Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Rachel Sotak

C+B: Tell us about yourself, Rachel!

RS: I'm an illustrator, muralist and graphic designer based in Concord, NH. I have worked as a solopreneur designer for 5+ years, but I've always thought of myself as an artist. I'm often know for whimsical and playful work, always using unique textures, layering, and vibrant color palettes.

I enjoy using both analog and digital mediums, but I'm always looking for an excuse to not stare at a screen, so I often sketch from coffee shops and park benches. I even took my sketchbook up to Cadillac Mountain for sunrise at Acadia National Park!

C+B: How do you define the word "art?"

RS: To me, art = expression. In high school I did a presentation on creativity, showcasing how different artists throughout time (DaVinci, Mary Cassatt and Jackson Pollock) found their own means to harness it. My hope was to remind people that creativity is uniquely yours, just like your fingerprint. By sharing your work, it opens up possibilities for connection and emotional growth.

C+B: What is something you've learned as a creator, that you would want to pass on to younger creators?

RS: Start a sketchbook and keep it even after it's full. This is a great way to see your progress as an artist over time, and to also find new inspiration when you're feeling blocked.

C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.

RS: In college, I took an art class just about color - color relationships, color symbolism, and how to pair colors together in unexpected ways. This opened my mind to how I personally see color and use it to express emotions.

Find and support Rachel here:

IG: @byrachelsotak_
Website: byrachelsotak.com

(Pigtails, 5in x 7in, digital illustration, ©Kristine Narvida)

My ideal creative workspace: I love big spaces with lots of sunlight. While I love the idea of being in nature and with a beautiful view, I often fill my cup by connecting with people and people watching (ha).

If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: In the design world, I would love to meet with Paula Scher. Her impact on the design world has been transformative to the industry. I'd love to just pick her brain!
I'd also love to meet Monet - I love how he used color, and would love to work along side him.

My creative legacy: I recently took the first steps to create a creative space full of classes and workshops. While it's currently on hold, I hope to make it happen one day. I want to make art approachable with a community of people who inspire and encourage one another.

Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Lydia Kinney

C+B: Tell us about yourself, Lydia!

LK: I'm a recent full-time artist after several years in manufacturing-- and really enjoying it! In my now more substantive studio time, I've returned to regularly reading through audiobooks, and I'm finding a lot of inspiration in fiction works like Severance, When We Cease To Understand the World, Breasts and Eggs, and My Year of Rest and Relaxation, or nonfiction work like In The Dream House, Except for Palestine, and Debt. Maybe not the most uplifting reading lists, but it's certainly given me a lot to chew on!

C+B: What is something you've learned as a creator, that you would want to pass on to younger creators?

LK: So many creators say this, because it's very important: keep making. Keep making to stay in the habit of working, to stay in dialogue with the work, to improve for one's own standards. Keep making in the wake of rejection. Keep making in the wake of an accomplishment. Keep making to preserve the drive to make the work. Keep making as long as it makes sense to keep making.

C+B: Imagine it's 2075. What do you hope your work is remembered and recognized for?

LK: So much of my artwork is about radical imagination---in part because I struggle to imagine 2075 full stop. I've put my studio practice where I may have otherwise committed to a conventional family, a conventional job, a house, a deliberately apolitical outlook. As such it seems likely to me that looking back on this work in 2075, it will look like a resigned liberation of creative capacity. I hope to be caught in a post-zombie-formalism wind: that the work will retain some reflection of possibility. If nothing else, I hope not to be a huge pain to future conservators.

Find and support Lydia here:

IG: @l.m.kinney
Website: lydiamkiney.com

Lydia Kinney

(Yellow, 30in x 24in, acrylic on canvas, ©Lydia Kinney)

My ideal creative workspace: My current studio, which I've been in since 2018, is a true gem, and with some mindfulness is spacious, reasonably lit, quiet, and very much mind. I need the space to be a true goblin for hours at a time and this space affords it. Ideally, over time, I would find ways to make studio visits / dialog a bigger aspect of my creative environment.

