Joumana Medlej

Today’s guest is designer, calligrapher and illustrator Joumana Medlej from Beirut, Lebanon. Multifaceted and creative, Joumana has created and published her own graphic novels, works with calligraphy, and designs desktop icons & computer games.

Hello Joumana, please tell us a little about yourself, your background and your passion for art and design?

I’m Lebanese, born and raised in Beirut where I acquired a passion for drawing and creative work during the long days of being stuck indoors during the war. I majored in Graphic Design but I lean strongly towards illustration, which I had to learn on my own and am still developing in every way I can. I have a compulsion to create, to “make pretty things” (as my business card says!), though with me they also tend to be meaningful, cultural things.

Could you tell us some more about your work?

Professionally, I’m in charge of the art department for a game development company based in Jordan. I create game graphics and interfaces but also write games on occasion. It’s the best job because researching means playing games for hours! Aside from that I work with a master calligrapher (for the Arabic script), which is a privilege and as much an apprenticeship as it is work, and I coauthor and illustrate children’s books about Lebanese Heritage. On occasion I get freelance work in storyboarding or illustration for advertising.

Moosiqar. Game design by Joumana Medlej

Malaak: Angel of Peace. Cover. Part 4.

My personal work is dearest to my heart, though. It varied wildly for a while, but at the moment my most serious work seems settled along the lines of Comics, Icons and Calligraphy. I started writing and drawing a comic series, Malaak Angel of Peace, in late 2006, which should run up to 7 volumes (I just published the 4th).

It’s the story of the Lebanese superheroine and draws on local folklore/mythology as well as our war memories. I have loads of other, different comic projects in mind though that I will focus on when they solidify.

MiniFu. Computer icons by Joumana Medlej

Computer icons are something I started playing with back in 2000, especially after discovering the Iconfactory. Except I enjoyed them so much I ended up forgetting the “computer” part and iconifying the world around me like a Reducto curse gone mad! I make sets of cultural objects, food items, things that I encountered on my trips, anything that would look good on a tiny scale. Because my sets became so large (I rarely make anything with less than 50 icons now) I started dubbing them Collecticons and orienting them towards posters and printed products.

Wajd (Ecstasy). Calligraphy by Joumana Medlej

The Calligraphy started coming out of me after a few years of assistant work. The Arabic script has a unique relationship with geometry, and I learned by osmosis to interpret it in modern ways while respecting its essence. It’s very different from anything else I do and it provides a welcome relief from computer work – handling paper, protractor and pencil again, not to mention the gilding process.

I almost forgot to mention my drawing tutorials, for which I’m best known in some corners of the web. If you ever needed proof I’m a perfectionist!…

What or who inspires you?

Life, really. I look at things we take for granted and notice what a perfect shape or texture they have, and it makes me want to draw them to show what I see. When I travel, which I do a lot of, I go nuts, as I get so much new input to process and turn into a creative project, but even being at home in Beirut, I keep seeing things on the street that I feel would be a pity for nobody to see, and I integrate them into my comic. It can be an an awkwardly painted wall I walked past or a forgotten, numinous mythological being I re-discovered during my research, it doesn’t matter. Ethnography has been a privileged source of inspiration, but so is the animal world, my martial arts, etc.

I should also mention that I have a very rich dream life, that is, a good access to my own unconscious, and it frequently overflows into some of my work.

As an artist and designer, what has been your greatest resource?

Network

The internet has been a boon… I would never have had access to any kind of references without it, without buying them at great cost from abroad. When I started drawing and making comics in my teens, pre-internet, it was so difficult for me to find resources (no easily accessible libraries here), now all I have to do is google. The internet also provided entire communities of artists, and without this contact I would not have been motivated to try so many things and develop my skills. Finally, it has been a place to spread the word about my work and market it. I don’t know where I would be today without it, either in Lebanon not doing art, or doing art but not in Lebanon! 

Which is your favourite creative project so far?

That’s a real hard question as my answer would have to change constantly! Based on time alone I should say my comic book, since I’ve been doing nonstop since late 2006; that’s motivation! But right now I’m really into the geometric calligraphy I’ve been experimenting with, both because I’m constantly amazed with what turns up and because it’s such a pleasure to return to paper, brushes and gold leaf.

Malaak: Angel of Peace

Could you tell us more about your creative process?

The creative part is not much of a process: suddenly an idea is there that wasn’t there before. My job is the nitty gritty of manifesting it on paper or on the screen, and how that goes varies with each project. However, I always, always start by scribbling in a sketchbook. I carry at least one at all times, to pour ideas into, or sketch thumbnails till I find the composition I want. Most of my illustration work also starts with “pencils” in a sketchbook, which are actually done in ballpoint pen. Roughing a subject with a pen is my favorite part of the process, it’s like sculpting on paper.

Calligraphy. Sketch and final. By Joumana Medlej

Do you keep a journal or sketchbook, and would you mind if we had a sneak peek?

