Toddler Easter Egg Art

Coloring eggs for Easter has always been a tradition for us, as for many families. I don't know about you, but I always think it's sad that those beautiful eggs don't last. So when I found fake eggs that didn't open to put goodies inside, but to dye into permanent colors, of course I grabbed them.

Well ... they don't dye very well. But they do take paint very well!

I keep thinking I'll paint some delicately and prettily and use them ... for decoration, I guess, but I haven't done that yet. This year, I had a moment of inspiration when my granddaughter wanted to paint and reached for a white egg.

Of course! Perfect! Colored eggs that will last through the years, with the additional benefit of saving those precious childhood memories!

You could use tempera or watercolor so they're more easily washable, but I suggest craft acrylics, which are super inexpensive. Just be sure to wrap little one in a smock or paint shirt and protect surrounding surfaces. Once it's dry, it's there. And they dry fast.

I started by giving her the white eggs and dabbing a couple of colors of paint into a disposable container (only a few drops will work). She started with a brush and then decided finger-painting was more fun.

She did two each of three color mixes, to give me half a dozen pretty little keepsake art eggs, as seen above. Yes, that is completely her work.

We did these over two sittings because three at a time seemed to be enough for this barely two-year-old. Be sure to keep it fun for the little one! Choose their colors or let them choose their colors. Mix and match and play around with them. (The eggs are super cheap, also.)

And then I had to experiment and paint a base coat on another six eggs before I handed them over to my little artist. You may need 2-3 coats to get a non-streaky base coat depending on your paint. A tip: toilet paper rolls work great to hold them while one half dries before turning them to paint the other half.

After they were fully dry, I took them outside and propped them up in a non-windy spot and sprayed them with acrylic sealant. You can use matte or glossy, whichever you prefer. I used semi-gloss. The white eggs absorbed it without taking the shine, although the paint has a sheen to it, but the fully painted eggs have a nice shine without being glossy.

I sent a dozen, 6 white and 6 painted, to my grandson, also, and I look forward to see what he comes up with. :-)  I sent them too late to have them back for this post, but I may have to update. I put baby girl's initials and the year on the bottom with an ultra fine Sharpie so I can tell them apart in later years. I may make this a yearly tradition, as well.

If you want to hang the finished eggs, you could always find little hooks that can be hot-glued to the tips. I may do that when I get back to the craft store and use them on an indoor Easter Egg Tree. (I'll keep my plastic snap eggs outside instead so I don't risk losing these.)

Yes, we'll still color the real eggs, too. I won't mind as much not being able to keep all of those pretty eggs now that I have keepsake sets.

Do you have any Easter or spring crafts for little ones to share? I'm always looking for guest posts.

~~~~~~~~~~
LK Hunsaker has been artsy since she can remember, fueled by a lot of artsy family members. She also writes fiction. LKHunsaker.com
~~~~~~~~~~

Your Brain on Music

Gail Trunick: Clay & Rust

Gail Trunick - CLAY & RUST from Kevin DeOliveira on Vimeo.

Original post on Gail’s blog

 

Technorati Tags: art,clay,Gail Trunick,artist video,artists,indie,art therapy

Visual Artist Interview: Connie Andrews

Connie Andrews creates beautiful oil and pastel paintings in her home studio in Central Illinois. I met Connie through my sister and have worked with her on the cover of a still-to-come therapy book. Along with being an incredible indie artist, she’s a lovely person. I’m honored to have her here at Elucidations.

LK: Hi Connie, let’s start with something fun. What is your favorite color and what is it that draws you, so to speak?

CA: My favorite color changes from time to time. I would have said dusty pink a few months ago. Why? It is a rich color, not too bright and garish yet not too child like pink either. It feels fancier to me somehow. But right now, I believe my favorite color would be a deep maroonish cherry red. It is still in the same color family as the dusty pink, just much deeper. I am also creating a wax sculpture now and the wax I am using is about the color I described.

