MuscularTeeth

Ladies and gentlemens, I’ve been asked by the Redbubble Powers-that-Be to find two artists i respect and like, and ask them some pre-set questions, to which we shall see their interesting and erudite answers.

To begin with I have started with the great and wonderful Karin Taylor , whose works often grace featured status wherever she goes. She’s a champ. Very nice.
So without further fanfare, lets begin !

How does being a creative person and pursuing your creativity affect other aspects of your life?

(...or perhaps the question should be reversed to read – how do other aspects of your life affect your creativity lol)

1. Well, here goes! I am poor but I have a lot more confidence these days in who I am and where I’m going and how I want to live my life. Whereas, when I worked in the bank, the council and various other jobs, it was difficult not being my own boss. I am a conformist and tend to try and people-please, so it is refreshing and a relief to be an artist and find freedom in that.

2. Finally finding my identity as a creative 6 years ago, and also as what they call a HSP or highly sensitive person, has actually given me great strength, nurturing my creative endeavours seems to have built me into a whole person. I love being where I am right now, I am afforded opportunities to express myself. In the world I used to live in, this was not so.

3. It probably makes me quite difficult to live with, short tempered, fiery, easily agitated when disturbed, etc….it’s hard to balance husband, kids, chores like washing, ironing, running errands and ferrying the kids to sport, etc…with a healthy creative effort……to be there for them, sometimes means I cannot be here for me….and if I am here for me, sometimes I cannot be there for them…I am constantly trying to find a fair balance and failing. So it does create tension in the household, but is blissful for me when I find uncrowded time to create, as I find it exceedingly pleasurable and fulfilling.

4. Art resets me every time….if I can do what I feel is a good painting, you will see me running around with more energy, if I stuff it up and can’t get back to it, you will only know a very growly scowly little bear who bites your head off if you come too close.

Tell us about one person or moment that has made your time on redbubble particularly special or meaningful

Well, there have been many on RB who I could name as being particularly special and meaningful, including yourself MT, but I will have to say Frozenfa because -

a. she has been there for me through thick and thin

b. she has promoted me constantly through her blog initially and then by creating
a Fan Club on Facebook for me, and continually updating my new works on it,
because I’m an old fogey not too techno head type……. not to mention all the little
things she does behind the scenes.

Frozenfa has been helpful and given me advice on business proposals, made
me laugh hysterically, so that my family think I’m stark raving mad ROFL at
my computer screen.

She at times, has lifted me up in my darkest days, and just cares
for my wellbeing wholeheartedly, I always find messages from her hoping I’m
well, getting enough rest, asking after my family and pets, (she is godmother
to my pet cat Baz (Basil)……we have collaborated on a design together which
was heaps of fun, but most of all I enjoy her intelligent grasp on the pitfalls
of human nature and I appreciate her humorous way of interpreting it and the
frustration she feels from time to time through Tim, the Twisted Inner Monster
character that she created…..

Tim is actually a part of Frozenfa for those that don’t realise and it is her way of
dealing with her frustrations, but I find it all particularly funny and can see myself in
Tim very much!

I am so glad to have found a friend like Fa and many other friends like you MT
through RB, and i think/know that you all know how much i love you :D…. I have
recently been saying that there is something about RB that promotes friendship,
and I am eternally grateful that I came to be here.

Show & tell us about five works on redbubble that have moved or inspired you

This is going to be the most difficult task of all, because I will have to leave people out that I love…and I don’t want to do it….but here goes..and I apologise to anyone who I’ve left out, but you know I love so many that it was extremely difficult to chose!

1 Summer Fun by Frozenfa (because the story behind it is so wonderful and I love all of Fa’s Tim characters – but this one in particular had it’s origins in some banter between Fa, myself and Tim….Fa ended up trying to catch Tim and put pink boardshorts on him, that’s why he’s got a drip of sweat down his forehead…he didn’t like it one little bit!)

2 Pear Blossom TShirt by Midori (because Midori taught me that my name Karin means flower of pear in Japanese Kanji and this is very dear to my heart)

3 Hill’s Symphony by Undonchow (because the concept Udonchow shares here is ‘listen to the music in your heart’ and it is wise to do so, the artwork is a celebration of life and glorious colours)

4 Brightly Burning by Karen Cook (because this touches my whole spirit in the deepest way, it is how I feel when I am being the artist in me…burning bright…I love the look, shape and overlays….it reminds me of an old-fashioned hat well-to-do high society ladies would have worn, or perhaps an old lamp shade…it gives me tingles all over when I look at this image every time)

5 Beautiful Soul
by Jan Landers (I think it was this design that Jan dedicated to me and gave the links to a beautiful song of the same name…I was deeply moved by this gesture and it made me aware just how loving a soul Jan truly is and what a gentle beautiful woman I have for a friend)

So there you have it – thank you Karin Taylor.

expect another great bubbler to be questioned soon …