52 mini interviews: Mithila 'Mithi' Shafiq

"foxtrot"

Name: Mithila 'Mithi' Shafiq

Location: Bristol UK

Age: 36 on St Patricks Day

Website(s): http://planetmithi.com ; http://cargocollective.com/planetmithi, http://planetmithi.blogspot.com, http://planetmithi.etsy.com/

How would you describe your work?

'Happy' ;)

What are you currently working on?

Tons of competition briefs and some personal work building up towards my final degree show in June.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Everywhere! A lot in nature; in science (I'm an ex scientist); in big band jazz/swing music and dance (that's my other passion); Asian culture/stories/mythologies (I'm Bangladeshi, brought up in Malaysia); anything mid-century modernist.

3 artists/designers you love and why! :

Theres SO many people ... but at the moment, being very inspired by vintage children's book illustrators ...

Alice and Martin Provensen

Alain Gree

Miroslav Sasek

The simplicity of the illustrations, and the happiness and positivity they evoke really appeal to me ...

3 things that make you smile:

My husband

Lindy hop

Charity shop/flea market/ebay vintage lucky finds

Do you have any other upcoming exhibitions/shows etc:

Degree Show, Bower Ashton Campus, University of the West of England, Bristol, 18th till 24th June, which then moves to:

D&AD New Blood in the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London from 24th June to 29th June, then to

Conningsby Gallery, off Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4RJ July 5th to 9th

Don't forget to keep checking back for news about the show, interviews and more!

52 mini interviews: Susan Schwake

"Downstream"

Name:  Susan Schwake
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Age:  really? 52 :) That works out well for this exhibition!

Website(s):
http://www.susanschwake.com
http://www.artstreamstudios.com/
Blog
Flickr

How would you describe your work? 
eccletic and nature based.

What are you currently working on? 
i am working on some interpretations of Birch trees for an exhibition in Romania. Also, a
public art project.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Nature, my family and lots of interaction with young budding artists.

3 artists/designers you love and why! :

Megan Bogonovich - a wonderful friend and total inspiration as an artist as she fearlessly forges through porcelain and clay making mind bending objects.

Stacey Esslinger - native of NH, she makes porcelain handbuilt functional ware which is so unique and
detailed it blows me away!

Penelope Dullaghan - I love her playful illustrative way that she handles artwork. Each of her pieces
bring me back to Ezra Jack Keats, whom I have always adored.

3 things that make you smile:
my daughters, my husband and The IT Crowd!

Do you have any other upcoming exhibitions/shows etc:
Currently I have a series of 50 prints at The Working Proof to
benefit Medicin sans Frontiers - They are all original monotypes with
hand painted elements. Link


This year I have been invited to exhibit in MESTECHENI - BIRKEN _
BIRCHES in Romania 

I am also working on another public art sculpture this year for the
City of Rochester. It will be unveiled in May and on my blog at that
time.

Don't forget to keep checking back for news about the show, interviews and more!

52 mini interviews: Leah Duncan

Rainy Day Limited Edition Giclee Print available here

Name: Leah Duncan
Location: Austin, TX
Age: 27
Website(s):
www.leahduncan.com
Etsy
Blog

How would you describe your work?
Slightly ambiguous, probably flowery drawings with an influence from folk art and children's illustrations with a western flair.

What are you currently working on?
I'm working on expanding my product line.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Nature, animals, the quiet moments in my life.

3 artists/designers you love and why! :

Camilla Engman: Clearly one of the best of our time.

Betsy Walton: Oh, I just love her style! There's something so unique about her work.

Orla Kiely:I'm my happiest when I can see my work on something useable. It's inspirational to see someone like Orla be so successful at creating her own distinctive line of products.

3 things that make you smile:
My husband, my cats, cowboy boots.

Do you have any other upcoming exhibitions/shows etc:
I'll be a vendor at the very first Renegade Craft Fair in Austin in May.

Don't forget to keep checking back for news about the show, interviews and more!

52 mini interviews: Helen Entwisle

Name: Helen Entwisle / memo

Location: Leeds, UK

Age: 25

Website(s):

www.hellomemo.com

blog

etsy

How would you describe your work?

most of what i do is based on things that i collect or things i observe

What are you currently working on?

a new zine, a secret website and a series of new screen prints

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

objects that i've collected and filled my house with provide lots of inspiration, being quiet and looking at things is good too. as is an interesting conversation with as friend. i suppose you could say i can find inspiration in everything around me

3 artists/designers you love and why! :

my all time favourite artists are jim houser, margaret kilgallen and yoshitomo nara. they know a good colour combination when they see one and create really simple and thought-provoking work

3 things that make you smile:

good coffee, dogs, finding amazing things in charity shops/at carboot sales

Do you have any other upcoming exhibitions/shows etc:

i have a zine in an exhibition in san francisco at the moment at anno domini gallery

i'm hoping to organise a group show with friends later in the year too but thats still just an idea in my brain

52 mini interviews: Roz Inett

Installation- The Cave

Name: Roz Inett

Location: Kent, UK

Age: 24

Website(s):

http://rozinett.blogspot.com/

http://rozinett.carbonmade.com/

How would you describe your work?

Childish escapist nonsense.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on the 'I only like chihuahuas and dresses' series and branching out into writing.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

I am inspired by stories, folklore, fairy tales, dreams and snippets of over heard conversation. I try not to think too much when I draw, and just let my imagination take over.

3 artists/designers you love and why! :

David Shrigley made me see drawing in a new way, and fall in love with it again!

I love Marcel Dzama's folkloric drawings, they have a beautiful delicacy that disguise the darkness of what is going on.

Scott Radke makes these strange and haunting marionette sculptures. They sort of look like worried and vulnerable children in animal suits. They are creepily beautiful.

