JJ Worden

I'm making progress on the pieces for the Spring show and I thought it may be of interest to show how I go about developing a series, one of my favourite things, actually.

Memory
What is your very first memory?
What if it wasn't entirely true?
What if WHO you are is based on mistruths and faulty memories?

If you've been around the Nova Scotian arts and crafts community for any length of time, you will recognize Julie's name. But it wasn't until a few years ago that I discovered HER work. And I gotta say, sorry Julie, I didn't quite get what she was doing. Was she a knitter? A printmaker? What were all these spidery things on paper anyway?!? And then Julie posted a series of process videos on Instagram which made me sit up and really take notice. They were DAYS in the making. And that's just the prints! That isn't taking into account the time to create the intricate lacey shawls. There is something about a complicated, time consuming 'start to finish' process that woos and inspires me. Perhaps it speaks to my back-to-the-land/homesteading soul that feeds my need to know and do #allthethings but suddenly those "spidery things on paper" were making me swoon. Someday, I hope to be able to create a body of work as personal and intricate and so obviously laboured over with love and in the meantime, I'll be watching from the sidelines cheering Julie on. Enjoy her answers to 10 Questions for Artists.

I have always wanted to create texture on paper using knitted samples.  I have obsessed about it, and researched every option available to me.  I thought for some time that I would simply create a relief of the fabric on plain paper, no ink.  I was then introduced to Betty Goodwin, a fabulous artist, whose notebooks alone were breathtaking, and whose printmaking nearly brought me to tears.  She printed anything, gloves, hats, vests, shirts, tarps, even unwrapped packages went through her press to make a soft ground impression, etching the plate and then printing and manipulating the images. Upon seeing her exhibition at the Dalhousie Art Gallery I immediately began work on knitted samples to create my own prints.

2. What's one thing in your studio you REALLY should throw out?

I am most definitely never going to make it as a minimalist, so there are probably a few things that should go.  I did a purge of old newsprint proofs from my flat files this past winter, burning them to start the studio wood stove each morning in January, very satisfying.  And while I don’t think I’d ever throw it away, I do have a General Electric antique metal enamelled rotary ironer that I found on spring cleanup day a few years ago, it should probably go to a good home, if only to make space for my next found treasure.

3. Best studio snack. (creative nutrition is important!)

Right now it is most definitely fresh Annapolis Valley sugar snap peas, better than candy.

4. Favourite studio smell.

With Zoom meetings being so prevalent this past year I’ve made a habit of keeping fresh flowers in the background of video calls, normally the cheap tulips from the grocery store that really don’t smell like anything.  This week I cut some wild roses as I rushed to get ready for an online meeting.  The sweet smell the next time I walked up the stairs was a pleasant surprise.

5. Least favourite studio smell.

I use soft ground, an asphaltum and beeswax mixture, to coat my copper plates.  I use a hot plate to warm the copper, and apply the soft ground, there is a point if you leave the plate on too long that the ground starts to bubble and smell.  The smell itself isn’t that bad, it’s knowing that you have to start again, degreasing the plate, and applying the ground from the beginning.

6. Most used art related app on your phone.

Obviously Instagram has had a great impact on finding inspiration, tips from fellow artists, and sharing work, but before that comes the camera.  Before digital photography I used to use the prepaid processing film from the Superstore, which always came with double prints, so in drawers and boxes around my studio and house there are thousands of blurry photos, usually with at least one or two pet pictures from the end of each roll because you didn’t want to waste them on something important, just in case the count was off (maybe that’s what I should have said I REALLY should throw out). Digital photography has made it possible to capture as many images as you’d like without the fear of cost or waste.  Now if only I could learn to delete more of them.

7. Top song in your studio.

I am a fan of Sarah Harmer, but honestly I rarely play music in the studio.  I mostly listen to CBC Radio 1, if anything at all these days.  I’ve found as time goes by I’m distracted by background noise.

8. Favourite art-related author, podcast(er), YouTuber.

As a knitter a stitch dictionary is integral part of my life, there is always one nearby.  The one I use the most, and love is Barbara G. Walker  A Treasury of Knitting Patterns.  If we want to add in aesthetics, Mary Thomas’s Book of Knitting Patterns, first published in 1943 is my favourite.  It has a woven linen cover, and the hand drawn illustrations of charts and knitted fabric are detailed and beautiful.

