coffee with high on craft

i had the pleasure of meeting ms tanya gleadall of high on craft in person in october 2008 at a craft show.  hands down the best introduction ever:

"hello, are you crazy?  i'm high." 
 

 

i liked her instantly!  we met through etsy.com, an 

online handmade marketplace where we both belong and have shops.  she's got some exciting things in the works so i asked her if she'd be my first interview on my new blog.  here's what she had to share with us...

how would you describe your art?

I would say that my art is fun, cute, and whimsical.   

what drives you to create?

My own life force drives me.  Creating is so much a part of who I am that I find inspiration everywhere and I feel compelled to create constantly.

 who or what influenced you in becoming an artist?

My grandfather was a super talented artist, as is my mom.  Their medium of choice was/is oils which, oddly enough,  I've never really felt the urge to try.  Growing up, my mom was always very crafty.  She made our Halloween costumes every year, she sewed clothes for us and decor for the house.  She also knits and has her own little "corner" in my etsy shop.  

when did you know you were an artist?

I knew I was an artist the day someone wanted to give me money for one of my paintings.

where do you look for creative inspiration?

I look everywhere for inspiration.  Not just at shapes and "things" but also at shadows and highlights and the shapes and patterns that can be found in them.  The work of other artists inspires me as well.  Seeing the greatness in others brings out the best in me. 

what is your favorite piece of art that you've created?

That's a really tough one.  I am loving all the fabric designs and digital art that I've created recently, but I would have to say that my favorite is still the little baby hugging the earth that you can find on a greeting card in my shop and on baby items in my CafePress shop.  

what projects are you currently working on?

Well, there is always my etsy shop.  I've also recently opened a shop at CafePress.com for which I am working on some new Cuddlewee™ designs.  As well, I'm always working on designing images for Stamping Bella where 15 of my stamp designs are currently available.  

what's in store for high on craft in 2009?

Good question!  I'm still trying to figure that out myself.  At lot will depend on the new  Consumer Product and Safety Improvement Act that is being passed in the U.S. next month. 

what are the top 5 tools or supplies you could not live without?

1.  My Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet!!

2.  My sewing machine

3.  My watercolours

4.  My paper trimmer

5.  A black fine-tip felt marker 

what would you eat paint for the opportunity to do?

I would love to develop Cuddlewee™ into something huge.  Dolls, books, website, games, merchandise - even cartoons. 

any advice or words of wisdom to fellow artists?

Do what you love.  Your passion comes through in your work and that is one of the things that makes "handmade" such a priceless thing.  

Be part of a creative community.  A collective mind can be very inspirational and contribute to some of your best work.  It also helps to have a sounding board if you get stuck somewhere in the creative process. 

many thanks to tanya for being my first interview.  she's one to watch this year... 

you can find her work in the following places:

www.highoncraft.com

stamping bella

spoonflower

flickr

café press

etsy

blogger