Interviewed by Jaimianne Amiccucci

Christine Goh launched Clay Elements in the spring of 2017. A one-woman proprietorship featuring functional and sculptural ceramics designed and handcrafted in small runs.  Clay Elements participates in select craft shows in DC, Maryland and Virginia, and is a member of the Glen Echo Park Pottery Gallery in Glen Echo Park, Maryland.

What is your current medium?
I am currently working with porcelain, stoneware and paper clay.  I make both functional and decorative ceramic work. 
 
Your background is in architecture, but your work is reminiscent of a lot of natural forms. Do you think architecture informs your work?
After graduating from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Architecture.  I worked for architectural firms in Singapore and Tokyo for a decade. I worked in design teams with consultants exploring spatial and formal design concepts and building materials in both commercial and residential projects.  Among my favorite architects are Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid.  Frank Gehry’s deconstructivism and Zaha Hadid’s radical designs continue to inspire me. While working in Japan, I greatly admired the minimal architectural style of Kazuyo Sejima, and the traditional pottery in museums and galleries. From conceptual design to developing construction details, most of my architectural drawings were produced on AutoCAD and other computer rendering software.  Increasingly, I felt drawn to focus my creative journey on a craft that I could develop on a smaller personal scale.  I chose clay, as it is a very accessible material, and the oldest form of craft that can be made into both fine and functional art.
 
In 2009, my husband’s work as a journalist moved our family from Boston to Bangkok, Thailand. It was there at Kasumi Katagiri ‘s pottery studio in the center of bustling Bangkok where I began to learn the basics of hand building and wheel throwing.  In 2014, we moved to the DC area and settled down in Bethesda, Maryland. In 2017, Clay Elements was set up as my commitment to growing my craft.
 
As a ceramic artist, I explore the structural and aesthetic possibilities of clay through composite forms that are wheel thrown, altered, carved and assembled.  I envision my ceramic works to eventually incorporate joinery details found in basketry and woodworking.  My ceramic forms are canvases for hand painted glazes, slips and stains.  I draw inspiration from nature; unusual creatures and plants, essences of seasons and landscapes.

​You work at Glen Echo Pottery. What is it like working in a communal environment?
I appreciate working around like-minded creatives in a communal environment.  I enjoy the comradery in loading, firing and unloading a soda kiln as a team. A big shout out to Jeff Kirk, director of Glen Echo Pottery. I am thankful for Jeff’s Continuing Wheel class instruction and insightful critique. I would also like to thank Linda Epstein for all her guidance and work in keeping Glen Echo Pottery soda kiln roaring.  
 
How has your studio practice changed since COVID?
The pandemic lock down brought my pottery production to a halt in March 2020.  This event has caused me to pause, slow down and pay closer attention to the part I play in our environment, and what I make.  I started painting on paper, mostly abstract surface patterns.  It was in May 2020, that I participated in Rebecca Hutchinson’s 3-day paper clay online workshop.  She opened the door to a whole new direction in making with paper clay.  I fell right in with paper clay mono printing.  I started experimenting more with porcelain, and firing at oxidation cone 6.  

How do you find balance and time to make your artwork?
When working in my home studio space, I cannot do without music or audio books, incense and tea! 
I like carving out the day in chunks of 1-2 hours. that allows me to focus on specific tasks to accomplish within the time frame.  
 
 What kind of work can viewers at home expect to see at Amuse at home?
I am excited to debut my clay monoprint series SHELL!  These are hand-built porcelain forms that contain colorful monoprints inspired by landscapes and seasons.  There will be small ‘shell’ dishes, and ‘postcard’ dishes.  Hopefully, people will enjoy displaying and using them in their daily routine.  A small selection of BLOSSOM Mugs in stoneware, will be available as well. 

Visit Clay Elements at www.clayelements.com

Companion Fiber is a one woman shop (Caitlin Moran) focusing on hand dyed yarn and fiber, as well as hand spun yarn and hand knitted gifts. I create everything you see in my shop individually and by hand. I am based in West Virginia with a view of the mountains and a slew of animals and nature. This beautiful scenery is my inspiration for the colors of my yarns. Most of my colors are named for my local nature inspirations. I love creating from scratch. This permeates every aspect of my life, especially my fiber creations. I enjoy knowing that I created the colors, and then the yarn, and then the knitted item that anyone can enjoy!

