Interview with Jane Gowans

q)Please introduce yourself.

a)Hello, My name is Jane Gowans and I 

am a Scottish contemporary jeweller.

q) Where do you live and work? 

a)I live and work in Dundee which 

is on the east coast of Scotland.

q) How would you describe your work 

to someone who has never seen it? 

a)My work is a cultural observation that 

looks at the importance of touch as

a form of communication. The focus 

is upon the hands which are the main

element of my work. They are all 

wearable and made using silicone rubber,

precios metals and freshwater pearls. 

q) How did you start in the arts? 

How/when did you realize you were an 

artist? 

a)I have always been creative. I love 

making things so it has been an obvious

progression from a young age. I think 

I started in the arts as far back as

primary school.

q) What are your favorite 

art materials and why? 

a)I don't think I have a favourite. 

I love experimenting with all different

things.

q) What/who influences you most? 

a)I am influenced by lots of things. 

I would say european art jewellers such

as Leonor Hipolito and Gerd Rothmann 

to name a few. I also love the work of

Lina Peterson. My friends and family as 

they are all very creative, in

particular my partner Lyle McCance 

who is a contemporary furniture maker

and my friend Hannah Livingston who 

won the new designers jewellery prize

for 2009.

q) Describe a typical day of art 

making for you. 

a)n/a

q) Do you have goals, specific things 

you want to achieve with your art 

or in your career as an artist? 

a)I would like to do something for 

a fashion magazine as my pieces are 

very large. I would also love to have 

a solo exhibtion.

q) How long does it typically take 

you to finish a piece? 

a)On average I would say 1 week.

q) Do you enjoy selling your pieces, 

or are you emotionally attached to 

them? 

a)I think I am slightly attatched because 

they are totally bespoke and the

pieces will never be made again so 

that is quite sad but equally I can't

wear them all so I don't mind if 

someone else is getting joy from them.

q) Is music important to you? If so, 

what are some things you're 

listening to now? 

a)Yes. I love music. It is so inspiring. 

I play the piano and sing a little

so music features heavily in my life. 

I like lots of classical music my

favourite is Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. 

I also like bands like Elbow and

Kings of Leon but my favourite thing 

to listen to is Regina Spektor. 

q) What theories or beliefs do 

you have regarding creativity or the 

creative process? 

a)No not really. I just fell my 

creativity and my working process is

something very natural.

q) What do you do (or what do you enjoy doing) 

when you're not creating? 

a)I enjoy seeing friends. Camping, 

walking, cycling, partying, eating,

listening to music, lots of things. 

q) Do you have any projects or 

shows coming up that you are 

particularly excited about? 

a)My work is going to be in Diana Porter's 

shop in Bristol from the 1st of

September as part of her pick of 

New Designers 2009.

q) Do you follow contemporary art scenes? 

If so, how? What websites, 

magazines, galleries do you prefer? 

a)I like www.klimto2.net, Dazed and 

Confused Magazine and the Tate Modern

when I get the chance to visit.

q) Ask yourself a question you'd 

like to answer, and answer it. 

a)What will I have for lunch? 

Pea soup.

q) Any advice for aspiring artists? 

a)Do what you want creatively don't 

just accept restraints, challenge them!

q) Where can we see more of 

your work online? 

a) www.janegowans.co.uk

Interview with mizzo

q)Please introduce yourself.

a)Hello my name is mizzo

q) Where do you live and work?

a)Zurich, Switzerland

q) How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?

a)Oldfashioned, sharp lined, grandmother colored, imperfect, figurative, feminine, life-graphic influenced...

q) How did you start in the arts? How/when did you realize you were an artist?

a)*smile* I'm not to sure about being an artist.... couse I started drawing when I was a kid, and I just never stoped drawing... so nothing changed till then, except that not just my mum and dad see my paintings...

q) What are your favorite art materials and why?

a)I love old used stuff like wood, bookpages, fabric etc, I love it when things already tell there own story...

q) What/who influences you most?

a)Life, pain, love, friends and thrift store

q) Describe a typical day of art making for you.

a)Coffee, thinking, drawing, wanting to paint which usualy is not working at the beginning, having another coffe, talking to friends, and than in the evening I start to paint and can't stop anymore until I'm so tired that I have to stop, bad, sleep, dreams

q) Do you have goals, specific things you want to achieve with your art or in your career as an artist?

a)Never stop loving what I'm doing

q) What contemporary artists in art interest you?

a)Any realy...

q) How long does it typically take you to finish a piece?

a)Depends on my time

q) Do you enjoy selling your pieces, or are you emotionally attached to them?

a)As soon as I finished a piece I'm not emotionally attached anymore...

q) Is music important to you? If so, what are some things you're listening to now?

a)Yes, lots of different stuff, at the moment I'm hooked with old jazz-divas like, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Etta James...

q) Books?

a)Siddharta, die unerträgliche leichtigkeit des seins, freaks...

q) What theories or beliefs do you have regarding creativity or the creative process?

a)Love, pain, and you just need to be hooked

q) What do you do (or what do you enjoy doing) when you're not creating?

a)Dancing, drinking coffee with friends, talking, family, building things, nature, party, swimming, chilling...

q) Do you have any projects or shows coming up that you are particularly excited about?

a)Inoperable Gallery in Vienna

q) Do you follow contemporary art scenes? If so, how? What websites, magazines, galleries do you prefer?

a)No not really, I have some painting friends but I don't really like the scenes...

q) Ask yourself a question you'd like to answer, and answer it.

a)* *

q) Any advice for aspiring artists?

a)Anna-lina balke, M8, die seiner, donovan gragory, Martina von Meyenburg...

q) Where can we see more of your work online?

a)www.iloveartbastard.com

www.papergirl-berlin.de

www.ilovenicenice.com

www.doodah.ch

www.dieseiner.se

http://kinkimag.com

http://environsdesvilles.blogspot.com/

http://web.modarteurope.com/

http://www.tbpdesign.blogspot.com/http://streetart.berlinpiraten.de