ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

New Artist Spotlight: Melissa Castrillon and Stewart Francis Easton + New Work from Daren Thomas Magee November 13, 2020

Here at RCC, we have held these three new, special collections close to our hearts since March, waiting for a moment when the sun could shine on them. We feel that normalcy might not be too far away, and wanted to open the door to some joy and love. We are so excited to announce three new collections for RCC, including two new artists: the extraordinary Melissa Castrillon and Stewart Francis Easton–not to mention an out-of-this-world collection by seasoned RCC artist, Daren Thomas Magee. Step inside the worlds of Melissa and Stewart below, and don’t miss some new in-studio photos with Daren as well. We are so happy you are here. Keep the love flowing.

An English-Colombian illustrator from the UK, Melissa brings her experience in cover design, illustration, screen printing and other fine arts to her exquisite collection. Melissa’s work is vibrant and layered, as if we are looking from a villa window into a magical world with balanced, yet wild composure. Each intricately illustrated detail tiers one on top of the other creating an image that is nearly toile-esque. Be sure to take a look at her layering process below in some in-progress shots.

You may know Melissa’s work from her wide variety of published illustration and book covers, as well as herpicture books, The Balcony, a look into a little girl’s lush and magical garden. Plus Mighty Minan extraordinary adventure about a small but mighty little girl. Take a look at another highlight–the recently released Phillip Pullman gift edition series His Dark Materials set. Could anything be more glorious? Those put stars in our eyes! (See photos below).  

We got to take a little peak into Melissa’s workspace, photos of her creative process and more:

“I was so over the moon when Red Cap asked me to make a collection for them! I’ve always admired their cards and never thought I’d be included in the mix of the amazing artists they have on their list. So when it came to designing the collection I wanted to have a range of all the things I felt are strong in my work, such as bold and punchy colour combos, hidden details, interesting compositions. The inspiration I take from the natural world is a constant in my work as well as exploring organic shapes and twisting and changing them to make familiar but unfamiliar forms is something I will always love to do.” -Melissa Castrillon

“Even though I  started designing these cards before this year I feel that because of how 2020 has panned out for the world, the theme of strength, power, and positivity within this collection has come at a time where we need those messages most. I hope that they inject even a little bit more brightness into those who see them.” -MC

Melissa’s studio.

A peek of her published works.

Some in-process work shots for the RCC collection:

Amazing illustration and book cover work by Melissa Castrillon for Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy gift edition

 

Melissa’s third authored and illustrated picture book, Can You Keep a Secret (below) comes out in March 2021 with Alison Green books–a follow-up to Mighty Min. Both books are printed in glorious, bold spot-color, which will definitely highlight Melissa’s signature palettes. Also, her first illustrated science book will be released in April 2021 with Walker Books (UK) and later in the year with Candlewick (US). The book is written by the amazing Physicist Jess Wade who has spent her life tirelessly advocating for women in science and getting more young girls into science. The book is called NANO: The Spectacular Science of the Very, Very Small.

.   .   .  

We are delighted to announce our collaboration with the fascinating abstract artist, Stewart Francis Easton. Stewart currently lives in London, UK and works across many disciplines, including stitching, fiber arts, painting, drawing and digital media. He has shown work both nationally and internationally with pieces in private collections, and is currently hard at work at his passions: embroidery as meditation (embroidery every day for long periods of time as a purifying practice), the counterculture, and mid-century inspired shapes.

Stewart’s work embodies a playful spirit while giving a nod to mid-century design and architecture. His abstract and colorful shapes burst into form after they are cut, rearranged, and re-envisioned. While we have been lucky enough to print his collage works in this new collection, Stewart’s innovative and awe-inspiring embroideries are a highlight of his body of work, with bright, thoughtful colors and raw geometric fun.

On top of all that genius, he likes new age music, spirit jazz, psychedelia and hand-cut shapes, and we can’t wait to introduce him to you. Have fun!

The Glass Bead Game, Nucleus, Portland , Oct – November. 2017. View more here

The Glass Bead Game, 2017, inspired by work by Herman Hesse
The Glass Bead Game, 2017, inspired by work by Herman Hesse
The Glass Bead Game, 2017, inspired by work by Herman Hesse

Fevral – A folklore. View more here.

Part of the Fevral – a Folklore show

Lobsang Rampa, The Third Eye

.   .   .  

And not to be outdone, the amazing Daren Thomas Magee. See below for some new in-studio and process photos. His work is a channel to what we all should aspire to be. Thank you, Daren!

Artist Spotlight: Dylan Mierzwinski October 22, 2019

We are so excited to have one of our newest artists, Dylan Mierzwinski in the RCC Artist Spotlight today! Dylan is a graphic designer-turned illustrator from Phoenix, Arizona, a master of retro floral and botanical designs, as well as a savvy sewer/pattern designer and chef. Dylan’s happy, colorful work for Red Cap (those gift bags!!!) is making us all giddy. We had the chance to interview Dylan about her life, work, and a burgeoning YouTube series that she has created for up-and-coming artists as well. We are so happy to properly introduce her–Dylan and her work are a wonderful ray of sunshine.

Tell us about a day in the life of Dylan!
Dylan’s days…okay I’m not going to do third person. My days are ever-changing as I begin to get better at crafting a schedule that works with my tendencies. In short, even though I love love love my job, I still procrastinate. Most of my scheduling woes come from trying to trick myself to get working sooner, because once I get going, I’m hard pressed to stop until it’s done (I suspect my brain might know this, hence it being hesitant to get going on something…it knows it’s going to have to work!). In general though, my days are super awesome. They involve waking up without an alarm clock, being in my quiet apartment alone, and cycling through admin, creative, and client tasks. A few important key things that have helped me lately are:
  • Going for a one mile walk in the morning
  • Starting easy. Contrary to 2019 productivity beliefs, I don’t begin my day with the most important work (re: procrastination station), instead I enjoy some quick wins with admin tasks to ease me into the day
  • Exploring my art early. I used to put client work first, but it’s crucial to the health of my heart and career that my personal art practice is prioritized above all else; no client comes before it. After my morning admin tasks I sit down with a brush or pencil and get to work.
Other key players: tacos, Parks and Rec reruns with my babe, waving at dogs in our apartment complex, reading too many murder mysteries
What defines you as a person and an artist?
Easy! (Not). As a person I think I’m defined by my transparent nature and weird sense of humor. Those things are echoed in my art, usually manifested through a shared moment of humility or growth with animals and rosy cheeked characters (like the drawing of me being naked at home when a delivery knock comes at the door, or a group of animals pushing a scared elephant on a skateboard that he really wants to learn to ride). I think my art is most marked by a happy balance of nostalgia and real life; this comes through in my retro and sometimes clashing color palettes, and the inky line work that carves out bouncy petals and firework stamen shapes. It’s as beautiful and rich as those real life things that inspire me, but not too beautiful, because it’s the weirdness that draws me in. For what it’s worth I’m also like 400 years old on the inside.
Do you remember being artist as a child? Do you have a specific memory of when you really knew what you wanted to do?
I did a lot of artsy fartsy stuff as a kid. I’ve always loved the office supply and art supply aisles at stores, and since my mother was an artist, it felt very natural to always be painting, drawing, sand-arting, and making our halloween costumes. It’s not that I always knew I’d be an artist, I just knew I felt comfortable in that world. If anything, becoming an artist has been more about crossing things off the list that I’m not. For example, in first grade I moved to a new city, and it seemed like literally every kid in my school was on some soccer team called “The Lightning” or “The Stingers” or what-not. Standing on the sidelines with my dad as we watched them play, a very calm and accepting voice in my head said ’this is not for me.’ That feeling kept re-emerging, and eventually, returning to art and those long aisles of pencils and palettes felt like a homecoming. It’s not that I thought I was an excellent artist, but I never felt out of place wandering through that world. In fact, I wanted to get deeper and deeper.
More recently, though, after a few years working as a graphic designer (aka as someone else’s hands), I was sad to feel so uncreative in my creative industry. I owned paints and sketchbooks but never used them. In the privacy of my apartment I took on my own 100 day drawing challenge, and with each push and day done I knew this was the challenging work I wanted to continue. I was meant to be creating something. You can actually see the evolution of that challenge here.
Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
Things that look old and bring me feelings of nostalgia – that warm remembrance and familiarity feels soooo good to me, and I try to bring it forward in my work. My work reminds me of my mom’s house in the country with Bob Dylan leaking through the windows, or my grandma getting ready while 60s Motown hits stream from her small bathroom radio. Old floral sheets, candid pictures of families at birthday parties, shared moments that connect us as people, vintage advertisements for contraptions long forgotten – all of it holds a bit of gold that I like to collect. Some of my favorite artists include Edward Gorey, Ed Emberley, Rachel Ruysch, Mary Blair, and Henri Matisse (is that a given?)
Tell us about your creative process in terms of both illustration and pattern design. What are your favorite aspects of making art? What do you find most difficult?
I really enjoy my workflow being a hybrid between ’traditional’ analog media (pencils, pens, paint, paper) and digital media (Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate). I joke that if I were a better artist I would be able to just rely on the former, but I think that’s a cruel way of minimizing my own work. I love the real feel of my pen scratching against the paper, and the unpredictable line quality and blobs of ink – but I also enjoy being able to really push and ‘correct’ a piece on the computer. I wouldn’t want to have one without the other. The parts that prove most difficult are: starting (every time! So silly), and composition. I’m fairly middle brained and when my left, linear thinking brain tries to get in there my compositions become contrived and overworked – it’s something I regularly have to work on in illustrations and surface designs. It’s like a fun puzzle though, I know there’s a solution to be found.
Tell us about your Youtube series, Hey Dylan!
My YouTube series “Hey Dylan” is just getting off the ground, and is here to be the casual wisdom that an older sister may carry. It’s a conversation between creatives where listeners write in their questions and I answer them, unscripted. It isn’t official legal advice or business strategy, but more a place for creatives to have their very specific questions answered, while sharing the information for others to use, as well. Sometimes Google isn’t able to fill in all the gaps, and so I like being able to share a bit of my experience and strategic brain to help others along. The best part is a lot of the questions are fear based, and so the answers I give aren’t anything groundbreaking, but more of a reminder to the asker of what they already know. Usually: you already have what it takes, stop being so hard on yourself, and get to work. As of this writing only one episode is actually published, but a big push this fall means quite a few more episodes are ready to calm, share, and encourage.
Do you have a favorite piece you have created?
One of my favorite pieces is called “Inky Florals” and it will always be a favorite because it’s one of the first times I really embraced my ‘ugly’ color choices and stumbled onto a color combination that felt absolutely perfect and weird. After that point I had no qualms about throwing in a muddy brown or shock of blue.
What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Besides the golden rule, which I could talk about all day, I love the quote “Argue for your limitations and you get to keep them.” Richard Bach may have been the first to pen it, but I heard it while listening to Elizabeth Gilbert’s, Big Magic. You don’t get brownie points for having a really good excuse, you just have an excuse in your way. I’m more interested in busting through and getting to the goodness on the other side of that limitation. If you think you can’t do something because you don’t have the time, money, talent, resources, etc, guess what, you won’t be able to do that thing. Sad sad sad. Prove whatever evidence you’ve gathered wrong and throw it out the window.
Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
Not to be a real dud here, but you know how people for ages have longed for an elixir of life? Well there is one and it’s called water and the healing and nurturing it does is INCREDIBLE. So water. And then orange pop.
Thank you so much, Dylan! We love you! You can view Dylan’s collection for Red Cap Cards, here.
Photos courtesy Dylan Mierzwinski.
Artist Spotlight: Nolan Pelletier June 20, 2019

We are so excited to be interviewing our newest debut RCC artist, Nolan Pelletier, for this special Artist Spotlight post! Nolan is a breath of bold, bright, and beautiful air. He is a master of colorful and detailed work–often reminding us of styles and themes from many different eras of amazing art. If you haven’t had a chance to check out his styles of gift wrap, greeting cards, and bags–you WON’T want to miss them. The colors burst off the page, and inspire us to live our most colorful life! Read on to learn more about his work, sources of inspiration, and of course, his favorite drink. Thank you, Nolan! We love you!
Nolan Pelletier
Tell us about your life in Canada! How did you end up there from Connecticut?
As a pre-teen I loved the charmingly low-budget 80s Teen Drama Degrassi Jr. High. I convinced my parents to bring me to Toronto to visit the filming locations, and thought Toronto was exotic and fun and exciting. In 2007 I moved here for art school. Now all my friends and my wife (Kaley—she’s also an illustrator) are here, so I’m stuck in Canada!

Did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations in childhood?
Growing up I really wanted to be an animator. By the age of 10 I had a subscription to Animation Magazine, binders full of interviews with animators that I’d printed off the internet, and I’d decided I wanted to go to Cal Arts to study animation. As I got older I realized that being an animator meant drawing the same thing over and over, and I don’t think I have the skills or patience to do that!
Your art pulls from so many incredible eras of art and is so vibrantly detailed. Which eras or artists are the most inspiring to you and why?
My work pulls from lots of different eras of art, but it’s always filtered through an appreciation of mid-century design. The illustrators and designers from that era borrowed heavily from different historical periods, but updated it with a modern design sense and colors. I try to apply that same ethos to my own work, and pay homage to both the historical art I love, and the mid-century illustrators who helped foster that appreciation. It gave me a good blue print for how to borrow, adapt, and steal!
Nolan’s inspirational ephemera
Nolan’s inspirational ephemera

My absolute favorites from that era are Naiad and Walter Einsel, Joseph Low, and John Alcorn. I was lucky to have the opportunity to get to know Naiad Einsel in the last few years of her life, and her art and life are a constant inspiration.
Nolan’s inspirational ephemera


What is your favorite piece of work you’ve created?
Probably the newspaper I illustrate, design, and publish, The Somnolent Garden Rambler. I distribute it for free around Toronto and New York. It was bumming me out that all my personal work was only being seen on tiny phone screens, so I wanted to create something that was tactile.  I’ve put out two issues so far, and would like to start work on the 3rd soon. It’s nice to have complete control over both the form and content of the publication.

 
If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be an archivist! Since I was in high school I’ve loved collecting ephemera—and that’s led to some jobs in archives over the years. One summer I helped catalog and locate 1930s Works Progress Administration paintings at the Connecticut State Library, and I spent another summer digitizing the director David Cronenberg’s archive. I still love scouring the stacks for obscure reference material, or visiting archives to read through an artist’s papers. There are so many great resources that you can’t access online that are ripe for the plundering. Visit your local library!
 
Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
I’m working on a few record covers at the moment, and some boxes for a cosmetic company.
 
Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
Avery’s White Birch Beer! There’s this tiny soda company near where I grew up that has been bottling soda in a little red barn since 1904. My Grandfather would always have a wooden case of them in the basement, and they came in thick vintage bottles they’d been re-using since the 40s. When you pick up a case you can watch them filling up the bottles on an old rickety conveyor belt. For alcoholic drinks, maybe a Tom & Jerry? But only at Christmas time.
Artist Spotlight: Cressa Beer March 7, 2019
Photo by Julia Durr @juliadurr

We are beyond delighted to introduce to you a special guest collaborator, Cressa Maeve Beer aka @beeragon! She is a self-described: “stop motion artist, video preditor, and queer dinosaur living in Brooklyn,” and has produced content for Refinery29, New York Post, Hearst, and MTV among others. We are so honored that she has used her amazing, breath-of-fresh-air talent to create a special series of stop-motion videos for Red Cap Cards! You may have seen a few popping up on our Instagram here and here with fantastic music by @a_sarr — but we know you want to know more! Using her trademark stop-motion Godzilla characters to perform haiku greeting cards by Johnathan Rice for RCC, she has created the most enchanting films that are pure wit and joy. Just take a look below! And read on to hear about her life, her creative process, and the best piece of advice she’s ever gotten. Be sure to check out her other work on her Instagram, @beeragon, or her website, cmbeer.com.

 

Tell us about a day in the life of Cressa!
My mornings are really important to me – I tend to get more work done, and I can think a little more fluidly. Creativity comes a little more clearly too. I usually get up at 5 AM and try to exercise while I’m too groggy to realize that I hate jogging. After that I have a small daily ritual of making a pot of tea, journaling, meditating, and gratitude. Then I make breakfast (and on weekdays cook my lunch to take with me to my day job) and do a little personal work, whether that’s writing or editing a stop motion project – sometimes I’ve even managed to squeak out a short shoot before having to catch the train. During the week I work as Head of Post Production for the video team at the New York Post, where I’ve been editing and occasionally producing the last few years.

Here are some of my best pieces that I did, if you want to see what I shoot outside of stop motion:

After work varies daily, but some of my favorite things to do are seeing a show at House of Yes, peruse Strand Bookstore, catch up with a friend over ramen, or just take a walk with my partner. Weekends tend to see me cozied up with movies, books, and probably hours spent with a camera and a little monster.

What defines you as a person and an artist?
I honestly have a hard time with self-definition, but if I were to aim for something, it would be to become a bed of flowers for people to discover and give them a smile when they need it most.

Do you remember being an creative/artist as a child? Do you have a specific memory of when you really knew what you wanted to do?
I was that kid on the playground who would dream up entire worlds and characters with elaborate backstories, subsequently bossing their friends around to act things out in just the way I would envision. My parents were serious movie buffs, showing me Godzilla vs. Mothra and La Strada in the same day, which I feel shaped a lot of who I am. I used to play Ray Harryhausen VHS’s, specifically Clash of the Titans, until the tape no longer worked. That, alongside catching Wallace and Gromit on PBS, got me massively into stop motion. I used to hijack my parents’ camcorder to create little frame-by-frame movies with my LEGOs, and usually that’s what I would end up turning in for school projects.