What is your medium of choice?
I work primarily with wool from Merino sheep. This particular wool is extremely soft and is also very insulating and warm. When you spin this fiber on a spinning wheel, you are able to preserve this light airy quality to the yarn, which in turn makes great outerwear and winter clothing.

Why have you chosen your current medium?
I have been hand spinning yarn and knitting since I was a young child. My mother was a huge influence and teacher, as she also spins and is a talented artist. For me, this kind of creating comes second nature and is extremely meditative. It is something I never tire of and I am always excited about the process. Color is very important to me, and yarn is a wonderful canvas. I enjoy having yarn that can inspire other people to create, as well as creating hats and outerwear for people to enjoy as well.

Why do you feel your art/craft is important/relevant today?
I think it is so important to keep alive the crafts like spinning that have been mechanized. It is an activity that has been part of our lives for thousands of years, and to me it feels very natural to have it a part of my life. I encourage other people to try their hand at knitting or crochet or spinning, as it truly helps us enjoy the simple pleasures of life!

How do you find balance?
Balance is very important in my life. For me, the seasonality of tasks is very important. For example, spring and summer is focused on the gardens, and the fall and winter I focus on spinning and knitting. Having that space allows me to stay invigorated about what I create, which translates into quality work. Also having that diversified approach gives me different creative perspectives. A multi colored bunch of beets has some of the most vivid, beautiful colors for example. Nature comes up with the best color combinations!

Is there anything you'd like the public to know about your work upon purchasing it?
All my work is one of a kind. When getting an item from me you are supporting artisan who wants to give you a quality, unique item that was handcrafted with care. Thank you for your support!

Shop Companion Fiber on Etsy here!

What's your typical day?
10 minutes of quiet meditation when the sun comes into my window; coffee and am exercise outside; working in the middle of the day; home cooked and healthy lunch; midday walk, hike or run to vitamin D and time in nature; a little more work; connecting with friends and family; cooking dinner at home; winding down with a good book, a cup of tea or maybe even a quick check outside at the stars.

What is the most gratifying part of making your work?
I love using the images of the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) which I was lucky enough to hike end-to-end to share with other people in the form of greeting cards that they can enjoy and so can the person they send them to or frame them for. The AT and PCT are America’s two oldest and most iconic long distance hiking trails and America’s first two national scenic trails. Getting to share some of their awe inspiring images, while also giving back some of the proceeds to the trail organizations that maintain them is also important to me. If I can inspire someone to step outside, get fresh air, start hiking or even just feeling calm and inspired with one of these cards and my original photos, I feel good.

Where do you find inspiration?
Outdoors!

Where is your studio/work space?
Outside on the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) where I hiked to take all of these photos, and my house in northern Virginia where I put the cards together by hand.

What's your typical studio playlist?
James Taylor, Mandolin Orange, Fleetwood Mac, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder

How do you get yourself out of a creative rut?
I love to move my body — go for a hike, do yoga, go swimming, get fresh air!

Favorite blog/movie/tv show/book that never fails to inspire or just clears the mind: 
The Hidden Life of Trees & A River Runs Through It

Share your process - bonus points if there's a story behind it: 
In 2016 I thru-hiked the AT from Georgia to Maine (2,189.1 miles) and in 2017 I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from Mexico to Canada (2,650 miles). After my thru-hikes, I decided the images I was lucky to see on my hikes were so stunning that I wanted to share them with others by making handmade greeting cards with my original photos of the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). All of the images and their majestic landscapes can only be reached on foot. I decided to make these cards because I have always loved the timeless art of letter writing. Very early on, my mom taught me the value of sending a note to say, “thanks,” “hi,” or “how are you?”

What's your dream project - if you had all the time and materials in the world?
I would hike so many more long distance trails in the US and take endless photos and continue to document them and their beauty but also the incredible experiences they provide for people. Any day on trail is a great day! And the feeling and the memory of the trail lasts long after the hike.