LK: I always find it interesting how favorite colors change with age and life events. Speaking of changes, I have to ask, since you transitioned from auto upholstery to reporting to becoming a full time artist, how did you decide to take that leap away from a traditional paycheck to working for yourself?

CA: Let’s see, I owned my auto upholstery business and my reporter job was freelance, so actually I have been pretty much self employed all along. I have had some side jobs along the way to supplement my income as an artist, though.  One day, while cleaning and organizing another self employed friend’s house, I had a revelation. I realized that I was helping her further her career by doing her mundane, time consuming tasks that almost anyone could do. While I was making a little money, I was not doing anything to help my career thrive. I decided right then and there that I needed to do something different with my time to make ends meet.

LK: What are the benefits and drawbacks of being a self-employed artist? Are you finding it worthwhile?

CA: The benefits to being a self employed artist are many.  I am, for the most part, able to make my own schedule. If my muse decides to keep me up until 4am painting, then I am able to do that without having to worry about going through a 9-5 workday. Most of the time, I am available for my daughter. I am able to attend most of her school functions and  be with her on her summer vacation, winter and spring breaks, days off of school and after school.

I get quite a few commissions and for the most part, people hire me to create a piece of art for someone as a gift. I love meeting new people and being able to be part of their special occasions, in a background sort of way. 

Another huge benefit is that I am doing what I love, what I feel I was born to do. Paint, create, make feelings and ideas into 2 or 3 dimensional pieces of art that others can see or touch.

There are some drawbacks though. Lack of money can be one of them. Many people think that artists, being the caring people that they are,  should give their work away at auctions or volunteer their skills to help others. I feel like my skills are something I have worked hard at perfecting for many years. I know many mechanics, carpenters, and other professionals who are very skilled and wouldn't dream of asking them to perform their services for free. Why do people ask professional artists on a regular basis to "donate" their work or time?

The economy has also hit many artists. Art is, to many, a luxury, and therefore, sales are usually minimal when times are tough.

One of the other drawbacks is that when doing commission pieces, which so far is what has kept me going, I am trying to bring someone else’s ideas into being which sometimes can be difficult.  It is definitely a challenge to keep a balance between pleasing the customer and pleasing my own muse.

LK: I’m glad you mentioned the free expectations with art, since that’s also a big issue with writers. My thought is the same as yours. Artists work as hard as anyone at their craft. Why give it away free? I think it devalues what we do when we agree to that, but it can be tough to compete when so many do.
What reactions do you tend to get when someone asks what you do?

CA:  Most people are pretty curious when they hear that I am a full time visual artist. When my only studio was based in my home, I would get the reaction that conveyed they didn’t think I was a professional.  Being a resident artist at a studio outside my home seems to validate my reputation as a serious artist. 

There are so many people who say, “Wow, I can’t even draw a straight line without a ruler” to which I usually think “me neither.” I will probably always use rulers.

LK: I think I’d like to see the reaction when you say you can’t! It’s funny, and a little sad, that working at home gives that connotation, isn’t it?

Recently, you were called upon to to do courtroom sketches. Can you tell us about that?

CA: An artist friend contacted me because she had heard that a TV station out of Springfield  was looking for someone to be a sketch artist for the Christopher Harris trial. He was accused of killing 5 people in Beason, Illinois. It was a gruesome trial, but probably one of the most interesting jobs I have done yet. I absolutely loved the challenge of trying to capture the moment in the courtroom. I was there for the whole opening day with my pastels and paper. The day went by super fast. I was told by many people that they were surprised that the people I drew actually looked like the people in the courtroom. I thought that the whole idea was to capture a likeness and show what the scene inside the courtroom looked like. . I guess the reason it was such an exciting job was because it felt like there was a story unfolding before my eyes, and I was able to do one of  the things I love to do the most in this world, draw and paint.  I hope that I get hired to do more courtroom sketching.  I can picture myself doing that on a regular basis.

