in the studio with tanja zinkl

Hello! My name is Tanja Zinkl and I am a 29 year old artist living and working in Vienna, Austria. I found my way to making art through some detours - I actually started out studying hotel management because I had an insatiable curiosity to travel and see the world. As fate would have it, I did get to work in a luxury hotel in Southern California for 2 years after graduation, but I realized I did not like the monotony and superficiality of the work at all.

Back home in Vienna I found myself working as a receptionist full time again, to make ends meet, while deep inside of me the nagging feeling grew that there was "something more creative" I needed to do, I just did not know yet what that would look like.

It was during that time that I stumbled across a book about acrylic painting. I was immediately drawn to it and intrigued enough to pick up some basic art supplies and to just start experimenting. I've been addicted to creating paintings ever since, following my creative whims and need for self-expression in the process. I took several painting classes both on- and offline, but soon focused on finding my very own style. I love mixing up vibrant colours, dripping paint, doodling, writing and collage intuitively and turning it all into detailed, layered, funky paintings. When I am not painting, I enjoy spending time in nature, dancing Kizomba and planning my next trip.

I love seeing how other artists set up their creative space. Can you tell us a little bit about your studio?

I use a corner of my appartment as my dedicated art space. Currently, my budget does not allow to rent a separate studio so for now I am making this work! I have recently bought a huge table where I can spread out my materials, and where my cat often joins me, I love her company! Sometimes I also work on an easel, and I have some cabinets where I keep finished artwork, sketchbooks and shipping supplies. It's a simple, practical set-up where I can get messy.

What inspires you? What motivates you to create?

In many ways, I consider myself a constant seeker, since I was little I used to ask tons of questions. This curiosity serves me well on my search for inspiration. I know that the more diverse the places are where I find inspiration, the more depth my art is going to have. I am inspired by many things - nature, emotions, fabrics, memories, foreign places, books. I love how all of it can be woven together in a layered painting, the "how" being the drive behind it - how can I put together all those bits and pieces that I found and experiences I had in a meaningful, visually appealing way? 

I am motivated to create because it makes me feel balanced and whole in a way that nothing else does. When life gets busy and I don't get to paint for some time, I always know because I get moody and tend to overthink things! 

How do you organize your creative schedule?

This is something I am currently trying to improve, as up until now, being the typical "free spirit", I have not followed a set schedule. I know that I work best when I have open-ended painting sessions, when there is no other appointment (or bedtime) at the end of it that forces me to stop. I am a night owl, so Friday and Saturday nights work best for me. I keep an ever-growing to-do list of administrative tasks that I work on when I don't have enough time or inspiration for painting, but it feels like a constant pull between the two.

What is a typical day like for you?

I work part time as an Executive Assistant from 9-3pm on weekdays. After that, I like to have a couple of hours of downtime after leaving the office to clear my head before diving into my creative projects for a few hours. I try to have separate days for the administrative tasks and the actual painting time. 

What are you working on right now?

I am always working on building my portfolio and creating original paintings, it is the core of what I do. Besides that, I am currently working on offering prints of selected paintings of mine in my Etsy Shop very soon - please sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know when they are ready: http://eepurl.com/sMyr5

Want to see more of Tanja?

Etsy http://www.zinpicantestudio.etsy.com

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/tanjazinklart

Newsletter http://eepurl.com/sMyr5

Instagram @tanjazinklart

in the studio with christina power

Christina Power has been obsessed with making pretty things as long as she can remember but still feels that claiming the title "artist" is an incredibly audacious move. She wears many hats and laughingly calls herself a Jill-of-all-trades because she just can't stop trying new ways of expressing herself. She shares a wild and wonderful life with her husband and four children in beautiful small-town Montana.

I love seeing how other artists set up their creative space. Can you tell us a little bit your studio?

My art studio is tucked into an odd little corner in our master suite. Measuring a mere 4 feet by 7 feet, it is tiny, but that doesn't change the fact that it is both functional and pretty. My desk is flanked with stacks of drawers that store a surprising amount of supplies. Large pads of paper and other flat items too big to fit in the drawers slip vertically between the drawers and the wall. Upcycled tea tins house my collection of pens, and a vintage suitcase decorated with doodles adds whimsy and even more storage space. I try to keep my color palette light and airy and add interest with textures and shape to avoid making my space feel overly crowded. The bunting is created from hand-stitched vintage hankies inherited from my great-grandmother, and the garlands were gifts from friends. My mobile is made from driftwood and lace-imprinted paper clay.

What inspires you? What motivates you to create?