Describe yourself in 5 words: 
Outdoorsy, kind, curious, optimistic, reflective

Describe your work in 5 words: 
outdoor, tactile, self taught, fun

Tell us something funny or exciting that has happened in regards to your artwork/craft:
I started making my photo greeting cards as a small project for fun and to write and send notes to my own friends. Then someone (my mom) encouraged me to share them with a larger audience. I showed her some of them and she said, “These are absolutely beautiful. And you know I’m picky.” Thanks mom!

How do you find balance?
Get outside and move my body everyday; hike often; write and meditate even just a little bit everyday; surround myself with positive people; try to get 8 hours of sleep every night; avoid comparison — it is the thief of happiness; and seek out laughter.

Is there a story behind your business name?
My name is Laura Johnston. But, you can call me “Hey Girl,” a trail name given to me by fellow hikers on the Appalachian Trail (AT) because of my friendly way of saying “hi” to fellow women I met on trail. That’s also how I decided to call my photo greeting card business Hey Girl Hikes.

Is there anything you'd like the public to know about your work upon purchasing it?
A portion of the proceeds of my sales supports the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), the two nonprofits that largely manage the operations and maintenance of the AT and PCT. As a former thru-hiker who was able to thru-hike the AT end-to-end in 2016 and to thru-hike the PCT end-to-end in 2017, it is very important to me to give back to these trails.

​I am Diane Harrison who is the started all this crazy business we do. From our original shop, Center Ring Design, I started doing shirt designs, logo and brochure work. From there, pottery became my focus which also lead to my husband, Russ, doing sculpture. Russ has a couple of art degrees and has been doing anything creative from paint to woodworking but currently works in the telecommunications field. I do have other "jobs" too - Berryville town councilor for Ward 2, on the board and help run a malamute rescue, CHAAMP, with three other hard working ladies. We opened our shop in our home addition a few years ago with the Artisan Trail. This gave Russ the opportunity to showcase his painting skills too - mine is reserved for wall painting in the addition and our very old home. Finding a need to have products that people would have to return for - you can only have so many bowls, I took my love of nature, and natural cleaning products, and dove into soap making. We developed two lines. Touched by Nature Soaps now includes, lotions, shampoo and conditioner bars, bath bombs, scrubs, facial products, and the beginning of some home cleaning products in addition to our soaps which have evolved into our final recipe choice during these past few months. Skegg for Men is our men's line of soaps, beard products, shaving products, lotions, and coming in November, shampoos and conditioners. These scents are named after Viking gods and parts of nature. Russ and our son Liam (a VCU Art School Junior), were helpful in developing the scents and product testing. Russ designed the logo and name which means 'Beard'. Center Ring Design has also developed more items. To go along with the Skegg line Russ makes Viking traditional items including drinking horns, leather pouches, and runes. Russ also loves to work in wood and has made sustainable growth food boards and some live edge tables. We will have wood ornaments this year for the holidays. Since I broke my elbow in July, my pottery is somewhat limited this fall, but hopefully, I will return to it this winter. Due to COVID, we had to shut our doors to our shop since it is our home and our place we make our soap and body products. This also meant that all of the shows we did were also closed. BUT.... we have a location for our items that we just got going this October. We are continuing to fill it with new items and will be offering give boxes for the holidays. Our website store(s) offer people the chance to buy on line and do porch pick up or to have items shipped. Our location to shop in person is at 401 E Main Street, Berryville at the Hip and Humble Interiors shop - an awesome place that is so fun. We will also be looking at other locations for our soap and body products to go into. Our hours at Hip and Humble are Fri-Sun 10-6. We can also meet you there other days by appointment.

What is the most gratifying part of making your work?
I think that for both of us, it is the feedback and pleasure it gives people. People love Russ's paintings and his use of color. For me, it is the scents I use in the products and the way they work.

Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere. I adopted a tag line for Touched by Nature from Vincent Van Goph that says - "If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere". Our world is our biggest inspiration for everything we do whether in art or humanitarian ways.

Where is your studio/work space?
We live in a 130 year old house in Berryville, Virginia. We built an addition about seven years ago - 3 floors. The top is Russ' office for his 'real' job in telecommunications, my office for doing all the web and creative design work, a studio that is now taken over by a CNC machine and 3D printer but also serves as a paint studio. Main floor is the soaping area. It also is where we package and ship and I do heat press and cutting for shirts (another new adventure). The basement level is the messy place... pottery and sculpture work take place there. And yes... there are days that this all overruns into the main house, but that is now getting less and less.