LK:  The painting on your website home page, My Father’s Hands, is so touching and evokes love and respect as well as telling a story. In fact, I love every piece in your Hands series. How did that come about?

CA: Thank you. This is one of my favorite pieces. It holds a spot very dear in my heart. “My Father’s Hands” is the painting that started my hand series. My father, who retired from the Marines after 24 years, had very strong hands that had been through two wars. Yet he was able to use those same hands to do the delicate work required for these tiny dollhouse furniture pieces. I took pictures of him working with these pieces one summer in early June. I am glad I didn’t put off taking the photos. We had no idea that in about a years time he would be gone. I finished this piece just in time. I was able to show him the finished painting the day he died.

LK: Now I love it even more. That’s just wonderful. And I could go on and on about the military and gentle hands, but I won’t do there here. So, what are your favorite activities outside art?

CA:  I absolutely love to sing. I was hired last year as the song leader at Union Church in Brimfield. They asked me to direct the choir at Christmas and I discovered that I love doing that as well. 

LK: Very nice! I see you’ve done other book covers as well. Is that something you’d like to do more?

CA: Yes, I would like to do more book covers. I enjoy working with the writers/publishers to design a cover that will help to sell the book. It is also very satisfying to see my artwork in print.

LK: (Hoping my indie writer friends will give that a thought!) To bring more of the arts into this, do you listen to music as you paint? If so, what genre(s)?

CA: When I am by myself or won’t disturb anyone, I listen to music that I can sing to: Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Bon Jovi, Faith Hill, Evanescence, Ray LaMontagne. If I am at my public studio, then I usually listen to music without words, like new age, instrumental or classical, so the temptation to sing at the top of my lungs is removed.

 

LK: I promised this would be short, so I’ll leave off with one last question. Are there other indie artists in any field you’d like to recommend?

CA: I have so many artist friends that I don’t want to leave any out. The building I have my studio in, Studios on Sheridan [in Peoria IL], has 12-15 artists.  There is one woman by the name of Jill Goforth, that you, as a publisher, might be interested in since she creates art from books, using the pages and sometimes the spine to form things other than books.

There is also a women by the name of Jessica Ball, that has a business that seems to be the new trend. It’s called the Art Garage. People can show up for an hour or two and for a minimal fee, create a work of art or craft item with her supplies and guidance.

My studio partner, Gloris Young, has been searching for her visual voice for awhile and has possibly found it now in what she calls Pop Art Pets, funky, wildly colored, yet with realistically portrayed eyes.

There is Rebecca Draland-Doyle who is a very dear old friend of mine. Rebecca is a very dedicated artist who paints beautiful abstract pieces.

The list goes on and on, Billie Howd, Myra Branch, Steve Boyd, all accomplished visual artists.

If you are interested in musicians, Winston Dunbar writes music and plays in a few bands in the area. He has written some wonderful pieces that deserve more recognition.

LK: Connie, thanks so much for your time. I know you have a website at ConnieAndrews.com. Are there other links you’d like to leave?

CA: My Facebook page has lately been the place I keep most up to date. It is www.facebook.com/connie.andrews.560

One last thing, if you go to my website, there is a tab where you can sign up for my newsletter. Thank you Loraine

LK: My pleasure! Thanks again for talking with us!

Technorati Tags: interview,visual art,indie art,painting,artists,Peoria,Connie Andrews,book covers

Indie Photographer: Beth Akerman

I found Beth Akerman’s photos on a friend’s Google+ page, and I promptly added her to one of my circles so I could keep up with her work. Beth, a trained artist, grabbed onto my love of nature with her vivid, artistic photography. As an amateur photo buff, I know it’s not easy to get nature to cooperate with the mechanics of a camera; you have to have the right angle, the right lighting, and the right settings to capture a purely beautiful scene. It’s not as easy as some photographers make it look. Beth is one of those.

LK: Beth, welcome to Elucidations and thank you for being here to chat with us and show off a bit of your work. Will you share a bit of your background and tell us how you were pulled into photography and design?

