind of art is your passion?” She said, “ That is a big question for me.  I do lots of different kinds of art, including mixed media, assemblage and wire work, but my passion is for art that is about healing or exploring something of the self and of life.”

Describe your personality in three words.  

Quirky, Spiritual, Nurturing

When/how did you realize your life had to have art in it?  

In college, I started journaling with pictures, not just words.  Somehow what I was drawing was helping me heal my heart, but so was the permission I was giving myself to create in this new medium.  For some people art is risky at first. It was for me, until I decided life was better with it than without!

Would you say your entire way of life is creative?  

Yes, I even married an artist! We live in a little cottage with another artist, have art parties, and look at our desires in life as opportunities to craft the way we wish to live.

Whats your superpower?  

I am a great space holder.  When another person needs to explore some aspect of their own life, to grow, to stretch, to dive deep, or spread their wings and fly, I love to have their back and stand in support of them.


Rachél's Angel


How did you get started...who inspired you?  

My journey as a creativity enthusiast started with my mom.  She was an artist and approached life with a spirit to always make something beautiful out of what she touched. She passed away just as I was becoming a young woman, and I inherited her art supplies.  I used them to get to know her better and in the process discovered something beautiful about myself….. my own creative spirit.

If you could hang out with any artist dead or alive who would it be and why?

My mom!  Just before she passed, we sat on the couch I was about to buy and talked about spending afternoons drinking tea and visiting.  I would love to show her the art she has inspired in my life.  Although, sometimes I feel like she has been on the front row cheering me on all these years!

Do you believe that only some are creative or that everyone is creative in some way? Why?  

I believe we are all creative but that our culture gives us messages that creating is for a limited few.  I learned to draw and paint in my 20’s without any prior background.  I discovered that those are just skills….like learning the ABC’s or 123’s.  We used to tell some people that they could not read or right….or should not.  Don’t let anyone take that away! You are creative!

If you could change your name what would it be?  

Well, I did change my name.  (giggle) When I was 24, I had a name changing ceremony as part of my birthday and chose to go by my middle name Rachél (which sounds like Rah-shel) instead of my first name, Dawn.  

Rachél's Mermaid


What’s your least favorite food? ...most favorite? 

Least: organ meat  Most: Italian and chocolate, not necessarily in that order and not necessarily together.

Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you feel about that?  

I think I am an introvert who is very comfortable with her extroverted self.  They say introverts recharge when alone.  I think that is the case for me.  But I also love to be a bit outrageous!

Choose an imaginary friend who would it be and why? 

Oh, this is sad, but true.  Our bestest cat, Schatzie (which means Sweetheart in German) passed away recently.  It would have to be her.  We would stay up late, cuddle, and eat watermelon together.

What’s your most embarrassing moment? (Please keep it clean)  

During a performance of Midsummer Night’s Dream, I fell on stage as part of a chase scene and forgot the next line.  I covered by shouting, “I’m gunna git you!”  Not very Shakespearean! 


For more of Rachél’s art and spiritual journey please click the links below:


Monday, October 13, 2014

Getting To Know The Cre8ive Crew: Sally Rose

This is a talented gal you will want to know better!  

Her name is Sally Rose and she’s originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota.



She is fascinated by all forms of creative expression and currently has a passion is for mixed media with an emphasis on acrylic painting.


How often do you create?

As often as I can. We are currently building a new home for ourselves, so I have been focused on that project. But I always keep at least a sketchbook and art journal handy for when inspiration strikes.

How do you know when a piece is finished?

That is always tough. I find that my work is always better and closer to my vision if I don't over think the process. I know that life should inspire our art, but more often I find it interrupts the process of creating. But frequently I will be called away for some non­emergency only to return and discover that I had finished the piece without realizing it. Those times are kind of magical.

When/how did you realize your life had to have art in it?

I have always had art in my life, I cannot remember a time when I wasn't doing something arty, in some way or another. Even when my children were small and my energies focused solely on them, I created. It just manifest in other ways, sewing their clothes, making quilts and decorating our home. All these things are art forms and expressions of creativity.



Sally Rose Flowers


Tell us how your creativity blends over into the rest of your life?

“Being creative isn't a hobby, it's a way of life!” I mentioned earlier that we are building our home. This will be the third time for us. I do the design work, layout, landscaping and tile setting. We both do the construction and heavy lifting, but the vision is mostly mine for how it all goes together. It's like working on the biggest canvas possible!