I also have a very vivid memory of when I knew I HAD to be a filmmaker. I was 14, and my parents decided to show me Apocalypse Now. I just remember being completely struck by the editing, particularly in the opening sequence, and having that be the first time I noticed a movie was the sum of its parts, and those parts could be manipulated into countless ways to create new meaning and illicit all sorts of emotions from the audience. I recall turning to my parents when the movie ended and saying “This, this is what I want to do.” They weren’t surprised.

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
My inner child has become my greatest inspiration and source of energy and creative output. It’s sad, but I feel as though as I got older, I ended up suppressing myself in a multitude of ways – in order to not be ‘weird’, or to just fit into a certain mold. Even if I was experimenting creatively and ambitiously pressing forward, I really put a restraint on who I was. I wasn’t able to really understand this until just recently. When I let my inner child free, and allowed myself to come out to play in the sunshine, things became brighter – fog lifted in my everyday life, and I was able to create things from a source of purity. It’s hard to describe. I’m an incredibly sensitive person, but I let myself be sensitive to any sort of joy, no matter how simple; the way a leaf perfectly falls from a tree above me, the soft smile of a stranger on the subway, the coincidence of finding a book on the wrong shelf in a store that ends up becoming your new favorite. I aim to view my life as my four-year-old self would: new, magical, and full of possibility.

Tell us about your stop motion filmmaking process. What are your favorite aspects? What do you find most difficult?
It’s a tedious, tedious, tedious, tedious process – but it’s extremely meditative, too. The movie standard is 24 frames per second – so that’s 24 pictures to create one second of animation. But it’s also not quite that mathematically simple either, because then things would be too robotic. It’s an odd balance of intuition and craft.

Photo by Julia Durr @juliadurr

I’m sure I make a lot of other stop motion artists pull their hair out in frustration, because I tend not to do too much planning when creating something. I’ll have a general outline, and I’ll see it all in my head, but a lot of the final product doesn’t shows up until I’m in in the actual act of creation. A minute long piece might take me 10 hours to shoot, depending on how complicated movements are and how many subjects have to move in one frame. I also feel a lot of things out and change my mind constantly based on what I’m seeing happen – after so many hours, your subjects tend to take on lives of their own, and their personalities illuminate and guide your project. I’m certain that makes me sound a little crazy, but bringing these things to life and letting them ‘live’ in front of me is the whole payoff for hours of tedium. I suddenly have a sunny little world with little monsters to play in.

Do you have a favorite piece or film you have created? Include link or photo if possible. I think the pre-screening bumper I made for Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn (above) is my best work, but my favorite is one of the bumpers I made for Cinepocalypse film festival in Chicago (below) that my darling friend Ryan Oesterreich runs.

It’s like everything I wanted to happen as a kid.

What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
During an especially low point in college, a friend stroked my head and said ”It’s okay to be vulnerable.” I try not to forget that.

Any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?
I just did a shoot with one of my favorite rappers, Fat Tony, and I have some other collaborations with artists I love popping up. And then some very special things for the upcoming Godzilla King of the Monsters movie, but I can’t quite be detailed yet about those. Mwahaha.

Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
My inner child is also an old lady, so my favorite drink is my first cup of green tea in the morning (right now it’s Kukicha from Physical Graffitea on St. Marks).

Thank you so much, Cressa! Again, be sure to check out her other work on her Instagram, @beeragon, or her website, cmbeer.com.

Artist Spotlight: Daren Thomas Magee February 21, 2019

It’s finally time to shine the spotlight on Daren Thomas Magee–another of our newest artists that is now a member of our tight-knit RCC family! Daren is an introspective and visionary illustrator and designer from Ojai, California. A master of blending the natural with the supernatural, Daren creates thought-provoking work that inspires us to become closer together as humans and, in turn, connects us to a higher consciousness.

His RCC card designs have been flying out the door and that’s no surprise to us! Read on to learn more about Daren, his work, and his inspirations. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us, Daren!

Were you an artist as a child? What is the first memory you have of realizing your artistic creativity?
I have very early memories of drawing little scenes that I would play along with, I would make sounds and envision action happening within the scene as I drew. I haven’t thought about that in a long time. Thanks for that! I think there has always been some creative outlet for me growing up. I’ve always enjoyed creating, bringing things that didn’t exist into existence. I think that’s our greatest gift in this existence.
Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
My greatest inspiration is existence. I am in constant awe of the fact that we exist. Be it divine intervention or a seemingly impossible complex series of natural events that led us to being right here right now, we’re here and that blows my mind. I am using my fingers to tap little plastic squares that translating my thoughts into 1’s and 0’s communicating my answer to your question and displaying it on a screen…..whoa! Yeah, that’s inspiring.
“Forest Hands” by Daren Thomas Magee
Tell us about your artistic process. Technically speaking, and inspirationally. 
Before my child was born in March of ’18 most everything I did was hand drawn with paper and pen. Very detailed, stipple based work. As the reality set in that I would no longer have the luxury of working so intimately I decided to put more effort into creating more simply and move my process over to the computer. I discovered that I was able to create at such a faster rate with a computer and was fortunate enough to figure out how to emulate that hand drawn look within a digital scape. So it was a very fortunate thing to have been pushed out of the place I knew so well and be forced to adapt to my new surroundings as a father.
Inspirationally speaking, I never go into a piece knowing what its going to be. I always start off with a blank canvas and will throw a shape or a line on the screen, move it around, distort it, mirror it, just play with it until something strikes me. Inspiration born out of a lack of direction.
What is your favorite piece you’ve ever created and why? 
I think this piece called ‘Pleasant’ may be my favorite, not because of what it is, but because of what it represents. This was the first digital piece I made after the realization that I wasn’t going to have time to create the way I use to. It embodies the simplicity that was all I had the time and energy for. I surprised myself after it was finished at how something so minimal can be so pleasing. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of creation and gave my artistic drive and new voice to speak from.
“Pleasant” print by Daren Thomas Magee
What was the most important piece of advice you have ever been given?
‘Always speak your truth.’ My Grandmother was a very outspoken woman. You always knew where she stood on things. This is something I still struggle with but when I am able to pull it off the feeling I get is ‘right.’ It lifts the weight that hangs on my shoulders from not speaking my needs for fear of putting someone off or causing ‘trouble’ for someone. We are all sovereign creatures and we all have needs and theres no reason those need shouldn’t be met.
What story does your work as an artist and a designer have to tell?
The story that I would like for people to pick up on in my work is that this existence is so utterly mysterious that it can’t and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. No one knows for sure how we got here or where we gone when its over, just that we have this time in the middle to be in these bodies, to have these capacities to create, to think, to innovate, to play with our environment. I think its an extreme honor to have this limited amount of time to really experience this existence as profoundly as possible.
To view more of Daren Thomas Magee’s work for RCC, click here to visit our shop, or visit his website, Real Fun Wow.
Artist Spotlight: Jacqueline Suskin February 14, 2019
We are so excited to introduce the next volume of our three-part Artist Spotlight series, with an interview with one of the newest members to our RCC family, Jacqueline Suskin. A remarkable poet and educator, Jacqueline believes that words have healing powers to both our minds and souls.
She is the author of three books: The Collected (Publication Studio, 2010), Go Ahead & Like It (Ten Speed Press, 2014) and The Edge of The Continent Volume One (Rare Bird, 2018). Since 2009, her project, Poem Store, has allowed Jacqueline to produce over 30 thousand spontaneous, improvisational poems for patrons around the world on a portable, manual typewriter. She has written for Oprah, Gwyneth Paltrow, Drew Barrymore, Cheryl Strayed and more, and was honored at the White House as a Turnaround Artist by Michelle Obama. For even more on Poem Store, definitely take a look at the videos below (there are even more on her YouTube channel), as well as her fantastic TED Talk (below).
We are honored to have Jacqueline’s inspiring and thoughtful work in our newest collection, and are so excited that she took the time to answer our questions here. Be inspired! Thank you so much, Jacqueline! To view her full collection for RCC, visit our shop, here.
Have you always known that you were a poet? Is there a first childhood memory of the words awakening?
Before I knew how to write proper letters, I was filling up notebooks with cryptic language. I have those journals still and I’ve translated them to the best of my ability. The first poem to appear was about a fox. I later went on to write an entire journal of love poems dedicated to Vincent (the beast from the 80s TV show Beauty & the Beast). I was in third grade when I created that and that was the moment I knew that I was a poet.
Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
Planet earth is my greatest inspiration. I’m an ecstatic earth worshiper and fully dedicated to this beautiful place we get to call home. All of my work is based on my belief that if humans can heal, if we can transform and become aware of the perfect bounty that is the natural world, then we will actually honor it and care for it properly.
Tell us about your writing process. In terms of writing–is creating work a more fluid, spontaneous process or do find yourself honing the skill of writing–doing it daily at a certain time?
I have a dedicated writing practice, but I’m not rigid. Creation comes in waves for me and sometimes I need to rest. I’ll work on writing a book every day, editing and tweaking every line for months and months, and then when I finish it I take a break. My spontaneous poetry project, Poem Store, requires me to show up constantly, but those poems are very different from the refined, finished products that arrive after months of editing. I like the mixture provided in these different practices, the balance of the craft that I got a degree in and the magic of Poem Store, which relies on my connection to a patron who stands in front of me as I create a poem just for them.
What was the most important piece of advice you have ever been given?
There are no mistakes. I have a few regrets, not buying the ranch I used to live on in Joshua Tree because I didn’t understand money at the time and 60k seemed like A LOT, sending back the very first copy of my first book to the publisher to have the binding re-glued and they accidentally threw it away…I regret these things, but I don’t believe in mistakes. Even the worst things shape and inform the course of one’s life. No need to get hung up on what I should have done or which turn I could have made, everything is just as it should be. How could it not be?
Tell us a bit about your amazing recent event, “The Long Conversation” at the Smithsonian.
The Long Conversation” is a phenomenal experiment from the magical mind of Rachel Goslins who invited me to speak this year. Basically, she brings in people from around the world to discuss why they are optimistic about the future. Scientists, poets, drag-queens, artists, actors, and policy-makers, all of us on stage talking about experiences in our unique fields that inform us on a brighter future. It was so inspiring. I was paired with activist Mily Treviño-Sauceda (click to view a video of Jacqueline interviewing Treviño-Sauceda) and Cheech Marin, two wonderful humans who really care about what they do in this world. I talked about the human condition as I see it through my work with Poem Store. Writing poetry for all demographics, I get to witness our indefinite willingness to transform and our shared desire for depth. This gives me hope that we can turn the whole thing around because even now, even in these truly difficult times, people still turn to an ancient tool like poetry for help.
Any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?
I have about four books in the making and an opera brewing as well! I’m really excited for the second volume of my series about California to come out this spring. The Edge of the Continent Vol. 2 – The City is about my time Los Angeles. The first book in the series is about my time living in Humboldt County and the third will be about Joshua Tree. This collection is so close to my heart and a dream come true for me.
Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
Honestly, my favorite drink is water. There is no beverage that makes me happier than a cool cup of plain, clean water. No bubbles, no ice, no straw, just water. But I’m pretty partial to a tequila soda with lime as well.
Artist Spotlight: Johnathan Rice February 5, 2019

We are so very excited for our first of three upcoming Artist Spotlight posts, highlighting the newest artists, designers, and writers in our RCC family. We love these short interviews, because it gives us a chance to dip a toe into the minds of such brilliant creative forces.

First up: Johnathan Rice. A singer, producer, and writer living in Los Angeles, Rice has spent his adult life inhabiting different corners of the entertainment industry. Signed to Reprise Records at the age of nineteen, His debut record “Trouble Is Real” arrived in 2005, the same year he played Roy Orbison alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny Cash in Walk The Line. He spent the next ten years making records and touring the world.

In 2016, Rice started posting haiku poems on Instagram. The haikus gained a rabid following and led to the publishing of Rice’s first Book Farewell, My Dudes: 69 Dystopian Haikus by LA’s Hat & Beard Press. It became the fastest selling book in the company’s history, buoyed by celebrities like Mandy Moore and Anne Hathaway’s “readings” of their favorite haikus on Instagram and Rice’s appearances in bookstores, comedy clubs and concert venues nationwide. W Magazine called Rice “the beat poet of the Instagram generation.”

Photo by Silvia Grav

Do you remember being an writer as a child? Do you have a specific memory of when you really knew what you wanted to do?
I always remember being interested in words and particularly the combination of words and music.  I always thought of sentences in a melodic and rhythmic way.  I grew up between Virginia and Scotland, and I think that made me very conscious of the different ways people speak and all the varieties of accents, slang, patois, etc. I always pretended that I was a musician, and then eventually I became the thing I was pretending to be.  I loved the musicians who took daring risks with their lyrics: Shane MacGowan, Dylan, Townes Van Zandt.  Even though I’ve spent the majority of my adult life as a musician, I think at my core I’m really a writer above all other things.  

Who or what is your greatest inspiration?
There is a feeling inside me that I come into contact with sometimes. It’is somewhat elusive.  It’s not happiness or sadness or something I can even fully describe. When I am inspired, I am in contact with that feeling and everything feels right.  I felt it when I was a child, and I can still feel it now. I don’t know what it is. Do you?

Photo by Silvia Grav

Tell us about your writing process. In terms of creative work–is time spent working more spontaneous or do find that it is regimented like a job?
It’s both. Sometimes the best writing is very spontaneous and comes from an unconscious place. However, some ideas are meant to be explored beyond that initial flash of inspiration and chased around until one can fully understand and possess them. It’s a somewhat mystical thing, and I think that’s why so many artists are superstitious. Bad writing is also very important. You gotta write some real garbage sometimes. 

You are very successful in a wide variety of mediums including music and film. What is your favorite and why? Or do they each serve important elements of your life?
I don’t have a favorite. I consider whatever medium I’m working in to be part of the same body of work. I feel very lucky to have experienced so many different modes of expression. 

Photo by Silvia Grav

What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
“To live outside the law you must be honest”

Any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?
I have a new record called The Long Game that’s coming out this summer.  I’m very proud of it.

Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
Gin and Tonic.

Thank you so much, Johnathan! To view more of Johnathan’s cards for RCC, visit his shop page here, or click over to his website, here.

Artist Spotlight: Emily Isabella September 13, 2018
If you haven’t had the opportunity to take a good look at artist, Emily Isabella‘s new collection for Red Cap Cards, definitely make the time to take a look at her bright, beautiful, and sometimes cheeky work!  Nothing thrills us more than sharing our artists’ personalities and unique perspectives, and we are happy to have Emily in the Artist’s Spotlight today. Read on below to hear about her inspirations, her fantastic new studio, and more, and make sure to click over to her website to see even more brilliant work. Thank you, Emily! We love you!
Tell us about your life in the Hudson Valley. What are your favorite parts about where you live?
My husband, Paul, and I moved to the Hudson Valley five years ago and have spent that time living in a tiny 200 square foot cottage and looking for property (we found it!) and building a structure to house our creative endeavors. It’s taken a bit of time because we built it ourselves without much help from contractors. Paul wanted to build it himself and I admire all the work he’s put into it. This is something we’ve been talking about doing since the early days of knowing each other and we’re about to move in. Any day now! We’re looking forward to working on our 15 acres and hope to collaborate on projects together in the studio. The Hudson Valley is unique in that it’s a rural community with easy access to NYC. There is a nice community of artists and younger people who have moved here to get away from the craziness of the city.  There are so many interesting things happening to this area and it’s fun to be involved in the resurgence of the region.
Do you have any aspirations to live somewhere else?
Who knows! We are excited to start this next chapter in our new studio but we are always open to what the future may hold.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I kind of work all the time! If I’m not working at my little desk in our cottage, I’m helping Paul across the river at our studio. My main job is to paint! Lately it’s been windows, walls, ceiling, floors, trim – we’re using all natural materials and mixing the colors ourselves so there are lots of added steps to the process. Last summer we painted the exterior, one board at at time. It took awhile. My days off are typically spent with friends. My job is solitary so I always jump at the chance to see people. NYC is a quick train ride away and I often go there for meetings or to catch an exhibit at the Met. I use my days off to get inspired. I take my sketchbook everywhere and often record moments from those times away from my desk.  Maybe it’s the colors I spot on a drive or maybe an older lady on the street sparks my eye. These little bits go into my sketchbook and often turn into something down the road.
Did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?
I remember being in the hallway of my first grade classroom and having an epiphany that I wanted to write and illustrate books! I grew up in a family of artists so as I grew older, I felt the need to have my own identity and being an artist seemed too expected. I finally gave in to the fact that I wouldn’t want to do anything else and went to art school but I majored in Fibers which seemed different enough.
You work in a wide variety of mediums. What is your favorite and why?
I really love gouache. I was taught how to use it in my textile design classes and although it’s my main medium as an illustrator, I like that it ties into my past. I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship between flat shape and line and gouache is a great medium for this sort of exploration. Also, it dries almost immediately so it’s great for working on deadline. However, there is an oil stick factory close to where I live and after touring the facility, I was hooked. I haven’t figured out a way to work it into my commercial projects but it’s so much more forgiving than gouache! I used to make a lot of weird dolls and sculptural things and I’m looking forward to having the space to get back into that too. This is a hard question! I just like to make things – the medium isn’t a huge factor.
What is your work process like?
My process is pretty simple. For my commercial work, I always sketch out my ideas on scrap paper and once the idea is solidified, I’ll go straight to paint. The way I paint depends on the end use. If something will be used for screen printing, sometimes I’ll paint the layers separately. If it will be printed digitally, I can paint it all right on the paper. After I scan in the painting, I might clean things up in Photoshop or change some colors around or put it into a working repeat if it’s a pattern.
What inspires you most? In work? In life? 
I’m always on the hunt for beauty in the unexpected. This makes my life more interesting because even mundane day-to-day tasks provide inspiration. I love drawing people and watching them too. It would be nice to have a spy camera.
What is your favorite piece of work you’ve created?
I painted this one morning as Paul was waking up. I love drawing him – he’s easy to capture.
What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
I remember my mom advising me and saying, “Even when you don’t have work, work.” The only way to improve is to practice.
Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists and illustrators?
Don’t be too precious with your work. Experiment, explore and move on to the next thing. Keep a sketchbook like a diary, for your eyes only. This helps to take the pressure off and allows you the freedom to work through your process.
Who are your role models in terms of art or otherwise?
My parents have always been really amazing role models in art and life. I’m fortunate in that they both have advised me in different ways. My mom’s passion for art is contagious and growing up, most of our travels revolved around going to art museums or exhibits. Both my parents travel with their sketchbooks. We don’t have many photos but there are shelves of sketchbooks that document my childhood. My dad taught me a lot about the business side of art. He’s also really good at using a computer and figured out a way to pull me out of high school half days my senior year to teach me how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. This was invaluable since I didn’t learn those things in college and they are tools I have to use every day for my work. My parents also taught me to love the natural world. I grew up on 40 acres and they always encouraged me and my brother to play by ourselves outside.  As far as famous artists, I love Vuillard for every reason. My other favorite artist is Toulouse-Lautrec. His flat colors, lines and the way he depicted people has always captivated me.
If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you be doing?
Maybe I’d have a marionette theater.
Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
This winter I’ll be working on a solo show of paintings for the spring.
Any pipe-dreams?
I’d like to make my first grade dreams come true and publish picture books.
Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
Sparkling wine, any color.