BA: I have a BFA from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio where I concentrated in printmaking and art history. Some of my design work comes directly out of my printmaking background, specifically my ink designs. I learned to look at and for little details and think outside the box while in college, and it has translated into the way in which I work both in ink, painting and photography. I have never taken a photography course, and am totally self-taught in photography. Mostly through trial and error, but the concepts of design, composition and color where well grounded already from my art background.

LK: I have looked through a lot of your photos and I’ve noticed you have a penchant for close up nature work. What draws you to that focus rather than to landscapes or hard surfaces or people?

BA: I like details and finding things within things, like the shape of a twisted dry grapevine, or the texture of the petals and interior of a flower, the fuzz of a bee, and so on. I see potential in the small things that others might overlook. I do like landscapes and would love to do more of them, but I live in a suburban area that does not allow for too many of those. I also really do not have a huge interest in photographing people, but from time to time to stretch my wings I will photograph them. I did several portraits of my boyfriend dressed up and pretending to be Pablo Picasso for an Artistic Photography Mentorship I have on Google Plus for a Picasso assignment. They were well received. I may try a few more in the future.

LK: You have also taken part in charity work, through two photo books and with art raffles for sea turtles and tsunami relief. What brought you to engage in helping with your chosen charities?

BA: The Leaf Portraits book came about last year as several people told me that I should make a book of them. Since I really didn’t need the income from the book, I decided to donate the proceeds to a local school that I am a member of the Alumni Parents Association Committee. It was a collaborative effort with the leaf photography and poetry of several friends from Fine Art America, Google Plus and one dear longtime friend and supporter, Amos White whom I have known since college. 100% of the proceeds was donated directly to the school. The Google Plus Female Photography Book called How We See It...our view of our world again was a collaborative project for charity. 33 female photographers from Google Plus contributed images to the book, and over $250 (at $4 and $5 per book profit) was donated to the NOW Love Your Body Foundation that deals with body images issues and eating disorders. A cause close to my heart and that of many of the 32 other contributors to the book. A second book that is expanded to include many more Google Plus Female Photographers and female writers is in the works. It will be released on Blurb at the end of October, and will be called How We See It...more views of our worlds. The sea turtle project over 2 years ago was in response to the Gulf BP Oil Disaster. I have always loved sea turtles, and enlisted my Facebook friends at that time to help raise money to sea turtle rescue. Many of my high school, college, and sorority sisters purchased sea turtle jewelry and artwork with the proceeds being sent to various sea turtle rescue societies. The I Love Japan fundraiser primarily through the proceeds from the sale of various artworks of both myself and my then 13 year old son was the result of wanting to help with Japanese Tsunami Relief. My son loves Japan and the fundraiser was mainly his idea. Money was donated to the Red Cross for Tsunami relief.

LK: I was especially drawn to your photo book compilations with other photographers and poets. Leaf Portraits grabbed me due to my love of trees. Can you tell us more about the Wellington School art program it helps to support?

BA: The Wellington School is a private independent pre-K through 12th grade school located in Upper Arlington, Ohio. My now grown daughter is a graduate of the school, and I have been involved in some manner with the school for over 18 years. They have a wonderful and strong arts program, both in the visual and the performing arts. Like any other private school, the school must raise money for its programs through its parents, alumni parents, alumni and other fundraising events, including the yearly Arts Premiere. I was honored to have been able to participate in the 2012 Wellington Arts Premiere by offering 3 of my photographs and several macro photography experiences for young photographers at the school.

LK: Your newest compilation is full of work by female photographers. How We See It... Our View of Our Worlds has a great cover and I assume they are the book contributors. What led you to the thought of doing a women only photo book?