I have many sketchbooks, each for a purpose! Sometimes I even make the sketchbooks myself because I love bookbinding. But they’re messy and not very pretty, as opposed to my travel journals which are a lot more exciting. Let me show you sneak peeks from both.

Travel Journal. By Joumana Medlej

Cute sketches

Would you like to share a photo of your studio space as well?

Ah, the glorious mess that it is! It’s also my bedroom, which doesn’t help. It looks bigger in the photo than it is. I would love to have a proper work space but that has to wait. 

Joumana's Studio

What is a typical day like for you?

Earth Kingdom Zuko

Most days I start working almost the moment I get out of bed (around 6), out of sheer motivation, before I even make my ritual cup of tea. I can keep up an uninterrupted pace till early afternoon; that’s when I start to feel I need a break. Often then I drive across town to a neighborhood I haunt, where I set up “my office” in my regular coffeeshop. Work becomes more social then because I’m bound to run across people I know. Several evenings of the week, I train (I practice Chinese martial arts) which is a good way to relieve the day’s mental tiredness. Needless to say, I sleep like a baby at the end of the day.

How has self publishing and the Internet influenced your work as an independent creative entrepreneur?

Malaak: Angel of Peace. Sketch.

I created my website in 1997, just a year after the internet arrived in Lebanon. I had a lot of writings and illustrations I wanted to share and it was so exciting being able to post them online where they could be seen anywhere in the world. I was 17 then, just about to graduate from high school, so I wasn’t thinking of any kind of work-related purpose for it, in fact I was too new to the ‘net to measure the impact it might have on anyone’s professional life.

A graphic design degree later, I revamped and expanded the site, and moved it to its own host. That’s when I picked the name  Cedarseed: the new site now had a large section about Lebanon and I wanted something related, but not so related I could never use it for anything else, and it had to be simple and memorable. I brainstormed and came up with Cedarseed (for those not aware of it, the cedar is the symbol of Lebanon), which I only started using as a username when visitors to my site started calling me that!

Malaak: Angel of Peace. Completed page.

I added the blog in 2002, then I abandoned it for a while because writing journal entries (at the time that tended to be the use of blogs) did not fit in with the site. It’s only recently and after years of experimenting and being active in several communities, and exploring social media, that I finally settled on a way to integrate all of these tools into one website that can both present my work and facilitate my making an earning from it. (I should also mention that I was encouraged in doing this by the amount of work I got, and works I sold, online before I even tried to make it happened, which opened my eyes to the net’s potential).

I try every avenue open on the net for independent creatives, drop those that lead nowhere and focus on those that work for me. Self-publishing through print-on-demand sites was one of the best, as it allowed me to make available some of my work that was worth making into a book, but that it would have been too costly and risky to publish with a traditional printer, for instance my tutorials, which are now personal best sellers as PoD books (Note that I print my comic books traditionally and wouldn’t have it otherwise; it costs me, but that’s the kind of product it needs to be).

Kokeshi. Sketches.

Now, getting to your question in this roundabout way, if you peruse my site you notice that it’s entirely about my own work, not about promoting myself as an illustrator or graphic designer. I even moved all client work to a single portfolio page. That is how the internet influenced my work: it made it possible for me to be an independent creative, rather than a freelancer. I hardly freelance anymore. I’m happy with my game designer position, and the rest is all about my inspiration.

What do you find to be the greatest challenges and rewards of being an artist?

For one thing you have to trust your gift, it will develop in ways unforeseen and you have to follow, not try to lead. You also have to learn to love uncertainty, because it’s a solitary path and you’re not going to have a career (you could, but for myself renting my creativity full-time would kill me). You mostly depend on people liking your work enough to buy it or commission you, and there’s no knowing how often they’ll come; you can earn a lot one month and nothing the next. Also, people with no artistic sensitivity will constantly be talking about your work in terms of how you should maximize your profit, as if you were selling potatoes.

As for the rewards, you’re doing nothing less than “following your bliss”, as Joseph Campbell put it. What more can anyone aspire to in life?

Ethiopia. Travel Diary.

Where do you see yourself within the next few years?

Things have a way of taking unexpected turns so it’s really hard to predict where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing. I’m pretty sure calligraphy and comic creation will be prominent, though. Ideally I’d love to live somewhere with a spacious work space and little demands from the outer world, so I can devote myself to my comics and other creative projects, as well as my practices.

You’re exceptionally versatile and productive! What is your advice for someone who struggles with getting going or gaining momentum?

