Surface Design - Artist Kelly Ventura

This week is special for The Moon from My Attic. Not only will we announce a special giveaway on Friday, but we are very pleased to introduce to you an amazing, talented surface designer and painter.

I briefly met Kelly Ventura at Surtex last year and I became a fan of her work! She is a Michigan-based surface designer leaving her unique mark on the home, gift and children's markets with her fresh florals, playful prints and hand-painted patterns.

Kelly's watercolors are really lovely and unique, as you can see here. She has been licensed with modern brands such as West Elm, Minted, Create & Barrel, and more.

I asked Kelly a few questions to share with us:

YOUR FAVORITE DESIGN/ART STYLE: I am not drawn to one specific style, but more to the color and textures found in each piece.

THE MAIN INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR WORK: I am inspired by many things; nature, light, textures, color...it changes on a daily basis.

WHAT YOU REALLY LOVE, I.E. YOUR PASSION: I love that I am able to do what I love everyday, in a studio nestled in my own home. Close to the ones that I love most.

WHAT YOU DON'T REALLY LIKE: Math. Also, when my studio gets overwhelmed with stacks of artwork waiting to be organized and filed away.

A FAVORITE SOMETHING: My studio. It is flooded with natural light and is a really happy place to spend the day creating. My boys have a few boxes of their own supplies in the studio as well, so they love to create with me.

A MEMORABLE EVENT IN YOUR LIFE: 2014 was a great year. My family moved into a new home in a great community...a hunt that took over two years. My Surtex debut was a success...my husband and I left NYC feeling great about all of the time and energy we poured into the preparation. 2015 is going to be amazing!

A FUN MEMORY: The chestnut tree at my old childhood home. My sisters and I spent countless hours hanging out in that tree, collecting boxes of chestnuts and soaking up the mid-west summers.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD AS AN ARTIST: I have had plenty of great mentors in my career and plan to give back in the same way. I try to be as helpful as possible when new artists reach out to me for advice.

THE NEXT CHAPTER IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE: I am heading to Surtex again this May and we'll see what happens as the rest of the year unfolds. I have some really exciting product launches for 2015, so am thrilled to share those soon!

A HELPFUL TIP TO OTHER ARTISTS: I think it's really important to make time to create for the sake of creating. It's the best way to find your strengths and identify your weaknesses.

The 2015 AmericasMart Atlanta - Artists & Trends, Part II

As mentioned in last week's editorial, Ming and I visited many showrooms at the 2015 AmericasMart Atlanta, although we only saw a fraction of what's there. It'd have probably taken a whole month to go through all of them!

While passing through we interviewed a couple of signing artists and noticed many interesting trends going on, some of which have been around for a while but some which seem to have the potential to branch out and develop more "new" directions.

ARTISTS AT THE MART

We met many fellow artists and took a few pictures to share with you all. Next time I will try to take more, although the lighting situation at the Mart and other meeting places is not in our favor, so I apologize if the images are not perfect.

Studio M had a great get-together with artists from around the country. It was so much fun to hang around with the very talented Ronnie Walter, artist, writer and agent for Two Town Studios and her husband Jim Marcotte, also a writer and agent.

Alex Colombo & Ronnie Walter at Studio M ~ Atlanta 2015

Ming and I had fun talking to artist Patti Gay of Two Can Art about her new product lines at the Mart. Patti did an artist signing with C & F Enterprises, featuring her Two Can Art coastal pillows she designed in collaboration with her son Noah, who is autistic.

Artist Patti Gay ~ Atlanta 2015, C & F Enterprises Signing Event

© Patty Gay, C & F Enterprises

It was also a great pleasure to meet R.B. Hamilton, a self-taught artist who has won Best-in-Show and First-Place (in acrylic mediums) for his work in various art shows. His wife, interior designer Betsy Drake, has expanded his art to include pocketbooks, totes, towels, and designer pillows. Hamilton's original art, limited edition reproductions, designer pillows and pocketbooks can be seen in fine gift shops, home furnishing stores, and galleries throughout the United States.

Artist R.B. Hamilton painting at the AmericasMart Atlanta 2015

Artist & Interior Designer Betsy Drake

ATLANTA 2015 - TRENDS

Watercolors are a strong trend seen at Surtex last year and also in Atlanta this year. This is a style that goes well with just about all trends.

© Alessandra Colombo

We have already seen the emergence of themes like woodland, forest animals, including owls, foxes, hedgehogs, and deer, but we heard people asking for "hunting, fishing & wildlife" several times, so this appears to be a branching out of the same trend: Nature, Earth, Organic.