BA: Frequently what I have found is that the art and the photography world is pretty male dominated. What I found in joining the Google Plus social network while it was still in Beta was not only was there a great and supportive art and photography community there, but a strong women’s artist and photography community there. I met many wonderful female artists and photographers there, and felt it would be a good way to help bring some more attention to the high quality photography of the female photographers on Google Plus. It is a great community and not only are the women photographers on Google Plus wonderful and highly supportive of each other, the male photographers as a whole are highly supportive of the female photographers there. Plus, it was kind of a way to show the guys that the girls are pretty darn incredible too.

LK: Aptly, the charity How We See It supports is female related, as well. Can you tell us a bit about NOW Love Your Body Foundation and why you chose it?

BA: The charity was actually chosen by one of the other participants. However, it is something very close to my heart. I nearly lost my then 15 year old daughter 8 ½ years ago to an eating disorder. As a parent who went through that experience, I believe very strongly in promoting healthy body image and eating disorder assistance and hopefully, trying to find ways to prevent them in the first place, by identifying those in danger of succumbing to them before they get out of hand. A number of the other book participants either have struggled with body image issues and/or eating disorders or know someone who has struggled with one or the other.

LK: We share a similar path in that our families took the place of our art for many years. Do you feel that affected your work or your current work ethic?

BA: At the end of the day the answer is no. I always drew and created some art during the years I was raising my children but didn’t try and pursue it outside of doing art for myself and my family and friends. I also made jewelry during those years and sold them to co-workers and friends. So I kept creating to a certain extent. Also, I think now that I am more mature my work is more mature and I am able to focus more on the areas that I have consistently been good at over the years, namely the ink designs, and being more choosy on adding new and different things like taking up photography. I always knew that art was something I could easily pick up again.

Actually it took a visit to a former next door neighbor’s art gallery that she had for a few years before closing it to concentrate on her family that inspired me to really take up the art again. Kind of a “hey I can do that moment.” I had some early success in that my work had been in art galleries before right after college, and I had received several commissions over the years, so it was kind of picking up to a certain extent where I left off in many ways. However, with the internet and the ability to sell your work not only in the traditional means such as galleries, commissions and art shows, but via print on demand services like Fine Art America and SmugMug, my main art sites for my photography and art , have changed the game a bit and made it easier to get out there again and start building a following for my work. It does still involve a lot of work and a bit of luck, but it does make it worthwhile to get instant feedback when you post a work that is positively received.

LK: Just for fun, a few artsy personal questions: What music gets you going? Who is your favorite fine artist? Like any particular dance style? How about a favorite author or reading genre?

BA: I love punk rock and alternative music, namely stuff like The Ramones, The Smiths, REM, No Doubt, and Green Day to name a few. My favorite artists have to be Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renior, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe and Jackson Pollack. Sorry have more than one of those. I don’t dance at all. My family says that is something I shouldn’t do. I love to read John Grisham type legal novels and John Jakes type historical novels.

LK: Beth, thanks again for sharing your time. Before you go, do you have any advice for amateur photographers interested in going professional?

BA: Try everything photographically and then find a few niches that work for you. Don’t be afraid to be a bit different, but still be yourself. Don’t get discouraged, and get out and network and promote yourself in a positive manner. Be nice and kind, it will get you further than having an attitude. And don’t allow others to discourage you, walk all over you, and don’t be afraid to stick up for yourself sometimes. Realize not everyone is going to like what you do, but there is always someone out there who does like it. Find your audience.

Thank you again, Beth! Be sure to follow the links below to find more of her incredible photography:

Leaf Portraits book: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2568119
The Way We See It: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3176099
Fine Art America: http://beth-akerman.artistwebsites.com
SmugMug: http://akermansart.smugmug.com
Main website: www.akermansart.com

 

Technorati Tags: photography,indie,Beth Akerman,art,artists,indie art

LK Designs for Cover Art

In the future, Elucidations will highlight some of the best and brightest indie cover artists we find around the net. In the meantime, since I’ve just added to my cover art pages with new designs, I thought I’d sneak in and do a quick preview of what I’ve been doing with my own original photos and artwork.

This is from a combination of two photos I took, both in Scotland. I wanted an old feel to it, so I played with coloring and effects and came up with Arch and Sea.