Photos courtesy Emily Isabella

Artist Spotlight: Krista Perry June 21, 2018

My goodness, Krista Perry is a true gem. This interview had us in stitches!! What a creative and artistic soul. Krista Perry is the newest member of our Red Cap family, and we couldn’t be more ecstatic! From her vibrant, retro-inspired color palette to her imaginative wellspring of ideas, Krista adds a new perspective to our artist collective that we absolutely adore. We had the happy opportunity to throw a release party in her honor recently at The Social Type, and get to know her in person in sunny Los Angeles. So much fun. Check out her website here, and view her new designs for Red Cap here. Welcome, Krista! We love you!

Tell us about your life in Boston!
I lived in Boston during college and eventually graduated from MassArt in 2015. I moved back home for two years and focused on replacing nearly all assignment work on my website with illustrations that better fit the types of clients I wanted to attract. Eventually, my boyfriend and I moved back to the city. We’re starting this year off in a new apartment which is exciting because I’ve never had so much space to make art. We’re eager to take better advantage of being so close to the city and I’m hoping to really get out and experience more of the creative spaces that Boston has to offer.

Do you have any aspirations to live somewhere else?
I’m not really sure where I’ll end up at this point! Prior to visiting Los Angeles this June, I thought for sure I’ll end up there. But right now I’m kind of just figuring out my next step. I loved the creative atmosphere that LA offered but I’m not so sure how I felt about all the traffic, haha! LA was great but I totally LOVED the desert. When we were visiting, we spent a decent chunk of time in Yucca Valley and even made the long trip out to Salvation Mountain! It’d been a dream of mine since forever to visit! But anyways, I think my #1 priority before I move somewhere drastically different is to pay off all of my student debt.

What does a typical day look like for you?
For the time being I am a coffee slinging barista. All through the process of creating my debut collection with Red Cap Cards, I worked opening shifts nearly every morning. I’d set a “warning” alarm at 3:30, and usually allow myself a luxurious additional 30 minutes to sleep until I really had to get up at 4. Getting up super early was tough to get used to but it afforded me the freedom of the rest of the day to work on illustration projects after my shift. When I get out of work, I usually eat lunch and relax a bit to recover from the morning, haha. When I start working on illustration stuff it’s usually pretty easy for me to get lost in it. I like to pick out a favorite record or find something to listen to like a documentary or podcast to get started.

Did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?
When I was six, I wanted to be a dolphin trainer. Yup, I wanted to teach dolphins how to do flips in the air. I also wanted to do something with horses at one point or another. I was probably the token horse girl in your 3rd grade class…

What is your work process like?
I like to start with lists!! I have about 7 active idea lists on my phone right now!! Sometimes I’m just minding my own business and a super funny idea will pop into my head. I write it all down because I never know what’ll be my next funny illustration. Another great idea generator is keeping a sketchbook! I can’t encourage young artists enough to keep a sketchbook! You can make anything you want in those suckers! I usually have at least two going at the same time. I have one to do whatever I want in i.e. sketches & random typography practice, and one that I like to treat more importantly where I try to make completed pieces of work on each spread. If I’m working on a project that I was hired to do, I start by researching and drawing super rough sketches, then I draw more detailed versions of whichever sketches are chosen. Once narrowed down, I create color studies for the best ideas. Since getting an iPad Pro, this process has been much easier to do. After approval, I get to work on the final piece! My very favorite part of the process is working on the small details of the painting. I like to see how realistically I can render things. It has always been a super fun challenge for me.

Speaking of sketchbooks, here’s one now!

What inspires you most? In work? In life?
Sunshine, a good color palette, laughing….

It’s tough to narrow down what inspires me the most… if you visit my Pinterest you will see a disgustingly large amount of organized imagery that I love to stare at. I like to collect old magazines and I also keep a Fun Shit box where I throw all of my favorite little things into. Feeling the urge to create something is very empowering. When I feel inspired it’s almost as if I can’t control myself. I feel like I’m being tightly embraced by it in the loveliest way. Inspiration is like a breath of fresh air, it fills me with life. When I see someone doing what they love, or explaining why they enjoy it so much, it often rubs off on me and I think “wow I need to work on something pronto!!!”

“Ocular Garden” by Krista Perry

What is your favorite piece if work you’ve created?
It’s not necessarily my favorite thing I’ve ever made, but I discovered who I was when I painted Ocular Garden during my second semester of senior year at MassArt. I was a little stuck. I had spent the entire previous semester researching and painting for my thesis project on the Manson Family. I knew I wanted to break out of that shell a little bit but also knew that I was still clearly very inspired by motifs of the 60s. I felt a lot pressure to focus on strictly editorial work, but since I was still a little confused about how I wanted to be making art, I was lost. I would completely over-think the editorial assignment and waste so much time getting frustrated. I decided maybe I wanted to create something fun for my new website that would garner possible licensing work. I liked the idea of making pretty designs that didn’t have to be full of hidden messages like an editorial assignment might include. I bought a huge piece of black paper (which was very different for me) and just started painting. Months prior, I bought a tub of gold gouache and decided I finally wanted to try using it. This piece was cool because it had little to no planning whatsoever. I just remember thinking “wow this is really exciting,” and the rest is history. I think when I brought it to critique, I knew it was the beginning of something pretty cool.

What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
I think the biggest piece of advice I received in school is that you really are in control of your own destiny. Once you’re out of school, you have nobody but yourself to rely on to keep you going. When you’re in school, you’re sort of corralled with other illustrators and artists who have the same or similar goals as you. You’re also getting constant assignments to work on and gallery shows that you must be in. It was really strange after graduating because I took a couple months off from art and then thought “oh shit, I need to get going!” For me, there was this constant need to stay relevant and active. I truly love making funny, weird, and different art. It makes me happy to be actively creating.

Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists and illustrators?
Kick your own ass into gear, and literally never stop. If you truly want this, it’ll force its way into your life one way or another. Keep your eyes on the prize!! It’s really, really easy to compare yourself to others. In a world where social media is so important, it’s good to remember that what people post is just a super small chunk of what’s going on in their lives.  My biggest word of advice is to remain focussed on yourself and your own story. Theres nothing worse than getting tangled up in other people’s success. Another biggie piece of advice is staying as true to yourself as humanly possible. BE YOURSELF & HAVE FUN! Having your own unique voice is key. It’s really exciting once you start to figure out what works for you in terms of process, work ethic, and style.

Favorite mediums to work in?
When I’m working on a full illustration, I usually prefer to paint with Holbein Acryla Gouache. They have THE BEST COLORS!!!! They’re so yummy and beautiful!! Sometimes, I like to practice with traditional gouaches (the kind that reactivates when water is added). They each provide their own special qualities that I get way too excited about. I’ll never forget the first time I was introduced to gouache. It was in a Media Techniques class at Massart, taught by one of my former mentors and good friend, Mister Reusch. That class was really cool because it required young illustrators to experiment with different mediums. I knew from the moment I painted with it for the first time, that it was my medium of choice.

If I feel like drawing, I also looove:  Gelly Roll gel pens, POSCA paint markers, Tombow dual tip markers, Permapaque markers, Prismacolor markers, my metal mechanical pencils, and many more!

Who are your role models in terms of art or otherwise?
I think really anyone who takes their dreams seriously and makes them a reality. It’s awfully morbid but I always think about dying someday so I need to make it work (and start focusing on my own happiness for once). I feel very grateful for the cool stuff I’ve been able to work on so far.

If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you be doing?
Oh man! I bet you didn’t see this coming! I would love to work as a forensic scientist or something relating to coroner’s work. I am completely obsessed with horrible diseases and true crime. I love watching documentaries and researching famous crimes and serial killers. Honestly, the more gruesome the detail, the better. I wanna hear the good stuff. I actually recently started listening to two podcasts in particular; Sword & Scale – a more serious, down-to-business kind of show, and Last Podcast on the Left – which is equally as detailed as it is hilarious. I often have to pause so I can get all of my laughing out. I’m at the point now where I listen to it so frequently that when I walk to work in the morning and hear something, I assume I’m going to get murdered. It’s usually just a rat.

Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
Nothing big right now… but, I’d like to expand on my definition of illustration. Up until now I’ve really only worked on 2D pieces. In the future, I’d like to explore with other mediums such as fiber arts and sculpture. I’d also love to go beyond what little comprehension I currently have for basic animation. Whenever I’m working on something, I sometimes imagine how I would animate it if I knew how to. I was really into super funny shows like Ren & Stimpy, All-That, SpongeBob, and other classic Nickelodeon gems as a kid so I’d love to work on funny videos or skits of some sort. I do have a little experience creating gifs in Photoshop which has been incredibly fun! Now that we are back from our vacation to California, I’m excited to start making new work for my website & promotional materials to send out to possible future clients. I’m also working on a new special sketchbook!! It’s different from any other because this time I’m giving myself a prompt. I want the pages to go in rainbow order, start to finish! I recently started making compilation videos of my completed sketchbooks too. Other than that, I’m excited to settle into our new space more.

Any pipe-dreams?
Open my own roller rink, split a pizza with John Stamos, and QUIT MY SHITTY DAY JOB !!!

Obligatory Red Cap question: Favorite drink?
A nice cold strawberry milk from Wrights Dairy Farm in Smithfield, RI!!! You can visit the sweet the cows and stock up on yummy pastries there!! Strawberry milk is a special treat that I let myself have once in a blue moon.

Photos courtesy of Anthony Fusco.

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Artist Spotlight: Michelle Morin April 19, 2018

“I am easily influenced by the seasons; they truly dictate how I spend my free time. Come spring I am taken over with gardening plans. My desk becomes a heap of seed catalogs and garden schematics. In the summer all I can think about is hiking, kayaking, camping, and swimming with my dog. Then fall happens and I become a nut. It’s my favorite season (color, temperature, and food-wise), but since it seems to happen so fast I feel a need to rush. I slow down and cook, sew and think over cold crops while watching old movies. When winter hits, all I think about are snow activities, hot beverages, good books, and the ritual of unwrapping all of my vintage ornaments.” –Michelle Morin

Photo courtesy Michelle Morin

We’ve been loving having the amazingly talented Michelle Morin as one of our newest collaborating artists, and are happy to add her to our Artist Spotlight series. Her beautiful, scenic watercolors of natural environments and ethereal landscapes absolutely take our breath away. Michelle’s background designing and maintaining gardens continue to inspire her work: “My paintings are an attempt at finding a balance within the complexities and subtleties of nature using texture, pattern, and narrative elements throughout.”  -MM

On top of beautiful works of fine art, Michelle is also a creative innovator in illustration and surface design. Just check out her brand Spring line of children’s wear that just debuted at H&M! How much do you wish these were in grown-up sizes??

Check out the awesome commercial (with some talented kiddos to boot) and photos below, plus some shots of Michelle’s independent art work and her Red Cap Cards designs. We love you, Michelle! You are amazing. View more on Michelle’s website or her artist page here.

Photo courtesy H&M

Photo courtesy H&M

Photo courtesy H&M

Photo courtesy H&M

Bird Garden” Photo via our Instagram

“I was able to apply my greenhouse knowledge to a tight, two-acre garden that became my sanctuary for two years. I came to realize that this garden, while full of hundreds of plant species, was also home to countless animals, including owls, hawks, hummingbirds, box turtles and numerous insects. Witnessing their daily routine gave me the inspiration to make paintings that referenced the colors, patterns, habits and curiosities in this world. I took it all in during the day and painted it by night.” –MM 

“Tiny Islands” small

“Cactus Rock”

Cheetah Garden” Photo via our Instagram

Cheetah Garden” gift bag Photo via our Instagram

Perfect Flamingo” Photo via our Instagram

“I come from a family of makers. Like a lot of artists, it was the environment I grew up in that inspired me to be creative. On weekends everyone in my family was joyfully busy with their own projects. My parents and brother each had different ways of expressing this creativity, and it generated a nice balance in the house. My dad could be found tinkering with anything from a new shed to a backyard ice skating rink, my mom and grandmother would be busy with one of their numerous projects, from building spool dolls, to sewing quilts, to canning pickles. All the while my brother studiously practiced his piano in the background. I fit into this picture anywhere and was happy to hop from one activity to the next. Over time, with the help of great teachers and talented friends, I learned how to focus this creative instinct into a more artistic career.” -MM

“Dove Diamond”

Desert Landscape” Photo via our Instagram

Greatest Octopus” Photo via our Instagram

“Winter Woods and Wild Turkeys”

“Prickly Pear Sunset”

“Sea Woods”

“Tiny Islands”

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Artist Spotlight: Marsha Robinson February 8, 2018

“The black ink is the blood of my work. It gives my pieces life. They become so alive…you could almost hear a heart beat.” –Marsha Robinson

We are beyond thrilled to finally have Marsha Robinson‘s beautiful and intricate botanical abstracts as a part of our Red Cap collection. Marsha lives and works in Denver, Colorado, where she has created an art portfolio that spans beyond the page into tactile forms, such as wall hangings, textiles, apparel and glassware. Her work is reminiscent of an other-wordly, botanical art-deco era, and it makes us think that Frank Lloyd Wright would most definitely be taken with it.

We thought we would show off a bit more of her work, as well as some wonderful written profiles she has had recently, as a little twist on our usual Artist Spotlight interview. Check out the cover of this month’s Cherry Creek Lifestyle Magazine (below), plus a few quotes from fabulous sources that tell a bit more about Marsha’s art story. Enjoy! We love you, Marsha!

Cherry Creek Lifestyle Magazine

Cherry Creek Lifestyle Magazine

“When Strange Dirt’Marsha Robinson discovered a box of gouache paints her mom had kept under a bed, the Denver artist had no idea it would be the key to her creative destiny. Robinson was interested in art throughout high school but knew art school was out of the question because it was too expensive. Instead, she opted to dive into administrative work but something kept telling her it wasn’t the road she was meant to take. ‘I was moving away from home with my first love and my mom gifted me the box of paints. I was surprised she had kept it but there was a reason for it and I’m so grateful she did. I had an itch to pick up the paintbrush and see where my hands wanted to take me. So I opened up that box and the rest is history,’ Robinson said. Using gouache, an opaque water color, would lead her up to using ink, her main medium today. Even after dabbling in art shows at local venues and selling pieces, Robinson felt her work still needed a stronger focus. Frustrated with working in the food industry, she took the leap and decided to pursue art full-time.” – 303 Magazine

“The finely inked botanical drawings and textiles of Denver artist Marsha Robinson, aka Strange Dirt, seem suspended in a time warp, inspired by science and symmetry and maybe a touch of William Morris, yet they belong to no real period of art history. Distinctly personal, Robinson’s works are clearly the product of a decorative inner vision, beautiful and elegantly contemporary.” – Susan Froyd, Westword

“The botanical world fascinated me–I think of it as the ultimate example of true, natural beauty.” -Marsha, via Cherry Creek Lifestyle Magazine

“When I moved to Denver I tried to live in collective houses and met a lot of people who were anarchists. I saw a lot of patches on hats, denim jackets and backpacks and they all meant something very important to the people carrying them, and they were so dirty and so loved. I wanted [these] patches to have a life and last longer than a year. I wanted my work on garments but I didn’t want to find a t-shirt I created in a thrift store because of fashion trends changing with seasons. I want for people to hold on to the patches as long as they could.”  -Marsha Robinson, via 303 Magazine

Cobalt

Exotic Flower

“My mission as an artist is simple–to spread beauty.” -Marsha Robinson, via Cherry Creek Lifestyle Magazine

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Artist Spotlight: Bodil Jane August 10, 2017

Two Artist Spotlight posts within the span of three short weeks? Yes, we really are that lucky! Meet Bodil Jane: one of our newest debut artists at Red Cap Cards. Bodil lives and works in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Her work fosters the same easygoing and colorful mentality that Amsterdam offers, with a dash of capriccio and fun. Read on to learn more about what inspires her (Asian supermarkets, among other things!), her creative process, and the best advice she received when she was just starting out.