3 things that make you smile:

Doctor Who, cinnamon flavoured cereal and a good nights sleep.

52 mini interview: Jill Bliss

'Wapiti Meadow' original archival ink drawing on paper, 19"x 24"

Name: Jill

Location: Portland Oregon

Age:

Website(s): (websites, blogs, flickrs, etc you name it, we’ll link it!)

www.jillbliss.com

blog.jillbliss.com

shop.jillbliss.com

How would you describe your work?

nature-inspired

What are you currently working on?

new art pieces and a new line of stationery for chronicle books.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

everywhere!

3 artists/designers you love and why! :
betsy walton

Apak Studio
Yellena James

...my current fave artists here in portland. we're having a group show together this summer!

3 things that make you smile:

tea

chocolate

my dog

Do you have any other upcoming exhibitions/shows etc:

elemental group show

together gallery

portland or

july 29th - august 29th

collaborative artwork by apak, betsy walton, jill bliss and yellena james.

Don't forget to keep checking back for news about the show, interviews and more!

52 mini interviews: Tinee Häcker

'coral chirp collage' 10x15cm

Name: Tinee Häcker

Location: Stuttgart, Germany

Age: 36

Website(s): http://7morgen.blogspot.com http://flickr.com/fuchspanzer

How would you describe your work?
I am a printmaker, but also love to draw, paint and do installational or conceptual work, too. My work is illustrative, romantic, simple, detailled and not always as serious as it might appear.

What are you currently working on?
At the moment I am cutting blocks for a 5color linocut print for an art portfolio edition, which will be published on occasion of the 2010 soccer world cup. 22 artists from South Africa and Germany will join and contribute for a good cause...

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
In everyday life. Books, papers, inks, friends, family, home and garden, travel and stay...

3 artists/designers you love and why! :
I am in total awe with the old dutch master of portrait - Frans Hals. He had a very sharp eye for details, without being meticulous (do you say so?) I guess thats why he always succeded to catch the persons characters so well. He mixed sloppy brush strokes with very accurate details. Wonderful! I also love japanese wood cut prints by Hokusai and Hiroshige, great craftmanship and the first popular art available to (almost) everybody back then. Third, hmm, maybe Warhol? He made me go POP...

3 things that make you smile:
cake for breakfast
things that go wrong
my little baby daughter

Do you have any other upcoming exhibitions/shows etc:
You will find some of my prints in the "KUNST.taxi", from March 2-8, 2010 at the UND'#5 art platform in Karlsruhe, Germany. Some other prints will be exhibited in the German House in Johannesburg, South Africa and in Stuttgart, Germany, during the summer. The exact dates will be announced on my blog http://7morgen.blogspot.com

Don't forget to keep checking back for news about the show, interviews and more!

52 mini interviews: Gunilla Jähnichen

Name: Gunilla Jähnichen

Location: Cologne; Germany

Age: 37

Website: www.gunillajaehnichen.de

How would you describe your work?

same but different ( that would be the title and description of those pieces I've sent you)

What are you currently working on
lot's of paintings

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
old masterpieces mixed with everyday life

3 artists/designers you love and why! :
John Currin
Rita Lundqvist
Jeff Olsson
Yoshimoto Nara

3 things that make you smile:
molly monster
merryl streep
my children

Do you have any other upcoming exhibitions/shows etc:
upcoming show at Bugno art gallery, Venice in May

Don't forget to keep checking back for news about the show, interviews and more!

52 mini interviews: Debbie Hill

So in anticipation of our upcoming show 'Fifty-Two' we're going to be given you a little inside info on the artist/designers/makers involved starting with the wonderful Debbie Hill...

Debbie Hill from Museum of Invention series 'The Chicken & the Egg of Inventions' (I think we all know why I like this particular piece!)

Name: Debbie Hill
Location: Brighton
Age: 26

Website(s):
www.debbie-hill.co.uk
www.debbiehill.blogspot.com

How would you describe your work?
Eclectic. I like to use different materials and image-making techniques: whatever works most effectively for the subject matter. My "day job" involves a lot of computer-based design work so I like to be a bit more hands-on in my personal work.

What are you currently working on?
My shopping list collection: i collect shopping lists
I'm not sure what the plan is yet but for now I'm just enjoying illustrating the lists.
I'm also working on an illustrated joke book with fellow fifty-two contributor Yumi Okuda. It's in the early stages but we're having a lot of fun thinking up jokes.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Working alongside others is always a good way to get inspired...drawing parties are the way forward.

3 artists/designers you love and why! :
• Sarah Neuburger: because everything she does puts a smile on my face:
• Eric Carle: What's not to love? Great colours, great textures, great animals.
• Theresa: I've only just discovered her blog but I love her use of cut paper and bright colours.

3 things that make you smile:
• Pigeons (www.protectthepigeons.blogspot.com).
• Group cycle rides.
• Unexpected post from nice people.

Don't forget to keep checking back for news about the show, interviews and more!

fifty-two: we want your photos!

In anticipation of the upcoming Calm Air All Ice exhibition 'Fifty-Two' we are on the hunt for photographs of the number '52.' What we're secretly hoping for is that one of the 52 artists involved will in fact live at 52, but perhaps we will not be so lucky, maybe you live at 52? or your parents? or a wonderful neighbour? or your bestest friend?

We want your photographs of all things 52, be it a door number, a random sign, your kids number blocks, etc! Get creative - find a 52 and your photograph could be used on the flyers and posters for the exhibition!

If you want to submit your photograph please email it to:
claireelizabethplatt (at) hotmail (dot) com
by Sunday February 28th 2010

After this we will be holding a poll and all will be welcome to pick their favourite 52 for the exhibition!

Get snapping!

Calm Air All Ice Presents...

March 28th - April 3rd 2010
Room 212
Bristol