​Describe yourself in 5 words: 
Russ - curious analytical artistic logical absurd
​Diane - creative determined caring dreamer doer

See more of Diane and Russ Harrison's work at www.centerringdesign.com and www.touchedbynaturesoaps.com. You can also find their pop up shop in Berryville, VA at Hip & Humble.

What is your medium of choice?
Any kind of fiber, either spun or unspun.

What has been the most difficult challenge for you as an artist/maker?
Marketing my work, especially since my computer skills are somewhat limited! I’m seventy years old, but I’m coming along.... slowly but surely!

What is the most gratifying part of making your work?
I love seeing people find joy in discovering their perfect hat, and gratification in watching them stand out in a crowd, with style and pizzaz!

Where do you find inspiration?
On the streets, on various sites on Instagram, by traveling, and by going back to the book that was my first inspiration, “ A New Look At Crochet” by Elyse Sommer and Mike Sommer 1975.

Where is your studio/work space?
I keep most of my yarn, my spinning wheels, heads, and mannequins at home, but I can crochet wherever I am... and I do!

What's your dream project - if you had all the time and materials in the world?
I would like to crochet an entire environment, which could travel around the the world, and then move into it! 😍

What artists influence your work/who are your creative idols?
I discovered and was inspired by Bonnie Meltzer at the very beginning of my crocheting career, back in the early seventies. I have since not only become FB friends with her, but exhibited several times with Bonnie, and visited her home/ studio in Portland, Oregon, where she taught my daughter to crochet as we assisted in the assembly of a large, collaborative crochet project. Bonnie uses her “ very mixed media” art as an environmental activist, a skill I greatly admire.

Describe your work in 5 words: 
Fun, funky, comforting, power hats.

Tell us something funny or exciting that has happened in regards to your artwork/craft:
When I first moved to Winchester ten years ago, I was able to have kind of a large popup space at the beautiful Bright Box on the downtown mall, courtesy of Marilyn Finnemore, owner of the building and a great supporter of culture and the arts. I was able to be there for a year, during which I became familiar with many of the wonderful denizens of Winchester, most of whom I’m still friend with.

Is there a story behind your business name?
When I was a little girl, my mother used to tell us that if we didn’t listen to her, the Raggle Taggle Gypsies would come and take us away. We never really minded, because apparently the Gypsies would let us wear lipstick, beautiful skirts, jangly jewelry, and a good time would be had by all! I’ve dressed like a Gypsy ever sincd, much to my mother’s chagrin! I believe the original term came from an old Scottish folk song.

See more of Genevieve's work on Facebook here!

​What is your medium of choice?
I use sterling silver wire and gold filled wire for the majority of my pieces. I also create hand-crocheted necklaces that have sterling silver pendants made of precious metal clay, which I have been using more and more frequently, because it is fun to use, and there are so many possibilities. I have yet to tap into all of the possibilities, but I am methodically working my way through! Recently, I have started using polymer clay, and I am having so much fun! And I am combining all of these materials to come up with unique pieces.

Why have you chosen your current medium?
I always had a love of shiny, sparkly jewels. When I was really young, I took apart old pieces of jewelry and put them together with rubber washers and other materials I found at the hardware store to make unique, funky pieces. Just the beginning, I have evolved, and now I loose myself when I start to create pieces. I love learning different techniques, trying new materials, and developing my craft. This was something I always wanted to do, I am lucky that I have a family that supports me!

What's your typical day?
Life has definitely changed since the pandemic, but it has forced me to be more structured. I typically do social media posts in the morning, the rest of the day is a combination of either making pieces, fulfilling orders, photographing jewelry, editing photographs, and /or updating my social media sites. I try to do more social media posts at the end of the day as well.

Why do you feel your art/craft is important/relevant today?
I believe that everyone has the right to buy and wear something that makes them feel special, beautiful, or that just brings them joy. I also believe that people should be able to enjoy giving beautiful things to others to make them feel loved and special. In these crazy days, that seems to be something people look forward to even more = a way to connect with others and feel "normal". I like to think that my jewelry can provide access to all of these things.