Photo by The Adjective

Tell us about your life in Amsterdam. What are your favorite parts about where you live?
I have to say that I’m kind of living a perfect life in Amsterdam! I live in ‘Oost.’ It’s the East of Amsterdam. I live in a beautiful street with old houses and a lot of plants outside and childeren playing. My bike is parked in front of the door and it’s only a 5 minute ride to my studio. My (shared) studio/workspace is situated along the famous Amstel River. It’s one of the most beautiful places in Amsterdam. And in the summer it’s busy with locals swimming in the river and BBQ-ing along the side. It’s funny, since for a few years people have just used it as some kind of bathing place. They just walk around in swimming suits in the middle of a busy street. I always feel lucky when I’m biking from my home to my studio.. I just love this lifestyle. It feels a bit like a small town

Photo by The Adjective

Amstel River

I see that you attended the School of Design in Copenhagen. That sounds like a dream come true. Do you have any aspirations to live somewhere else again? 
Well, I have to say Copenhagen still appeals to me! Everything is beautiful there! It is very very similar to Amsterdam. If I would have to choose another place to live, it would be there. Or Berlin maybe… I like it when I can bike around like in my home city. Because of my busy job I haven’t had much time for traveling lately. In the spring I will go to Japan with my bf. I can’t wait. One of the things I like the most of being a freelancer is having the freedom to live anywhere. It gives me a feeling of freedom that is priceless! I could go to Bali and live there, or just move to Barcelona if I want. But, at the moment I still love it here!

Photo by The Adjective

What does a typical day look like for you?
I’m very slow in the morning. I take a lot of time for getting up. I like to read or watch the news in the morning. When I’m very lazy I even watch a documentary in the morning. I clean up my place before I leave. I like things to be organized. After biking 5 minutes I arrive at my studio. Normally I have a quick chat with my studio mates and another coffee. During the day I’m very concentrated and very productive. I prefer working only a few hours and completely go ‘in the zone’. In that time I do a lot! I can do a lot of work in a short time when I’m concentrated. Sometimes I even forget to lunch. But I try to take about an hour time to lunch. We have a courtyard here, so when the weather is nice, we eat in the garden. Sometimes I work late and have dinner at my studio (sushi!) but most of the time I’m exhausted by 5. Creating for hours like that is very tiring I think! After that I meet with a friend, go to my boyfriend or go home early to prep a big meal and go to yoga. I like relaxed evenings during the working week.

Photo by The Adjective

Did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?
Yes, I’ve always wanted to be an artist. Or actually I’m not sure if I feel that word applies to me. I make applied art. I feel like I’m almost more like a communicator. Communicating my own or the clients ideas. I didn’t have other aspirations. But I think that has to do with the example that my parents gave me: they are also freelance illustrators / artists.

Photo by Margot van der Krogt

What is your work process like?
When a job comes in I carefully read the brief and do some research. This could be images, reference pictures and colour research. Sometimes I need to read more about the subject (for a newspaper for example). I do quick pencil sketches and send them over to the client. If they like them, I go straight to colour. Working with a mixed media technique: watercolours and digital techniques. As I said, I work very concentrated. I’m not quickly distracted. It’s not like I’m sitting and dreaming in my studio all day, waiting for inspiration ‘to come’. I feel like, it’s more of a job for me. I just make it work every day.

Photo by Margot van der Krogt

What inspires you most? In work? In life?
One time there was a girl who wanted to be a designer asking me (almost desperate): “But, WHERE do you get inspiration from?” I don’t really understand that. It has always come very natural for me! I feel inspired all the time by a lot of things: botanical gardens, museums, flea markets, Asian supermarkets, documentaries, old book shops, fabrics. I can go on for ever! I think during the day I just pick up small bits everywhere. When I work, I just release the them! In life and work I’m mostly inspired by other people (not their art works, but their attitude).

Amstel River

What is your favorite piece of work you’ve created?
Oh that’s a hard one! It’s like picking a favourite baby! But most of the time I’m most happy with the latest work I have created, which is now ‘Moroccan Dreams’ (see below). Last weekend I went through all of my old drawings, and there were also some of those that I really liked. When I see them I can recall the same feeling as I had when I made them.

Moroccan Dreams by Bodil Jane

What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
I have learned that there will not be a point where you feel 100% happy about everything you made, your website, your portfolio or yourself. You will always feel a little insecure about something. But it’s not a reason to not get your work out there. At one point you just have to go for it, and stop doubting yourself. You can’t keep on hiding your art untill a certain moment appears where you feel 100% happy about it. Because that moment will not come.
Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists and illustrators?
The same one as I got.

Amstel River Map by Bodil Jane

Favorite mediums to work in?
Watercolours, gouache, Indian ink.
Who are your role models in terms of art or otherwise?
I don’t have specific ones. I have a lot of friends and creative people around me that inspire me and help me out sometimes. Also, my parents, who have showed me that the freelance life is possible and you can be successful doing it.

Photo by Margot van der Krogt

If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you be doing?
Probably something that involves yoga and cooking.
Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
I’m very excited about designing a small collection for Dutch design brand, &Klevering.

Photo by The Adjective

Any pipe-dreams?
So many! I like to do a lot more products, including a rug and fabrics and fashion!
Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
It’s hard to choose! Coffee with Oatly milk, Fentimans Rose Lemonade, Elderflower Gin & Tonic, a cold white beer on a hot day….
Thank you, Bodil! To view more of Bodil Jane’s work for Red Cap, click over to our shop page, or visit her website.
Also, to see Bodil in action, check out this ‘Illustrator Portrait’ by Lennebelle Petites & Joey van Dongen:

Illustrator Portrait – Bodil Jane for Lennebelle Petites from Joey van Dongen on Vimeo.

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Priscilla Weidlein, Photo by Angel Tucker Artist Spotlight: Priscilla Weidlein July 27, 2017

This week, we are sitting down and having a chat with one of the newest artists in our Red Cap Cards family: American artist, Priscilla Weidlein. Priscilla’s work is a lively celebration of hedonism, nature, and joie d’vivre, full of hypnotic scenes that are full of life and love. Her creative spirit is infectious! We just want to drink it in—and maybe grab a bite of one of her feasts as well! Read on to learn more about Priscilla, her inspiration, work process, and even a bit of advice for artists starting out.

Priscilla Weidlein, Photo by Angel Tucker
Photo by Angel Tucker

Tell us about your life in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island is a delight. I live in Providence, which is a beautiful and lively city (though not without its dingy strip clubs). We’re twenty minutes from the ocean. The fair seasons compel me to be outdoors as much as possible, and in winter I hibernate like a chowder-plump bear. My favorite part of living here is how wholly food is celebrated—my life revolves around cooking with friends.

What does a typical day look like for you?
I like to spend the waking hour outdoors. Ideally I catch the sunrise, then run in the large park nearby; visit the birds and vermin. Then, after my signature breakfast (of egg and anchovy taco) I let the work day roll out however it will: active studio work, emails, visits to the frame shop…whatever is up, I make sure to always set time aside to sit at my drafting table. When the sun comes down, I give my brushes a wash and turn the computer off. My focus turns back to food and who I will share it with.

Priscilla Weidlein studio
Photo by Angel Tucker

Did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?
As a young child I told my parents that I wanted to be an artist, and they responded that I already was one. Isn’t that generous?  I have various entrepreneurial aspirations, all of which are in some way tied to my art practice.

What is your work process like?
I start with a tidy workspace that I proceed to ravage. My paint vials (Dr. PH Martin’s) start in a neat row and end in chaos; fallen chess pieces. I listen to music (right now I’m heavy on Kamaiyah). I can work for hours without noticing time pass. Every so often my leg will fall asleep and I’ll get up, tack my work to the wall and walk away for a tea and newspaper break. The magic of fresh eyes gets me very time.

Priscilla Weidlein studio art
Photo by Angel Tucker

What inspires you most? In work? In life?
Light inspires me—light from the sun, light from people. I observe people and the ways they express themselves, through their physical presentation and the way they treat one another. I draw a lot of inspiration from classic cinema: the fashion, elegance and romance characteristic of bygone eras.

Photo by Angel Tucker

What is your favorite piece of work you’ve created?
I recently had a lot of fun making my Bacchanalia print—I designed it to be the invitation for a racous farm party in Vermont, but alas the party was put off, so I’ve made prints with the design instead. I enjoy its harmless irreverence. You can find the prints for sale on my site.

Bacchanalia by Priscilla Weidlein

What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
In my early 20s I had a great mentor, a painter in New York, who told me to draw and paint every single day! And keep going! And keep going! That was my mantra starting out. I started a drawing a day series called “Dear Diary,” which led me to my first gallery show.

I Believe In You by Priscilla Weidlein

Favorite mediums to work in?
I love anything that allows me to achieve super-saturated color on paper. I work mostly in watercolor, for all its depth and subtlety. Right now I’m hungry to work some larger scale projects, possibly in oil. I’m attracted by the glop factor.

Photo by Angel Tucker

Who are your role models in terms of art or otherwise?
Louise BourgeoisMaira Kalman, and every friend I’ve ever had.

If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you be doing?
I’d like to host splendid, glittering dinner parties ’round the clock. To cook impossible feasts. How to monetize this?

Indoor Dining by Priscilla Weidlein
Indoor Dining by Priscilla Weidlein

Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
Yes! I’m soon to start work on a series of wine labels for a fantastic Italian natural wine maker! This has been a decade long dream.

Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists and illustrators?
Surround yourself with people who energize you…with people who lift you right up!

Grape Snack by Priscilla Weidlein
Grape Snack by Priscilla Weidlein

Any pipe-dreams?
I’d like to have approximately 1,000 dogs. My qualm with the term pipe-dream is that it suggests the dream is unrealistic (I’m a Sagittarius). But here’s one I love: my friends and I dream of going in on some land together by the sea, where we can have work spaces and host summits and grow big, old gardens.

Ciao Bambino by Priscilla Weidlein
Ciao Bambino by Priscilla Weidlein

Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
Pét-nat! My heart goes to the fizzing, fermenting, lively stuff…

Thank you, Priscilla! To view more work by Priscilla, visit her website or see her work for Red Cap in our online shop.

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Artist Spotlight: Danielle Kroll February 21, 2017

It’s finally time for another Artist Spotlight, and we are so thrilled! We are pleased to introduce Danielle Kroll to our Red Cap Cards family. A Brooklyn-based artist and designer, Danielle brings a feminine chicness with a hint of play to the Red Cap roster. Debuting with eighteen new cards and six new wrapping sheet styles, Danielle and her gorgeous new designs makes us want to grab a cocktail and relax under the nearest cabana with a copy of Franny and Zooey.

We had a chance to chat with Danielle a bit about her creative process, what inspires here, and more. See below for her interview and fantastic photos of her studio and more.

What does a typical day for you look like?
Usually I take advantage of my flexible schedule and get some chores done in the morning. If I have time, I’ll make myself a nice big breakfast. My studio is a 20 minute walk through Greenpoint and I try to get there by 12. Some days I just want to get right to painting but if I have emails or urgent deadlines, that will have to wait until later. If I finish up all my client work then I can work on something for myself. It’s like my treat for having a productive work day.

Did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?
I’ve always known I wanted to do something creative. I thought I wanted to be an interior designer because I loved playing The Sims so much. I started painting in the 5th grade when I won private acrylic lessons with a local artist. I went to art school and then worked as a graphic designer. I got bored though so I started painting again on the side. I started getting client work after posting my paintings on a blog for a little while. Illustration, it turns out, was kind of like my missing link between design and painting.

Tell us about your other work–ceramics, textiles?
Ceramics is a happy place because I don’t take on commissioned work in that medium. Which also means that I don’t get to work with clay that much since it never takes priority. I still feel like I’ve only tapped the surface with that. As for textiles, I’ve been drawn to them for as long as I can remember. Some of my first memories are of patterns in my grandparent’s houses. Sometimes I weave those memories into my work. I started doodling patterns in my sketchbooks one day then started painting more complex textiles once I learned how repeats work. I really can’t control what my mind wants to be working on which is why I move around between mediums. If I have an idea I will obsess over it until I start working on it.

What is your creative process like?
It depends on what I’m working on. I’m always drawing in my sketchbooks and those most likely will turn into a textile. For my personal projects I think I’m most creative when I’m not thinking about it too much. Sometimes I could sit around for hours (or days) just thinking about ideas before actually starting anything. Then when I have something in mind I’ll have it done that same day. When I’m painting, I work with gouache and sometimes add in paper collage. Then I scan my paintings into Photoshop and do some cleaning up. I actually really like the computer part because by then the hardest parts are over and I can just zone out and listen to audiobooks, podcasts or watch cartoons.

Photo courtesy Clement Pascal

What inspires you most?
Traveling and trying new things. I get a ton of ideas when I’m not sitting around trying to think of one. Generally I get inspiration from everyday life and I definitely look at the past stylistically. I love going to thrift shops and antique malls. You’re guaranteed to see something interesting, unique, handmade, quirky, funny, beautiful and affordable if you go to the right spot. Not to mention the funny people watching.


What is your most successful piece in your opinion?
Yikes tough call! I think my most popular piece was the Ladies at the Beach print. Which I love as well. One of my all time favorite paintings I did was of two lost swans swimming in the ocean on an old book page. Very romantic.

What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
I think it’s probably, don’t listen to other people’s advice. What’s right for one person is most certainly not going to work for everyone. When you’re excited about a big idea and ask someone’s advice, chances are they’re going to tell you something like, “wow that’s a lot of work. Or woah that’s crazy.” And it’s easy to feel discouraged. I still ask people’s advice, I just try not to factor it into my decision making process.

Photo courtesy Clement Pascal

Favorite mediums to work in?
I feel most confident when painting because I’ve been doing it for so long. I think ceramics is the most rewarding (when everything goes right). Since I don’t have too much time in ceramics I always try something funky when I go in there. Occasionally it works out!

Photo courtesy Clement Pascal

Tell us about Beech Hall.
I started Beech Hall with two of my buddies from Tyler School or Art. We all branched out in slightly different concentrations so we thought it would be a fun project to make a brand together. Our first collection was inspired by Ancient Egypt and had homewares, jewelry, ceramics, paintings and other random goods. Our second collection was inspired by the feeling of a retro island vacation and we called it Cabana. It’s been fun to just experiment and to fully develop a product concept. We see it more as an opportunity to explore artistically rather than a business.


Who are your role models in terms of art or otherwise?
The first artist I really looked up to is Mary Blair. I remember seeing an exhibit of her paintings at the perfect time; right after I quit my job and started a long hike in California. I really connected to her. Seeing the original artwork that stylistically inspired my favorite childhood movies made me giddy.

If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you be doing?
Maybe I’d be an antique buyer. I’m really good at that!

Any upcoming projects you’d like to share?
I do have some fun ideas in the works but they’re not ready to be shared yet.

Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists and illustrators?
Do as much experimenting as you can. Sometimes I’ll start on an idea and I’ll think it’s going to be the best thing in the world. Then a few hours in, I’ll take a step back and it’s hideous. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s easy to get discouraged but we all make ugly stuff every now and then. Just remember to dispose of it.

Obligatory Red Cap question: favorite drink?
My go-to order is a Vodka Soda. I’m Polish so vodka is my family’s liquor of choice. For my fancy cocktail I’d go with a Moscow Mule. I love the fresh gingery taste. So refreshing!

Thank you so much, Danielle! See more of Danielle’s designs for Red Cap cards, here.

All photos courtesy Danielle Kroll unless otherwise noted.

Artist Spotlight: Carolyn Gavin July 14, 2016

If you’ve been following along with our Artist Spotlight series, then you are in for a real treat! Today, we celebrate one of the newest members to the Red Cap family: artist, Carolyn Gavin. From bright bouquets in watercolor and gouache, to sweet kittens and unbelievable upcoming gift wrap designs, Carolyn has added a such a unique point-of-view to our line. Read more below to learn about her childhood in South Africa and what inspires her to create such lush and colorful pieces, plus advice she has for the burgeoning illustrator. Thank you so much for chatting with us, Carolyn! View all of Carolyn’s designs for Red Cap in our shop, here.
Carolyn_Shebeen_Belize_0289

Tell us about your childhood—did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?
I grew up in South Africa in a very protective, nurturing environment. I lived in white suburbia in Johannesburg with my familytwo older brothers (who taught me to be tough), parents, and great grandparents, two dogs and a nanny, Beauty, who was like my second mama. I had a nice life, we had a swimming pool and I remember always painting and creating things and wanting to be an artist. I studied with artist, Nina Campbell-Quine, and she really taught me how to paint, experiment with different techniques and live a “bohemian” life as an artist. She had a stunning house and studio which she designed. The studio had gigantic windows facing an incredible succulent garden. A very exotic and intoxicating place to visit and paint every week!

As a white person growing up there, life was easy, sunny and bright. As a black person, life was unfair and unjust. Apartheid was at its peak right then in the 60’s and 70’s and no one dared speak out. The thing to do was either leave the country or fight for what you believed in.

Carolyn_b:w copy

Carolyn_PP_Everythingwasbeautiful

It was a strange world where everything was beautiful on the surface but everything hurt underneath. I started to feel the underlying tensions of life there as I got older. Things really heated up as I was doing my three-year Graphic Design diploma in college and there was always this idea that we were leaving the country. This did in fact take place and we had all left by the Spring of 1990.

We love your paintings of bold flora—are you a gardener as well? If so, how does your garden grow?
Yes I’m a very keen gardener. It’s a passion of mine! My mother gave me my own patch of land to take care of when I was a tiny girl.

Carolyn_studio1

I planted Sweet Peas, Portulaca, Nasturtiums and Marigolds. Things grew so easily in Africa… now I have a tiny front and back yard filled to the brim with creepers, trees, Perennials and Bamboo. I find it a very rewarding pastime and a serene place for a break on a sunny day. Its a very short growing season here (Toronto, Canada) so we really try to be outside as much as possible during the nicer months. The garden is very conducive to painting, makes for a lovely and inspiring outdoor studio, where I can listen to the birds, breathe in the scent of the Honeysuckle and observe the beautiful yellow Magnolia Tree.

