Episode 66: Return to Play in Your Art Practice - VAS Interviews, Part 2

Another episode of VAS2023 sneak peeks, behind the scenes, and inspiration to play!

To kick things off we are speaking with Consie Sindet, a guest artist in the Virtual Art Summit a free spirit who is showing up with her strong voice. open mind, and playful spirit! Consie has been playing and teaching for many years and throughout the years she finds herself being led more and more to an unstructured, loose style of creating that brings her joy. Consie is here to tell you that it doesn't matter what supplies you use, just use what colors make you happy, and it doesn't matter if you don't like something that others are raving about, because that's leading you on your path to discovering your own artistic voice, and how we can unlock the part of us that wants to be a child again and explore and play with textures and colors of all kinds. 

“Look at someone else's work and find out what you do and don't like about it, and then try it your way and then, play it your way. And, you can judge me till the cows come home. I cannot change who I am. I am who I am. This is how I play, this is how I sound, and I curse a lot. It's just who I am. So, you can judge me for that, but I want you to judge it in a way that makes you go forward in your work. I want it to be the exploration of the why and why not, and to move forward in your work and find your own way.” - Consie Sindet

Next up is Lisa Goddard, an amazing artist who shares her adventure from contemporary art into art journaling and the awakening this held for her to explore her creativity. Just recently Lisa has plunged into being a full-time artist and teacher which has brought so many new ideas to her in addition to feeding her passion for art. Lisa loves exploring new ideas, as well as the nature around her, and has been keener on incorporating eco-dyeing into her projects! Lisa and Kellee discuss how Lisa came to be a full-time artist, her favorite supplies that she uses, and the integral part of the play that her art journals hold in her art practice and daily life! 

It's almost a necessity for me, art journaling. Now if I don't work in a journal, I feel a bit antsy, like I need to do it. For me, it's that kind of release. It's my relaxation, it's my mindfulness, it's my play. And it feels like a real essential part of my life. I need it. - Lisa Goddard

And to wrap up the episode, Kellee interviews Arlyna Blanchard, an artist who has created her own unique style from layers of experience, education, and culture, creating eye-catching work that tells a story. Kellee and Arlyna spend time in this interview discussing Arylna's passion that has led her on a path to becoming an artist ever since she was a child when she knew that she wanted to pursue a creative career. For Arylna, her surrounding have been a significant impact on her art journey, from the Covid pandemic shutdowns to her travels around the world, and finally, the peers that she surrounds herself with to work and create within her community. Arlyna shares the balance of finding joy and freedom with playfulness in her art, especially coming from such a diverse art career background where technique and structure are so highly regarded. 

“For me, I always look back to when my kids were little, we'd always have a lot of art sessions together and I would see them, putting their hands on the paint and I could see my daughter just having paint in her hand, and that was good enough for her. And for some reason that comes to me as something that is natural and, and there's no pressure and just enjoying what you're doing and the, the feel of paper, the feel of paint in the hand, and somehow that's liberating in a way.” - Arlyna Blanchard

Every year Kellee uses a portion of the proceeds made during the Virtual Art Summit to provide scholarships to Color Crush Creative courses and allows her to be able to offer limited-time free access to all of the VAS lessons to the public. So we invite you to join us in the Virtual Art Summit, get your ticket now while there is still early-bird savings, and know that your purchase will be benefiting our entire art community! 

About Consie Sindet

I'm a Creativity Coach and Teacher who uses mixed media and art journaling as an invitation to find delight, and freedom and go with the flow. I believe that we should always be learning, growing, trying, failing, and embracing the process. I've been teaching creativity in many forms for 20+ years and before online classes were even a thing, I taught in-person art classes to hundreds of women. I find that art journaling is the most freeing way to express ourselves. I want you to know that you can find a sense of curiosity, playfulness, and joy by slapping down some paint, gluing magazine pages to a piece of paper, adding doodling & marks, finding a quote that screams...' THIS IS HOW I FEEL TODAY!"...and calling it good enough. I'm building a community in my Creative Playground to do just that! I think if we start with the play, the deep stuff will show up and we will get to know ourselves on an even more soulful level.

Follow her on Instagram and YouTube

About Lisa Goddard

Hi there, I’m Lisa. I am a mixed media artist and tutor living on the edge of the Peak District national park with my husband and two daughters. I'm passionate about art journaling and bookmaking. I started journaling around twenty years ago after I had completed a fine art degree and was feeling a bit lost and directionless. Art journaling became a space for me to express myself, process my emotions, experiment, and play. For me, it is now an essential part of my life, a place to create stories and tell my own. I work predominantly with mixed media. I love the freedom of not being restricted in what I use and there are always new exciting combinations to discover. I am also inspired by nature and using natural materials to create textures colours and marks in my work. My current obsession is eco dyeing, I am really enjoying playing and exploring where it can take me, there is so much to discover and I have only just scratched the surface!

You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, andYouTube!

About Arlyna Blanchard

I have been an artist and designer for as long as I can remember. I was drawing a lot of Wonder Woman in kindergarten and from there on had never thought of doing anything else that’s not related to art. I went to study Chinese painting and calligraphy in Tianjin when China was just starting to open its doors. I fell in love with this country’s history and culture, inspiring my personal artworks even today. For me, learning doesn’t stop. My creative style and approach never cease to evolve – I am an open book and love getting inspired by fellow artists, new sights, and even ordinary things we tend to overlook.

You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!

Other links you might be interested in:

Virtual Art Summit: www.virtualartsummit.com

Rethink the possibilities with your Creative Business in 2023! Download this free guide: 100 Ways to Make Money as an Artist

Follow Kellee on her Instagram account @kelleewynnestudios

Follow the podcast and great business advice @maderemarkable

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Click here for the full written transcript