Matured Aang

Hmm, I think everyone has to find what works for them as it very much depends on one’s temperament, but I can tell you what works for me: absolute single-mindedness. It’s ok to multitask in the initial phases of a project, for instance I might collect research for a tutorial while answering emails and scanning things simultaneously. But once I’m in the making phase, I need to wrap my brains firmly around the project and not let go till I’m done. This means I don’t give attention to ANYTHING that requires em to shift my attention (I still go train in the evening because physical exercise is beneficial and not such a distraction). Interruptions are deadly, if I lose my momentum I know it may be weeks or months before I get it back for this particular project. When I’m working on long-term projects such as my comic, where I can’t cut myself off from everything else till I’m done, I practice single-mindedness a day at a time: one day dedicated solely to this, one day entirely focused on that, and I’ll have just one or two “scatter” days a week – meaning days for fulfilling errands and chores, where I basically get nothing done but at least all the interruptions are grouped together!

Mai

So basically my advice is, apply your mind to ONE thing at once and you’ll waste a lot less time. We’re in an age of tremendous distraction and I believe most people are just not used to keeping their attention in a single place anymore. If you’re like me, working on a computer with a browser and Twitter in the background, you’re constantly jumping back and forth between 1000 places on top of life’s daily solicitations. The key is to juggle what can be juggled but known when to ignore everything that’s not the task at hand when needed.

What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

Lucky Cat

Don’t be afraid, start immediately. Nothing requires you to drop everything else instantly, so there’s really no reason to hesitate.

Get yourself a website or a blog and start putting your world together, because it will take time for you to find your creative identity and establish an online presence. Above all, be yourself, because it’s the only way your work can be really unique.

What do you do for fun (besides art and travelling)?

I most like playing with friends :) Board games, football, darts, … Even spontaneously mobbing our favorite pastry shop and tweeting the same cake from different angles!

Check out Joumana’s web site Cedarseed and connect with her on Twitter or Google+. 

Jamie Berry

Today’s guest is artist Jamie Berry from New Mexico, The United States. Jamie works with natural media and experiments with photography. Jamie is a digital pioneer with a sense of wonder that comes from being present and viewing life through the lens of creativity.

Name: Jamie Berry
Location: New Mexico, The United States
Web Site: Jamie Berry

Hello Jamie, please tell us a little about yourself, your background and your passion for art and photography?

Hello, Kate, and thank you so much for having me! I was born into a family filled with creatives of every type – performers, musicians, painters, photographers, and writers going back for many generations, so you could say in some ways it that it was just hard-coded into my DNA. I grew up surrounded by art and creativity and the implements with which to give it life. The funny thing is that in spite of all of this, quite simply art is something that just what drew me in, no pun intended. I grew up fairly poor, in a city that was rapidly becoming a gentrified and wealthy cultural center that had formerly been one of the poorest parts of the United States. As I matured and emerged into my own life it became a powerful tool for communicating and relating myself to the world – it was something that came from inside me, a way of seeing that was independent from material resources or the lack thereof, a way to express things with an eloquence that being very young in age was otherwise elusive to me.

Still later I discovered many additional benefits to viewing life through the lens of creativity, likely too numerous to go into in great detail, this is certainly not restricted to the arts, but nevertheless art can be the most immediate way of communicating anything that’s difficult to articulate with words. My passion for the visual arts is derived from this. The connection with what we can see in color or texture is much more immediate and visceral than what we might, for example, read and then process intellectually to extrapolate its meaning for us personally. The visual arts have a way of sneaking around the intellect and showing us a truth that is unhindered by our preconceived notions about things. While both are certainly powerful means of communication, and as I’m sure you well know, they can pack quite a punch in combination with each other, I would liken the visual arts to being more akin to a lightning strike whereas the written word is a bit more like an ember, which burns more slowly before there is the all-out inferno of having been catalyzed. So, for me, the visual arts and music in particular have more power to shake us immediately from our torpor and engender excitement, inspiration, wonderment, and even hope, and of course nature itself does this best of all.

Photography by Jamie Berry

Could you tell us some more about your work?

Kaitlin. Art work by Jamie Berry.

Of course. Because art, for me, is primarily about communication, whatever the message may be, a sense of story is very important to me. I like things that have a visual impact but contain more for us to chew on the more time we choose to spend with them. I am also a big believer in form following function, so the medium is usually determined by the message, I actually stop and ask myself what is the best vehicle for a particular thing and take it from there, I think it’s good to have the versatility of being able to work with whatever best suits our purposes, or even with what we happen to have on hand.

Harriet. Art work by Jamie Berry.

We learn of course that color, design, light and shadow, these are a language we can use to convey what we can’t quite say with words. But taken further, when we integrate this language it becomes a working vehicle for our inspiration. I think this is the point when, though the challenge always remains, and what good is life without challenge, really, It’s how we grow, but at this point things cease to be a struggle in our works. And for me, whatever a viewer may take away from anything I’ve done, this is what I put into everything I do, to create that harmony, even if it is a harmony of dissonance, to meet that challenge, not just artistically, but in presenting the story of a particular experience or, time, or bundle of sensations, thoughts, and feelings, that heat of being there. In the end that’s what determines a success to me, these are the things I am proud of in my own work, and it spills over into the rest of life. It can’t help but do so. And yes, sometimes I do see something and just go, ‘Wow. That is SO cool!’, and that’s good enough for me.