Carolyn_studio2

What is your creative process like?
I think it changes and goes through cycles. Lately I’m doing a lot of painting in water-colour and Gouache. I love to play around and find that is when my creativity is heightened and at its best. I draw quite a bit from nature using pen and ink. I think the more I create the better it is but I honestly feel it’s a process, it’s a journey and it’s a learning experiment all the time. I never quite feel, “Yup this is it”… its plain sailing from here! I’m learning as I go along…

Carolyn_PP_Flowersredyellow

What inspires you?
Colour, colour combinations and patterns from all over the world.. Africa, Mexico, India, Belize, Eastern Europe… Flowers, animals, fashion, the city, the country and travel. I love to travel to new places. I think this opens up a whole world of possibilities and new creative experiences which translates into new and wonderful work. Plus, it refreshes your mind and energizes the soul.

Carolyn_PP_ElephantLandscape

What is your most successful piece?
I think the artwork I did for the climbing wall for The Botanic Garden Children’s Center in Cambridge, MA (part of Harvard University) is a successful piece of art on a large scale. It was a hugely challenging idea for me to think of my work in such a large scale environment. The original watercolour painting was roughly 22×12 inches horizontally. The climbing wall mural is approximately 16 x 8 feet across. The artwork had to include fauna and flora from the garden including a Gingko tree, tomatoes, lilies, sunflowers, peas, beans, a squirrel, a bunny, a cardinal and a robin and some more.

Carolyn_1515968_Muralart_BotanicalGardensChildren'sCenter
Carolyn_1515968_Muralart_Pic

On a smaller scale, one of the most challenging and rewarding projects was creating the line of 12 greeting cards for Red Cap Cards. It was kind of like creating work for a commission but it took me longer than I normally work because although we discussed themes, subject matter and style, nothing was definitive. I just had to paint and record my progress to Carrie as I was going along, in the hopes that a collection would arise from that. It sure did, not sure how exactly but I’m so happy with the end result. It truly reflects my style and the freedom of the project and the big input, encouragement and inspiration from a great art director!

Carolyn Gavin

What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
Work hard, never stop learning and don’t give up.

Carolyn_working

Favorite medium to work in?
Goauche paint and then watercolours.

Do you have a favorite piece that you have created?
I have a few but I think its the Congratulations card for Red Cap. Hands are challenging for me, but this one holding the flower bouquet seems just right. 2nd is the Thanks bouquet on Grey… i love how the colours and flowers are so balanced and harmonious in this one.

Carolyn_1515990_Congratulations

Who are your role models, in terms of art or otherwise?
Painters I adore are Matisse, Odilon Redon, Raoul Dufy, Paul Aizpiri, Frida Kahlo, Olaf Hajek, Clementine Hunter. I’m inspired by people like Dame Daphne Sheldrick who has an Elephant Ophanage in Kenya and has devoted her life to raising and reintegrating orphan elephants into the wild. She tirelessly campaigns against the abuse of captive animals and poaching.

Carolyn_PP_FullofMagic

If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you hope to be doing?
I’d love to do something with animals or work on a flower farm.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you’d like to tell us about?
A new collection of fabrics with Windham Textiles. Its a lot of watercolour flowers, birds, bunnies and butterflies.

Print

Any advice to burgeoning illustrators?
Try to find your own style. It’s so important to define that as soon as you can, then you can work towards refining your style always.

And one we must ask all of our artists: favorite drink.
Rum and coke…and tea.

hanginthere

Photos courtesy Carolyn Gavin & Red Cap Cards.
Follow Carolyn on Instagram, here.

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Where Do I Begin Artist Spotlight: Barbara Dziadosz May 27, 2016

Did you happen to notice that our site is brand new and improved?! What a roller coaster ride! We are proud to announce our brand, new and improved website. A celebration seems in order–and with that, a brand new Artist Spotlight interview. This time, with new Red Cap family member and illustrator extraordinaire, Barbara Dziadosz.

Where Do I Begin

Barbara is a freelance illustrator from Hamburg, who specializes in screen printing, character design and editorial design. Originally from a little town in northern Poland, she was raised in Hamburg and started her studies at the HAW Hamburg. During this time she had the opportunity to experiment with a lot of printing techniques and fell in love with the simplicity of screen printing. Right now, Barbara is working for various national and international magazines and clients, and creating a cook book with healthy recipes.

We were lucky enough to chat with her about her creative process, what inspires her and much more:

Tell us about your childhood—did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?

I don’t know if I ever made a conscious decision to become an artist. As a kid I just loved drawing and creating new worlds, just like most of the children. In my case I just didn’t stop doing this since then. I also was very interested in writing little stories and making up things, so this comes in handy regarding my creative process.

flower

What is your creative process like?
Depending on if it’s client work or personal, it differs a bit. For client work I start with reading the article/brief and write down some notes. Then it’s pretty much the same as for personal work, I just start sketching freely/loosely whatever comes to my mind. If sketches are approved I take them to digital and trace/color them. After that I add texture and hand drawn elements to avoid a too clean digital look.

gazpacho paella recipe

You have done it all: printmaking, editorial, character design, etc. Which do you prefer and why?
That’s difficult to say. The best is a mix of everything, to keep it interesting. I love the speed of editorial work, the creative freedom of creating characters and the physical work of screen printing.

Is there any art form that you haven’t yet been able to do that you would like to?
During my studies I had the opportunity to get to know a lot of printing techniques, so I consider myself pretty lucky about that. Animation seems tempting to me, but I think I’m too impatient for something like this.

barbara1

What inspires you?
I’m very influenced by vintage illustration from all over the world. I admire Russian avant-garde illustrators like Boris Ermelenko, the bold works of Fernand Nathan, Olle Eksell, Leonard Weisgard, Alice and Martin Provensen; Miroslav Sasek, Art Seiden, Arnold Edwin Bare and many many more. I also love old advertisements like the one from bally or old food illustrations. There is jelly everywhere and woman serve big meals to their husbands in their pink kitchens. I also love old Czechoslovakian, Polish and Russian matchbox labels and vintage travel posters, mainly from England.

I could not limit my self to one artist or one direction. Each one of them has something that fascinates me. What I mainly love about those kind of illustrations is the limited color palette, the bold shapes and the beautiful printing techniques they are made with.

What is your most successful piece?
I just recently had the opportunity to do a cover artwork for Anorak (a very popular kids magazine here in Europe). This was a huge honor for me. Doing a cover is always special and being able to do it for one of your favorite magazines is just super fun.

Anorak Cover Dziadosz

What was the best piece of advice you were given when starting out?
Don’t be lazy 😉
When I started studying I didn’t know much about illustration and the work of an illustrator. So I was a bit overwhelmed by all the possibilities and great people I studied with. The result of this was kind of a shock. I wasn’t able to draw and think freely as I was inhibited. I was too shy to show my work in class, so I stopped doing stuff at all, as I thought it was bad anyways. But fortunately I have learned to be confident with my own work and to always keep on working to improve.

Favorite medium to work in?
Just simple pen and sketchbook.

Do you have a favorite piece that you have created?
One of my favorites is my dinosaurs piece.

Artist Spotlight: Barbara Dziadosz

We love your signature muted/pastel color palette. What does your home look like? Do you utilize these colors in your every day life?
My home is more minimal with lots of wood and here and there a dash of color. My boyfriend is a furniture designer (he built my beautiful desk for example) so we have a lot of one of kind furniture in our home.

Barbara Dziadosz desk

Who are your role models, in terms of art or otherwise?
Please see above “what inspires you.”

If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you hope to be doing?
I would love to be an archaeologist. It’s such an fascinating field which includes art, history and nature all in once.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you’d like to tell us about?
Right now I’m finishing up a cook book with healthy recipes which will be available hopefully very soon. Besides this I’m having a baby in May, so this is my biggest long-time project so far 🙂

[Editors note: Congratulations, Barbara!!]

belly Barbara Dziadosz

Where would you like to see your work in ten years?
I hope to make more bigger projects like books, both for adults and kids. I could even imagine myself working as an art director for a newspaper/magazine or teaching in school. Either way, I just hope I can work in a creative field surrounded by artists.

cook

Any advice to burgeoning illustrators?
Never stop working. Even if you don’t have an assignment, just keep doing stuff. Keep yourself busy and you will improve for sure and this will bring you more real jobs in the end.

Who are you currently loving on Instagram?
Thefatjewish 😉 This is totally my kind of humor.

And one we must ask all of our artists: favorite drink.
Maté tea. It keeps me awake and I just love the flavor.

Thanks, Barbara! To view Barbara’s designs for Red Cap Cards, click here.

Artist Spotlight: James Gulliver Hancock April 22, 2016

It's been quite a while since we've been able to interview one of our awe-inspiring Red Cap illustrators for our Artist Spotlight series, and we are so happy that today is the day at last! We had the opportunity to chat with our newest Red Cap family member–James Gulliver Hancock–about what inspires him, what his creative process is like and much more:

Artist Spotlight: James Gulliver Hancock for Red Cap Cards

Tell us about your childhood—did you always want to be an artist? Did you have any other aspirations?
I had a great childhood! I grew up in Balmain, an inner suburb of Sydney. Sydney is made up of lots of harbour inlets, so there was a lot of taking little boats on adventures with friends, exploring the local nature and challenging ourselves. I drew all the time, and somehow knew I wanted to make things all the time. I drew all the time, even from a very young age. One early memory was using drawing at preschool to get out of doing any other tasks. I drew the most complicated thing I could think of so it would take all day and I wouldn’t have to do anything else – I still do this today 😉 I was definitely lucky that I knew what I wanted to do from early on, I really only vaguely had other aspirations, which were somehow relevant to the creative visual obsessions… I almost enrolled in aeronautical engineering at university!

You split your time between New York and Sydney. Is that for work, leisure, a bit of both?
I do split my time, but it’s more international even than that now. I’m lucky enough to have clients all over the world, so I get to travel to lots of different places for work. Couple that with my wife (Lenkamusic.com) who is a traveling musician means we’ve gotten to see a lot of different places and cultures, and actually live in them, rather than just be a tourist, which is really special. I don’t tend to split the idea of work and leisure though, they are one and the same to me, I’d be drawing regardless of whether it was for clients or not. I’m always drawing.

James Gulliver Hancock for Red Cap Cards

What is your creative process like?
Like I said, I draw all the time, it’s a great advantage as I’ve got a pool of ideas to work from at all times. If ever I’m stuck at any part of the process I can pull up something I was interested a while ago from a sketchbook and get the inspiration to carry on. My process generally starts with really rough sketches, sometimes they are so rough they aren’t really intelligible to anyone but me. From there I usually refine by tracing that sketch to another sketch phase that the client can comment on, something like the attached below:

Artist Spotlight: James Gulliver Hancock for Red Cap Cards

Then I typically draw this out for the final line work, making any last little tweaks. I don’t use anything particularly fancy during my process, typically it’s pencil and pen and paper. I do like to use a dipping pen sometimes, as it pulls in that accidental messiness that I love. Once the final line work is done and approved, I scan it into the computer and use a wacom tablet to add colour underneath the line work. I try to treat my process a bit like silkscreen printmaking, so there are only 2 or 3 layers and the color is blocky and finished by the line work sitting on top. I do a lot of silkscreening for my personal projects, selling the prints on my website. I still remember the first time I tried silkscreening and the excitement it gave, combining elements of photography, collage, and drawing, coupled with the ability to print on almost anything, it’s inherent multimedia aspects had me hooked.

What inspires you?
Everything around me basically. I like to gather influence from anything from a bike ride around the block, to reading a children’s book to reading a science or philosophy article online. I don’t typically look at other artists or illustrators for inspiration, as doing so usually has the opposite effect, I like to pull ideas from more abstract thoughts. Even just seeing an interesting pattern, or the way the tree in the park meets the grass can lead to a new way of thinking about a drawing.

Favorite medium to work in?
Pencil and paper, I don’t think I’ll ever get over the satisfaction of making a picture appear on blank paper. It still feels like magic. My other favorite as I mentioned is silkscreening, with it’s flexibility and bold blocky colors.

The Process: James Gulliver Hancock's illustration for Red Cap Card in pencil

Do you have a favorite piece that you have created? I’m usually in love with whatever it is I’m working on at the moment. I love the cards Red Cap and I did of course, especially the medals. These were an idea I’d wanted to work up for a long time. I think reward is such a big part of growing up in a society, wanting to please people around you… at least it was for me, so I thought these rewards for acts of loving were a nice idea. It’s funny when you create something you like and you just want to stare at it. I’ve just released my first coloring book and I still love looking at the drawings even though I did most of them about a year ago. You know you’ve done something right when you’ve pushed yourself a little and you need to look at the drawings a lot after you’ve finished them. It’s like being in love and wanting to be with that person all the time for no good reason other than you just want to be next to them.

James

You have worked in both corporate and independent illustration—which do you prefer?
I’ve worked hard to have a very varied practice. I consciously made decisions to have a strong commercial practice as well as a personal one. They aren’t separate though by any means, it’s more like I’m making and drawing every day for myself thinking of projects I could do, but most of the time before I get the chance those ideas get folded into client work. I love this process. Being constantly self motivated also has it’s advantages in any downtime (which is becoming more and more rare) so that when there aren't any nagging deadlines I can just shift over and do some printmaking for my store or work on a long form book concept…. or just draw the flowers on my desk to give to a friend.

Tell us about All The Buildings in New York.
All the Buildings in New York is a project that came out of my love of traveling. Being 1/2 British I traveled a fair bit since I was a kid. It really ramped up after high school when I started wandering around the world by myself. My longest journey was a year or two out of University when I drew a wobbly line from my hometown in Sydney, Australia to London, England, and made plans to do the journey by land/sea. It was an amazing experience, but not only did it influence my personal life it really directed me professionally. I was a bit lost thinking I wanted to be a designer, and getting into my travel sketchbook I realised a way of working that culminated in this project. I would draw obsessively the things around me, collecting things to draw like a hoarder of pictures. Eventually these grew into prints which I started to sell. Then when I eventually ended up in New York I started the project focusing on the buildings, trying desperately to collect the whole New York experience by drawing all of the buildings. Unwittingly it was a brilliant way to introduce my work to this international city, as fairly soon after it started it got quite a lot of press and eventually I had publishers calling me to do a book, and once the book came out clients wanting to work together.

New York Public Library by James Gulliver Hancock

Do you take building requests?
I do indeed, head to the website–allthebuildingsinnewyork.com–and in the shop section you’ll see how to order. I love doing these as it is a real connection to stories about New York that I otherwise wouldn’t hear. I remember one special one was a couple wanting a portrait of the buildings they lived in separately coupled with the new building they were moving into together… a very sweet sentiment, celebrating the architecture around their love.

640 Broadway by James Gulliver Hancock

What is it about the structure of architecture that you love to draw?
For one, they stand still, so I can sit and observe for as long as I like. I think also generally architecture is underrated. People use buildings all day everyday, and we don’t really stop and look at them. I know architects and building lovers do, but I met so many people in New York that would say to me that they’ve lived in this or that building for 10 years and never even noticed it was so beautiful. It was a great moment when people cited my drawings as an impetus for looking deeper into their surroundings. When you do start to look architecture almost becomes just like sculpture and the city a big museum, that’s what it is for me now. I’ve mentioned this before in other talks I’ve done, that what is also lovely for me about this project is that the buildings become like friends. Once I’ve drawn a building I never really forget it, I’ll be walking down the street and see a building I’ve drawn and it’s almost like we say hi or give each other a high five. Because New York was an adopted city for me it was a great way to make new friends 😉

Is there any every day object that you haven’t drawn yet—you seem to have covered most! If so, will you be working on that tonight?
As part of my obsessive nature I would like to draw every single thing in the world and do nothing else! It worries me sometimes that I haven’t drawn everything. I guess that’s why I draw in the between moments as well as in the studio. I draw the cups on the table, the glasses on the bedside table, the chairs in the cafe, in some sort of attempt to pay attention to everything around me.

Who are your role models, in terms of art or otherwise?
I always find this question touch, maybe because it changes all the time? I do love the classic illustrator choices like Maurice Sendak, Richard Scarry, Saul Steinberg

Artist Spotlight: James Gulliver Hancock for Red Cap Cards

If you didn’t work as an artist, what would you hope to be doing?
I know what I’d be doing, I’d be drawing regardless, whether or not it’s art or illustration, for myself or someone else I’d continue to make things. My making obsession satisfaction does spill into other areas, I get it from woodworking, from cooking, from gardening… maybe I’d eventually spill into one of those… ?

Any advice to burgeoning illustrators?
Make stuff all the time and show it to as many people as possible.

James Gulliver Hancock for Red Cap Cards

Any upcoming projects you'd like to tell us about? Ever since the success of my All the Buildings in New York book I’ve been making a lot of books, so my colouring book just came out which I’m excited about, and this has informed a new children’s book I wrote and illustrated with an old friend. It’s been really fun exploring character design and environments, working with a very talented and fastidious editor and making the best book we can, it’s really exciting. I can’t wait for it to come out so I can read it to my kids. It’s funny, at every stage of my kids development I’ve wanted to take the making into my own hands, when Quinn was little I made him these hand painted children’s blocks, I made him a book about wheels, when he was obsessed with wheels, and it’s almost a career journey that now I’m doing this dense and detailed children’s book for him.

Children's blocks by James Gulliver Hancock

And one we must ask all of our artists: favorite drink?
Your finest whiskey, straight, with a large ice cube.

To view James Gulliver Hancock's designs for Red Cap, click here. Thank you, James!