Courtesy of Design Design ~ Trendspiration 2015

Birds are still going very strong along with more and more colorful botanical, florals and gardens. Farmhouse has a strong appeal with elements like distressed wood, roosters, pigs, cows and bunnies. And don't forget the dogs, cats and other domestic animals, they are also in demand.

Courtesy of Studio M

Consequently, the Rustic trend that started a while back, along with Primitive and Native Indian art appear to be stronger, although they are caught into the big mix of what is being called the "new Industrial Revolution" - the Makers Movement. I found a good definition for it:

"The maker movement, as we know, is the umbrella term for independent inventors, designers and tinkerers. A convergence of computer hackers and traditional artisans, the niche is established enough to have its own magazine, Make, as well as hands-on Maker Faires that are catnip for DIYers who used to toil in solitude. Makers tap into an American admiration for self-reliance and combine that with open-source learning, contemporary design and powerful personal technology like 3-D printers. The creations, born in cluttered local workshops and bedroom offices, stir the imaginations of consumers numbed by generic, mass-produced, made-in–China merchandise."

by Adweek.com

Industrial & Urban Chic featured lots of metal, wire, textures and grays or neutral colors. We saw some beautiful hand stitching & embroidered details and natural textures (variations of burlap, twine, bark and other similar materials). Below here you can see a new collection from Cathy Heck Studio featuring their new product line with Primitives by Kathy.

Courtesy of Cathy Heck Studio

Beaded art was featured by several showrooms, and although is not new, it's being interpreted in new ways.

Courtesy of Certified International

Another strong trend that has been around for sometime is the Editorial, Sentiment & Inspirational art. This is coming out with more variations, in softer and perhaps more spiritual colors and quotes.

Courtesy of Midwest-CBK

Calligraphy and wedding styles with whites and creams are taking their spot in this market already full of ideas. Fresh and beautiful Paper Cutting art was found in several showrooms. Chalk art is still present although in the descending, it seems. Metallics are the new emerging colors.

Courtesy of Design Design

Another trend spotted although not new to the market is the Blue Prints, Science & Math one. Very nice, with deep blues and other elements.

Courtesy of Certified International

Personal & Essential is a trend that comes from Europe. This general trend of very eclectic expressions of all sort features also some colorful Bohemian & Folk mixes. Mid Century is alive as well as contemporary art, with strong, vivid colors over neutrals.

Courtesy of Transpac

Travel & Places takes a spot in the trendy markets, with maps, scooters, bikes and famous cities or places.

And finally, the traditional Coastal is everywhere but with Mediterranean blues becoming prominent.

I am sure we missed some... we wish we had more time to spend with many more talented artists and creative manufacturers but we ran out of time. To the next AmericasMart Atlanta show!

~ oOo ~

AN INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO

I saw this video through one of my friend artists on a social media site. I thought to add it here at the end of this editorial as I found it very inspirational and encouraging for those artists who are just beginning in this free-lance & commercial art field.

Four Disney Background Artists Paint A Tree In Their Iconic Styles

~ oOo ~

References with links:

http://www.designsponge.com/2013/08/trend-watch-rustic-utilitarian.html

https://www.pantone.com/pages/index.aspx?pg=21163

https://editd.com/blog/2015/01/the-10-biggest-retail-trends-in-2015

http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/huge-design-trends-2015-11513805
http://blog.likemodern.com/various-home-themes-can-apply-2015

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324063304578522812684722382

http://www.housebeautiful.com/shopping/decorating-trends/2015-color-trends#slide-1

http://www.sunherald.com/2015/01/08/6007578_home-style-trends-for-2015.html?rh=1

https://blogjnet.wordpress.com/category/trends

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324063304578522812684722382

http://bcr8tive.com/etro-spring-2015-16-collection

http://www.pantone.com/pages/fcr/?season=spring&year=2015

DesignDesign, Inc.'s Trendspiration 2015

Happy Holidays!

Wishing Everyone a Happy Holiday Season!

Try Things for Fun - Artist Carol Grace Anderson

In the past few weeks I've had lots of fun getting some of my artwork printed on fabrics through Spoonflower. My watercolors from the collection, Natural Wonders ~ Fiori di Campo, are a new style that I will add to my existing collections to show at Surtex in May.

Some of my colorful patterns are now available through my online shop for fabrics, wallpaper, gift wraps and decals!