So far unpurchased, it would make a great cover for historicals!

(I take them down and replace them with new designs once they’re purchased.")





This is a photo from my own area, here in western Pennsylvania. Again, I cropped the photo for the right angle and then played with color and brightness.

This could be a literary cover, or even a mystery/suspense grabber.





Write Young Adult?

This one is a computer art graphic.

Interested in the same couple but a different colored background for a different feel? Let me know. I gladly make small changes.

I don’t do a lot of people, but now and then I’ll get an itch…





I love sunflowers.

This is acrylic on canvas, plus some contrast and light play.

I wish I could show these full size. They do look far nicer than these thumbnail examples.







This one is watercolor. I may have to add a closer up image here. Let’s see…







The covers from photos are $9.95, free of text so you can add your own. The artwork photos range from $14.95 to $29.95, depending on how much time I put into them.

Please check my DESIGN page for details and usage permission, and to see what else I have posted. More are waiting to be added and they may rotate. Please note there are two pages of designs, one with photo covers and one with art covers.

Interested in something more personalized? Let me know. I don’t do photos of people or anything racy or too gory, and sci fi is not my strong point. I can also do full wraparound covers for prints. Contact me for a quote.

I can also design bookmarks to match these covers for your advertising purposes.

In the meantime… back to writing!

LK Hunsaker

 

Technorati Tags: cover design,cover art,fine art,indie,art,books,authors,ebooks

Interview: Indie Author Kathleen Valentine

Recently I talked with an author on Goodreads on some message forum I don’t remember. I do remember enjoying the conversation and her thoughts, so I picked up one of her books. I’m glad I did. The Old Mermaid’s Tale by Kathleen Valentine is hard to put down. It’s a beautiful coming of age story mixed with romance and recent history, accompanied by lush settings. I suggested it to my Facebook friends and a couple of them have picked it up and are loving it as much as I did.

The story line: Clair is a small town Ohio girl who makes a break from her rural life to attend college in Erie, Pennsylvania, a seaport town. Finding the stories of fisherman in the 1960s terribly romantic, Clair grabs the chance to work at a cafe where they hang out and finds herself right in the midst of their world, so different than her own. She and her friends embark on a true adventure of love, lust, gritty life, and growth. Valentine’s characters are deeply drawn, wonderfully flawed, full of spirit and hope and sadness and strength. Mix in music, mermaids, bits of history, and an enviable romance, and The Old Mermaid’s Tale sets sparks to the craft of storytelling in its finest form.

I also need to point out that this is the first indie novel I rated with 5 stars. I rarely give 5 stars to any novel, indie or traditional.

I was able to catch up with Kathleen Valentine for a quick interview about her debut novel and other artsy interests.

LK: Welcome Kathleen! As you can see, I just loved your first novel. I have to say that we have plenty in common, from a love of water and a Pennsylvania residence to a love of Hemingway, along with both being indie authors with art backgrounds. I look very much forward to chatting with you today!

First, are there any comments you’d like to make about the review of An Old Mermaid’s Tale or anything you’d like to add?

KV: That was a very lovely review that you gave my book. I deeply appreciate it. I suppose every writer more than anything else wants to touch their readers hearts and I really felt like you expressed your reactions well. It is very gratifying to me as the author.

LK: My pleasure! Let’s start with location. You’re originally from north central Pennsylvania and you set The Old Mermaid’s Tale in Erie. Have you spent a lot of time there? What was it that drew you in enough to use it as a novel setting?

KV: When I was little I often spent a few weeks in the summer with my aunt and uncle who lived in Erie. My uncle loved the sea stories and sea legends and sometimes in the evening he'd take me down to the public docks and tell me stories about the ships. All the scenes when Clair goes to the public pier are directly from those visits.

