EBSQ Blogger of the Week: Tiffany Matthews

This week’s EBSQ Blogger of the Week wears two hats, that of an artist and a crafter, and she wears them so well. Her whimsical, folk designs are a delight to young and old.

Who and where are you?

My name is Tiffany Matthews. I live in sunny (and hot!) Las Cruces, New Mexico. I am a full time stay at home mom and part time artist and designer. My studio is full of paint, canvas, fabric, paper, wood, wire, and anything else I find interesting. Children’s art (especially my own children’s) inspires me. I spend a lot of time in my kids’ school helping with the art program and teaching after-school art classes

How did you get started art blogging?

I started a family blog for the grandparents to see the kids and added a few creative endeavors here and there. Then I decided I needed to keep the two separate—family blog and art blog. I was also incredibly inspired by other artists’ blogs. I love to watch the creative process! I like nothing more than to see a painting that isn’t working and how you tweaked it and played with it until you like it.

Art blogging also encourages me to stay current and always have something new I’m working on. If I haven’t posted in a while, I can tell it’s time to get back to work.

Any tips for other EBSQ art bloggers?

Show your process. It’s fascinating to see a painting from sketchbook all the way through to completion. Also, it doesn’t just have to be art. At first I was torn because I am also a craftsperson. But I didn’t want to mix the two on my blog. I thought I had to choose–artist or craftsperson? Then I realized it’s all part of the creative process. I don’t have to choose. I am a person who creates. So I do have crafts, knitting patterns and tutorials on my blog as well as my paintings.

There are great creative prompts and ways to network with your blog too. I personally really enjoy sites like Illustration Friday, One Pretty Thing and Monday Artday.

What’s your musical inspiration of choice when you’re working in your studio?

Shuffle! I am all about shuffle. I like change so I have all of my music on my IPOD and it’s always set on shuffle. Drives my husband crazy! I have everything on there from Joshua Radin (my current favorite) to Skillet, Breaking Benjamin and the Carpenters.  It makes for a weird/wonderful shuffle mix!

What’s coming next from your easel?

Since school is out, my two kids are home during the day. So I won’t be doing any large, engrossing projects for a bit. The kids love to do lino prints with me. So I plan to work on some of those this summer. It’s wonderful working side by side with them! Smaller pop paintings are on my mind too. I’d love to get back to my Pop People Series. That’s where I really started and where I always seem to return. I started with A and did paintings for every letter in the alphabet. I’d like to go back to A and do it again–all people, all Pop with very vivid color and whimsical personality.

http://tmatthewsfineart.blogspot.com/