In December I was asked to write a blog post for the American Craft Council’s Maker x Maker series at craftcouncil.org. I highlighted some of my fellow NextFab members and the experience we share of creating work in a makerspace. I only had a few weeks to conduct one in person studio visit and interview and 4 others on Zoom. Each artist gave their very thoughtful answers to 4 questions I sent them ahead of time. I had the task of condensing their interviews into 2 or 3 concise paragraphs for the American Craft Council to share on their social media.
The questions were:
- How and why did you become an artist/maker?
- Who and what has influenced your work? people, places, things
- What inspires you?
- What do you hope people take away from admiring and owning your work?
I really enjoyed getting to know the 5 artists I chose. Looking up the artists and craftspeople that influenced their work was a nice insight into their work as well.
My bio:
Linda Celestian
lindacelestian.com | @lindacelestian
Linda is a multi-media artist working in acrylic paint on canvas, textile sculptures, and acrylic suspended sculptures. She grew up in upstate New York and spent her summers living on the water with her family in a 31-foot boat. She went on to attend Moore College of Art, receiving an MFA in Fashion Design.
Linda is a member of NextFab, a network of makerspaces that provide access to machinery, education, community, and professional services. Having access to cutting edge technology like laser engraving has pushed her work into new territory. Linda enjoys learning and being inspired by a diverse group of creatives that connect at the NextFab facilities.
The 5 artists I featured:
Dennis Beach – Dennis Beach Studios dennisbeach.tv | @dennisbeach
Maria Schneider – Maria Schneider Arte mariarschneider.com | @mariaschneiderarte
Cody Hughes – Untitled_Co untitledco.design | @untitled_co_
Yemina Israel – Addi Naturals addinaturals.com | @addinaturals
Olivia Kaufman – Ordinary O ordinaryo.com | @ordinary__o
I want to thank the American Craft Council and NextFab for this wonderful opportunity! You can read the full feature here and make sure to check out their work at the links provided!