Inspiration

Creative role models: Miranda July

Creative role models: Miranda July

A multi-talented, multi-passionate artist who is known for her bold, unconventional choices. She started out in performance art, made a couple of feature films (Me and You and Everyone We Know and The Future), published a short story collection, helped start a massive group art project, wrote a book while she was procrastinating writing a screenplay, sent her famous friends' emails to a hundred thousand subscribers (I was one of them), created an app that lets you send someone to deliver your messages in person, designed a handbag, and published a novel, among a myriad of other projects.

Sharing the Love: Artists inspired by nature

Sharing the Love: Artists inspired by nature

I spent the weekend at the Whyte Avenue Art Walk. One of Edmonton's busiest streets was filled with artists selling their work and making art right on the street. When I wasn't baking in the sun and talking to ALL the people, I was checking out some amazing local art. It has become clear to me that a lot of my favourite work is inspired by, or incorporates, nature and the natural world (just like my art!).

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Finding inspiration in childhood

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Finding inspiration in childhood

When I was 11 years old, I started a "Things to do when bored" list. It had suggestions like: write letters, work on alien photo album, put on a show, make puppets, puzzles, skulptures, beads, baking, watercolours, design clothes... etc.Many of the things on that list (which I still have) are things that I would like to spend my time doing now (even 'phone Eryn' is something I wish I did more often), and though I rarely slow down enough to feel bored, I do occasionally get stuck doing the same things over and over again and feel a need for inspiration.

What I brought home from Istanbul, Egypt, and Abu Dhabi

What I brought home from Istanbul, Egypt, and Abu Dhabi

One of my favourite parts about travelling is opening up my suitcase when I get home and pulling out all the treasures that I brought home. Gifts for friends, decorations for my home, edible treats and more spill out and remind me of all that I've seen and experienced. Of course, it’s not just physical objects that I bring home but memories, experiences, and plenty of inspiration. In Turkey, Egypt, and the UAE we saw so much and my heart is overflowing with the magic of it all. Here are some of the things I brought home from my trip, both the tangible and the ephemeral.

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Creative Role Models: Amanda Palmer

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Creative Role Models: Amanda Palmer

A musician that got her start performing in the punk-cabaret band the Dresden Dolls and is still touring. She became famous outside of her music circles when she launched a very successful (well over $1 million) Kickstarter campaign to fund her album and tour. Some people thought it was great that she was ditching the label model and connecting directly with her fans, some people thought she was misusing the platform and didn't deserve to get so much money. She has since done a TedTalk and written a book, both called The Art of Asking, about how and why she decided to take such a drastically different approach. She is married to fantasy writer, Neil Gaiman - another one of my creative role models.

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Books books books! What I've been reading in March

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Books books books! What I've been reading in March

I decided to start a regular "what I'm reading" list because I always love hearing about what other people are reading. It often gives a lot of insight into why they think the way they do and where their ideas come from. So I figured at least someone will find this interesting. Here are the books that I have actually finished in the last few months.

Creative Role Models: Lisa Congdon

Creative Role Models: Lisa Congdon

She's a successful artist and illustrator based in San Francisco (thought she's been mentioning moving to Portland), and I've been following her blog and her Instagram. According to her website, she does commissions for all kinds of big name companies like Martha Stewart and MoMA. She has also written some books, including Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artistand teaches courses on Creative Bug and Creative Live.

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Make Your Own Christmas Ornaments

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Make Your Own Christmas Ornaments

One year I made ornaments for my family as gifts and I was hooked. The joy of making something pretty to hang on the tree, plus the fact that I've spent most of my adult life on a tight budget and can't splurge on decorations, means you'll often find me pulling out the glue gun at this time of year to make a new decoration or two.

Inspiration: The Magical World of Jim Henson

Inspiration: The Magical World of Jim Henson

Christmas is coming and for me, 'tis the season to watch Muppet Christmas movies. There are so many to choose from! When we were growing up, the Muppet Family Christmas was on TV every year. Moments from that show stick with me as if they were my own Christmas memories: the Swedish Chef chasing Big Bird, Kermit meeting the Fraggles, Doc cuddling with his dog Sprocket and trying to avoid the chaos, and of course, Fozzie's Ma yelling "Watch out for the icy patch!"