Artist Spotlight: Dinara Mirtalipova September 11, 2015

It's been a bit of time since we've profiled one of our fabulous Red Cap Cards artists, and we're so happy to step into interview mode with our newest recruit, Dinara Mirtalipova. Dinara currently lives and works in Sagamore Hills, Ohio with her husband and daughter, Sabrina. Her art work is complex, lovely, and reminiscent of eastern European folklore. Along with her illustration work, she is also the founder of Mirdinara Kitchen, and is currently working on the grand opening of her brick & mortar shop, Mirdinara Home + Gifts. We adored chatting with her here and are excited to introduce you. Make sure to click over and see her new designs for Red Cap, here.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards

You are originally from Uzbekistan, but your bio says that you “landed in snowy Ohio” — how did you end up there?
Shortly after graduating from college my family and I moved to the US. At first we landed in LA, but even hot Uzbek summers felt like nothing before the LA's firing pot. So we moved to New York. But it still felt very temporary as the city is enormously huge and uncomfortably noisy for folks like us. So eventually we found ourselves in Cleveland Ohio and simply fell in love with it's beauty and nature. Yes, the winters are very cold and rough, but it's so beautiful here all year long.

Did you always want to be an artist, even in childhood?
Nooooo, not even close. Being artsy was such a norm in my family, it was considered more like a hobby that people normally do after they get home from their real work. Growing up I just couldn't help but to doodle all over the back pages of my notebooks, but I never considered applying for an art institute after high school. I thought computers will be the future so I dedicated four years studying computer languages and coding. There are parts of me that regret that I was so lousy about my passion as a child. I wish I could go back and learn so much, but then I think it made me who I am.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards

Your work is so intricate and seems to be influenced heavily by Russian folklore–what inspires you most about that genre?
Growing up I was surrounded by folklore. My one grandma was a native Uzbek who spoke broken Russian. My other grandma was Russian who found a shelter in Uzbekistan during World War II and stayed and learned the language. We always celebrated both cultures and traditions. I think I fully realized how vividly it runs in my blood only after leaving the place of my childhood. I never thought I would become so sentimental about it, but nostalgia just pours out of me and I can't stop it. It's something about the wall carpet above my grandma's bed, about the bright textiles that women wear, the songs my mom sang to me and the architecture of the ancient buildings.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards

You used to be an artist for American Greetings and are now a freelance illustrator–what are the pros and cons of working for yourself?
It was a privilege for me to serve my good nine years at American Greetings. For someone with no degree in art, AG replaced college teaching me about technical skills like paper sculpture, paper engineering, building a repeat pattern, working in Photoshop and Illustrator, preparing files for production, hand lettering, calligraphy, silkscreen, block printing, and I can go on and on. It was a great school for me! All that technical knowledge plus my art style made me ready to eventually go solo after my daughter was born. She was a screaming 24/7 baby and I was very sleep deprived, plus we both developed separation anxiety as we were both crying every morning before me leaving to work and while at work I missed seeing her little face and holding her so terribly. That made me take an important but difficult decision to leave my cozy comfortable nest at AG and to dive into an unpredictable world of art licensing.

On a positive note, being a freelancer allows you to build your own schedule. I'm not a morning person, so taking a little longer in the morning is very crucial to me, not even mentioning skipping the angry 45 min morning race to work. But on the global scale I'm pretty much working towards my own goals, day after day building my own brand and giving the companies and the people who support my product the promise that I'm here and I will always draw for you. It is also the excitement of fun collaborations.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards

How do you balance motherhood, home life and work?
It's not easy, I'm not going to lie. I'm working mostly at night when Sabrina is asleep. There are nights, of course, when she still wakes up at night and needs me, but as she gets older she understands that mommy works at night. She started pre-school, so I have the morning hours to emails, quick file tweaks and phone calls, the afternoons are usually dedicated to after school programs and museums.

Did your daughter, Sabrina, inherit your love and talent for art?
I believe every child is artsy and every child loves to paint. I have never met a child in my life that refused a brush. She's still too little to declare whether she loves art to that degree. I'm not pushing her at all. Art is necessary for a child's development just like dancing or running, so yes, I am certainly exposing her to different art programs. But I'm not going to influence her decision to make it her thing when she grows up. I'm rather very curious to see who she will become as an adult.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards

What is your dream job (besides what you are doing now?)
That's the one I'm doing right now. There is no other dream job. I guess I'm living my dream now. I might sound like a maniac, but I go to bed thinking of illustrating this and that and I wake up and I'm still day dreaming about art. I can do it 24 hours non stop. Before Sabrina I could draw all night long and still go to work. With Sabrina I can't afford not to sleep, but on some Friday and Saturday nights I do stay longer then my usual because I know that in the morning there are other family members who can fix her breakfast in the morning and I could stay a little longer in bed.

What inspires you?
Everything. Nature, flowers, forest, movies, songs, fashion, books, stories, colors, shapes, people, animals, antiques, museums.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards

Which artists, designers or illustrators are your favorite?
I really admire classic artists. They absolutely fascinate me. The quality of work they created before the computer era is so astonishing! The wallpapers by William Morris leave me speechless, I love collecting some old books by Alice and Martin Provensen, Roger Duvoisin, postcards of paintings by Ivan Shishkin. There are many many other great names that I bow before and compared to them the current art seems so insignificant.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards
A sneek peek of Mirdinara Shop, coming soon!

What do you enjoy in your “free time?”
In my free time I draw. Yes, sorry to sound so boring, but that's what my free time is for. I draw with no theme in mind. I usually put on a music, typically there's one particular song that I favorite at a time and I keep listening to it on a repeat. I like “blind drawing,” that means drawing without sketching first or any concept in your head. Just the paints and the brushes. That's like reading a good book–it takes you to unexpected places and the final piece turns out like nothing you could ever see coming. With my busy schedule I can afford that free time only on a Friday or a Saturday night as the rest of the week is usually filled with jobs and family. I also try different techniques, like wood carving, block printing or pottery making. During long winter evenings I like taking different art classes and attending workshops. Art can be so versatile, it's like a galaxy of endless possibilities.

Artist Spotlight with Dinara Mirtalipova for Red Cap Cards

Images courtesy Dinara Mirtalipova

Artist Spotlight: Lizzy Stewart March 9, 2015

We're wrapping up our mini-series of three consecutive Artist Spotlight interviews with illustrator, Lizzy Stewart! Hailing from London, Lizzy is the author of Minnows, and is the illustrator for various products and editorials. Her work is sharp and colorful, with an inquisitive twist! We loved chatting with her about her inspirations, favorite artists and how to use watercolor “wrong.” Thanks for chatting with us, Lizzy!

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

You live in London–have you always lived there? Where else have your travels taken you?
I’ve lived in London for just over three years. Before that I was in Edinburgh, in Scotland where I studied, and I grew up in Plymouth, in South-West England, by the sea!

What inspires you most?
I don't know….I get asked this a lot and there's no answer really. I think, as a rule, creative people are greedy, we consume books and music and film in high volumes and that contributes to our work, of course it does. But its hard to pinpoint, at any given moment, where an influence has come from as its merged with all the other stuff going on in your head. So a drawing might come from a song I've heard, something by Withered Hand or Karen Dalton perhaps, but it also comes from the mood I was in when I woke up that morning, the weather, who I've been speaking to. Rarely do my 'favourite things' crop up in my work. I have plenty of favourite books and films (Annie Hall, Days of Heaven, The Golden Notebook, The Secret History, for example) but they don't really have much bearing on work looks in the end. Its just a feeling you get when you see something that 'gets to you.' That irrepressible urge to make things. Its important not to disregard anything you encounter, its all good stuff. The greedier you are with things the more you'll have to go on.

Did you always want to be an illustrator when you were growing up?
I wanted to be an archaeologist when I was small, I liked dinosaurs and digging, it made sense. The minute it became apparent that drawing was my thing I switched my allegiance to artist (I guess when I was nine or ten). I wanted to be a painter, originally. I moved to Edinburgh to study Fine Art when I was eighteen but somewhere along the way I realised that I was, probably, an illustrator instead. Illustrator isn’t really one of those jobs they suggest to you at school, I hadn’t even realised it was an option until I got to college.

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

If you could be anything in the world (besides what you are doing now) what would you be?
I think my back-up was always writer. Which is ridiculous! I’m not sure you can ‘fall back’ on being a novelist! There are so many things that would be fascinating to do. I love the theatre and set design has always intrigued me. Similarly textile design.

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us?
I have quite a lot on the go at the moment but nothing that I can directly share I don’t think. Mostly I don’t want to jinx anything! There’s at least one book on the way…hopefully. Unless I really balls it up!

We noticed your website is named after a song by The National–do you find inspiration in music? What other bands or songs do you relate to?
Urrrgh, thats sort of an annoying bi-product of naming your website during your second year at college! I thought it sounded nice to say but now I just wish I’d used my own name. Oh well. Music is, of course, really important to me. What you listen to when working can totally steer how you work.

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Do you have any spare time hobbies?
I swim three times a week. That's really important to me. Its good to do something that uses your whole body when you spend most of your time hunched over a desk. I always feel so much better after a swim and that first moment, when you dunk your head under and push off into the water, that's a great feeling. Every single time.

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Who are your favorite artists or designers?
Carson Ellis is a long-term favourite. I used to pour over Decemberists artwork as a teenager, it was sort of a revelation to me. It was so beautiful and it fit the records so well and that was the first time I’d really noticed illustration beyond children’s books. Jillian Tamaki is constantly astounding. She seems to have the ability to pull an expressive portrait out of thin air with just two or three deft strokes of a brush. Laura Carlin makes beautiful books and seems to be one of the few artists doing less figurative things in UK children’s publishing. Leanne Shapton does drawing and pictures with equally preposterous levels of skill and subtlety. I like paintings by Agnes Martin, Richard Deibenkorn, Eric Ravilious. All sorts. There’s so much good stuff, fill your boots!

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
I loved Copenhagen, I feel like I know how to live there, not that I could afford it! I don’t know, I like London a lot, sometimes. Its a shame that its such an expensive city and its slowly driving everyone who isn’t obscenely rich away.

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What is your favorite medium to work in?
I love watercolour, I love using it wrong; painting with scrubby, dried out brushes, loading on too much paint, making textural work out of a medium meant for washes. I’m also very very fond of a straightforward pencil. The simplicity of it is so satisfying.

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What is your favorite piece you have ever created?
I wish I could answer this. It feels like such a cop-out to say that I don’t have one. Favourites grow tired quickly for me. Equally things I hated when I made them don’t look so terrible a few years down the line. There are projects I have been proud of (the book Minnows for example) and that's a good feeling…but there are very few things that I would say I fully ‘liked’. That's terrible isn’t it?

Artist Spotlight on Lizzy Stewart by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

To view Lizzy's designs for Red Cap, click here and view her website, here.

Images courtesy of Lizzy Stewart.

Artist Spotlight: Blanca Gómez March 5, 2015

Next in our quick series of Artist Spotlights: illustrator, Blanca Gómez! Blanca has been a part of the Red Cap family for quite a while, and we love her happy, minimalist, colorful illustrations. Hailing from Madrid, Spain, Blanca uses bright shapes and clean lines. We loved being able to have a little chat with her about what inspires her work, where she would like to travel and her plans for future projects. View her new(!) and old designs for Red Cap here or check out her website, here.

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Did you always want to be an illustrator?
Hello! My name is Blanca, I'm from Madrid and I'm an Illustrator. When I was a child I didn't know one could be a professional illustrator, so when I was asked I used to say I wanted to be a painter. Just to say something, to be true. When I grew up and after a lot of drifting I ended up being a graphic designer. Some more drifting and I reinvented myself as illustrator, and I hope to stay as one.

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What is it like living and working in Spain?
I have been living here all my life, except for some breaks, so I guess it isn't that bad. Here in Madrid almost everyone of us has a love/hate relationship with the city, but in my case I think love is finally winning. It may be a cliché but what I like about Madrid is that being a big city, it still feels like a small town; I'm a city rat, but yet I enjoy that simpler, slower life, so to speak. While I physically work here, I don't consider I work in Spain, given that the 99% of my workload is for clients abroad (luckily!) There's always exceptions, but by my limited experience and what my friends and fellow Illustrators say, we still have a long road ahead.

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Do you gather inspiration from your environment? What else inspires you?
I'm not really conscious, but inevitably my environment inspires me, I'm sure; everything I like sticks in my head one way or another, and reflects when it is time to work. Because (I always say this but is true nonetheless) there is no inspiration without work. I'm a great believer in randomness during the creative process. I have started with pottery a short while ago, and I'm really enjoying it, so I think it will reflect in my work somehow.

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What is your favorite medium to work with?
I'm not an expert in any medium, so I guess I don't have a favorite one. I like mixing and discovering new ways to make things, without an elaborate technique. Lately I like working with collage, inks and pencils.

What is your favorite piece you have ever created?
It's yet to come (or I really hope so! 😉 I'm very happy with the kids book I just finished, Dear Bunny, but I'm still learning, step by step.

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What about your favorite Red Cap Card?
Hmm, this is a tough one. I think one of the first or one of the last. Ok, I'll choose one of the last I made. I like the Present Truck, I don't know why, but a truck full of presents is always a win, I think.

If you could work in your dream job (other than what you are doing now) what would it be?
Children book author 😉

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards
An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Any artists or designers you really look up to and why?
Lowry, he is a painter that reminds of an illustrator. I think I've been inspired lately by his landscapes full of little people. A short while ago I discovered a Japanese artist, Aoki Tetsuo, who works with woodblock. I'm also fascinated lately by the work of Roman Muradov, mostly his inks. I must be in a somewhat dark period. I could keep going forever… so to finish, I will say I like many of the artists from Red Cap Cards, like Christian Robinson (he is pure joy!) or Jon Klassen, or a thousand more.

Favorite meal or drink?
I could never say no to a good pasta, a steak tartare or my mother's meatballs and croquettes, accompanied with red wine.

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? 
Argh! I'm not really answering any question :D! I don't know, there's still a big world for me to discover. I worked abroad once, I went to Berlin for a month and a half, but I came back. I would like to live for a while in Lisbon… which is also close by. I have this fantasy about traveling around the world, working and living in different places. My mother decided to go to London for a very long time when she was sixty, so there's still hope for me!

An artist spotlight interview with illustrator, Blanca Gómez by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Are there any new/current/upcoming projects you would like to share with us?
Lately I've been illustrating children books mostly. I've been illustrating one for the US, one for the UK and I have collaborated in a third, and they will all be out in the next months. Right now I'm illustrating another book for the UK, but this time is a completely different thing, it is not a book for children. When I find some time and energy, I want to start illustrating my own story. It's already written, and patiently waiting in the desk drawer. It's a hard step for me. And spring is almost here, so I project to plant a new vegetable garden in my terrace, and watch the flowers blossom.

Images courtesy Blanca Gómez

Artist Spotlight: Anna Emilia Laitinen February 24, 2015

With the brand new designs by Blanca Gómez, Anna Emilia Laitinen, and Lizzy Stewart, we thought we would do a few more Artist Spotlight posts to introduce you to the artists behind the beautiful designs.

First up: Finnish illustrator of the whimsical and wonderful, Anna Emilia Laitinen. We mentioned her a while back in Part 1 of our Scandinavian Dreams post. She spends her time creating fantastical watercolor worlds and we are proud to have her as part of the Red Cap family! See below:

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

You live in Finland–have you always lived there? Where else have your travels taken you?
In Iceland I have been living many times since 2003. I was working there with children and older people and when I started to study graphic design, I also did exchange studies in the Art University of Iceland. Now I have been living back in Finland many years, but still my dreams are to live in Iceland or another Northern island one day soon again. Lately I have been traveling in the continental Europe: Portugal, The Netherlands, Scotland, Bulgaria, Estonia and also Scandinavia. I also have been travelling a little bit in Russia. Another place that I dream to go back to is Svalbard, where I visited two years ago. It was so beautiful with glaciers, motor boat trips on the Arctic Ocean and walking in the mountains. And a little bit scary too with the 3000 polar bears.

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What inspires you most?
Nature and people. We as human beings are very small next to the powerful nature. That is what I think most of the times when I paint. Even though we are very clever and all the time learning and discovering new things, we will never be as powerful as the nature is. The beauty of the nature is also how everything there interacts somehow together.

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Did you always want to be an illustrator when you were growing up?
Maybe I was thinking of some more traditional occupation when I was small. I used to be a teacher many times when playing on my own, my favourite part was to teach my (imagination) pupils things in the nature. But all my childhood was about making things by hands: drawing, painting, knitting, sewing, baking. When my teacher told me to apply to study graphic design, I was not sure what it meant, but I think it was a good choice, as you cannot really study only illustrating in Finland. Only after studying some time I understood that I could illustrate.

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What other dream jobs would you love to pursue?
Still I think that teaching might be fun. Also working in the nature or baking.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us?
At the moment I am working with a Japanese tableware company and the first cups, plates, glasses and bowls will be released soon. I wish to have more time this year also for a few own projects. One lovely secret I have, but I am not able to tell about it before the end of April!

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Your work is very tied to nature–do you feel a kinship with the environment in Finland?
Yes, very much. I think we always carry our surroundings with us, at least the ones from our childhood. I believe also to carry the landscapes of Iceland in me as I think so much about them. It is such a huge difference in a way: East of Finland where I grew up is filled with thick forests of fir trees and birches. In Iceland there are not that many trees, you can see so far that you don’t reach it in one day. The glaciers and volcanoes are so beautiful with the North Atlantic framing them. It is very interesting to think of the contrasts, though as people I think Finnish and Icelandic are pretty the same.

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What other things do you like to do in your spare time?
During winter I like to go cross-country skiing and skating. I walk a lot, and run too. I also started to do some simple yoga. During summers I like to bicycle. It is good to be outside in the nature as much as possible. With friends and my god-son we are searching new things in the city. I also sing in a choir, we sing mostly traditional Finnish songs with some jazz and more entertaining ones. Whenever it is possible, I travel abroad or inside Finland. When I am painting, I cook and bake quite a lot too, it is good change to working and silent but practical time to think about the next ideas. During evenings I read a lot.