What has been the most difficult challenge for you as an artist/maker?
The business management component has been a challenge. If you are doing this on your own, you have to wear many hats. You don't just get to be the artist. I never have a problem with inspiration or motivation to make pieces, I just sometimes struggle with finding the time to fit it in to all the other aspects of the business.

What is the most gratifying part of making your work?
I love seeing the happy faces of customers and hearing how much they enjoy my jewelry!

Where do you find inspiration?
As I said earlier, I get my inspiration from every-day surroundings and the shapes and colors of the stones and other media I use in my jewelry as well as my two daughters. I often sit and stare at the materials I have, and ideas just flow. I find that I get so many ideas, that I have to write them down, because I will forget!!

Where is your studio/work space?
My studio is currently in a room in my house, which is also the laundry room. It is a nice size, but I have outgrown it. We are in the process of building my new studio in the 2 car garage we have in the back yard that is not being used. I hope that this new space will be done before Christmas. Here's hoping!!

What's your typical studio playlist?
I recently discovered Podcasts! I love listening to scary ghost stories, true crime and supernatural stories. I love Crime Junkie, Supernatural, Real Life Ghost Stories, Full Body Chills and The Poisoners' Cabinet

How do you get yourself out of a creative rut?
Whenever I have a creative rut, I re-make pieces. This makes me look at the materials I was using in a new light and the ways I can combine them with other materials. I also go shopping!!! New beads, findings, and clay always get me going!

Favorite blog/movie/tv show/book that never fails to inspire or just clears the mind: 
As I said earlier, I love listening to Podcasts about true crimes, ghost stories and the paranormal. It's also true for TV shows, movies, and books. I can never think of my favorites when asked, but I can tell you the ones that I have enjoyed recently.

Share your process - bonus points if there's a story behind it: 
When I start to make new pieces of jewelry, I either sit and look at my materials for a while until they start talking to me, or I look back at all the ideas I have been sketching and recording. I tend to make collections, because I have a tons of variations that can be made around the same materials.

What's your dream project - if you had all the time and materials in the world?
I am always adding new materials and techniques to my repertoire, especially lately. I would love to make pieces that incorporate all of them!!

What artists influence your work/who are your creative idols?
I only recently started getting into the Instagram world, and I have been following some amazing jewelers, as well as stained glass artists. They do very different styles and techniques than I do, but I find inspiration to just get moving because of the sheer volume they create!

Describe yourself in 5 words: 
Creative, musical, funny (I hope), loved, happy

Describe your work in 5 words: 
Timely, delicate, unique, fun and colorful
Tell us something funny or exciting that has happened in regards to your artwork/craft:
To me, an exciting aspect is that stores all over the country - from Alaska to Arizona to New Jersey - are selling my jewelry. I never anticipated that!

How do you find balance?
I love making jewelry, but I try to take time for myself and my family as well. I love spending time with my daughters. We love the same TV shows and many of the same books. We have a great time talking about friends, music, TV, and art. I love going for regular walks with my husband and catching up on life and plans. I love running on the treadmill and watching my supernatural and Science Fiction shows while I run. I like to drink my glass (or two) of wine and I LOVE playing the drums. I am in a band called MAAM. We are 4 mom and a man (he plays lead guitar). We have been recording songs in the studio and are starting to get shows (when they are available due to the virus). Check us out www.MAAM.Rocks!

Is there a story behind your business name?
Originally I wanted to call my business Rosie Toes, based on a friend's reinterpretation of my childhood nickname Rosie Posie. As I got closer to creating my business, a friend, who designs Websites and generously offered to help me get started, suggested Jewelry By Roz, because he knew that when people were searching on the internet for jewelry, that a business name that started with the word jewelry would be more likely to show up first. Good suggestion! Still not 100% sure it's true. Who knows?

Is there anything you'd like the public to know about your work upon purchasing it?
It was 100% handmade with love and joy!!!

Visit http://www.jewelrybyroz.com to see more of her lovely work!