Since we are on the subject of textures, florals and watercolors, I thought to also introduce today artist Carol Grace Anderson as my guest. She tells a compelling story about her life and career in the arts and entertainment business which I am going to share with all of you.

Carol's story: "After a career as a teacher, backup singer for Johnny Cash and Roy Clark, a professional speaker, and an author of five books, I realized that my true creative passion was art!

Artist Carol Grace Anderson

During some of my favorite childhood years, we lived in a small village in Upstate New York. That's where I fell in love with rivers, mountains, wild flowers, and trees - all that woodsy stuff that's now reflected in my artwork.

After high school, I went on to college and graduate school to pursue teaching and counseling. I landed a job teaching English and Life Skills in a New York correctional facility. All my students were male felons. It was an interesting job to say the least!

During this time, my sister Mary Beth and I formed an "all-girl" band called Ladysmith and played clubs on weekends while I was still teaching. We started to create our own songs and got a great offer to write songs for a large publishing company in Nashville. We jumped at the opportunity and moved South soon after.

© Carol Grace Anderson

Living in Music City, we were invited to sing back up on several recording projects with Johnny Cash and others. We then landed a touring gig with the legendary guitarist Roy Clark. He was also the host of the long-running variety TV show Hee Haw. That led to shows all over the USA, Russia, and three appearances on THE TONIGHT SHOW with host Johnny Carson. That was a busy and fun ten years!

Along the way, I was invited to speak at a conference. The meeting planner knew about my counseling and teaching background and asked me to do a keynote on staying motivated. It went over well and led to many more speaking engagements and my first book: Get Fired Up Without Burning Out.

To relax after long travel days, I would play with some old paints and dried out brushes. I wished I could take it further but didn't know where to start.

My sister, Mary Beth, had followed her love of art and studied at Watkins College of Art, Design and Film. She became a wonderful and successful artist! She primarily worked in watercolor but later did some amazing pieces in colored pencil also. She inspired me to take my art to a new level. For a special birthday gift, my family gave me a more grown-up paint set. Wow! I was off and running! Along the way, I studied at Plaza Arts Studio in Nashville with Jan Batts, Edie Manning, and Ron Olson.

© Mary Beth Anderson

Sadly, my sister and sweet inspiration became my angel when breast cancer took over. She made her way back to heaven and now inspires me from the other side.

My artwork has a vintage feel with a contemporary twist. It's a blend of textures, images, and natural elements - a refreshing, warm style in today's fast-paced, high-tech world. Can you relate? I like to keep it simple in designing greeting cards and home décor products. Some have described my work as 'charming and fresh,' 'fun and earthy,' 'warm,' and 'bold yet natural.'

My advice for other artists is to try things for fun. Add elements and different colors here and there and it will help expand your style. But be true to what's right for you. Then ask yourself what art pieces in your collection you are most drawn to. That will help you formulate your individual style that defines you!

© Carol Grace Anderson

Alex also gave me some helpful suggestions. One was to study different articles and blogs about art licensing. In fact, her own blogs have lots of useful info on many, varied topics.

Presently my artwork hangs in residences in New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, Connecticut, Oklahoma and the Tennessee Art League Gallery. Last year, I was honored to be the featured artist on the cover of the Arts Section of The Tennessean. My current goal is to have my work licensed, giving me time to keep growing, evolving and creating!"

Find out more about Carol's work here:

www.hipgreetingcards.com

Working with Other Creative People and Experiencing Their Processes ~ Swirly Designs

As I work on developing some new collections and preparing for my second year at Surtex (booth #337), I discovered that I am evolving as an artist. My passion and connection for watercolors is deeper than I thought and my style is definitely settling for a lighter and more spiritual look.

So, I am happy to be a part of the amazing Lovely Ink Project, a group of twelve artists who have come together to create beautiful art that includes an inspirational saying. We deliver this art to you each month for a year in the form of an 8" x 10" printable image that is ready for framing and a desktop wallpaper to cheer up your workspace. Sign up now and be inspired! It begins on Tuesday, April 1st: www.ghostkitten.com/lovelyink.

The mission of Lovely Ink is to uplift, to awaken a sense of wonder, and to sprinkle inspiration around the world. The contributing artists include: Jessica Swift, Rachael Taylor, Cori Dantini, Lizzie MacKay, Anne Waters, Victoria Johnson, myself Alex Colombo, Karma Voce, Nicole Piar, Dari Design Studio, Anne Bollman, and Kat Kalindi Cameron!

