Going up the country

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Right now, some really fun ones! A vineyard’s rebranding and labels, super excited for that one to come out! Then some other fun merch designs for some outdoor brands, branding packages, and as always some fun paintings.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
Learning from a recent project: paintings and murals are fairly new to me. Actually, my sister-in-law really got me into painting in the past few years, and I’m so grateful for that! I’d say a lot of road bumps have come with painting, as I’m always working digitally for clients. Bringing raw materials and canvas into my studio was so eye opening and humbling, hahahah. It’s a different process and I’ve had quite a few learning curves, but it’s been so fun and worth it.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
A range of emotions: “sh*t”, “ohhh that’s a lot of paint”, “and that’s on the floor… on the rug… that lives there now”.

Was there any conversation, film, music or book that found its way into this work?
A lot of music really inspires me. Old country to current indie bands, music to me is one of the best art forms and can inspire and affect soo many people. Sometimes if I’m running dry in the creative inspiration, even just blasting my favorite Cash song can get my wheels turning.

What was the most difficult thing you faced this month in your creative process?
Something that I face a lot: when you bring an idea to life and it doesn’t come out as planned. This can sometimes be a real bummer, or on the opposite end of the spectrum, even better than you imagined. But that’s just the nature of art.

What is your favorite restaurant and what would you recommend us to have there?
I would have to say this one taco joint in San Diego. I used to live in Ocean Beach, SD and loved going down to Mike’s Tacos. They have the best burritos, tacos, and drinks. It’s the cutest lil shop right on the main drag, definitely check it out if you’re in town.

If your life were a movie this month, what would its title be and who would make the soundtrack?
“Going Up The Country”, as my husband, dog and I are currently back in our van for the next year, traveling the west and up to Alaska by summer. Also such a classic song! It always feels great to be back exploring on the open road. For the soundtrack, I’d say Waylon Jennings or The Highwaymen would make it. You can almost always find Waylon, Willie or Cash playing as we make our way through the desert.

Have you collaborated with any studios, labs or workshops recently, or would you like to in the future?
I’ve done some really fun surf brand collabs in the past year that I loved working on! In the future I’d love to collab with some outdoor brands that I love, like REI and Patagonia!

Recommend one or several artists you follow, who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
Oh there’s so many amazing artists out there! I’ve been so lucky to connect with so many through social media and even make some new friends online and in person. Their work is always so inspiring in the different styles, down to the line work, textures, subjects, fonts, everything. Seeing what inspires them and then comes to life with their hands is always such a joy.

A few artists I’ve been really inspired by recently are Jaimee Reale, Madisyn Sherman, Dena Jane, Billy Murphy, hub, and sooo many more. Truly some very talented artists out there!