​Hey ya'll! My name is Sara and I am the maker, dreamer, homesteader, beekeeper, and herbalist behind Willow Moon Farm. Willow Moon Farm is a Certified Naturally Grown farm. We are located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Gore, Virginia. Here at Willow Moon Farm we believe in sustainable agriculture. What does that mean? We believe in Organic practices but our standards are even higher than that- we hand pick bugs off of our plants and hand pick our weeds, we grow with Organic Non-GMO seeds and we never use pesticides (not even non-synthetic ones). Everything is done with our hands, truly giving handmade a new feel. The herbal products are made from start to finish at the farm. Nothing comes pre-mixed, everything is made from scratch. I believe I should make the whole product and personally know each ingredient that is used in my offerings. 90% of the oils, butters and waxes that are used are Certified Organic and fair trade. The plant allies that are used are either grown on the farm Certified Naturally Grown, ethically wild crafted or purchased Certified Organic as a last resort. I started this business while I was pregnant with my son back in 2016. I had just put in my two weeks notice at an extremely stressful property management position and decided to be a stay at home mom to raise my child who would be arriving in the next couple of months. I became very creative during this time but one day I decided to make some organic sugar scrubs with essential oils and put them into mason jars to use and to share with friends and family. They were a big hit and I had people wanting to purchase more from me. A month later I joined my mother in a "mind body and spirit" craft show and sold my sugar scrubs at her booth. I just about sold out and was so ecstatic about the outcome. I had my son shortly after and lost my creative outlet until my son became more mobile. I was basically a zombie for the first year of my sons life as he would be up every 30 minutes - an hour for the first 6 months of his life. As he became more independent I slowly got back into my creative groove. I did my first big craft show in December of 2017 where I had so much support I was blown away! I knew then that this was my nitch this was what I was suppose to be doing so I could stay home with my son but also contribute to my family. During this realization we decided to sell our house and look for land as I KNEW I was going to need more space but also I wanted my son to grow up on the land just like I did. We had 5+ acres but our house was built into the side of a mountain so it was all sloped and no yard. During this process my husband was called out to my childhood home in Gore, VA to power wash the house before they put it on the market. My husband called me as soon as he left and I said "LET'S BUY IT!!!" and that is what we did, the house never even hit the market. There is a longer story to this with more details as so many things happened on their own and showed us that this was truly meant to be. I was meant to come back here and raise my son here but I was also meant to come back here to grow my business. Look out for a blog on this topic on my website in the next couple of months. ​ Thank you for taking the time to get to know more about me and what we do here. We appreciate your support more than you know. When you support my small business, you are supporting my dream!  THANK YOU! -Sara

What is your medium of choice?
Herbal remedies- botanical skincare + hair care products, goat's milk soaps & natural soy candles

Why have you chosen your current medium?
I'm not sure I have an easy answer for this question as I feel that herbalism chose me... My native American ancestors play a big role in my back to my roots mentality. I came from ancestors of farmers on both sides of my family and grew up eating organic and growing our own gardens so homesteading came naturally to me. I always wanted a big farm since I was a child. We always had more then 40 acres and grew up on the land but my parents always had careers so I found that farm life at my grandparents. Once I had my son I knew I wanted him to have a similar childhood that I had but I wanted his to be even better then mine. Once he started getting mobile we knew we had to sell our house on 5+ acres and find land. The house we were in was built into the side of a mountain.

What's your typical day?
It matters what is on the agenda. If it is spring/summer usually the typical day will be to be in the garden working with my employee Melissa by 8am. If it is Fall I am preparing for craft shows for the holidays, fulfilling online orders and working on wholesale orders for retail stores.

Why do you feel your art/craft is important/relevant today?
I feel it is very important to be using "organic" skincare products on you and your family. Your skin is your biggest organ! So what you put on your skin is just as important to what you eat. As more awareness is spread I think a good bit of the population uses natural skincare products and then you have those people who love supporting handmade + local and that is where I come in. I wanted to offer my community + others all over the world another option from store bought cosmetics. I think I am different from your average "natural bath and body products". I am growing the herbs here on my farm (that is Certified Naturally Grown) and then infusing them into the oils, butters, waxes, etc. to bring you even more healing properties your product.

What has been the most difficult challenge for you as an artist/maker?
I think the most difficult challenge for me has been to work while watching my toddler. I am a stay at home working mom which means I must work and keep the tiny human alive haha. I am constantly interrupted to go chase him around and then I have to figure out a way to occupy him while I work. It is very challenging but with the growth that has came this year I now have a baby sitter 1-2 days a week which is going to do WONDERS for me and my mental health.
​
What is the most gratifying part of making your work?
I think the most gratifying thing would be seeing where I am today and looking back from where I came. I started making sugar scrubs and kept my "display" on a bookshelf in a spare room. Now I have my own apothecary building say whatttt?!?! It is MIND BLOWING to me! I also find a lot of gratification in my reviews and when customers reach out to message me directly and let me know how much they are loving their products.