If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present): It might be Prince! I recently watched a live version of It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night and I'm still stunned by the orchestration it takes to perform at that scale. Being able to hold that many intersecting concepts of song, dance, theatrics, crowd work, and collaboration is mind-blowing to me. It would take me years to make a painting as complex as Prince (and a dozen other performers, crew, etc) accomplishes in so little time, with such unflinching conviction.
Of course I'd want a peek behind the curtain. There's a mystique added to Prince as a creative, in part because he was so innovative, and it takes away from his work as an excellent collaborator.

Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Gabriella Giaconia

C+B: Tell us about yourself, Gabriella!

GG: I am an art teacher at a public school in New York City. In my spare time, I love to check out galleries and exhibits around the city, go to the beach, try different Italian restaurants around the city with my friends, and take figure drawing classes. Being by the ocean inspires me. It is where I feel the most clear minded.

C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.

GG: Morning pages have been life changing for me. Since I started doing them a few years ago, ideas and dreams that have been brewing for so long have come to fruition. So being consistent with those always helps me though a creative block. And I always feel clearer after spending time at the beach by myself.

C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.

GG: I remember I was looking through an artists Instagram account that I found through a gallery she had work in. I saw she was also an art teacher around my same age and was actively showing her work at group shows in galleries and I became so inspired. During that time that I found her profile I felt as if something was missing from my life, like teaching was not my sole purpose, and I had recently started creating my own work again. So I really believe this was divine timing. It really motivated me to start putting my work out into the world.

C+B: How do you define the word "art?"

GG: I've recently been seeing a quote floating around my Instagram by actress Helena Bonham Carter that reads: "I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art." I think this sums up art perfectly- it is for everyone, all the time. Art is everything, not just old paintings hanging in museums, and I think the more people can adopt this concept the better!

Find and support Gabriella here:

IG: @gabriellagiaconiastudio
Website: gabriellagiaconiastudio.com

(Last Ones on the Beach, 24in x 36in, mixed media, ©Gabriella Giaconia)

My ideal creative retreat workspace: I imagine a very light and airy studio with windows that look out over the ocean, with a lot of open space. Lots of plants, disco balls, salt lamps, and art books. It would be the perfect mix of cozy, inspiring and calming. It ideally would be in Sicily!

If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: The first person that came to my mind is Leah Kirsch. She's such an inspiration for me creatively and as a business woman. I've followed her for awhile and it just seems like she trusts herself and her ideas and the process so much that it just unfolds organically. I really admire what she's built so I'd love to pick her brain about creative entrepreneurship, showing up on social media and her creative journey in general.

Something I’ve learned as a creator that I want to pass on to younger creators: Just start the project or whatever your dream or idea is and share your work because it will eventually reach the right people. I have spent a lot of time planning and ruminating over ideas and projects but really the most helpful thing is just doing it and figuring things out as you go through trial and error.

My creative legacy: To have lived a creative life, not just had a creative career.

Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Sarah J. Schwartz

C+B: Tell us about yourself, Sarah!

SJS: By day, I'm a product designer at Apple, which I love balancing with my art practice. I think that my worlds between design and art often influence each other and inform how I approach the practices. Something that often inspires me is being around other creative people and seeing them doing what they love. I also want my art to inspire others to jump in and get creative in their own way.

C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.

SJS: I think of my practice as having different parts and components to it. When I'm truly blocked, I am either cleaning up my studio space, stretching new canvases, or even painting base layers over old paintings that no longer resonate with me. And sometimes I need to simply get out of the studio, so I’ll go to a local thrift store and collect some second hand frames.

C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.

SJS: I had a breakthrough a couple years ago, where I noticed how much I loved using non-traditional supports and found objects to create my work. I enjoy using items that speak back to me as I work. Sometimes the ‘message’ comes to me as I’m working through a piece that started off with thrifted material and I’ve learned that it’s okay to ‘not know what I’m doing’ because I’m simply enjoying the process of creating itself.

C+B: Describe a negative experience you have had (relating to your work). How did you move forward?

SJS: There was one week about a year ago where I kept comparing myself to other artists on instagram. I was comparing my style to theirs, the likes, the followers, everything. I had to remind myself that everyone is on their own track and timeline. Some days it's super easy to internalize that message, and other days, it feels like I'm back in that really tough week all over again.