If you’re looking for a couple of good local to Nova Scotia podcast/video projects, through my role at Craft Nova Scotia I recently worked with Duane Jones of Art Pays Me to create a mini series of Craft Pays Me podcasts.  And with former broadcaster Crystal Garrett I pulled together a series of video matinee’s that feature check ins with the six craftspeople who were part of the Craft Nova Scotia / Craft Alliance Atlantic documentary series Life’s Work back in 2015.  We shared each of the documentaries and Crystal caught up with the craftspeople to see where they are now.  You can find all of the videos on the Craft Nova Scotia Facebook page.

9. Least favourite part of art-making.

Finding the time and energy.  Unfortunately the way that my quirky body works no matter how much mental energy I have for something, my body doesn’t always agree, so carving out time when I don’t need to worry about other personal or professional obligations can be a challenge.  So I tend to work in spurts, mid winter and late summer are the times when Craft Nova Scotia work is the quietest, so I can focus on the studio.  Covid has certainly changed that a lot, so we shall see what the future brings.

10. Describe THE thing that would make you think: "I've Made It."

I’ve sat in rooms with many craftspeople over the years, and have learned that for almost every one of them as soon as you reach THE thing, it suddenly becomes irrelevant and the target moves ahead.  I used to think it was when someone bought one of my prints, but then when that happened it didn’t count because the person knew me, so it had to be when someone I didn’t know bought one.  When that happened I moved on to when I had my first solo exhibition, or got my first grant, but as those things happened, the goal moved once again.  Hopefully that just means that I’m learning and growing as a craftsperson.

Born in New Brunswick, Julie Rosvall moved to Nova Scotia in 1998, settling in Wolfville, the home community of Mary E. Black, for whom the province’ craft focused public gallery is named. Julie had just begun weaving before making the move and immediately sought out and found master weaver Jackie Mackay’s studio and gallery Summer House. Julie spent much of 1999 volunteering at Mackay’s gallery, with the intention being to apprentice as a weaver in exchange. Unfortunately, Jackie Mackay became ill and passed away soon after. Julie’s first spinning wheel was one given to her by Jackie’s family. It was then that Rosvall began her career as a textile artist, moving from weaving to spinning and finally to knitting.

In 2010 she began experimenting with printmaking, exploring the concept of transferring the patterns and textures of textiles to other media.

Rosvall has always had an interest in mark making on paper, and for many years envisioned using textiles to emboss paper. After seeing the work of printmaker Betty Goodwin in 2010 Julie was inspired to explore soft ground etchings with her knitted swatches. Through her explorations she has created a body of work that uses a variety of printmaking techniques to transfer her knitted swatches to paper.

When she is not in the studio Julie Rosvall is an advocate for the crafts community, and has worked for Craft Nova Scotia in some capacity since 2003.

Gallery: Iterations Show

 

Thanks Julie!

Interested in joining in 10 Questions for Artists?

Email or message me and I'll send you the details!

 Photographer Robert Creamer

Oil paints - I will never be an oil painter.

President's Choice peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets (I am obsessed).

I love the smell of gallery board.

Mod Podge.

Instagram is my first love

Anything Joni Mitchell inspires my internal spirit.

I can't say I have a favourite author/podcast, but I am fascinated by drone photography and follow several NS droners. I have been collecting their photos for a while and dream of using them to inspire abstract paintings and mixed media.

My least favourite part is when so many people love a photo I have taken, and I actually think it's a boring piece and when I take a photo I am thrilled with and no one gives it a second glance.

Every time a widely known photographer reacts positively to one of my pieces, I feel as though I can actually call myself an artist and my maker space, small as it is, a studio.   

Thanks so much, Anne!

Katie, for me, is what the internet is all about. I would never in a million years have met her in Real Life but we connected online 10 or more years ago and have been friends ever since. Her talents are many...mixed media artist, collaborator, podcaster, upcycler...but it might be as Zombie Christmas Village creator (be sure to check this out on insta!) that has become an annual tradition I cherish and truly makes my heart sing. Who else could be guaranteed to super glue her fingers together or with whom I could ponder why 12 year old boys are so smelly? She is the kindest, most warmhearted "goblin" you could ever hope to call friend and I'm so glad she agreed to answer 10 Questions for Artists.

I think the artists I am most inspired by are people whose skills and interests are varied. William Morris is a prime example of this because his work spanned from writing, to print making, to textiles, home décor, and painting…I very much enjoy the idea of wanting to make something, and just being able to do that no matter what it is.

Oof! I save a lot of weird crap because I “might have a use for it”, but I think my inability to throw out broken electronics is becoming a problem.

Depends on what I am doing/my mood. I always have some kind of chip in here, but I also like to keep a stash of my favorite childhood candies like green apple Zots or cherry Pop-Rocks.

I LOVE the smell of a hot iron on cotton fabric! So much so that I wish I could find a perfume that mimics the scent.