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

Any artists or designers that you look up to and why?
Mostly I am following musicians, I enjoy to go to concerts a lot. Last time I saw an Icelandic singer-songwriter, Ólöf Arnalds, and before that a Finnish jazz musician Verneri Pohjola. One artist that I really enjoy is Andy Goldsworthy, he works with nature in such a special and respectful way. What I love to do on my travels, is to go to see lighthouses: they tell so much about the history and how life has been. The architects that designed the lighthouses, the people who built them and the lighthouse keepers who worked in them in harsh conditions are huge heroes!

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
I love Finland, but partly I could live in Iceland, Faroe Islands or Svalbard. Anywhere by the sea would be perfect. Every place can surely become a home.

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

What is your favorite medium to work in?
Most of my works are done by watercolours. I enjoy them the most, though I also draw a little with ink and do collages.

Artist Spotlight on Anna Emilia Laitinen by Red Cap Cards @redcapcards

To view our card designs by Anna Emilia, click here.

Images courtesy Anna Emilia Laitinen

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith October 1, 2014

It's time for another Artist Spotlight post! In the hot seat today, is our newest addition to the Red Cap family, Nicholas John Frith! We are so excited to have him as a part of our team and just love his fantastic designs in our collection. With a nod to vintage illustration, bold colors, plus a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, his cards are selling out as fast as we can stock them. Below, Nicholas chats with us about how he stays inspired in day-to-day work, his brand new children's book and pipe dream job. Don't forget to check him out on his website and blog as well. Thank you, Nicholas!

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith for Red Cap Cards - interview and pics @redcapcards

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith for Red Cap Cards - interview and pics @redcapcards

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Did you always want to be an artist from childhood?
Yes. I’ve heard recalled the tale on countless occasion of how, when I was 6, my teacher told my parents that she thought one day I’d be a graphic designer – well she wasn’t far off.

In secondary (high) school I was always getting my marked science book back with disapproving notes in red about the doodles in the back pages. After school I went to art college and then university, but although I was passionate I was unfocused, unguided. I’m not sure there was ever a conscious decision to ‘be an artist’ or to do it as a job. I just always drew. That’s what I did, who I was. That was enough for me. I guess that’s why I spent the next 12 intervening years doing other things. I never stopped doodling and noting down ideas though. And there was always that pipe-dream lurking of one day writing and illustrating books.

Some things happened in my life a few years back that made me think, and one day it all just clicked. The focus started to come. I took the gamble and moved from working from full-time in my job (waiting tables) to part-time. Hard work and a little luck followed. I eventually took that final leap to full-time freelance. And well.. here I am. Jeez, that feels like a rant. Sorry. Like, that’s the last 30 years of my life in a nut shell there. Scary. Ha!

Where do you gather your inspiration?
Everywhere. Experiences. Dreams of yesterdays past. Books. Nature. And, in the last year, Pinterest!

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith for Red Cap Cards - interview and pics @redcapcards

What is your favorite medium to create with?
I sketch in pencil (2B, usually), artwork using a brush with black drawing ink, and colour in photoshop. I love a bit of silkscreen printing too, but I rarely make time for that anymore, sadly.

What is your favorite piece you have ever created?
That’s tough to answer. I wouldn’t say I have a favourite, though I’m still pretty fond of a piece I wrote and illustrated a couple of years back for children’s magazine ANORAK, it was a cautionary tale about a mean and greedy wood-pigeon. Oh, and I’ve recently done these fab cards for an ace LA-based company. You may have heard of them… [Editors note: Aww, shucks!]

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith for Red Cap Cards - interview and pics @redcapcards

Do you ever get “creative block”–and if so, how do you combat it?
Not so much a block but more of self-doubt thing. My brain flips out every few months. So a bit of distance and perspective help. And a lot of post-its on my desk saying ‘relax!’ Doing something else creative without thought to ‘work’ helps too… Time in the kitchen is a good one – I love to cook. Or a long walk. When it happens, it’s a wave that I just need to ride.

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith for Red Cap Cards - interview and pics @redcapcards

We love your wrapping papers! Will you be doing any special projects like that in the future?
Thanks. Yeah I hope to do some more wrap but there’s nothing in progress yet. I am working on some new things with a company called Beast In Show though. Dave and Sally (the owners) were really the very first supporters of my work – about 4 years back – and doing new projects with them is always such fun. We’re working on a little china snack bowl (we’ve previously done some mugs) and also cushion too.

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith for Red Cap Cards - interview and pics @redcapcards

If you could work in your dream job (other than what you are doing now) what would it be?
Ooo…Provided I had a very comfortable amount of funds. I’d be happy with no job at all and a lot of hobbies – lots of hobbies to do with travel, writing, cinema, food, music, books… But that does not answer your question does it. Because that’s not really a ‘job’ is it!? Dream job? Okay. Film director, maybe. Brewer?

We hear you are working on a children's book–can you tell us a bit about it?
Yes, that’s all done. Phew! But it won’t be hitting the shelves until next summer. It’s my first picture book, which is pretty exciting and daunting. It’s titled, Hector and Hummingbird, and is set deep in the mountains of Peru. It’s a fun story of the relationship between two odd couple friends, a bear and a hummingbird. It’ll be published here in the UK by Alison Green Books (an imprint of Scholastic), but with some luck it’ll make it’s way to the US and beyond too. Watch this space. I’m starting work on my next book this winter!

Artist Spotlight: Nicholas John Frith for Red Cap Cards - interview and pics @redcapcards

Any artists you really look up to, and why?
Hmm. I love the work of Roger Duvoisin, Leonard Weisgard, the Provensens. Dahlov Ipcar is an inspiration. Speaking of more contemporary artists though. and it may sound like a Red Cap roll-call but Meg Hunt and Jon Klassen. I’m a big admirer of them both. Also Carson Ellis, Bjorn Lie, Jean Jullien, Blexbolex… ah, the list goes on.

To see more of Nicholas John Frith's work for Red Cap Cards, click over to his artist and shop page.

Images courtesy Nicholas John Frith

Artist Spotlight: Josie Portillo May 15, 2014

You may remember meeting Josie Portillo when we wrote a blog entry a few weeks back about her gorgeous map illustrations. Now, she's a part of our Red Cap family, with a brand new line of illustrated greeting cards! We're so happy to have her with us, and are very excited about her brand new designs. We caught up with her to ask her a few questions and get to know a bit about her work and life in Los Angeles. Thanks, Josie!

Interview with Josie Portillo for Red Cap Cards

You live and work in LA–do you take inspiration from your surroundings?
Absolutely! Los Angeles' natural landscapes are just as diverse as its people and communities. Inspiration in inevitably everywhere.

What was it like to be a child in Los Angeles?
I'm lucky to say I had a very pleasant childhood. I'm thankful for having been raised in a city that embraces diversity and creativity. My parents both immigrated from El Salvador in the 1980's so like many others here, I'm a first generation American. Los Angeles provided a nice middle ground for the two converging cultures, so I grew up with a strong sense of identity and an awareness for other cultures and backgrounds. I think understanding different walks of life has been extremely helpful in creating artwork that can connect with a wider audience.

We love your “map” work. Do you plan to illustrate any other cities?
Thank you! Yes, (as soon as I get a free minute) I'm planning on continuing maps of cities I've traveled. I loved New Orleans so much when I visited a few years ago, so that's next on my list as well as a map on my personal take of Los Angeles.

What is your favorite medium to create with?
I'm in love with gouache. I like using lots of different opacity layers when illustrating and think gouache lends itself so nicely to that. I work digitally most of the time but like to incorporate some traditional paint layers in the beginning of my process. Because gouache can be such a tricky medium the results can be a lot more organic, fun and unexpected.

Interview with Josie Portillo for Red Cap Cards

Have you always wanted to be an illustrator? Did you create art as a child?
I never took art classes as a child but loved to draw a lot. I initially wanted to become an architect so my older brother who was enrolled at Art Center College of Design's Saturday high school program encouraged me to take a foundation design class there. My teacher there saw some of my drawings and suggested I look into illustration as a career option – something I had never considered. I was 16 then and that's when I started taking drawing pretty seriously. 6 years later I received my BFA in illustration from Art Center College of Design. And funny enough, my brother became an architect – so I get to live vicariously through him.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Reading is important to me, and is a big source of inspiration. I'm also inspired by some of the travels I've done and a lot of what I do is based on memories of experiences I've had and places, people, and things I've seen. As far as reference goes, I was looking at a lot of 1950's children's books when I was in college – I think a lot of the simplistic shapes of that era stuck with me.

What is your favorite piece you have ever created?
I enjoyed working on this piece for NPR's annual calendar. The assignment was to create my own interpretation of what NPR means to me. Not only was it my first commercial project but the creative freedom it gave me made it tough to narrow down my ideas. I just knew I wanted to integrate my hometown in there so I wandered into downtown LA during a jury duty lunch break and sat around the streets eating a kabob plate and sketching what I saw – the idea of an informed and integrated community by way of news access fell into place at that moment.

Interview with Josie Portillo for Red Cap Cards

I also enjoyed working on this poster for the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The kind folks at the Hollywood Reporter asked me to create a visual representation of the festival and gave me so much creative freedom to do so. Sometimes the projects with the most creative freedom are the most challenging but the fact that art directors can trust my judgement means the world to me.

Interview with Josie Portillo for Red Cap Cards

What is your studio space like?
I share my apartment work space with my photographer boyfriend Scott and our two interns, Chori and Roscoe – (they're really just our lazy doggies). We spend a lot of time working from our home office so I've taken a liking to collecting indoor plants as a way to feel connected with nature. Keeping our space organized and lots of natural light for painting are also a must!

Interview with Josie Portillo for Red Cap Cards

What do you like to do in your off-time?
I like to read, spend time with my dogs, family and friends and whenever I can squeeze in the time, I like to dedicate a part of my day to sitting around at my local coffee shop soaking in my surroundings. Also every Sunday I play on a coed soccer team in order to counter the long hours of sitting at my desk.

If you could work in your dream job (other than what you are doing now) what would it be?
I've always wanted to be doing something in the creative field. If it wouldn't have been illustration it might have been architecture. There was also a moment in high school when I was making my own clothes and handbags, so I briefly considered going into fashion. That might have been fun but I'm thankful I found my path doing illustration.

Interview with Josie Portillo for Red Cap Cards

To view designs by Josie Portillo, visit her shop page.

Photos courtesy Josie Portillo

Artist Spotlight: Christian Robinson March 28, 2014

We are ever-so-excited to be interviewing Red Cap artist, Christian Robinson in the artist spotlight today! He is the illustrator of Harlem's Little Blackbird, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2013, and most recently won the Ezra Jack Keats Award for his work in Rain!. Christian currently lives in San Francisco where he works mostly in the medium of paper-cuts and animation. His illustrations make us so happy! We're honored to have him in the interview hot seat.

Artist Spotlight on Christian Robinson by Red Cap Cards

We absolutely love your illustrations and papercuts–what is your favorite medium to work with?
Thank you! Paper cut-out might be my favorite. I love the texture and simplicity of collage. Cut-outs force me to design simple and rely more on basic shapes to communicate.

Artist Spotlight on Christian Robinson by Red Cap Cards

Did you always draw and create? Did you always want to be an artist as a child?
ALWAYS! As a child I wanted to be a paleontologist, Jurassic Park convinced a whole generation of kids that you could have a pet dinosaur. Later on I learned how to bring dinosaurs back to life with animation!


What is or has been the biggest inspiration for your work?
Epic question! So many things inspire me. Children's book illustration and graphic art from the 50s-60s, nature, simplicity, cities, children's art, animation, fine art, music, I could keep going.

Click the image below for an old blogpost on things that inspire me:

Artist Spotlight on Christian Robinson by Red Cap Cards

Do you have a personal admiration for Josephine Baker, ie your work in Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker? Are there other historical figures about whom you would love to illustrate a children's book?
Yes, Josephine Baker is one of my Sheros and someone who's story inspires me. When the opportunity to illustrate a picture book about her life crossed my path I was beside myself. I'll share this story that I came across during my own research, It just shows the magnitude of Josephine's heart.


What was your favorite book as a child and why?
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. This is probably too heavy of an answer: I was raised my grandmother and probably felt very empathetic to this baby bird trying to find his real mother.

Artist Spotlight on Christian Robinson by Red Cap Cards

You just won the Ezra Jack Keats Award for Rain!–how did you feel when you found out that you won?
GREAT!!! Like, please-don't-awake-from-this-wonderful-dream-great!

Artist Spotlight on Christian Robinson by Red Cap Cards

What is your studio space like?
Well, until recently my studio was a corner in my bedroom. Josephine was created in this sunny corner. But now I work in a shared artist studio.

Artist Spotlight on Christian Robinson by Red Cap Cards

What other contemporary illustrators do you admire?
Lots! Beatrice Alemagna, Kevin Waldron, Jean Jullien, Jockum Nordstrom.

What is your dream job (besides what you are doing now)?
Honestly just being able to continue doing all the sorts of things I'm doing now is the dream. I want to continue making animations, hopefully some music vids. Also to write and illustrate a picture book of my own one day.

What are your favorite things to do during your free time?
Dance, laugh and movies!

If you could vacation anywhere in the world–where would you go?
India is pretty high on my list, ooh or Istanbul!

What is your favorite piece or work you have ever created?
Thats tough, considering I'm my worst critic and often times find it difficult to be satisfied with my work. although it's that same unease that drives me to want to continue to grow and create. Sorry for the non answer 🙂

Artist Spotlight on Christian Robinson by Red Cap Cards

And–what is your all-time favorite meal?
Dang these questions are tough! I can always eat Pupusas (El Salvadorian dish) with avocado and rice and beans on the side. Oh and fried plantains are a must!

Thank you, Christian! Check out Christian Robinson on his website, The Art of Fun, or follow him on his blog.

Images courtesy Christian Robinson.

Artist Spotlight: Kelsey Garrity-Riley February 5, 2014

Artist spotlight posts are our very favorite kind of blog posts! We are so excited to introduce you to our brand new Red Cap artist, Kelsey Garrity-Riley. Whimsical and nostalgic with a touch of melancholy, Kelsey's illustrations are refreshingly natural, comforting and the perfect addition to our family collective. We just loved reading about her unique upbringing around Europe, her inspirations and calming workspace. Welcome, Kelsey Garrity-Riley!

Spotlight on Kelsey Garrity-Riley for Red Cap Cards

What was it like growing up in Germany and Belgium? Do you go back often?
I really love where I grew up. In Belgium we lived in Brussels (such a large, crazy city) then when I was ten we moved to a tiny village of 350 people in Germany on the edge of the Black Forest. It was worlds different! I spent all my time there enjoying the freedom of running around outside. I'm really grateful I had the mix of both those experiences. I think, though, that the feeling of not being entirely from either country or the US has resulted in a lot of mixed emotions. Where my parents live now is fifteen minutes from the French border, and we always spent a lot of time in France. I think more than any other country in Europe I feel at home there–I speak French more than German and just prefer the culture. I'm so grateful that I've been able to go back for a month every year around the Holidays. Its so amazing to get to spend that time with my family and be re-inspired by the familiarities of home.

Did you always want to be an artist as a child? Did you draw and create even then?
I always loved creating things, but I don't think I knew that illustration exactly was the path that would best fit my creativity until college. I was constantly drawing when I was younger. I spent a lot of time on more three dimensional creations as well–mainly a little village of mice characters I made out of clay and different small found objects. There was no question I wanted to pursue art in school–but once I got to SCAD I spent a lot of time deliberating between fashion, painting and illustration. It seems like a no-brainer now but it wasn't at the time.

Spotlight on Kelsey Garrity-Riley for Red Cap Cards

Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I love objects–things with stories, collecting things, arranging things, discovering things. The natural world is hugely influential. I always go back and draw from memories of experiences and places. I love looking to current interior design and fashion–even if they don't show up directly in my work. I feel very blessed to have family and friends who inspire me creatively. My brother has been staying with us for the past few months while he works on his studio apartment–he does the most amazing woodworking. Lately it has been especially inspiring to spend so much time talking over new projects and creative plans with him and my husband.

Spotlight on Kelsey Garrity-Riley for Red Cap Cards

What is your studio space like?
The studio room that my husband and I share is in our apartment in Savannah, Georgia. Its actually the biggest room in our small house (the landlord is still very confused by that choice). There are vignettes of objects we find especially inspiring all around–lots of found sticks, books and odd treasures. I'm really terrible, though, laying out messes and projects all around the house. I end up working at the dining room table a lot, or spread out on the floor.

We love your work with The Paris Market! Were you hired to create installations exclusively? What is your inspiration for creating there?
I was working there (retail) during my last few years of school, and right around the time I graduated it just so happened that another coworker and I took over doing all of the visual merchandising and display art. I absolutely adore it there! It's been such an unexpected creative education in so many ways, and I love getting to work with such a wonderful close group of people. I always thought my creative dream was to spend all my time alone, working from home. But now I really relish that balance of spending time working on projects with a few other creatives who share the same vision. I think its been especially good for me to get to practice curating objects. Its one thing to be fascinated and enjoy beautiful things, and it's another to view them as a part of a fuller collection, knowing when to add more and when to leave things out. It's a lot of the same basic design principles that apply to art as well, but on a larger scale. As far as inspiration, it's such a small group of close friends. We end up just talking over things that inspire us personally, or cool vintage finds or pieces of history. Ideas end up snowballing naturally, usually over sketchbooks and coffee. Getting to work on a project from the initial idea, to the sketches, to the buying, to the creation and then display is really exciting.

Spotlight on Kelsey Garrity-Riley for Red Cap Cards

What is your most favorite thing about being an artist? What is your least favorite?
My favorite thing? When the desire and the idea inside actually match up with the moment and present themselves on paper. My least favorite part about being an artist, is that it also means being a businesswoman- definitely not my strength- but I'm working on it!

