Creative Finds Interview

This interview originally appeared on the Creative Finds blog. Enjoy!

Meet the lovely Joyelle….

Posted on September 25, 2013 by artist

 

 Workshop: Monster In Me (Saturday May 24, 2014)

 I love to teach because:  I feel that art should be a conversation, a relationship. And teaching is part of that conversation for me.
Attending an Art Retreat is like: Meeting the best friends you never knew you had, and having a party together that lasts several days!
When I attended my first Art Retreat, I :  Felt like I had just joined the most amazing tribe of creative soul sisters.
Who do you creatively relate with?  I could list a ton of artists here, but I’ll just choose one. My friend Kathleen Tennant makes beautiful mixed media paintings. I love what she makes, and love even more the spirit she puts into her life. She is just an awesome human!
The best part of living a creative life is:  You get to make it whatever you want it to be. You get to be a little crazy, and everyone is ok with that, because artists are supposed to be crazy
What is the worst part of living a creative life?  Sometimes it’s hard to find other creative people like you. That is why art retreats are so great!
What advice would you like to share?  Find a way to do something that makes you happy every day. This sounds simple, but often it is not.
The best advice I have ever received is :  Breathe into the pain.

Photo credit: Robert Brandt.

‘Being creative’ means :  I think painter Flora Bowley said it best: “…human aliveness is inseparable from creativity. We are all artists already… each and every one of us.” I strongly believe that living artfully doesn’t just apply to creating art, but also to creating the life we want to live. Living mindfully, according to our own values, that’s creativity too.
Which Artist inspires you the most & why?  Kelly Rae Roberts. Her commitment to living authentically shines through everything that she creates. I love her willingness to be open and vulnerable, her ongoing personal development and community building. She represents artful living to me.
What are your favorite tools, instruments, materials to use and why?  My fingers! I love painting with my hands. Just getting in there and working intuitively is when I feel the most flow in my painting.
What would you love to try next, creatively?  Painting really BIG abstract paintings! I saw Pierre Coupey‘s exhibit at the Evergreen Cultural Centre and I just love the energy of his large scale works. Sadly I do not have the space to do this currently, so this dream will have to wait for now.
Where do you find your muse/inspiration? Quotes, music, my kids, nature, my struggles. Everything is fodder for art to me.
Do you sell your work? If so, where can your fans seek you out? Yep! I have an Etsy store and a Society Six shop. You can find links to both at www.joyellebrandt.com
Name one of your favorite food, song, poem, book and/or movie of all time?

• Food: chocolate
• Song: Steamroller Blues, James Taylor
• Poem: anything by Brian Andreas
• Book: Onion Girl by Charles DeLint
• Movie: Clerks
  

  Saturday WORKSHOP: Monster in Me

What was your scariest creative adventure?  Sending my art to Somerset Studio magazine.
The thing I love most about my life is :  The people in it. I have been married for 16 years to a wonderful man. We have two little boys who I love more than anything. And I have a circle of family and friends who love and support me unconditionally. I am so grateful to be in this place in my life, surrounded by loving, accepting peeps.
What makes your heart swell with joy?  Hearing my boys laugh.
Three words to describe my work are:  Odd, cute, ugly.
What creative tool can you not live without (so-to-speak)?  Gel medium for layering and adding texture!
My favorite ‘pretend’ curse word is : I prefer the real ones. Which means I have had several conversations with my six year old about which words are “grown up” words and which are not.

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