What keeps you motivated and inspired?

For me, it really is as simple as living, continuing to meet and encounter my life directly. A healthy curiosity here coupled with a willingness to embrace whatever it is that’s actually right in front of me and use it as my raw material, a place to begin, is all the inspiration and motivation myself or anyone will ever need as far as I’m concerned. Also loving the things that I really love and am interested in, not being coy with myself about it. You gotta own it. It is from this space that our voices emanate – life is something that is continually evolving for each of us together and separately, macrocosm to microcosm, and you know, openness and trepidation cannot occupy the same space simultaneously. All we need to do is astonish ourselves with our own boldness, our own daring, and life will present the opportunities over and over again, and it’s up to us to accept them. There is always something new for us to encounter. What we make of it is art, and this is what sustains me – as life goes ever on, so does the necessity to share it if we are not shut down to the new facets of it, the possibilities that are around every corner.

Art work by Jamie Berry

As an artist, what has been your greatest resource?

Definitely my family. They have always believed in me and have supported my efforts, even the stranger ones. I think things like that are what inform the other stuff – a sense of well-being makes everything else easier, we all need people that love our weirdness.

Which is your favourite creative project so far?

Photography by Jamie Berry

I’m always sure my favorite will be the next one! But honestly, my own life is my most important creative project, and again, that comes back and inspires everything else, without life, there is no art. The most fun project I have had thus far working on though, was an independent Japanese action/horror film I worked on a number of years ago. The creative camaraderie of something like that when everyone is on the same page is pretty breathtaking. I have enjoyed being independent in my own creative interests on the web these past couple of years as well, the spirit of exploration is terrific fun. Extending this back out into the ‘real’ world is also quite an adventure.

Could you tell us more about your creative process?

I don’t have a rote process, really. An idea will get catalyzed for me and then it just sort of comes about of its own accord. I see images that are born of experiences and I develop them by following them where they want to go. Let me tell you, this made me a terrible commercial artist! They used to tell me to stop feeling and just spit it out (which is actually good advice at times)! Just generally speaking though, regardless of how I actually end up making something, I usually begin with either written notes or drawings. This relates to the next question though, so more on this in a moment.

Jamie Berry's Journal

Do you keep a journal or sketchbook, and would you mind if we had a sneak peek?

Yes, I keep both. I’d be happy to share them with you. For myself, these are my sketchbooks, not my ‘finished art books’, they are a safe space to just play around and explore, to work out the kinks and keep things strong and aligned, sort of like artistic yoga! And using them is really the closest I have to an actual process – what happens here is what lies behind everything else, virtually all of my ideas for visual art emerge from the depths of these books, they are in effect visual journals. I keep written journals as well, my latest is one that a friend made and gave to me as a gift, a lovely handmade book. I write all of my insights down in it as they occur to me. Together, they leave a trail that’s a little more tactile, a little easier to navigate than a trail of just bits and bytes. Though in the execution of our art things may be very spontaneous, those spontaneous actions usually consist of a multitude of impressions coalescing in the moment. One brush stroke can contain a thousand days in the mark that it leaves when we’ve lifted our hand, you know?

Jamie Berry's sketchbooks

Would you like to share a photo of your studio space as well?

My work space is a little bit fragmented at present, I am in the middle of a transitional move! But I’ve sent you some pictures. Another yawn-inducing dictum from me: it’s important to be able to work in the space we find ourselves in. Not all of the things I do are portable, but making the most of the space we have is a handy skill to possess. Art can happen anywhere.

Jamie Berry's studio

What is a typical day like for you?

I actually wrote a small essay about this on my website entitled, ‘A Formerly Typical Day’, it was meant to imply that my days were rapidly becoming anything but typical, and this remains the case today. I do however hold the same basic ideas in mind: each day there must be work, there must be play, and there must be rest. That’s it in a nutshell.

How has the Internet, self publishing and social media influenced your work as an independent creative entrepreneur?

Jamie Berry's workspace

Oh, my, where to start with that one? I’ve been with the web since the very early days, initially doing digital imaging and making websites (I began with Photoshop in 1994 when a power Mac could still set you back $10,000 and a 1 megapixel digital camera was in the same ballpark). I have always loved the idea of democratization, but it’s worth noting that this is something that within the milieu I cut my teeth in as a very young man. The attitude was that if there was no alternative we would damn well create one, and this was before there was a world wide web. So my thinking had always been traveling along those lines anyway, I wouldn’t say that for me personally it is an influence per se, and we were doing our own publishing and so forth then.