I have a collection of antique and vintage beads that I use often and I hate they way they smell. It’s like old pennies and bitter dirt, and reminds me of stinky little brothers dirtying up my stuff.

6. Most used art related app on your phone.

I use the Color Viewfinder app all the time. It allows you to take a picture of something that catches your eye, like a sunset, or flowers, and then it creates a color palette based on the colors found in that image.  You can store the image of the palette on your phone for later inspiration, and the palette even includes color hex codes.

Oh! I recently moved my record player to my studio so it would get more use and I’ve been playing Cindy Lauper “She’s So Unusual” a lot. The entire album is a banger and I had forgotten how much I love it. Like seriously, not a single bad song!

I’ve been really into polymer clay recently and I believe Ace of Clay’s Youtube channel may be solely responsible for this.

I also took a class by Ten Hundred recently and his YouTube channel has been inspiring me to experiment more with my painting style.

Imposter Syndrome. I really dislike the feeling of self-doubt, and if I allow myself to get too into my own head about it throws me into mad artistic block.

If I managed to make a living from my art I would feel this. I’m not talking about becoming independently wealthy or anything, but if were ever in a position that allowed me to pay my bills without worry, I would defiantly feel like a truly successful artist.

More about Katie:

Katie Cahill is a mixed-media artist; writer, designer, podcaster, professional weirdo, and general purposes mess maker from Portland, Oregon. When not chasing down all her wild ideas, Katie enjoys long conversations with her cat, and collecting any/all shiny found objects like the goblin she truly is.

I can't remember how I found Heather on Instagram...one of those scroll-read-follow comment-bread crumb trails I suspect. When you see her work though, that scroll STOPS. Unlike anything else being created right now, mainly black and white with series names like Raw Like Bone, is it any wonder I became a fan? An interior designer, photographer, painter, ceramicist, Heather is also renovating a huge former private school into her main residence. A stark black and white palette with natural materials, antlers, dried botanicals, branches mixed with antiques, I'd liken her as the perfect combination of Martha Stewart, Joanna Gaines and Leanne Ford.  Heather's aesthetic is so on point, she creates magic with whatever she touches. I want to be her when I grow up!

Without further ado, read Heather Waugh Pitts answers to 10 Questions for Artists:

1. Favourite artist. Living or dead.

Louise Bourgeois

Old work.

Green smoothie.

Drying botanicals like lavender.

Drying seaweed by the kiln.

6. Most used art related app on your phone.

Lightroom.

Florence and the Machine... What kind of Man.

Street graffiti artist ROA. There’s a few street artists I follow their work in person throughout Europe.

Waiting for work to thoroughly dry.

I don’t think there is THE thing that would make me think I made it. I’m a mutt, an outsider in the conventional art realm.

 In our ongoing series Between Artists: A conversation with Bridgette Guerzon Mills she asks:

As a bit of ancient history, I was online long before I started making art (again). I made websites before there was any such thing as WYSIWIG or Apps. Raw HTML. Literally taking out individual pixels on images so they would be small enough to actually load. Before jpgs existed. Or photographs could be used without breaking your connection. They were heady days.  So many possibilities. This new technology was going to Change The World. And it did.

Because I start to miss "My Peeps". There are people out here I can't reach any other way. I don't do the phone and letters take too darned long to feed my Need To Know NOW brain.

So here I remain.

For now.

Picking a favorite may just be too much to ask of me because there are artists whose work excites and inspires me but of whom I know nothing about and there are artists whose work isn't as captivating to me but who offer unique and interesting perspectives on creativity that I appreciate. (This reminds me of when my daughters were young and they'd ask me what my favorite color was. I almost always answered with "Well, it depends? For what?". They would get so frustrated with me!) But if you twisted my arm and forced me to pick favorites, I would have to say that Edward Hopper appeals to me for his sparce and emotional scenes (he is to art what I see John Steinbeck is to American Literature). Nicholas Wilton's abstract art intrigues me almost as much as his refreshing stories of how art school and his art school experiences gave him helpful insights that serve him well to this day (I didn't go to art school but I've heard plenty of stories from artists who say it was a crushing experience.) Squeak Carnwath's work sucks the air out of my lungs while simultaneously filling it with the freshest air I've ever breathed. I'm currently enamoured with the untamed mark making of Hayden Alexander and Chris McHolm and the way I feel when I look at them. And if I had to pick a favorite "emerging artist", it would be my cousin, Mindy (@myminiartcorner on IG), with whom I lost touch for many years and am grateful to have reconnected via social media. She is a trail runner and has recently been painting the most endearing and luscious watercolor paintings of the desert scenery where she runs.