Give a couple of tips on how you stay organized. (This doesn't have to be about your art or studio, could just be life, office, kids...whatever)

“A place for everything and everything in it's place”. Ha, just kidding! I am very disorganized and when I am in the middle of a project everything comes out and gets thrown around. I do think it helps to have a dedicated space in which to work, especially if you are trying to carve out a bit of creative play time in the middle of a busy schedule. If you have to keep packing everything away so your family can eat at the dining table, you'll waste what little time you do have. You should also love your space. Decorate it in the colors and style you love. If your space makes you happy, it will be reflected in your work. I love pretty and eclectic storage containers, like vintage vases full of aquarium gravel to hold my paint brushes, pencils and pens.

If you could hang out with any artist dead or alive who would it be and why?

I would love to have met Vincent Van Gogh. An amazing artist, and a complicated man. For him it was all about the art. No matter what his personal pain or his circumstances, he made art. He was able to capture ordinary scenes and objects and make them magical with unexpected colors.

Sally's Owl


Do you believe that only some are creative or that everyone is creative in some way? Why?

I do believe that everyone is creative in someway or another. It may be in their cooking, housekeeping, home decorating or clothing. It may be in how they keep their books, run their shop, write letters or landscape their yard. It is human nature to be creative, your gift may not be in the traditional arts, but it is there!

If money were no object in what country, place, or on what planet would you live? ...and why?

A temperate island near the water with a lovely studio in a grove of trees. The walls would be open to the outdoors and there would be a beautiful well maintained garden to wander through. Because that would be heaven on earth!

Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you feel about that?

I am an introvert that is masquerading as an extrovert. I get along well with others and can deal with a crowd, but as soon as I am home it's like flipping a switch. If I went a week without seeing another person, I would be fine with that.

Sally's Enthusiasm Goose



Choose an imaginary friend who would it be and why?

I would love to have a big fluffy Saber-tooth tiger to snuggle with! Maybe multicolored like in the movie, “The Croods”. What a cutie!

What is your earliest childhood memory?

My Grandmother telling me I had to use the yellow crayon to color my sun because that's what color the sun was...I was angry because I wanted to use red!

If we all came to your house for dinner what would you make for us?

Homemade pizza, biscuits and gravy and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

Sally's Listen Flower


For more of Sally’s beautiful art please click on the links below:


Thursday, October 9, 2014

Getting To Know The Cre8ive Crew: Linda Kay Kinnaman

Linda Kay Kinnaman is my name and art making is my game.

Hello Linda!!!  

Linda Kay Kinnaman


Let's dig deeper...

Linda is originally from South Bend, Indiana. She has lived and traveled all over the world and now makes her home in Bartlett, Illinois. She loves mixed media collage but also likes decorative painting and a bit of watercolor.

What kind of art is your passion?

I love mixed media collage but also likes decorative painting and a bit of watercolor.

How does it make you feel when you're creating something?

When I am really into the groove of creativity and making art that I am happy with, it feels like I am dancing. I usually have some music playing in the background and mostly stand when I work, so I actually do dance a bit sometimes.

 How do you know when a piece is finished?

I quite often struggle with this. There are always little tweaks to be done to a piece, but many times I just have to put my brush down and say, "Enough!"

When/how did you realize your life had to have art in it?

I have tried several careers, cashier/retail work, bookkeeping, administrative assistant, and it always comes back to art. I have even "given it up" a few times, but will find my creative thoughts never stop. I finally decided that I might as well stop fighting it and declare myself an Artist! 

Linda Collage


Hows has your view of life (art) changed over the last 5, 10 years? 20 Years?

I started out with the classic types of art--drawing, ceramics, fiber art--but found I always wanted to push their limits by adding something more into each. I found that after I could handle a medium well, I then needed either a new medium or a new challenge. When I started mixed media, it all fell together. I can now use just about anything in my work and make it blend together to create a piece of art that satisfies my need for the unconventional and unique. I no longer feel I have to limit myself.

Would you say your entire way of life is creative?
Yes, most definitely. I try to use creativity in everything I do.

If you could pick one tool or supply to do more experimenting with what would it be?
I have never tried encaustics and would really like to give it a try. I would need a bit of free time first, so it may have to wait a while.

Linda Painting



 If you could hang out with any artist dead or alive who would it be and why?
Oh there are SO many artists I would love to hang out with...but if I have to choose just one, it would be Georgia O'Keefe. She was the first artist I was influenced by, mostly because she was a woman who was successful in a male dominated business. She fascinated me. She painted big, bold, beautiful, lively, seductive, extraordinary art. She was not afraid to let her art speak of who she was and how she saw the world. She knew who she was and lived her life on her own terms.

If you could change your name what would it be?

I am actually thinking of doing this. Linda Kay was my birth name, always will have that name and think at this point in my life it is what I should be.

 If money were no object in what country, place, or on what planet would you live? ...and why?
I have been planning to move back to Florida, but if I could live anywhere, it would be Bali, Indonesia. There is such a beauty in the environment, culture and people that I think I could be quite happy there. 