That said, the great thing about the web to me is its reach, and the opportunities for connection can be fantastic, people are using it all in a lot of cool, creative ways. I am of the first generation that grew up with a very visible and ubiquitous technological presence, and to me social media is really just a bundled amalgamation of pre-existing services and tools, some that have been around for a long time. I see it more as an evolution of things like BBS to chat rooms, to posting in forums, to blogging and so on – it isn’t really anything new! But it is more convenient today, and that’s a good thing. I know people have virtual Tupper Ware parties for crying out loud, so I suppose the opportunities can be as expansive as we’d like!

Drawing by Jamie Berry

The trends I’ve seen in social media over the past number of years as they pertain to our conversation, though, at times it seems more akin to a recreation of the very systems we’ve been purporting to escape or outmaneuver rather than being an alternative to more mainstream channels! I personally think it’s foolish to tie our work or our identity to a handful of services that we have no direct control over. Using the tools, but allowing them to be a supplement to our real world activities is important, I think. In spite of all that, things are always cyclical and always evolving, I still believe that the potential for impact is better today than it ever was in the past if we are mindful about what we are doing, and cool new ideas are proliferous. At present I’m on a bit of a social media fast, I closed my Twitter account, for example. To me it is showing up for our real world activities that ultimately determines our effectiveness anyway, however information pertaining to them may be relayed or disseminated. For me it’s important to remember that tools are tools.

Drawing by Jamie Berry

What do you find to be the greatest challenges and rewards of being an artist?

For me, the greatest challenge is the temptation to self-censor in an effort to speak very consciously about things, visually or otherwise. The funny thing is, once we’ve begun speaking our particular truth it is nigh impossible to backtrack anyway, but now and again I still have funny doubts about what I’m saying, or how best to say it. So far as the rewards go, I do know very well that our creative endeavors do make people’s lives better, even if we can’t explain exactly why. They do wonders for our own as well.

Where do you see yourself within the next few years?

I see myself doing my best work yet! And that, to me, is very exciting, and I think I am likely finally leaving the desert, though I suppose I’ll take a little piece of it with me.

What is your advice for someone who would like to turn his or her creative dreams into reality?

My advice would be to always listen to that inner voice, that inner prompting, that spark inside you that just knows. Listen to those that are further along the path than you may be, but always trust your own wanting as well. Make friends that do ‘get it’, friends are priceless during creative slumps, and they will happen. Master your craft. Dream big and be bold, never dismiss anything as being too impossible to try, and above all live your life, for there is no art without life. And for Pete’s sake, remember to have fun!

What do you do for fun (besides making art)?

I love to read. When I was a kid I read classical literature, things like Nabakov and Dumas, so I’m just over the past few years discovering things my friends were reading, like Stephen King! I love music, love to play it, and I still go to see the groups I like. I saw The Joy Formidable from Wales this year, and had a great time, they are fantastic. I am hugely into physical fitness and I love yoga. I love to cook, I am very proud of my swelling collection of recipes. I read comic books and I’m quite fond of astronomy and by extension, mythology. I am still a big Mac dork, I love my Mac. I love learning new things. And I love that you have shared your space with me, thank you, Kate.

Check out Jamie’s web site Jamie Berry. 

Japonizer. Seamless, traditional, Japanese Pattern Generator. Pick a pattern, choose colours and size, then Japonize and save your pattern as a tile. A quick, fun and easy way to create a seamless background for your blog, website or digital art project.

12 social media icons for your blog or website. The collection includes badges for Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, email, RSS, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, StumbleUpon and Evernote. The badges are in transparent PNG-format.

These social media buttons are designed to work well both on light and dark backgrounds.

For maximum flexibility, and to work with a wide variety of web designs, these social media icons come in 5 sizes; 128×128, 48×48, 32×32, 24×24 and 16×16.

Enjoy!

< — Save the social media icons to your computer.

READ MARMALADE MOON VIA EMAIL

Seamless Watercolor Patterns from August Empress

If you’re looking for a way to give your blog a new look that reflects your creativity, Jo Klima offers gorgeous, seamless watercolor patterns and blog social buttons along with a ton of other free goodies to spice up your blog.

She’s also put together a collection of useful blog resources with tips, tutorials, textures, patterns, templates and handy WordPress plugins for bloggers.

From web designer Jo Klima of The August Empress & The Darling Tree.

Dry pastel crayons

When your art is your work or when you’re blogging about what you create, the spontaneity is easily lost. You want your clients and buyers to be happy and you want to give your blog visitors a valuable experience. Your art becomes an achievement.

Part of you goes about your day thinking “this would make a good blog post” or “now I know how to solve that detail in the commission I’m working on“. Sometimes you feel you’re producing art and regardless of what mood you’re in, the job is due tomorrow. Even though you love your job, it’s partly become an obligation.

When you put your creative life on display or make a living as an artist, it’s easy to loose sight of creating without intention, just for the sheer joy of it.

A blog or an online portfolio can be a creative outlet in itself and a great way to stay motivated and hold yourself accountable for your creative projects. A way to document your creative journey and to connect with others.