In the spirit of collaborative work I want to welcome our new guests, artists Lianne & Paul Stoddard, the creators behind SwirlyDesigns.com. Their unique story goes like this: "Our passion for decorating for the holidays inspired us to combine our artistic skills to create our own collection of original handmade polymer clay holiday ornaments. We create ornaments for all the major holidays and have built a nice following of wonderful collectors who anticipate new designs each and every year."

Artists Lianne, Dani, Paul

Early in 2012 they shared a Valentine cookie how-to project through their online/social media outlets which caught the eye of Dani Fiori, founder of SweetDaniB.com. She is a cookie decorating expert - her clients include the likes of Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren as well as many other party and event hosts who agree with her mantra that "Life is Sweet!" Lianne and Paul continued, "So she reached out to us and as we chatted through email, a new partnership was born: Sweet + Swirly!"

What's your creative process about, I asked? "When Dani was looking for a way to preserve her cookie designs, she contacted us. We thought what a great way to allow her customers to have a cookie that lasts forever! And we are always looking for something new to offer our own collectors. The challenge for us was how to take Dani's beautifully decorated cookies and interpret them using non-edible products."

I then asked how they developed a product as a team. "We had many discussions deciding which cookies we were going to create out of clay. We both agreed Christmas was the smart choice to launch this collaboration." They had to figure out how many designs and what the theme of the cookies would be since they needed it to appeal to both of their audiences.

"We decided on two designs: a Santa and a snowman snowglobe design. Dani felt a gingerbread cookie base would work well for the holiday. Once we decided on the cookie designs it was up to us to replicate these cookies into clay. We worked on figuring out how to mimic the texture and color of gingerbread. We also were challenged in working out how to replicate her white sprinkles for Santa's beard. Then we searched for just the right seed beads for the snow in the snowglobe. All the while we were making sure these designs represented Dani's cookies but also have that Swirly twist to them."

What they enjoy the most when collaborating is how interesting it is to be working with other creative people, experiencing their processes, and seeing how they interpret and approach different subject matters. They add: "Our communication is mainly through email. Dani will send us sketches or pictures of the selected cookies and we then send her work in progress images. Once we think we have the right look we will send her samples to compare and approve. We think the advantage of working together is that we are able to offer something new and different to both of our customers."

Lianne and Paul love to try new things and having people respond so positively to them makes it so much more rewarding. Their first collaboration sold out for the season and since then they have collaborated twice in 2013: a Halloween set and another gingerbread design.

So what would be good advice or tips for other artists interested in starting up a group? "When deciding to work/collaborate with another creative person make sure both parties could benefit from the experience. Figure out what each person is bringing to the table.

And make sure you know up front who will be doing what, like marketing, selling, shipping etc."

To find out more about Swirly Designs follow these links:

www.swirlydesigns.com

www.facebook.com/Swirly.Designs

http://instagram.com/swirlydesigns#

http://sweetdanib.com/2012/10/a-studio-tour-with-swirly-designs/

http://swirlydesignsblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-sweet-swirly-collaboration.html

Enchanting Watercolors by Artist Lisa Livoni

I have been researching out companies that are a match for my art and sprucing up my artwork presentation. Time consuming but necessary. I'll post one soon, once I work out all the details and make it exactly the way I want it.

In the meantime I want to show off the amazing work of Lisa Livoni, an artist whose work is done all in watercolors. I met her at one of our monthly local licensing meetings in Berkeley. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and she developed a serious interest in art as a child; she attributes some of her early creative influences to extensive travel which included three years of living in Japan and attending classes at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

She studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California, receiving a fine arts degree in graphic design and illustration which led to opening a design studio in San Francisco.

Artist Lisa Livoni

Her development of corporate identities, packaging and wine label design introduced her to the Napa Valley where she eventually moved in 1988. After twenty years of designing she returned to her first love of drawing and painting. Lisa has a passion for painting color, light and texture and believes in using white space to encourage the viewer to use their own imagination.

Lisa tells us: "I am a watercolorist who paints in a representational style using a lot of white space. I try to focus on the essence of what I see in nature and to paint the feelings it creates within me."

© Lisa Livoni

She also adds: "My art is mainly of flowers, fruit and vegetables and I try to focus on capturing their personalities and interpreting them in paint and trying to create dynamic forms and composition."

© Lisa Livoni

Drawing is an important part of her painting - the foundation is there only as a structure, not to be formally adhered to but rather to add another dimension of interest and personality." I work a lot with a wet in wet technique to keep the colors clean and clear and let the colors mix on the paper. I use the best red sable brushes and Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper."

