blue bicicletta

I recently interviewed Nicole, the creative person behind Blue Bicicletta. Nicole and I talked about her work as an artist, what her experience has been, and fifty-fifty caught a glimpse into her habitation. Enjoy…

How did you get started with Blue Bicicletta?

The first thing I ever wanted to be was an artist. As a immature child I was always drawing—cartoon characters, fashion designs, landscapes. It was a no-brainer to me that I would be an artist. I would make photocopies of my drawings and paw them out to the customers at my parents eating house, and I once wrote an essay entitled, "Michelangelo and Me," about a day spent with the dandy creative person.

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I did art very seriously all the way upwards through high school, but at some point, me being an artist for a living began to experience impossible. I suppose the idea of "the starving artist" and a realization that I wasnt at the top of my art class scared me away from information technology. I got more interested in English and creative writing and that is what I focused on in college.

A few years out of college, and several dead-end jobs later, I started to realize that something was actually missing, and what was missing was art. I read The Artists Way past Julia Cameron, and that helped a lot. I started making art again, and that helped even more than. Seeing how so many artists were getting their art out in that location through blogging, I started my blog, Bluish Bicicletta (named primarily after my love of biking, and how costless information technology feels—kind of like fine art).

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At the time, I was making all types of art—collage, painting—really anything I could think of. I had an involvement in words and making them more visual, so I started doing some big, colorful, give-and-take paintings. Then one day, my and so boyfriend, at present husband, saw me doodling with a black pen, and he asked, "Why dont you do that kind of fine art more than seriously?" The clouds opened and a bolt of lightening struck, or really, I simply started putting my blackness pen to larger pieces of paper. At starting time, I did lots of abstract pattern drawings, but then I got the idea to bring words into my drawing, and thus my most electric current mode was born.

Later blogging for a while, I started seeing that nearly artists seemed to have an Etsy shop. Etsy seemed like a really easy way to become started. So, a lovely reader asked if she could buy a drawing on my blog, and that really sealed the idea for me—in that location were people who wanted to buy my artwork! Shortly later, I launched my Etsy shop, and other things like arts and crafts shows, fine art shows, and other artistic projects take snowballed from there.

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Is Blue Bicicletta your full time job?

Equally of this October, Blue Bicicletta is my full-time job. Right at present, Im in a transition phase of figuring out just what pieces will fit together into a viable income. I worked part fourth dimension before that, and I always establish myself fitting art into as of time around my day job—really, all of my free time. It is an amazing feel to be able to make fine art my primary focus, so still have free time afterward. I hope to make this a permanent situation.

Name your three favorite artists.

This is a tough one. Im inspired and involved largely with words, perhaps even more visual images, so here are iii visual and written artists I love. Visual Arists: Frida Kahlo, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall. Poets: Mary Oliver, E.Due east. Cummings, T.S. Eliot.

Proper noun your three favorite makers/crafters.

Three makers I am loving right at present would existRaw Fine art Letterpress, Iris Schwarz, and Swallowfield.

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All of the artwork in your shop is blackness and white, no color. Why have y'all chosen to omit color from these works?

Every bit I talked most a fleck to a higher place, I kind of "fell into" my current style. I never actually made the agile selection to work but in black and white, at least not at beginning. In hindsight, this choice seems so patently suited to me—I used to be really into blackness and white photography, and have always loved the simplicity and richness that comes out of that express pallet. My current style is the absolute farthermost of that—there arent even gray tones.

I want to say that I like the challenge of conveying something without any color—trying to create visual interest with such a limited pallet, but in another style, it might be considered more challenging to accept to manage a full spectrum of colors. In a more direct answer to your question, I dont really consider myself equally "omitting colour," its more than like Im reveling in the richness of blackness and white. A very base respond is that I get a kick out of it. Equally I like to say, I dear putting black lines on white paper—it just gives me a buzz of energy. Likewise, the whole decision is based on what the specific drawing needs, and there has but been one drawing, actually a set of two, that called out to me every bit needing color—theyre called "Dream" and "Brand your dreams happen" and they have a touch of color.

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Who or what do you depict the most inspiration from in your own work?

I draw inspiration from the medium itself, like I said, blackness and white drives me wild. I also draw a lot of inspiration from nature, everyday life, verse, words, and the alphabet. I besides get inspired by thinking of new means to simplify an prototype—youll meet some human profiles in my work, and I just love the compositional chemical element of a simple line drawing of a contour, filled with white infinite. Right now Im working on a small book that uses a female contour every bit the central compositional element, and information technology has then much energy in it.

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What advice would yous give to others who are looking to start a arts and crafts business or trying to promote themselves as artists? Whatever tips you can share?

Every day I am learning something new about this process myself. What I am learning is: never requite upward and proceed trying new things. Always be open up to new ideas. I think its near important to find your own way—await at what everyone else is doing and so figure out what you are going to practise. As everyone says, dont compare yourself to other people. Observe what you honey and go for information technology, and go along going for information technology. I repent for not having whatsoever sage business advice, but I often discover that too much business advice jut messes with my caput and fills me upwardly with "shoulds." Instead, Im trying to find my own road past taking in what everyone else is doing and saying and matching it with what sounds practiced to me.

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What do you like most about your studio/ workspace? What practice you similar least?

I like most all of my little bits of inspiration. They feel like home to me. I like least, the amount of space. Right now, I share an part with my husband. I dream of having a studio of my ain with many tables, drawers, and shelves, and lots of light. 1 day.

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Do you remember your style every bit an artist has influenced the style you decorate your domicile? If so, how?

I think my style as an creative person has really influenced my home, likewise, only my interest in fine art in general. I really love word art and letters, and I dream of developing a large drove of big letters. Im beginning to collect whimsical art prints. Right at present though, I recollect the way I decorate my home is virtually influenced past where Im at in my life. Were renting and nonetheless in the pre-settling downwards and pre-investing in skillful article of furniture phase, and then correct now, my mode is mainly manifested in small pockets around my house. One 24-hour interval, I hope to have the budget to brand stylistic choices about all aspects of my dwelling house.

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What is the virtually prized possession in your home?

Oh, I have many prized possessions—lots of chotchkies that my mom has given to me over time (tiny bottles and boxes), some books I absolutely die for, (Mary Oliver, E.E. Cummings, Isabel Allende) and loads of family photos that pull on my heartstrings (like my grandparents nuptials picture).

Visit Blueish Bicicletta on etsy to view more than of Nicole's work.And be sure to check out the framed originals Nicole only put on sale with free aircraft at present through December sixteen.

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