On the other hand, blogging takes a lot of time and puts you on a schedule. You can begin blogging for the comments on your blog, and maybe you start looking for validation from your readers, rather than from within yourself. In a time when we seem more busy documenting our lives than living our lives, it takes deliberation to find a peaceful space that hasn’t got anything to do with other people or how they perceive us. To create a space that has nothing to do even with our own expectations.

A creativity lab. So can you plan to be spontaneous? Write your own permission slip? Can you make room for experiments, happy accidents and non-judgemental creativity? Find time and space to change your mindset?

This autumn I’ve reserved Friday afternoons for spontaneous explorations and I promised myself that I wouldn’t display any of the art from these sessions here on my blog. It’s been a process that’s about loosening up, improvising, letting go of expectations, being associative, having fun and allowing art to unfold intuitively. I’ve been working quickly with natural media. Each Friday a new theme and different mediums. The emphasis is on getting into flow rather than stepping back and judging.

I’ve spent time getting messy with acrylics, oils, dry pastels, clay, oil pastels, watercolours, textiles, charcoal and gouache. Working on different types of canvases such as cardboard, different kinds of paper, wood panel and canvas. I’ll admit that after the first two sessions I felt disappointed with the “result”, even though the whole point was to let go of expectations, but after that it’s been much easier to let go, have fun and step into the freedom of playful creating.

Paintbrushes

Palette with acrylics: earth tones

Shana Victor

Ever since I came across Shana Victor’s curated gallery of desktop art, Pixelgirl Presents, I’ve been hooked!

But Shana went from strength to strength, next she started Shana Logic, an indie shop, with cool, one-of-a-kind, cute, handmade design, here you’ll find jewelry, accessories, fine art and iPod & tech gear.

Shana’s passion for design and her entrepreneurial spirit is infectious! In this interview she talks about the ups and downs of running a creative business and generously shares her thoughts and tips on doing what you love. Shana talks about buying handmade, being a computer geek and saving wild animals and gives us a behind the scenes peek into her creative business.

Name: Shana Victor
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Pixelgirl Presents: http://www.pixelgirlpresents.com/
Shana Logic: http://www.shanalogic.com
Blog: http://shanalogic.com/wordpress/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/shanalogiccom
Connect with Shana on Twitter or Facebook

Hello Shana, please tell us a little about yourself?

I’m Shana **waves** and I live in a little ranch house in Ann Arbor, MI with my husband, two dogs, cat and whatever wildlife I happen to be rescuing at the time. I went to school for Fine Art specializing in photography and mixed media and got into web design and design interfaces after college. I love that crazy kind of art where people are like “WHAT?! I don’t get it!.” I started Pixelgirl Presents in 2001 and Shana Logic in 2004.

Could you tell us about your interest in desktop art? What sparked your interest?

I have a Bachelors in Fine Art so I’ve always been interested in modern design and art. I’m also totally a computer geek, so it seemed like a natural progression to “curate” an online gallery of artwork!

Why did you start Pixelgirl Presents and how did you come up with the name?

Before PixelgirlPresents.com existed, I noticed that most websites catered to the Windows community. I had a Mac icon set that I had designed for an icon contest and that really got me excited about designing for the Mac interface. There really aren’t many sites out there that feature only high-quality, well-designed icons and desktops. And to take that further, there were almost no sites that had items that were made for the Mac interface! I was so tired of wasting time sifting through tacky “hot girl” and “car-themed” wallpapers:-) Basically, I made pixelgirlpresents.com for people like me, who just want to look at good design.

Ah yes, the name…If I could go back into time, PixelgirlPresents.com would have a completely different name! In fact, the only reason why it was called that was that I already had the domain for a personal art site featuring my fashion photography collection. I already owned the domain so voila: Pixelgirl Presents!

Is your desktop always neat and newly styled or does it vary? How do you like to customize your own desktop?

My desktop is for the most part fairly organized but under the surface is chaos!! I have all sorts of folders with random stuff in it from the last 12 years but if you were to look at my desktop itself, it appears like I might have it all neat and tidy;-) I always like a custom icon for my hard-drive and documents folder (normally it’s something cute like a bunny, anime character, etc) and I always have my dock hiding on the bottom. I choose 10-15 minimally styled desktops from my site (I do design work so I like them to be fairly subdued in color and texture so that I’m not distracted when I work) and they rotate randomly.

Perhaps you could tell us a little bit about your interest in indie design and how you started Shana Logic?

Happy Rain Cloud Poster Print

Shana Logic basically was born out of Pixelgirl Presents! A lot of my desktop artists were selling fine art pieces so I opened a mini online gallery where I sold their work. It was called Pixelgirl Shop and was initially a part of Pixelgirl Presents. As I began adding more and more work that I liked, I found that my audience really responded well and it became it’s own separate site!

Back then, there were a few other hand-made indie shops out there as a consumer, they weren’t really my personal style. So, just like Pixelgirl Presents, I built up a business around what I really love! For legal reasons, I changed the name of my shop to Shana Logic in 2007 and actually I think that name really suits the site! It’s basically things I personally like and feel great about so it makes total sense to me :-)

Bestselling Picks: Retro Block Heart Necklace | Clip On Kitty Ears | <3 Unisex (heart) Ring

How do you find designers to feature at ShanaLogic?

All over the place! Sometimes they email me, sometimes I browse the web looking for something specific that I feel would be a great addition and sometimes I’ll randomly see something while I’m on vacation or at a craft show.

What’s a typical day like for you?

• 9am: I wake up and drink my coffee while I watch one guilty-pleasure reality TV show (I’m a sucker for shows like Project Runway, Flipping out, etc but I’m obsessed with international spin-offs: Britain’s next top model, Project Runway Australia, etc.)
• 10am: I spend an hour writing customers, posting products, and blogging. (I’m not really creative until the evenings for some reason so I don’t do any design work until later in the day)
• 11am: I head off to my shop so that I can check in with my assistants and help with the packing (if they need it) check out the new products, take photos of anything new, maybe do a model photo shoot, etc.
• 2pm-12am: I’m headed home where I work on and off until bedtime. I do take lots of breaks and run errands so that I don’t get stir crazy but I have to do all of the marketing, ads, site content, photos, managing my shop, communicate with the 100 artists, etc myself so it’s a lot of work–definitely NOT for the faint of heart but I’m very lucky that my hobby is my job!

Would you mind if we had a sneak peek at what your desktop looks like?

Shana's desktop

Would you like to share your office/studio space as well?

Shana assembling a silver robot necklace.

What keeps you motivated and inspired?

I LOVE my customers and artists!!! What could be better than supporting small businesses, offering the most kick-ass customer service and having the coolest shoppers around? I get to look at pretty, cute and cool things all day…need I say more?

As a creative entrepreneur, we take on several roles, we are the boss, the employee and we might have assistants. We’re in charge of shipping, ideas and visions, marketing, creativity, quality control, customer service, the list goes on. It’s easy to burn out on a job you’re passionate about, and it’s easy to forget yourself in the flurry of activities. How do you deal with creating your own organizational culture and nurturing yourself and those you work with?

Wow – this is a hard one. I don’t think being a business owner is for anyone who really wants a specific division between their “job” and their “personal life.” It’s a very time-consuming process and as your business evolves (hello recession, competition, bad/good business strategies, managing staff if you have them!), you have to be up for anything! One season you might only do certain facets of your job and the next, you might find yourself packing orders until midnight when you’re short-staffed. If you run your own business, you care about it more than anyone else ever will, which means it’s up to you to step up to any challenges you may have. I’ve been my own boss for almost 9 years now so I’m a lot more used to the craziness, but back when I did freelance web-design it was very hard for me to find my personal and business boundaries.

These packages are the pile of out-going orders the day I took pics ;-)

Do you have any techniques for time management and goal setting that you’d like to share?

Sure! Obviously I don’t recommend that you be like me at this point because I’m in a very difficult business that lacks structure. I don’t think I’m able to separate my time with my family and my time working well enough. However, if you’re in a field where you are your own boss (freelance, consulting, contract work etc), I’d recommend that you decide the time of day you’re going to be done working and literally LEAVE YOUR DESK and TURN OFF YOUR PHONE (otherwise you’ll see that client email and be sucked back into the fray!) Really take a break. If you’re burnt out, go for a walk, get some coffee, watch a movie. I used to do the boring tasks during commercial breaks which helped me get through them. Now? I can’t take my own advice but you can still save yourself! ;-)

Cool free magnets. "I make a different design every couple of months and I give out a free one with every order so naturally we've collected a few;-) That pic is the door that we stuck a bunch on–in fact, there's actually 3 holiday ones on there which means some of them are 3 years old!"

What do you find to be the greatest challenges and rewards of being a creative entrepreneur?

The biggest challenge for me is isolation. It might sound funny because I have four part-time employees, 100 artists and an amazing fan-base but when it really comes down to it, I’m alone in the risks I take, the good and bad choices I make for the business and no one will be as dedicated to it as I am. There’s no partner for me to bounce ideas off of, or to help take some of the pressure off of me. That can be a very daunting position to be in.

On the other hand, it’s so awesome to be able to make a living doing what I love! How lucky am I to be able to support artists and teach people the value of creativity!! I feel like I’m really making a difference (Plus you must meet my shoppers – they really are amazing).

These drawers are the teeshirt/apparel storage section. It's sorted by artist.

You’ve started two successful websites around your interests. What’s your advice to other people who would like to start a blog or a business based on their hobbies?