Shop Willow Moon Farm at: ​https://www.willowmoonfarm.org

Where is your studio/work space?
I am fortunate enough to have space at home in my garage that I share with my roommate. From the spring through autumn, we tend to spend a lot of time out there working on various projects and listening to awesome tunes. Unfortunately, I have to bring my workshop inside during the winter since the cold does not bode well for wood or machinery that needs to heat up. Cheers to air purifiers and central heating!

What's your typical studio playlist?
I love all kinds of music though odds are that I am usually listening to some form of heavy metal while in the workshop. Currently, I’m really into some epic power metal out of Canada and black metal/shoe gaze out of France. It sounds crazy but it’s perfect for the changing seasons. Oh, and audio books!

Who are some of your creative idols?
There are so many out there. I love intricate, occult illustration at the moment. Some of my favorite artists include Godmachine and Adrian Baxter, both based out of the UK – their work is phenomenal. 

Is there a story behind your business name?
The name Heathen Works really came out of my love for Viking and Germanic history, art, and mythology. My academic background is in Norse and Viking Studies so I really wanted to honor that part of my life and interest.

Elisa Dallas is an artist, writer, introvert, feminist, cat person, and mother who lives in Hogansville, Georgia. She studied printmaking and book arts at the University of Georgia, and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She has shown her work in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and New York, and is currently pursuing her dream of becoming a published author and illustrator of children's books.

What is your medium of choice?
I work with acrylic paints most of the time, but I also like to do linoleum cut or wood cut printmaking on occasion.

What has been the most difficult challenge for you as an artist/maker?
Networking and self-promotion are the most challenging for me. I am very introverted and I struggle with social anxiety, so it has always been difficult for me to reach out to make what I do more visible. Social media has made that a little easier.

Where do you find inspiration?
I try to soak in everything--insects and other animals, clouds, architecture, astronomy, and all different styles of art. I especially like to look for the small details that might be easily overlooked. Sometimes there's a direct line, like from an animal I observed to something I decided to paint, but other inspirations might take a more complex path and pop up in unexpected ways--like spiders painted in the colors of the sunset reflected on the water.

How do you get yourself out of a creative rut?
Changing my medium is helpful for me. Whenever I get the opportunity to jump from painting into printmaking for a while, it forces me to think of image construction and color choices in a completely different way. Working on a project for someone else can have the same effect, when I'm accustomed to making art according to my own personal whims. One of my favorite paintings I've made recently started out as a rejected logo design for a friend's business.

What's your dream project?
My ultimate dream is to write and illustrate children's picture books.


Learn more about Elisa Dallas and her art on her website here!

Is there a story behind your business name?
GerDora Photography is a combination of our names, Gerry (Ger) and Dora. Curiously, before we met some 30 years ago, we both were pursuing photography as serious hobbyists and fantasized dedicating ourselves to the craft. This topic certainly was one of the things we discovered we had in common during our brief courtship as we started to learn more about each other and to this day we continue to share this passion and work as a team.
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What has been the most difficult challenge for you as an artist/maker?
This pandemic we are going through has been especially challenging for us since our ability to go out and find interesting places to photograph fine art images and hold our portrait sessions has been severely limited. We thrive on the personal contacts we have established through art fairs, art galleries, photo shoots, and other events and all of that went away with Covid-19. Out of necessity, both physically and spiritually, the "Isolation" gallery was born. We created artistic images of the flowers in our small garden as they appeared throughout spring and into summer and created still lifes with flowers and vegetables with some of our precious objects. We anticipate adding some more images to the “Isolation” gallery throughout the end of the year as the virus continues to be a threat and we stay home. We look forward to the time when we can confidently go out as before, we can stay safe, and are able to create freely.

What is the most gratifying part of making your work?
Seeing or learning how people appreciate our images, be them fine art or portraits. We have seen a little girl gasp when discovering one of our fine art images and a woman cry when she saw herself as beautiful as reflected by her portraits. We are gratified when our images make an impact on people’s lives.