Probably the dried up paint tubes in the bottom of my paint bin. I don't know how many there are but I'm sure they are there. Also, I have a file cabinet drawer full of scrapbooking papers that are at least 15 years old that I don't love and have no interest in using. (Note to self: add "clean out scrapbooking paper" to my to-do list next week. Because, why not?)

You'd never know it looking at my voluptuous figure but I rarely eat in my studio. It just never felt like a natural combo for me. Back when I was doing more metalsmithing, my fingers were not snack compatible. The mess of plaster dust isn't really either. Then again, is there ever a wrong time and place to eat a bowl full of Kettle brand Honey Dijon chips or fresh peaches? I didn't think so.

Wet plaster always and forever. Hot wax. Sharpie. Basically any smell that says "creativity is in process".

My studio is an old enclosed sunporch so it can get a little musty when the sun beats in the windows. I don't love that smell but thankfully it airs out pretty easily. When I was doing more metalsmithing, I grew to not like the smell of the metal as it was oxidizing.

6. Most used art related app on your phone.

Instagram and my camera app. Both are used heavily to capture, be inspired, and refuel my creative juices.

This is the most impossible question you could have asked me. It depends on my mood, the weather, who else is within earshot, if I need to sit still or move. You'll find everything on my playlists from Chopin to the Cars, Sleeping at Last to Parov Stellar, Earth Forest to DJ T-Rock. I love many generes - especially moody, indie, acoustic covers of well known rock songs like Alex Clare's "Addicted to Love", Freedom Fry's "Teen Spirit", Capital Cities' "Stayin' Alive". That list is looooong...) Also, I never don't love listening to the score for Quigley Down Under, Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, and "Summertime" from the opera, Porgy and Bess (Tom Wait's mashup version, Permashave, is one of my all time favorites.) Hmmm...I think I could talk about music all day.

There are SO many great ones out there and in full transparency, I'm most interested in podcasts that talk about the mental game of being fully alive in your creativity and purpose which, ironically, usually ends up being podcasts not by artists for me. Podcasts just by artists have plenty of room in my playlists though too. Laura Horn and Emily Jeffords both have great podcasts full of creative encouragement, useful creative business insights, and good art business tips.

You mean besides the first 90% of a painting's creation when I'm convinced it's not going to turn out well? Or the occasional time when I'm in love with a piece and then do just one more thing to it that makes me hate it? Besides that? Well, it would have to be the mind games. The stuff my brain throws into the mix when I'm feeling a bit vulnerable or uncertain.

This is such a potent question and I feel like it could be useful to ask myself this regularly because the answer always brings me back to where I am now and how to keep creating even if I haven't accomplished everything I hope to accomplish in my creative journey. There are many times in the past 15 years when I achieved something that I previously had thought meant I had "made it". I always enjoyed the realization of those circumstances even though I also was quick to subconsciously create a new "made it" benchmark. The most true answer as of right now is that "making it" is a state of mind for me. To have made it means to be deep in the satisfaction of creating - art, new opportunities to share my art, new ways of putting my art out into the world, getting paid handsomely to talk about creativity, feeling incredibly grateful and abundant for the gift of being able to live IN the whirlwind of growth and expansion. These are all feelings of "making it" to me. On day when I can create those feelings within the reality of my life as it is, that feels like a huge triumph for this girl who is always striving for the next thing.

Also, if someone famous that I admire bought some of my work, that would qualify. :)

As an artist, course creator, and creative mentor, I merge a variety of materials and concepts to invite you to honor your complex stories while also simplifying (and elevating) the continuing stories you tell yourself so that you can create the work you want to create.

I'm not sure if I'm bending the rules too much here as he was an architect rather than an artist, but I'm choosing Antonio Gaudi. My professional background is in housing and part of my degree included architecture. I was, and remain, awestruck by his work. Artist-wise, I'm very interested in Joseph Cornell and am reading a biography about him at the moment.

 2. What's one thing in your studio you REALLY should throw out?

Not so much something that I should throw out, but that I should deal with. My studio is a log cabin in the garden and a very vigorous Jasmin plant has found a gap near the roof and grows through...it's taking over one corner!

 3. Best studio snack. 

I was so impressed when I read that Jen chose water. Unfortunately mine is chocolate...I'm not saying it's a good snack, but it is a frequent one. 

 4. Favourite studio smell. 

My dog, Cloudy who is usually with me. He has a really homely smell, a bit like biscuits.

 5. Least favourite studio smell. 

 Anything chemical like glue or encaustic wax that I've allowed to get too hot!