© Lisa Livoni

Lisa also shares some insights on being an artist: "An artist has a way of noticing the hidden detail, a glimpse of the soul, and if they are fortunate to see it, feel it, it can pass through them into their work. That is what is exciting about painting every day. My main source of inspiration is the beauty in nature, I am drawn to the perfection of form and color which is why I paint flowers, fruit and vegetables - the possibilities are infinite."

© Lisa Livoni

She is currently painting for several upcoming shows and working on a large commission piece. Lisa hasn't had any art licensing experience yet but she says, "I am certainly open to exploration. It is an area that interests me a great deal."

© Lisa Livoni

Her future goals? "They are to reach a greater audience with my art, to continue painting large scale pieces and working on commissions with interior designers, perhaps designing textiles, china or linens - I am open."

You can find more of Lisa's beautiful art here:

www.lisalivoniart.com

Art that Feeds the Soul - Artist Stephanie Ryan

More and more, people are looking for uplifting and inspirational art that speaks to their soul and that is a reflection of their own values and dreams. When an artist comes along with that perfect point of view, that unique style and beauty that appeals to multiple generations, it is a dream come true.

Stephanie Ryan's art has that effect on people. Her art is beautiful and speaks to the soul because it comes from her own heart.

The Moon from My Attic: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your art? Hi Alex, thank you so much for the opportunity to share my story with your readers. I like to refer to myself as an artist, designer and creative soul. I love to paint, craft, write and play on the computer. My career started as a doll maker many moons ago and I have been in product development ever since. Currently, I am living my dream as a self-employed artist; I still can't believe it! My work is primarily watercolor art with thoughtful sentiment weaved throughout. TMFMA: What is exciting about your creative work? I think the exciting part for me is the creation of something new. I never know what I am going to paint when I sit down to work. I let my intuition guide me and pretty flowers start to appear. I also love manipulating the art on the computer. I go into it with the same sense of wonder every time and am always surprised by the finished product. TMFMA: Is there a person or thing that has influenced you in your artistic efforts? What inspires you? There are too many to list, I am constantly inspired by nature and my beautiful friends in the art community. I also have this inner voice that is constantly guiding and nurturing my creative spirit. I can't shut it off. My life is all about finding and creating the art that lives inside my heart. TMFMA: Tell us of your experience as an art licensing artist. I have been on the product development side of things for a long time and always wanted to create my own art for products. In an effort to live the life of my dreams, I finally faced my fears and took the leap in 2011 with the introduction of Floral Fusion, a dinnerware collection for Lenox. After the success of Floral Fusion I started to create collections and develop my brand. In 2012, I partnered with MHS Licensing to oversee all of my licensing opportunities so that I could concentrate on what is important to me - creating art and inspiring others to listen to their hearts and see that anything is possible as long as you believe in yourself. This past May, after attending Surtex for many, many years I finally had my own booth as an exhibitor! It was a dream come true. Surtex was a huge success and I couldn't be happier with my decision to exhibit. So, I guess you can call me a newbie to the licensing game but I feel like I have been doing it forever because of my background in manufacturing for the past...oh, too many years! TMFMA: What project are you currently working on and what's exciting about it? Right know I am working on expanding my collections. I am trying to envision what my dream products are and create vision boards and mock ups for manufacturers. I am also creating new art and preparing for the launch of my first fabric collection for Moda Fabrics this fall. Everything is exciting these days! TMFMA: What are your future aspirations and goals as an artist? That is a question that I have been giving a lot of thought these past couple of weeks. First, I would like to be a successful licensed artist, but I want more than that too. I want a creative life that has a purpose and meaning and I want to share my experiences and story. I'm not quite sure what that is yet. I would love to write a book, teach workshops, and figure out how to nurture other people's creative spirit.  TMFMA: Any important tip and trick you can share about licensing? Let's see...be true to yourself, create a strong brand that you love because you have to live with it for a while. Create a lot; manufacturers always want to see what's new! Create product sheets of how your art looks on products. You have to have a lot of patience to make it in licensing. It takes at least 3 years to start getting a steady stream of income coming in. Put a lot of thought into whether or not you want an agent. I think that was the hardest decision I had to make about my licensing career. Oh! and most importantly, have fun and create from your heart. Stephanie's Website: www.stephanieryandesign.com

and Blog: www.stephanieryandesign.com/blog/

You might also want to listen to her recent interview with Monica Lee at Smart Creative Women.

More of Stephanie's art: