Friday, April 2, 2010

Last day of interviews! Mia Beach Photography and Sadly Harmless

The Spring Bloomington Handmade Market is tomorrow! We hope that you can make it out to see all of the amazing artists we have! Today is our last day of our interview series, and it's with 2 of the co-organizers of the event. Hope you enjoy it!

Name: Mia Beach
Business Name: Mia Beach Photography
Location: Bloomington

What do you make?
Mainly photographs, but also screenprinted napkins and clothing, lightboxes, mobiles, paintings, jewelry…

How did you learn your art/craft?
I’ve always been playing around with some artsy thing, but my interest in photography started in middle school. I got my first camera when I was 12 and was self-taught until I got my BFA from IU in 2008.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get a lot of inspiration from books, my kids, and wandering in antique stores.

Do you have a "real world" job?
Yes and no- I work for myself, doing commission photography, mainly wedding photos and various kinds of portraits.

Your five favorite things:
Favorites are so hard! I love darkrooms, my family, red wine, tin types, and books.

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?
Francesca Woodman, Lynda Barry, Sally Mann, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Egon Schiele.

Where can we find you?

My wedding photos: http://www.dblimagephotography.com/

My art: http://www.mia-beach.com/

Stuff for sale: http://www.miabeach.etsy.com/

My Kickstarter Project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/miabeach/bit-parts-photographs
 
 
 
Name: Sally Harless
Business Name: Sadly Harmless
Location: Bloomington, IN
 
What do you make?
I make ink and watercolor illustrations of animals, as well as illustrated pendants and coffee mugs.

How did you learn your art/craft?
I have been drawing and making stuff ever since I can remember. It has been a strange evolution from making things out of cardboard toilet paper tubes, to copying Sesame Street illustrations, to sewing purses in my front yard, to illustrating for zines. When I got into the BFA program at IU for printmaking, I started to really take my art more seriously and knew that it would be my career. I took drawing classes all the way up to the 400 level, and it helped me tremendously, even though I was drawing naked people and what I do now is pretty far from that!

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Most of my art pieces are autobiographical, so I guess I get inspiration just from the situations that occur in my life, or in the lives of the people I love. Beyond that, I love the idea of anthropomorphism, and I really love animals, so using them in my illustrations just seems natural. The past few years I have developed an intense fascination with sea creatures. They are so mysterious and beautiful, and I get a lot of inspiration by reading about them and watching nature programs.

Do you have a "real world" job?
I am proud to say that making art is my job! It is extremely difficult and there are a lot of highs and lows, but nothing is more rewarding.

Your five favorite things: My dog Ramsey, the people I love, root beer, swimming, narwhals!

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?
My friend and fellow BHM-er, Candice Hartsough McDonald (http://www.cordialkitten.com/)
Roadside Projects (www.etsy.com/shop/roadside)
Deth P. Sun (http://www.dethpsun.com/)
Jen Corace (http://www.jencorace.com/)

Where can we find you?
http://www.sadlyharmless.com/
sadlyharmless.etsy.com
 
I also sell stuff at LaLa Gallery in Lafayette, The Makery in Louisville, a few other stores around the country, and I am a member of and sell stuff at Art Hospital here in Bloomington!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Day 26: Purple Hippo Stiches, Opera House Press, TMarie

Name: Sarah P. Fisher
Business Name: Purple Hippo Stitches
Location: Bloomington, IN and Akron, OH

What do you make? cross-stitches, just not quite what your Grandma used to make

How did you learn your art/craft? I learned to cross-stitch from my Aunt Nanno when I was 9 years old. I started a lot of projects but didn't finish many. I wasn't much into the cutesy teddy bears and angels that made up most patterns. About a year ago, I learned how to make my own patterns as well as mixing together vintage patterns using MacStitch.

Where do you get your inspiration from? Pop culture, inside jokes, and anything that strikes me as awesome and needs to be immortalized in cross-stitch. I also have a fondness for various four letter words.

Do you have a "real world" job? I'm currently a grad student in Library Science. I work a bit at the Lilly Library as well.

Your five favorite things: In no particular order, Pabst Blue Ribbon, big dangly earrings, backpacking around Europe, Lady Gaga, and hippos.

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?
My favorite website for modern embroidery is http://www.mrxstitch.com/. Not only does he feature amazing artists, but he's pioneering the world of "manbroidery."
Julie Jackson of http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com/ who first incorporated 4 letter words into cross stitch.
Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching
BeeFranck, who can be found on mrxstitch and whose cross-stitch has an eerily similar sense of humor to mine.
Shaebay (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaebay/) takes on about every craft ever and takes them to epic proportions.

Where can we find you?
http://thepurplehippo.etsy.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patterninstatic/sets/72157622273011581/ (NSFW)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Purple-Hippo-Stitches/471261215132?ref=ts



Name: Lucas Woodaman
Business Name: Opera House Press
Location: Gosport, IN

What do you make?
Clothing and other printed materials.

How did you learn your art/craft?
Community college, friends and experimentation.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
A mix of my day to day life and the contemporary art/craft scene. Really I just make stuff that I wish existed.

Do you have a "real world" job?
I currently have two "real world" jobs, I work at Pygmalions art supply and as a consultant in the pharmaceutical field.

Your five favorite things:
My wife, my dogs, making stuff, movies, and soda

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?
There are tons of great crafters and artist out there whose work I adore, but to name a few; David Choe, Jay Ryan, Ekundayo, Matt Cipov, Blaine Fontana, Damon Soule, Herakut, and Liz McGrath just to name a few.

Where can we find you?
you can find us at our etsy www.etsy.com/shop/operaHOUSEpress or our infrequently updated blog operahousepress.blogspot.com/ . And hopefully sometime this year we will be opening a full-fledged website! Also I am a studio member at the Art Hospital in Bloomington and have some stuff up in our little store there.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Name: Tiffany Marie Hanner
Business Name: TMarie
Location: Bloomington,Indiana

What do you make?
Mixed Media

How did you learn your art/craft?
I learned the essentials from fundamental studio classes at University.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
A lot of my inspiration comes from the color relationships in textiles and fabrics.

Do you have a "real world" job?
Yes. I'm a Consumer Support Coordinator for individuals who have developmental disabilities.

Your five favorite things:
1: Assembling Color Relationships
2: Trident Splash: Strawberry with Lime Chewing Gum
3: Tuxedo Cats
4: Scent of Japanese Cherry Blossom
5: Pizza with Pineapple,Pecans and BBQ Sauce.

Who are your favorite artists/crafters?
Gustav Klimt

Where can we find you?
-- I'm new to the game but you can find me on Facebook under Tiffany Marie Hanner.