What is your dream job (besides what you are doing now)?
I'm definitely excited about life as an illustrator, but if I had to choose another route I would probably go into antiquing/display/styling full time. And if I could choose a third thing I would love to be a florist/botanist/gardener.

If you could vacation anywhere in the world–where would you go?
So many places! But recently I've been thinking that I'd love to explore Japan if given the chance.

Do you cook, if so–what is your favorite dish to create?
I do really enjoy cooking. Nothing too fancy. We eat a lot of beans and rice- or curry over rice (great on an artists budget and thankfully we really enjoy it). If I could eat Thai food for every meal I would, but no recipe I've tried matches up to curry from our favorite restaurants. I even ordered an assortment of curry pastes on amazon hoping to discover the secret. No luck yet- just a fridge full of crazy tubs of curry.

Your husband, Erik, is also an artist. Do you ever collaborate on work?
We never collaborate on literal pieces, but there isn't a piece, or a day that goes by that we don't talk about where we're at with our work. I'm continually blown away and inspired by the balance of humor and beauty he creates. Selfishly I can't imagine not having his critical eye or his encouragement in my own work and life. I feel so enormously fortunate that creating alongside each other is such a mutually important part of our lives together.

Spotlight on Kelsey Garrity-Riley for Red Cap Cards

What is your most favorite piece you have ever created?
I created six pieces for an Italian Children's Book competition called Teatrio my senior year at SCAD. The theme was “cannonball lady”. I don't think I've ever felt more personally proud of anything I've created. Ironically, even though it got 3rd place in the competition internationally, I was told repeatedly by publishers in the US that the style was too dark and alienating, and to keep it out of my portfolio. I don't regret cheering things up a bit in my work now, but I would like to one day explore working on more pieces that have this color palette and character ambiguity.

Spotlight on Kelsey Garrity-Riley for Red Cap Cards

View Kelsey's designs for Red Cap here, and view more of her work on her website.

Thanks, Kelsey!

Photos courtesy Kelsey Garrity-Riley

Red Cap Artist Spotlight: Anke Weckmann October 31, 2013

We love Anke Weckmann! Hailing from London in the UK (originally from Germany), Anke is a valued member of our Red Cap family! With introspective drawings that portray both wit and whimsy, she manages to convey emotion as well as humor in her work. You may remember our post (Apprendre le Français avec Anke Weckmann) on her French lesson series from July, and since then, Anke has been churning out even more incredible work! We are so happy to introduce her to you in our artist spotlight.

PLUS we are starting a brand new, fun project with all of our artist interviews! We've asked Anke to curate her very own “What Anke Likes” board onto our Pinterest page. It's always so fun to catch a tiny glimpse into an artist's mind. Click here to view and follow!

Anke Weckmann for Red Cap Cards

Have you always known that you wanted to be an illustrator?
I've always known that I wanted to do something creative. When I was little I wanted to be an author who also draws the pictures in her books even though I didn't really write, but I always loved to draw. Back then I didn't know illustration could be a job or I'm pretty sure I would have wanted to do exactly that! When we had careers advice at school, the only creative jobs that came up were architect, graphic designer, fine artist and fashion designer. I enjoyed making stuff so after I graduated high school I started studying fashion design and sewing. It was a pretty rubbish course and I was miserable a lot of the time but it also made it clear to me that what I really wanted to do was draw! Another thing I had always wanted to do was to live in England, so I decided to move to London, began studying illustration and have been obsessed with it ever since.

Where do you gain most of your inspiration for your work?
Looking at everything, especially shapes and colours. Good food. Films and music. All the girl characters I've been obsessed with since I was little. Starting with Pippi Longstocking (in the amazing picture book illustrations by Ingrid Vang Nyman), later Anne of Green Gables, Harriet the Spy, Margot Tenenbaum, Lisbeth Salander and so many more.

Anke Weckmann for Red Cap Cards

We see that you just did a cover for Frankie and Frrresh! Do you have any other great projects coming up?
Commissions are usually a bit secret until they're printed, but I'm planning a new series of weekly illustrations for 2014 that I'm excited about.

Anke Weckmann's cover for Frrresh on Red Cap Cards blog

Which do you enjoy more–commissioned editorial work or works from your own imagination for your brand?
Definitely both. I always enjoy doing my own work and I'm sure I could entertain myself with personal projects for the rest of my life. But it's also fun to work with other people, draw things I maybe wouldn't have thought of myself and of course seeing the work printed! I also like how the two areas inspire each other and are challenging in different ways.

We love your French lesson series. How long have you been studying French, and why did you start?
I'm glad you like them! Well, I had French classes in school but back then I was obsessed with English and had zero interest in French, which I totally regret now because I made very little effort to learn it. Two years ago I started to learn French again and I've been doing some online classes. Knowing a language opens up a whole world of films, books, art, music and people – translations or subtitles just aren't the same. And France is so close to the UK, I look forward to exploring it when I'm a little more fluent.

Anke Weckmann for Red Cap Cards

What is your favorite piece you have ever created?
I rarely look back on stuff when it's finished, so my favourite thing is always what I'm working on at the moment or what I'm planning to do next.

If you could have any other job besides what you are doing now, what would be?
I can't imagine doing anything else, if I don't draw I get unhappy very quickly. Having worked in retail for 6 years (during university and for a few years after) I really appreciate being able to illustrate full-time.

Anke Weckmann for Red Cap Cards

What do you like to do in your off-time?
I love exercising, it gets me away from the desk and keeps me pain-free and happy. And I like exploring London with James, I feel like even though I've lived here for 12 years I haven't that done nearly enough because I've been working so much. I also spend a lot of my off-time drawing in cafés, libraries and working on personal projects.

Thanks, Anke!

To view Anke's collection for Red Cap Cards, click here.

Photos courtesy of Anke Weckmann

Red Cap Artist Spotlight: Sarah Burwash September 19, 2013

You didn't think that we had forgotten about talented Sarah Burwash, did you? Debuting alongside Yelena Bryksenkova, Burwash is a talented and valuable artist in our Red Cap family. Her beautiful and calming watercolor illustrations convey a casual lovely elegance that is perfect for the every day. We are so happy to have her as part of our team–and happy to introduce her to you! Meet Sarah Burwash:

Sarah Burwash for Red Cap Cards

Tell us about your life in Novia Scotia. Have you always lived there?
I grew in Rossland B.C., a small interior mountain town. I moved to Nova Scotia three years ago, I drove from one coast to the other in a 1987 Tercel with two friends, I felt a pull East, it was an intuitive decision and have stayed. I currently live in a camper trailer across from the ocean. The mountains are in my blood but I have found myself very taken by the East coast and the Atlantic ocean and still have so much to uncover.

Have you always wanted to be an illustrator? Did you create art as a child?
I wanted to be an artist since I was little. I grew up in a very arts and crafty house hold, we had craft time every day as kids and I always loved to draw. I didn't ever plan on being an illustrator though as a teenager I dreamed of illustrating children's books. I came into it serendipitously. My drawing style is illustrative and that naturally led me to doing small jobs for people here and there and as more work came my way I decided to pursue opportunities myself.

Aside from your elegant illustration work, you also make ceramics, jewelry and collages. Which medium do you prefer, and how do you find so much inspiration for so many different types of art work?
Ha, well drawing, painting, and illustrating would be what I am most invested in. My drawing practice in particular which I consider different my from my illustration practice though they over lap in a big way. Other mediums weave their way into my practice. I grew up doing so much crafting that it feel natural to jump between mediums and do a range of things. I also grew up in a 'do it yourself' family. I have very talented parents and between the two of them and their different skills, they could make almost anything. If I went to the mall as a kid with my mom and liked something she'd say 'We can make that' and that went for a lot of things in our house. So when I see things I like or have an idea for clothing, jewellery, ceramics that I want in my wardrobe, kitchen, life it is my instinct to try and make it myself. Those avenues then bleed into my 2d work and vice versa.

Sarah Burwash for Red Cap Cards

Tell us a bit about your work for magazines like Kinfolk. Do you enjoy editorial illustration–and do they give you free reign to create as you see fit?
I have really enjoyed doing editorial work, it can be challenging, and to be challenged in my work is something I crave so I am grateful for the opportunities and like the balance between my personal art practice with freelance work. My work for Kinfolk has been both very open ended and very specific. They have been great to work with, I appreciate the trust and confidence they have in me.

Sarah Burwash for Red Cap Cards

If you could have any career (besides what you are doing now), what would you want to do?
I would run a bed and breakfast in BC or Nova Scotia with cabins/ yurts/ trailers that me and my fella built. I love to cook, to be outdoors, to grow, to live intentionally and unconventionally and I would love to share the things that drive me with others, a share a place that is important to me with people from afar, give them an authentic experience. I have lived in many places driven by tourism and I am critical of it and would be interested to take a different angle.

What is your favorite piece that you have ever done, and why?
Oh I have I no idea, I don't have one, it's ever changing.

Sarah

What's your dream vacation?
Sailing to Norway and perhaps the Greek Islands with my sweetheart.

Thank you, Sarah!

To view Sarah's collection for Red Cap Cards, click here.

Select images courtesy of Sarah Burwash.

Red Cap Artist Spotlight: Yelena Bryksenkova September 10, 2013

We're so happy to have brand new Red Cap artist, Yelena Bryksenkova, in the artist spotlight today! Yelena's illustrations are touching and elegant, while maintaining a whimsical, every day lightness (this one is the perfect example of that happy whimsy!). She is a great addition to our little family and we were delighted to get to know her a bit better and to share her interview with all of you. Enjoy!

Yelena Bryksenkova for Red Cap Cards

Tell us about your upbringing–such an interesting juxtaposition between Russia and Ohio!
My mom and I left Saint Petersburg in 1996 when I was eight years old, and in recent years I have been returning to Russia for a few weeks at a time. I feel lucky to be familiar with and able to navigate seamlessly between two such different worlds. For me, very tangled, often sad, feelings are associated with emigration, but also great beauty. Some days it feels like a special secret that only I know, other times it can get lonely because I know I can't ever be truly able to explain how I feel, at least not in words. So I hope some glimmer of it comes through in my work.

Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Not at all. I drew pictures, but not much more than the average kid. It wasn't until the last two years of high school, when I took a commercial art class designed to prepare students for art school, that I even considered it. I took everyone–including myself–by surprise when I became serious about it and enrolled at the Maryland Institute College of Art. It was there that I discovered illustration as a career path and I haven't looked back since!

What is your imaginary pet elephant's name and what does he do all day while you are working?
His name is Vaclav and he's usually curled up sleeping under my chair. He's a very low-maintenance pet.

Yelena Bryksenkova studio

Where does your inspiration come from?
Books, films, music, memories, exhibitions, clothing, interesting color palettes, images I come across on the internet–absolutely everything. There's usually one thing that has me captivated at any given moment and I live under its spell until the next wave of inspiration. I try to keep my eyes open and carry a notebook for writing down half-formed ideas or themes to return to. My mind and my computer are visual catalogs where I file away all of the beautiful things I see, and they all appear in my work eventually, in one form or another.

Yelena Bryksenkova studio

We love the artistic process videos that you have posted on your blog. Is your art process usually the same for each piece?
My process stays uniform for every piece until I accidentally have a breakthrough and discover a new way of doing something. It's through these small changes that my style evolves.

If you could have any career (besides what you are doing now), what would you want to do?
I would be a flight attendant, probably on an International airline.

What is your favorite piece that you have ever done, and why?
I'm usually “over” every new thing I do within a day, but this painting, “Ghost,” feels special to me. It's not particularly interesting or skillful in style or color, but it felt so personal that I was afraid to share it on the internet! That seems crazy now, but I was so nervous, and for that reason it's very dear to me.

ghost by Yelena Bryksenkova

To view Yelena's collection for Red Cap Cards, click here.

All images courtesy Yelena Bryksenkova

Red Cap Artist Spotlight: Francesca Montanari July 16, 2013

We are so happy to have Francesca Montanari (aka “Frenchy”) in the Red Cap artists' spotlight today. We were first introduced to Frenchy's work years ago, when we saw the Devics “Secret Message to You” video below–directed by Marco Morandi–and fell in love with her simplistic, pure illustration.


After our initial crush on her illustration work, we met in 2007 and Frenchy became the first artist to collaborate with Red Cap Cards! A multi-talented artist, Francesca works in multiple mediums suh as illustration, fashion design and even designs show posters for musical artists!

francesca montanari

Where were you born and where do you live now?
I was born in Italy in a small town called Lugo where, after living in America and Berlin for many years, I came back to. I live in Lugo at the moment.

Did you know you were an artist at a young age?
Artist is not a word that I usually use or used. I consider myself a creative person who is experimenting with different tools to express my voice. I started as an illustrator, then I did graphic design, then I had a passion for hats and right now I'm making clothes and knitting.

tortoise by francesca montanari

Were you formally trained as an artist?
I went to Art College but I never really studied to become anything that I ended up doing. I've always been a self-taught.

Not only are you are you a talented illustrator but you are fashion designer. Do you have a preference between the two?
I've always preferred the thing that I was doing while I was doing it. Right now I'm a clothing designer and love it.

clothing by francesca montanari

I have always been a huge fan of your hats, they are so beautiful, especially on you. Where did the love for hat come from?
Thank you so much! I've always loved hats but I started to make them while I was leaving in LA in the 2000. I was invited at a fancy party and I wanted to wear a hat for the occasion so I made myself one. People at the party loved it and some of them wanted it so…one after the other I created my collection. It has been a very fun period of my life!

hats by francesca montanarihats by francesca montanari

Where is the most inspiring place you’ve ever been?
I would say that each place I've been to inspired me something different and gave me something unique and precious. All together is who I am today. But sure it's traveling and living in different places in the world that really opened my mind and taught me a lot of things, enriching my life and knowledge.

Do you have a favorite Children’s book?
mmm…I love so many that I can't think of one in particular. I'll think about it and I'll let you know 🙂

View Francesca's designs for Red Cap here on the Red Cap Cards website.

Thanks, Frenchy!

Red Cap Artist Spotlight: Chris Sasaki May 22, 2013

We are so excited to introduce a brand new, very talented artist to our Red Cap Cards family: Chris Sasaki. If you haven't had a chance to view his newly-added greeting cards on our site, make sure to skedaddle over there soon, as his charming style is not one to miss! When he's not designing cards for us, Chris works as a character designer at Pixar Animation Studios in San Francisco. We were delighted to catch up with him and ask him a few questions about his life and amazing work!
 

A little birdie told us that you grew up in Hawaii–so did Hal! Which island did you grow up on? And how old were you when you left?
Actually, I'm not from Hawaii, but my extended family is. My great-grandfather worked in the cane fields there at a young age, and my father grew up in Honolulu. That's where I spent a lot of my childhood summers, and my grandparents still live there. Matsumoto is still the best shaved ice I have ever had!

Did you draw when you were a little kid?
As soon as I was able to hold a pencil, I was always drawing. I remember spending hours and hours drawing with my grandfather, who is an architect. He was always encouraging me and those are some of my favorite memories. I still love to fill placemats at restaurants with doodles, just like I did as a kid.
 

Chris and his good buddy, Beans

Obviously you work with a lot of different mediums. Do you have a favorite? What was the process that you used for creating your collection with Red Cap?
The mediums I choose are always different. I like to explore and keep things exciting. I hate to narrow it down to one thing. For the Red Cap cards specifically, I used ink, crayon, and colored pencils. When I have the time and opportunity, I always gravitate towards traditional mediums, although I do some tweaking and touch-ups digitally. I feel like it's a nice break from doing things at work, where I mostly draw digitally to accommodate changes and the intense time constraints.

Do you have a favorite card in your collection?
I think my favorite card in the collection is the boar “Thank You” card. It was the first idea I thumbnailed. I drew a lot of thumbnails, and a lot of things changed, but the boar is one that stuck.
 

boar thank you card by Chris Sasaki for Red Cap Cards

Currently you are a character designer at Pixar. Did you always want to work in animation? What characters or films have you worked on most extensively?
Actually it's interesting, I always loved to draw, and loved the classic Disney films (101 Dalmatians especially) but never really thought I would make a career out of it. In high school I really didn't know what I wanted to do afterwards. Then I saw Monsters Inc. and it became a big turning point in my life. It had great characters, a lot of heart, and a great story. Within that week I applied to animation schools.

Amazingly, the first feature film I worked on professionally was Monsters University and it has been incredible to see things come full-circle. I got to design a lot of the new cast, and it was so rewarding to give back to something that inspired me to pursue animation in the first place. One of my favorite characters I got to design was a monster named Art. His design is like a furry purple rainbow, and the animators really went to town on bringing him to life. I feel like he really steals the show, and am so proud to have been a part of the process.
 

Image courtesy of Disney // Pixar

We think you would make amazing picture books. Would this be something you’d ever consider doing?
YES! It is one of my big-time goals. At Pixar, my job is to design characters for film, but the audience almost never gets to see the drawings. I would love to illustrate a story where my drawings are the final product.

We’ve noticed that you have quite a few tattoos. How old were you when you got your first one? What was it?
Yes, I do have a lot of tattoos. I love tattoos and how they can be a graphic memento of something people experience. I think that's the storyteller in me. I was always fascinated with tattoos, and would always be drawing fake ones on my arms with a sharpie when I was a child. So, naturally when I turned 18 I made it real. My very first tattoo was a tree on my left shoulder, which is a symbol for my last name.

I'm going to assume that you are a whiskey drinker. Is that a safe assumption? Do you have a favorite?
Yes! I love bourbon. I recently went to Brooklyn, NY and visited Kings County distillery. If I had to choose one as my favorite for this month, that would be it! But I'm always finding new and tasty ones!

Thank you, Chris!!