Do what you love and if you have passion about something, people will feel that and be drawn to your projects! Oh and as a side note: get an accountant if your hobby involves any exchange of money! I learned this the hard way but having a small business has a LOT of extra taxes and expenses and you don’t want to be caught off guard like I was ;-)

This the spot where Shana photographs necklaces on a mannequin – so people can see what they look like on a body

Where do you see yourself within the next few years?

I really hope that Shana Logic is still rockin’ the handmade/independent scene! It’s always so hard to say what the future will hold but Shana Logic is actually the job I’ve had the longest (7 years!) and I adore it.

Tell us something about yourself, that you think we probably don’t know?

Haha, ok here goes: I LOVE japanese food, robots, anything with baby animals, anime (the good, not-dubbed kind), coffee, anything sparkly and cute, wearing animal ears, and I love buying artwork and online shopping (I have a slight shopping problem;-) I’m also a licensed wild-life rehabber so I rehabilitate orphaned baby squirrels, raccoons and woodchucks – so cute!

Check out Shana’s web sites Shana Logic and Pixelgirl Presents and connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

It’s a mixed bag. Ideas for easy blogging. Thoughts on digital downsizing and social media as well as some beautiful and thoughtful inspiration for life.

EASY SUMMERTIME BLOGGING

• Take the 7 Link Challenge Today. The idea is to create a “sneeze page” that helps visitors to find the highlights of your blog, even as they drop off the front page of your blog. It’s an easy and fun challenge, and of course you can be creative and modify the questions if you like. From ProBlogger.
• Take a break from the pressures and expectations of regular blogging and let your photos do the all the talking for the month of August. The August Break is hosted by talented and lovely photographer & writer Susannah Conway.
• Blogging In a New Light: Simple Blogging. Turn your day into a poetic, enchanting poem accompanied by a photo. By mixed media artist Susan Tuttle.

TIME TO TAKE A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA?

• Time for a Digital Sabbatical? By Gwen Bell who owns a yoga studio, is writing a book about digital intimacy and is one of 2010′s Most Influential Women in Tech.
• Have you ever felt like you were spending too much time on social networking? Here’s a great read: Breaking Up the Social Networking Way. By paper aficionado Jen who creates delightful things made of paper and blogs at Simply Said.
• Social Media Has Damaged My Attention Span. An interesting article by jewelry designer and blogger Brandi who lives her life inspired by colour. Find Brandi’s jewelry at Catie’s Blue and her blog at Brandi Girl.
• Input vs. Creativity (Or, Thoughts on Surfing the Web) an interesting read by the ever resourceful, helpful, talented and friendly Sister Diane of CraftyPod.

INSPIRATION FOR LIFE

• Here are three thought-provoking articles for people who want to live life on their own terms by self development guru cowboy, Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind: Write Your Own Permission Slip, The Three Ways to Deal With Difficult Emotions and How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs.

Did you miss the first roundup of Resources for Creative Entrepreneurs?

Have you got any good reads about blogging, social media and digital downsizing that you’d like to share?

The very creative, brilliant, many-sided and lovely Valarie Budayr of Learn Sweden and A Place Like This has honoured me with a Kreativ Blogger Award.

Valarie writes about a range of topics including crafting, reading, cooking and her experience and passion for different cultures. Her family is international and one of Valarie’s many expressions for her Swedish heritage is her Swedish school where she runs online Swedish language and culture courses. Valarie also has a great love for nature, whatever you do, don’t miss her beautiful series Fox Diaries!

In return for the honour of receiving the Kreativ Blogger Award, I must pass on the love to seven other creative bloggers and then share seven things that you didn’t know about me. In the spirit of Valarie, I’ve selected inspiring blogs that span a wide range of topics, from culture, creativity and nature to living with several cultures and languages.

7 Creative Bloggers Who Have Been Inspiring Me Lately

• gardenmama – Nicole never fails to inspire and delight with her beautiful photography, creative projects and love for life.
• Turquoise Poppy – Love brought Tara from California to Turkey. The expat-induced identity crisis that followed, lead her onto an exciting path of self-discovery. Tara blogs about ways to “bloom where you’re planted” and examines the possibilities of a fluid identity.
• Gora! Gora! Gora! – Jason blogs about relocating from Sydney to India and accompanies his writings with splendid photography.
• artlovejoy – Wini’s blog is such a sunny, gorgeous and inspiring place to visit! I adore her taste and sense for colour.
• madebymegs – Megs writes poetically with great honesty, vulnerability and strength about the dark sides of her life, only to turn around to write about her appreciation of beauty or to tell a story with wit.
• ocasiocasa – the beautiful online home of Dale and Jeff. Poetic photography and stunning, eclectic crafts.
• williamboschdotcom – William modestly calls himself “an accidental photographer”,  check out his blog for a feast for the eyes!
• a house called nut – Michele is an American in Helsinki, Finland and she blogs beautifully about her adventures. From life in an eco-cottage in rural Finland to anticipating parenthood in the big city.

I’ll be back later with the other list.