C+B: Imagine it's 2075. What do you hope your work is remembered and recognized for?

SJS: That I enjoyed and learned from the journey along the way. I think my mental health has always been something I have to learn to cope with and art has been this incredible outlet for me to understand myself better, and work through some darker moments. I want people to look at my art and see that it was a way for me to process what it has meant to me to be human.

Find and support Sarah here:

IG: @sarahjaclynschwartz
Website: sarahjschwartz.com

(License to Live, 36in x 36in, mixed media, ©Sarah J. Schwartz)

My ideal creative workspace: I dream about having a space that’s open, airy, and filled with natural daylight. It would be incredible if I didn’t have to worry if I got the floors, ceiling, or walls messy.

If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: Robert Rauschenberg. I have always been inspired by his work ever since I learned of him in my high school art history class. I'd want to learn about what continued to inspire him and how that changed over time, where he sourced his materials, and what gave him the courage to keep creating even when he may have doubted himself.

Something I’ve learned as a creator that I’d like to pass on to younger creators: Remember that it's about having fun. If something starts to no longer feel fun, take a break, put down the materials, and come back to it later.

Sarah J. Schwartz

Issue 7 Writer Spotlight | LeeAnn Love

C+B: Tell us about yourself, LeeAnn!

LL: In addition to furthering my writing and fine art career, I am a long time trained art and expressive therapist and newly beginning somatic coaching practitioner in training.
I LOVE to be outside as much as humanly possible: writing, painting, hiking, kayaking, tending fires, hugging trees, and talking to the moon.
I absolutely love to dance. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Three things I bet most people do not know about me: I am a newbie banjolele player.
I won my first writing contest when I was in 7th grade.
I started out in college as a math major. I made it to my third calculus class, and I was bored out of my creative mind. Needless to say, the year after I quit math, I studied art abroad in Italy for a summer term.

C+B: How do you define the word "art?"

LL: The word "art" to me is very broad -- in my mind, it is honestly any creative act. I believe all people are inherently creative, although many do not believe this. Art can be through cooking, designing your home, what you wear, a computer program you created, or a stone cairn you created in the water when playing by the sea.

C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.

LL: Last summer, I took a radical leap, paused my art therapy business and headed to Scotland, the land of my ancestors, for a four-month sabbatical. As I landed, with very few plans established, other than where I was staying, so many creative opportunities came my way. I wrote every single day, and my two poems in Clover + Bee came from this season of writing. I also found local artists who walked in nature and created plein air art in community. I joined an artist group at the local hub in town, and I made playful work inspired by other artists and their work. If found the deep importance for me of working creatively in community, and then heading back into the studio to create my own body of work. I had forgotten my need for this; as an expressive therapist, I had gotten so focused on other's creative processes rather than my own. The both/and of communal and solitary creative process is the perfect balance for my creative practice, both in writing and artmaking.

C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.

LL: In expressive therapy graduate school, my professor spoke about the intermodal shift: changing materials, media, or modalities of creativity to explore concepts more deeply. I have found in my own work that when I am stuck, if I create a haiku poem, or start with a list of words, try a differing artist medium, dance what I am trying to create, or even just hop on my banjolele, things will often get flowing again. In the creative process, there are also just times of ebb and flow. In those times, if I can travel, play in the woods or the sea, read poetry, go to art exhibitions, explore a new art supply shop, watch a film, or attend a creative event, these experiences can bring inspiration when my work is in ebbing phases.

C+B: What’s your creative legacy?