I have two categories of inspiration: lofty inspiration and lowly inspiration. Lofty inspirations are things like majestic mountains, a stunning sunset, the vastness of the ocean, the deep hush of a forest, or spending hours lost in wonder at an art museum. Lowly inspirations include things like the way the light shines out the door and across the hall floor, the way sugar spilled over the counter, or even sometimes gross things like the squiggles of a hair stuck to the shower wall. All those details, those moments--both humble and magnificent--combine to make life magical. I hope to be able to capture and share some of the wonder I feel in my work.

How do you organize your creative schedule?

I try to make a list of my priorities/deadlines and work methodically down from the top. I always have a ton of tabs open in my browser, and I use a LOT of post-it-notes because it seems like no matter how hard I try to pin them down, the lists are always in flux.

What is a typical day like for you?

Oh, this makes me laugh. When you have four children seven and younger there is no "typical day." There is caffeine--definitely caffeine--a lot of action and noise, quite a bit of scrambling to try to make sure the house isn't unsanitary or unsafe, laughing, lots of food making, conflict resolution, and adventures with some creative time squeezed in early in the morning, late in the evening, or during their afternoon rest.

What are you working on right now?

Recently I've been mainly creating with watercolors. I lay down translucent layers of paint with found objects--things like bubble wrap, kids' craft foam, cardboard, scraps of styrofoam, old plastic doilies, toilet paper rolls, suction cups, hand made stamps...really almost anything that has a texture or can make a pattern. I've even incorporated rain into my process of creating the illusion of texture with watercolors! When I'm satisfied with my layered backgrounds, I doodle a whimsical illustration and/or hand letter an inspirational word or phrase on top . Many of the originals are available in a local store, and the prints are listed in my online shop. I'm also working on a line of cards incorporating my quirky watercolor techniques, and I'm just getting started on an all black-and-white collection of images merging the ordinary and fantastical for a local show. So many ideas, so little time...

You can find more of Christina:

Etsy Shop      Facebook     Instagram  

"In the Studio" is a feature here on the blog where I share a glimpse into friends and fellow artists and crafters spaces. If you are interested in submitting your studio to be featured, send me an email at alisaburkesubmissions@gmail.com

in the studio with erik railton

My name is Erik Railton, I’m 40 years old, and I’ve been painting for 17 years. I was raised in Cannon Beach, Oregon. I now live in Portland, Oregon with my wife and two sons.

While growing up on the Oregon coast I found myself spending time outside in nature. I love the color, texture and shapes of plants and other objects I saw outdoors. I grew up skateboarding and was fascinated by the graphics on the bottom of the boards.  

What inspires you? What motivates you to create?

The world around me, from nature to the way a sign on a store is hand painted. Music inspires me, I love album art and the ideas musicians have about composing songs. I’m listening to music all of the time when I paint. I still love looking at skateboard graphics especially older Powell Peralta and Santa Cruz graphics. I also like some of the newer graphics from companies like Habitat, Polar, and Quasi. I also love the artwork of Thomas Campbell, and Ed Ruscha. Rothko has always been one of my favorites too.  

Can you tell us a little bit about your studio space?

I've had all kinds of studios over the years. From small spaces in my basement to a 200 square foot out building that I built in the backyard of my old house. Currently my studio is located on the second story of Imago Dei Church. It’s a shared space that I manage between five artists. Our goal is to encourage each other creatively and spiritually. 

The space faces southwest which provides beautiful natural light. I have worked more solitary in the past so working in a shared space has been a good struggle. I love seeing all of the work happening around me. When you work in a group environment, people see all stages of your creativity and some stages are not beautiful. We often get into conversations about the process of creating or what materials we use. It’s a good group of people, I love going there and being in that space and seeing what my studio mates are doing also inspires me to create.

How do you organize a creative schedule?

My desire is to balance family, work and a creative schedule. This process is difficult at times, but my wife and I have decided to set up a weekly schedule that allows time to do my paintings. I have dedicate that time to being in the studio and concentrating on art.

What is a typical day like for you?

Waking up with a cup of coffee and breakfast and help our boys get to school. Go back home or to a coffee shop to answer emails. I then head to work,  my family owns a couple of apartment buildings in Portland that we are working on. After work I go to the studio for a few hours. Come home to have dinner with the family. Put the kids to bed and hang out with my wife.

What are you working on right now?

I have an art show at a cafe in hood river called Doppio in April. I’m working on six paintings for that show. I’m trying to create abstract paintings that have objects of realism in them.  Looking at them the viewer could see an animal or see a bigger pattern. I’ve been working on booking a few bigger shows and trying to get more prints up on my website. I would like to have prints that everyone can afford, since original art is not always in everyone’s budget.  

Want to see more of Erik?

website: www.erikrailton.com

instagram: erikrailton

facebook: erik railton art