Later I attended college in Erie at Behrend. Chesterton College in the book is my version of Behrend. A few of the other places are also from my memories of that period – Sullivan's Pub, Waldameer Park, the museum on sixth Street – those are all places I remember well. I worked in a diner for a couple of years on the night shift. It was quite an experience for a girl from rural Pennsylvania. One of the most interesting things that happened was when the Ringling Brothers Circus came to town. The performers and workers would come in the diner at night. There was one man who tried to get me to run away with him. He was an animal trainer from Quebec. I didn't go with him but I never forgot him. His name was Baptiste.

LK: Ah, so there’s quite a bit of truth behind this novel. I love knowing you pulled Baptiste’s name from a real character you met.

I’ve been to Gloucester, Massachusetts, your current residence, and it’s extraordinarily beautiful. I’d love to go back. What drew you there and have you used it as a setting?

KV: I moved here because I was drawn to the arts community. I was living in Marblehead, MA but spent all my free time in Gloucester so finally I decided to move here. My newest novel, Depraved Heart, is set here. It is a novel of romantic suspense with a lot of scenes in Gloucester.

LK: I have to ask, since The Old Mermaid’s Tale talks of fisherman and the dangers they encounter: Do you fish? Or do you otherwise spend much time out on the water?

KV: I don't fish but I spent several years with a man who was a commercial fisherman and I learned a lot from him. I've also spent a fair amount of time sailing and on whale watches and things of that sort.

LK: I love the storytelling theme of the book. How important do you think the oral storytelling tradition was, and is it still? Do you have any favorite storyteller authors?

KV: I think oral tradition is incredibly important especially in these days when families are becoming so broken up and live so far away from one another. I grew up in a family where storytelling was a big part of every family occasions. I can remember family parties where the whole house would be filled with people and every room you walked in to there would be people sitting around telling stories. Right now I am working on a collection of stories all set in the same town with the same characters but each one is based in a story from my growing up years. As far as storytellers are concerned, I really admire Garrison Keillor and James Thurber, of course.

LK: I look forward to release of that book. It sounds wonderful! Speaking of art, you have an art/design background and you do your own covers, which I love, by the way. Do you have advice for indie authors on cover design or on doing their own?

KV: It's tough because a lot of indie artists shoot themselves in the foot by not paying attention to their cover. If you are not an artist and are on a limited budget, you can try to find someone to swap services with to get a better cover. I do this a lot with fellow writers. I'll swap a cover design for proof-reading or something like that.

LK: Great idea. I know I bypass books with unprofessional covers because I’m afraid the book will be unprofessional. Covers matter that much.

Would you tell us how you became an indie author?

KV: Sure. It was an accident. Seriously, since 2003 I have run my own design business and over the years I was hired to design books by people who were publishing independently. I designed several books for a local art association and then a man who was writing a collectors guide to clocks hired me to design a book for him. Eventually I decided, since I didn't have to go to the expense of hiring designers, it made sense to publish as an indie – especially because the profit margin is much higher.

LK: How likely are you to recommend to other writers that they go it on their own?

KV: It depends. Being an indie has its ups and downs. I would never attempt it if I had to hire designers, someone to do a web site, marketing materials, etc. But if you can afford to do that then being an indie can be a good way to go. Personally, I think I like designing my covers and my marketing materials as much as I love writing. I've even designed covers for books I'll probably never get around to writing just because I love working with images.

LK: Just for fun, what is your favorite color and why?

KV: Sky blue – nothing is as beautiful to me as the sky on a beautiful day, summer or winter.

LK: How about your favorite music, either singer/band or genre? Do you write with music?

KV: I'm more of a classical music fan, mostly from the baroque period – Albinoni, Teleman, Allegri. Yes, I write with that kind of music on. I also like a lot of the independent singer/songwriters. Garnet Rogers, who served as my model for Baptiste's voice in The Old Mermaid's Tale, is a particular favorite.

LK: I’ll have to look up Garnet Rogers, I think. Do you have a favorite fine artist? Dancer? Actor/actress?