LL: As a childless woman, a woman who wanted children but was unable to have them, legacy is a tender topic. I have thought of this a lot in recent years, and I realize what a profound legacy I have, even without children. As an art therapist, I have supported children and families of many races, cultures, gender and sexual identities, socioeconomic classes, physical and mental abilities over the years. I have worked with hundreds of those in recovery from mental health and substance abuse issues helping them find joy and healing in the art process. I have taught art skills to children, teens, adults, since I was a teenager. I taught college students about arts and healing, expanding ideas beyond cultural beliefs. I continue to supervise upcoming art therapists, supporting them in their practices of holding compassionate and creative spaces with those who are suffering. I have completed many murals, paintings, exhibitions, writings, and have a book in progress.
And even with all the people I have impacted and accomplishments I have met, I am most proud of my legacy that is seen in my beloved nieces and nephews. While they are all are dearly loved, currently, a few of them embody part of my creative legacy. I had never really considered how much my creativity had impacted my nieces and nephews, until after the passing of my nephew, Adam. His friends told me that he believed he "got his artsy side from me." My niece, Lauren, is a force of nature as an artist, moving and shaking the intersection of social action with Presbyterian theology. She inspires and humbles me daily. My other niece, Lindsay, who mistakenly calls herself the "noncreative one" is providing all kinds of creative opportunities for her son Pax, who is a natural artist and singer. She is truly passing on my families' creativity and my creative legacy to the next generation.

LeeAnn Love

My ideal creative workspace: I love to write in a fully sunlit room, with floor to ceiling windows. With colorful pens, journals of recent years, and a keyboard, as I am in the generation which bridged analog and digital writing. I enjoy lots of cozy pillows, blankets, a sturdy table and desk, and a cuppa hot herbal tea.

Something I’ve learned as a creator that I would want to pass on to younger creators: Trust your creativity. The Western world will continue to tell you not to create. It isn't wise. You can't survive financially. You aren't talented enough. It is frivolous. The more I fought my own creativity (e.g. started out as a college math major), the more creativity sought me and will seek you. It is in your bones and in all of our ancestral stories. Creativity is the epitome of the human experience. It is your medicine and healing for you and for the world. Once you no longer resist yourself, embracing the creative path is the most terrifying, exhilarating, life giving way to live.

If I could have coffee with any creator (past or present) it would be: Mary Oliver, Beth Kempton, Glennon Doyle. Each of these women embody some part of the writing process that I greatly admire and inspires me. Mary Oliver has such a rich way of bringing nature and simplicity to the greatest depths, down to the bones. Beth Kempton is so authentic, honest, inspiring, and truly present in her human experience. Glennon Doyle is a firecracker of a soul, moving and shaking in her work, in advocacy, and in truth telling.

Find and support LeeAnn here:

IG: @leeannlovestudio
Website: leeannlove.com

Issue 7 Artist Spotlight | Deborah Scott

C+B: Tell us about yourself, Deborah!

DS: I'm invested full-time to my art, complemented by one day a week working with students in a painting and drawing atelier. While I enjoy the solitude of my studio, I also welcome the connections and vibrant creative energy of my students. Additionally, as a figurative painter, I find endless inspiration in the narratives and experiences of those around me.
Some are surprised to learn that I came to art late. I left a successful career managing multinational businesses and brands like Cheerios and Amazon to pursue my passion for art. The first time I ever purchased a sketchbook, let alone art supplies, was in mid-life. Learning classical drawing and painting skills was an arduous and humbling challenge that served me well. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. My art would not be what it is today without everything that came before it in my life.

C+B: Describe a time when you experienced a creative breakthrough, a change in process, or a realization about your work.

DS: In my work, chaos and disruption have always played a significant role, mirroring my perception of life as inherently messy and unpredictable. Life throws curveballs beyond our control, and it boils down to how we handle them. After a hiatus from painting, a necessary pause to support my family, I initially aimed to eliminate tears, rips, and distress from my art, thinking it would signify a mature move forward. However, I quickly realized the opposite was true. Stripping away chaos and uncontrolled elements rendered my work dull and disconnected from my reality. I thrive on problem-solving and navigating my way through a mess, much like life itself. Pursuing realism solely for the sake of realism seemed like a futile endeavor. After all, what goes onto the canvas is just paint, a new slice of reality. This perspective resonates with the increasing shortness of our attention spans and the rapid expansion of AI into new territories, creating a muddle between artificial constructs and reality. In my art and in the world of technology, the attempt to mirror reality too closely throws doubt on authenticity. Embracing the unpredictable allows for a more genuine representation of the complexities that make life and art truly interesting.