How do you get yourself out of a creative rut?
Every time we enter a photography/art competition, we push ourselves to create something different. Some of the competitions’ subject matter have geared us into genres that otherwise we would have not tackled. An example would be a competition sponsored by the Reston Bike Club for several of their Century Rides. The subject was bicycle riders, of course, but each time it had to feature a different town the riders would pass by. We were competing against well-known painters and Gerry won first prize one year and Dora won first prize the next! In addition to prize money, our images were printed on the backs of thousands of t-shirts that were given out to the participants at the end of the ride and we got to sell prints to members of the club. It is always fun to spot someone wearing a t-shirt with one of our images on the back! We also feed off from each other and our fellow artists; we are constantly learning new techniques, read art magazines and books, and follow artists we admire on social media.

Favorite blog/movie/tv show/book that never fails to inspire or just clears the mind: 
"Lust for Life" and "At Eternity's Gate" are two excellent movies on the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh that greatly inspire us. We also love the book "The Artist's Way, a Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity" by Julia Cameron, who provides a ton of exercises and motivational insights into unleashing our creativity. Finally, the documentary “Finding Vivian Maier” about a nanny in the Chicago suburbs who obsessively and secretly took pictures in the streets in the 1960s. She kept over 40,000 negatives and photographs hidden from everyone in her room only to be discovered after her death by someone who bid at an auction on the contents of a storage container. The documentary is about this wonderful discovery. Now, she is recognized as one of the best street photographers of the 20th century.

Share your process - bonus points if there's a story behind it: 
Inspiration is a combination of location/person and state of mind. We attempt to visit places that encourage us to “see” beyond the obvious and tell a story. With portraits, getting to know the person is key and creating a partnership in preparing and designing the photo shoot ensures beautiful images that will last for generations to come. Before we even pick up the camera, we have a vision of what we want to achieve. We attempt to capture the images taking into consideration light, subject, composition, color, perspective, and the decisive moment. Post processing is where the magic happens. Some people think that introducing digital tools to “develop” an image is cheating but we believe that the digital “darkroom” helps us achieve our artistic vision. It’s like judging a painting by the type of paint, brush, pencil, or knife the artist used. Even master photographer Ansel Adams dodged and burned his photos in the darkroom to enhance the final image. Retouching is considered an art to itself and, if done right, it can create a beautiful piece of art. We have the advantage of having in-house collaboration and critique, bounce ideas, and help each other improve our photography. Teamwork is one of our greatest assets in our process! We choose certain types of presentations for some of our images because we believe that they are more suitable than others to enhance the mood of the piece. The images from our “Olden Times” and “South Korea” galleries were printed on high-quality canvas wraps to emphasize their painterly feel. However, we have also printed some of those on paper and framed them and they look lovely as well. Another presentation we favor is images printed on metal. The lightweight material and smoothness used makes the colors jump out and the frameless option gives a more contemporary feel. We printed two of our images in metal and hung them in our newly renovated contemporary-style bathroom and they look fantastic! A bonus is that they are more resistant to humidity. We hope that this general outline of our process gives the viewers a better appreciation of our art and what it entails. With so many sophisticated cameras most everyone own; millions of photographs are taken by people around the world and most of them sit in their devices without ever being printed or appreciated as a tangible piece. This has given the impression to many that photography as an art is not as valuable as it was before. But the value of photography is not in the equipment, the same way that the value of a great gourmet meal is not judged by the quality of the oven used. Those who value a great chef and his/her food, will certainly appreciate a good fine art photograph. Of course, we do spend a lot on equipment, software, licenses, education, marketing, insurance, taxes, etc. so this only shows how much we value our craft and hope that others do so as well.

Is there anything you'd like the public to know about your work upon purchasing it?
Every image has a story behind it. We have shared some of them in our blog but if you are curious about the ones that are not included, just ask. We love sharing them with you! Also, please know that we are honored every time that someone purchases our work and hangs it on their walls. A little piece of us goes with them and we hope that you enjoy them as much as we have creating them. Finally, we strive to offer high quality products in a variety of formats that best suits your space and your taste.

Learn more about GerDora Photography and see more of their  work at  GerDora.com