6. Most used art related app on your phone.

Instagram. I only follow art accounts and it's a huge inspiration to me, as well as being where I've 'met' a huge number of amazing artists.

 7. Top song in your studio.

I rarely listen to music but always have a radio play or drama playing. I particularly like dramas set in the early 1900s like Agatha Christie plays. In the summer, when the back door of the house is open, I can often hear my son playing the piano which is beautiful. 

I really don't have a favourite. I have a huge number of art books, mainly mixed media and book artists, and I have a lot of pins on Pinterest which I find to be a brilliant source of inspiration.

I use a lot of old photographs that often need to be scanned and printed out on special papers...it's very tedious and time consuming. 

This has never occurred to me but I suppose it would be to have my work regularly published in books/journals. The Kanyer Collection recently bought one of my collages, and I have work in a forthcoming book and I really welcome that validation.

More About Jane Chipp: 

I live in West Somerset, UK.

I started out as a textile artist, and still use textiles and stitch a lot, but primarily my art is collage now, including 3D collage The common thread running through all of my work is the use of found objects, photos, letters etc. It makes me sad that things that were once treasured by someone end up in a house clearance and I love to make them into beautiful art that gives them the admiration that they deserve. Consequently, my art tends to have a nostalgic aesthetic.

 Website: http://www.janechipp.art

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/janechipp 

                     http://www.instagram.com/willow_blue_vintage

Thanks so much, Jane! 

 1. Favourite artist. Living or dead.

Ahhhh, already overthinking this one! Hmmm. There’s an artist I have followed a long time online that whenever she posts on flickr, my heart beats a little faster. Her work is conceptual, beautiful, haunting, the mark of her hand is evident in the work, and just pulls me in. Ines Seidel

I have bins of saved textiles that I have dreams of turning into things….but yeah, they’re just taking up space.

I don’t eat in the studio.

I actually love the smell of my studio when I am working on an oil painting.

When I leave my Yes! Paste glue brush in a a cup of water and forget it for weeks….gross!

Towards the Heart © Bridgette Guerzon Mills

6. Most used art related app on your phone.

Other than Instagram, I use an app called PhotoToaster. I can do much more than IG on that and often will format my photos on that first before sending it to IG.

I usually listen to podcasts. If I am listening to music, it’s usually my 14 year old practicing guitar or drums as we share space. Right now he’s playing a lot of Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead.

I am prehistoric and generally don’t watch anyone or anything on YouTube, unlike my kids. I haven’t read an art related author in a long time so I’ll have to say Julia Cameron, because her book The Artist’s Way really helped me start my creative journey. For podcasts I recently started listening to this really good one called Being An Artist hosted by artist Tom Judd (whose work is also wonderful) and I love it. I found it through an artist I have followed for a long time- Tim McFarlane and he was recently interviewed on this podcast. Follow Tim on Instagram and also read his blog. So good.

All the business aspects of it- marketing, selling, etc. The taxes!!! ugh. I just want to make things and for it to magically support me! Is that too much to ask? Well, I also want to live in a cute house on lots of wooded acres with a lake and mountains in the background, have some chickens and some goats, a separate studio, a vegetable garden and a fruit orchard… Also I really don’t like going to art show openings because I really don’t like being center of attention. I remember one of my children after an opening reception said, “Wow Mom, everyone wanted to talk you!” And I said, “I know! Weird, huh?” At other functions that my children have observed me at, I tend to like to just take things in and just talk quietly to a few people or just standing idly by the food table. The thing is when I go to the art receptions, it’s always a lot of fun and it’s so nice to see my work hanging together and celebrating that and making connections with other creatives and collectors….but it truly is a part I dread. The anticipation of it, I guess, is actually just the bad part. The actually reception is great and I always have to remind myself of that.

Being a Capricorn, I’m going to have to say financial stability (ie reliable income) solely through my artwork. Boring, but true.

Thanks so much for sharing yourself and joining in, Bri. Love it!  

Deeply Rooted © Bridgette Guerzon Mills

More about Bridgette:

Bridgette Guerzon Mills is a mixed media artist whose work incorporates a variety of materials including photography, paint, encaustic, as well as fiber, textiles, and other reclaimed materials. Her artwork and journals have been published in magazines and books and her work has been collected in the United States and internationally. She currently resides in Towson, MD with her family.

As a mixed media artist, encaustic is a versatile medium that allows her to create depth in layers and serves as a means for further exploration in both form and meaning. She combines her photography with encaustics to create a bridge between two worlds, the real and the reimagined.  

Her outdoor installations, often created using foraged or recycled materials, focus on environmental issues and seek to engage and educate the public about these concerns.