C+B: Describe how you work through a creative block, or period where it's difficult for you to produce work.

DS: Fortunately, I haven't encountered creative block. Instead, my challenge lies in grappling with the finite nature of time. There will never be enough days in my life to create all the paintings I want to create. My art emerges from me with a force or involuntary urgency. At the risk of being crude, it feels a bit like vomiting. My artistic ideas are a visceral expression, propelled by an inner force, akin to a reflex. It is with temperance that I can paint these ideas to my liking.
I'm profoundly grateful for the ability to translate my thoughts into tangible art. It's a privilege I never wish to take for granted. My classical painting skills allow me to give form to my ideas, transforming them into visual expressions. This ability to express myself creatively is a luxury—one I acknowledge with deep appreciation and gratitude.

C+B: Imagine it's 2075. What do you hope your work is remembered and recognized for?

DS: Embracing the present moment has become my mantra, more so than ever after the recent loss of the love of my life. I live every day knowing that life is short and fleeting, a profound realization gifted by grief. As an artist, my focus remains on creation and sharing. I have no illusions of control over reception, influence, or remembrance. Being an artist means crafting something deeply personal, trusting it may resonate universally, eliciting a response. Focusing on how my work will ultimately be perceived and remembered would be an unfortunate distracting effort - detrimental to my life and my work.

Find and support Deborah here:

IG: @deborahscottart
Website: deborahscottart.com

(Consumption of Innocence, 60in x 36in, oil and mixed media on canvas,
©Deborah Scott)

My ideal creative workspace: My week revolves around 3-5 days spent immersed in the studio. When I'm in work mode, I deliberately eliminate distractions – no texting, no calls, no social media, etc. Some artists have beautifully appointed studios, with comfortable furniture, beautiful northern light, freshly cut flowers and a beloved pet curled up in the corner. My studio is the opposite. It mirrors my intentional minimalism; the sole focus is the canvas on my easel. My workflow involves intense 20-minute work blocks followed by brief breaks. Stepping out of the studio, attending to messages, grabbing a snack, and scheduling time with family and friends rejuvenates me. I've identified my optimal focus span at 15-20 minutes; surpassing that threshold leads to fussiness and overworking. This approach aligns seamlessly with my personality. It's a delicate dance between complete immersion and stepping back for a broader perspective, perfectly attuned to my style.

Something I’ve learned as a creator that I would pass on to others: Work hard. Trust yourself. You are not for everyone, and your work will not be for everyone. But it will speak meaningfully to some.

If I could share a coffee with any creator, past or present: I don’t think I could select just one. My choices would span different artistic realms: Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Baz Luhrmann, or Vincent van Gogh. Despite their diverse fields, they share a profound commitment to self-expression and authenticity, laying bare their innermost thoughts and emotions through their respective art forms. Engaging in dialogue with these influential creatives would offer invaluable insights into their creative processes and the challenges they faced.
Whether delving into Cobain's introspective lyrics, Joplin's soulful performances, Luhrmann's visually stunning films, or van Gogh's emotionally charged paintings, each artist's work speaks volumes about their dedication to their craft. A coffee conversation would undoubtedly uncover the motivations behind their art, the struggles they encountered, and the transformative power of their creative endeavors.

A negative experience and how I moved past it: I jumped right into the deep end by attending a full-time contemporary painting and drawing atelier with essentially no art background, which was atypical of the program's students. The initial feedback on my first project was brutally honest, with the instructor expressing that my presence in the program was precarious. Rather than feeling hurt by the criticism, I accepted it as a harsh but accurate assessment. I used it to fuel my determination.
In response, I created an improvement plan for myself on top of my regular instruction. During a month-long winter break when the other students were away rejuvenating, I dedicated myself to full-day sessions, working with unwavering intensity and initiating a new drawing every 20 minutes.
The negative comment served as a catalyst, motivating me to challenge my limits and measure my progress within a condensed timeframe. By the time my peers returned from the break, I felt I had not only caught up but had also gained the confidence to move forward with renewed assurance in my artistic journey