Monthly Archives:

Name: Annie Galvin
Location: San Francisco
Website: http://www.3fishstudios.com

How about a brief introduction?
I am originally from Wexford in southeast Ireland, but I moved to San Francisco in 1989, two weeks before the big earthquake. Quite a welcome! But I stayed because this is simply the most perfect place in the world to live. Twenty-one years later, I find myself married to a lovely man and living in a little house by Ocean Beach. Eric Rewitzer, my husband, is also an artist. We started 3 Fish Studios in 2006, (the name comes from the Galvin coat of arms, which has three fish), and we share a lovely light-filled studio across the city in the industrial Dogpatch neighborhood. We make art to sell at shows, in local stores, and on our online store, and it’s really gone from strength to strength. We love it!

What’s your goal before the year 2010 ends?
I find myself doing a lot of artwork based on images I’ve been doing for years, like bears and Mexican Wrestlers, and the San Francisco 49 Mile Drive sign. It’s wonderful people still like this work and want to buy it, but I think I have let my willingness to experiment with new ideas and motifs slide a bit. My goal before the end of the year is to make brand new art, and get excited about experimenting again.

What’s your biggest fear?
I think my biggest fear is getting sick or injured. In 2006, I had abdominal surgery after years of horrible stomach pain, and I haven’t had a moment of pain since. I am grateful for my good health every day, and I hope I am still sprightly, pain-free, and with all my marbles at 90 years old!

Name: Suzanne L. Vinson
Location: Richmond, VA, U.S.A.
Website: www.silvertreeart.net

How about a brief introduction?
Each day I move through the day creatively. It’s a must, as well as a lifestyle choice. I love making wares and art that others will enjoy. Since I lead art workshops, retreats, and bereavement groups using creative expression, I’m often thinking of ways to integrate blessing and ritual into my art. Most certainly my love of people, nature, and fabric is fused into my work and my days.

What’s your goal before the year 2010 ends?
To move into more retail spaces and galleries. I would like to continue making time to lead retreats and workshops, balanced with art shows and family time. I want to have more venues for my wares around the globe. I’m also interested in marketing my work through websites and blogs. Sharing a good word is important and I feel fortunate to have a good word or two to share.

What’s your biggest fear?
Just one? It’s not failure, but more a sense of losing the ability to create. I’m more centered, more whole when I’m using my hands creatively. Whether making dinner or making hairpins, I truly enjoy where I am in the moment and am thankful for what is in my hands. I hope to earn well so that I can continue along this path, offering my gifts to the world around me.

What’s your favorite tool?
My hands. There’s so much I can do with my hands. holding onto tools, yes, but also thinking of ways to use my hands over other tools. I love the feel of fabrics and love cutting my own circles rather than using a template or cutting tool. I love to finger paint on some of my works. It’s all very sacred as I use my hands to create.

Share something random with us!
I love sweeping. It’s an amazing way to live my spirituality and presence to the moment and the space i live in. I find that sweeping cleans the floor and my mind. It’s a great practice that i enjoy. Since it’s a practice, I’ve started collecting the straws that are falling from my broom’s natural shaping and will use them in art sometime in the future. The broom was handmade in my city, and that too, I love. Happy sweeping!

Name: Rachael Smith (a.k.a Penelope and Pip)
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Website: www.penelopeandpip.com

How about a brief introduction?
I am a freelance illustrator who draws pictures of whimsy and adventure from the imaginations of two little characters called Penelope and Pip. My pictures are a little bit quirky and each illustration has its own story. Kind of like a one page picture book! When I am not drawing I play on my piano and dream of places I can holiday and new stuffed toys I can make for my friend Mister Mo (he’s a cat I made and he is always dreaming of new friends).

What’s your goal before the year 2010 ends?
I would like to create more balance between my work life as a teacher and my home life as an illustrator. Sometimes I get home from school and I have expended so much energy during the day I find it a little hard to be creative at night. To lessen my hours as my day job would be amazing but to do that I need to spend more time drawing – I never was good a maths but I think that equation needs more work!

What’s your biggest fear?
That I will run out of time to do everything I want to do and be all of the things I dream of being. My mother was recently diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer and it has really made me realise that life is very, very short. I don’t worry any more about how my art is perceived. I draw and write my stories because I love to be creative and that has become a goal I enjoy pursuing, more so than any financial gain I may have. This means I sometimes draw pictures I know will have a small market, but that is okay too.

What’s your favorite tool?
Without a doubt my graphics tablet! I am constantly amazed at how it works (I’m one of those people that don’t understand fax machines too…).

Share something random with us!
I put rosy cheeks on everything I draw. I just can’t help make my characters look sun-kissed and happy.