Linda's Tag Art

Whats your least favorite food? ...most favorite?

Lease ~ okra. Favorite ~ Thai curries!

 Choose an imaginary friend who would it be and why?

My very first imaginary friend was a little Japanese girl who I played with, usually under the dining room table or behind the sofa. I think I would like to reconnect with her.

If we all came to your house for dinner what would you make for us?

Either Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry or Penang Curry.


That was fun! Want to know more? Click below for Linda’s site and information.




Monday, October 6, 2014

Getting To Know The Cre8ive Crew: Cat Athena Louise

Please give a warm welcome to Cat Athena Louise!

She is from Auckland, New Zealand originally, and has been living in England for the past 13 years.... yes, she is a dual citizen! 

How exciting!

Cat Athena Louise

What kind of art is your passion?

I’m very eclectic (continually restless and love to change things up often) -- I have noticed that Photography lights me up, as does the fluid and bright marks only watercolor can make, and I’m crazy about collage and mixed media too!

How does it make you feel when you're creating something?

I feel alive and connected to something far greater than myself. I also experience a sense of peace and timelessness (transcendence) as I go into the ‘zone’

Describe your personality in three words.

Sensitive, Instinctual, Passionate

When/how did you realize your life had to have art in it?

I realised it very early on as a child, and when I was spending all my lunch
 breaks in college in the art room creating fervently, it became very apparent!


Pathfinder


Has being artistic changed your life or outlook in any way?

Yes, I notice the tiny little details, textures and subtle nuances around me and I often smile at how things play themselves out, the irony of how life truly does imitate art. Artists often think they are creating something outside of themselves, but it’s all self-portraits. All of it. They are expressing what is inside of themselves. I find it very intimate and revealing.

Would you say your entire way of life is creative?

Yes, it feeds into every area of my life. I feel it when I pick up a camera, arrange items on an altar, strike a stick of incense alight... the kinds of meals I cook, the bicycle I ride, the crazy way I stack dishes in Dr.Suess-like piles for washing up, the kind of jewellery I wear.

Whats your superpower?

Intuition is my superpower. I’ve been told that by too many people now to ignore.


Hummingbird

If you could hang out with any artist dead or alive who would it be and why?

Oh my goodness, that would be incredible and naturally I’m struggling to name just one... Pablo Picasso would be a total firecracker to spend time with -- he has such a wildly eclectic range of styles I could never be bored. He seemed very self-assured and confident in his approach. I’d also love to hang out with Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and his Die Brücke German Expressionist friends...I love their wild frenetic mark-making and fauvist colors. I’s be equally happy hanging with Annie Leibovitz in her studio and learning about her hyper-honest style of portraiture photography... Or navigating Andy Warhol’s ‘Factory’ amid the film-making, stencil cutting and screen printing. Bliss!


Which side of the bed do you sleep on? Can you sleep if forced to change sides?

The Left side and yes I do struggle to fall to sleep (at least for a few nights till I adjust) if I ever have to change sides.

Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you feel about that?

I’m a perfect hybrid. I land right down the centre of the intro/extro spectrum...and that’s very true. I can be extremely zany and wildly expressive in how I communicate and also incredibly quiet, private and observant and need to be left alone...it all depends on my mood at the time and the company I am in as to which way that coin will fall.


Signs of Spring


 Whats your most embarrassing moment?

Oh there have been so many! One that immediately comes to mind was turning up for a job interview to find the front reception desk completely unattended, and only a sign on the wall, placed near a switch, saying ‘ring for attention’. Well I could see no bell to ring so clicked the switch (placed beside the sign) and suddenly..... all the lights in the building went off! Blimey, talk about instantly getting everyone’s attention...you should have seen them running out to find out what had happened!

Pick two celebrities to be your parents...who and why.

I think my inner-artist child would be in perfect company with Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter as my celebrity parents....I think creativity and self-expression would be encouraged in every possible way and from every angle in that household! Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer I reckon would also be awesome.

If we all came to your house for dinner what would you make for us?

Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese followed by an Indian rice pudding flavoured with cardamon pods and rose-water... It’s the rice pudding equivalent of turkish delight! Incredible. 

Those are great answers!

For more of Cat and her artwork please click on the links below:

Website:     http://www.catathenalouise.com
Blog:          http://www.catathenalouise.com
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/catathenalouisestudio
Instagram:  http://instagram.com/catathenalouise
Shop:         http://www.catathenalouise.comPinterest:   http://pinterest.com/catathenalouise/
Flickr:        http://www.flickr.com/photos/catathenalouise
Google+    https://plus.google.com/+CatAthenaLouise/posts
LinkedIn:   http://uk.linkedin.com/in/catathenalouise/