KV: I love Matisse but mostly I am drawn to the Hudson River School and the luminists. There is a LOT of art in my latest novel, Depraved Heart. My second novel, Each Angel Burns, is about a sculpture of the archangel Gabriel by Giovanni Dupré that has disappeared.

There are a lot of dancers I love – Angel Corella thrills me. One of the main characters in Depraved Heart is a dancer and I tell people that in my mind he is a cross between Angel Corella and Russell Brand.

LK: In another interview, you said, “If you don’t take pride in your craft, do something else.” Can you talk a bit about this?

KV: Sure. I'm a firm believer that everyone has a gift and it is part of your destiny to find that and to do it to the best of your ability. Sometimes we get the idea that we are SUPPOSED to do a certain thing. You grow up with the idea that you have to be a doctor or a scientist or whatever but you discover, as you pursue it, that your heart just isn't in it. That is not a good way to go through life. I think when you find the thing you were meant to do you will pursue it with passion and a deep desire to do it to the very best of your ability. It is better to bake a perfect pie than to write a mediocre novel. Society has a distorted sense of what is important and it is critical to each person's happiness to realize where their gifts fit in the overall scheme of things.

LK: Well said. I fully agree.

I know you’re an avid reader. What are you reading now?

KV: Right now I am reading The Meaning of Isolated Objects by Billie Hinton on my Kindle and listening to the Audible version of The Daughters of Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt while I sew or kit.

LK: Nice to find others who read different books at the same time! If you won a week-long getaway, all expenses paid, to anywhere in the world, where would you go?

KV: Funny you should say that, I was just thinking I need a week with my Kindle and my laptop somewhere quiet and alone for a week. I love the coast of Maine and Cape Cod. I don't really have any destinations per se that interest me, just the conditions when I get there. Although I would like to spend some time in the Orkney Islands because of the lace knitting culture there.

LK: The Old Mermaid’s Tale is romantic but not a genre romance. I believe you describe it as contemporary fiction. One thing I love about it is that it’s literary and it’s romance. It’s what I call literary romance, the best of both genres meshed together. That’s also what I call my own. I’ve seen labels such as “literary thriller” recently. How do you feel about the trend, specifically within indie writing, to mix and blend genres? Do you think there’s enough market for them?

KV: I don't know. I write what interests me and I absolutely refuse to write according to a specific formula. I'm on something of a mission to restore the word “romance” back to its origins, meaning a book that combines love, adventure, honor, and poetics. One of the greatest of the American classical romances is Last of the Mohicans and we have lost so much of that kind of romance. I want novels with characters I can love and relate to. I've noticed a disturbing tendency in a lot of contemporary novels for the characters to be genuinely obnoxious people with no redeeming values. I wouldn't hang out with people like that in real life so why would I want to spend time reading about them?

LK: Again, I fully agree. I once had a lady ask what the point of a romance novel was if it wasn’t graphic. Sad, I think. Romance as it should be defined does seem to be getting lost in a quagmire of sex, and the two are not the same.

Along that line, what do you most hope to give your readers when they pick up one of your books?

KV: My deepest hope is that my readers will just get lost. That they will enter into the world I create, fall in love with the people there, experience their passions and their heart-break and their joy. I want readers to fall in love.

LK: Kathleen, thanks so much for visiting with us! I’ll be reading more of your work and I hope those who haven’t yet will give it a try. Depraved Heart sounds like a must-read. Before you go, are there any indie artists you’d like to give a shout out? Personal site links welcome.

KV: I love Billie Hinton's work. I think she is one of the most superb indie writers out there. Also although Kiana Davenport has been traditionally published she is publishing some collections of short stories as an indie and has suffered for that from her traditional pulisher. She's a great supporter of indies so I want to mention her. I'm also a big fan of Andre Juté. His book Iditarod is one of the best indie books I've ever read.

Readers, please check out Kathleen Valentine’s site. Along with her book info, you’ll find her design work, more interviews, and some great info on publishing!

Web site with blog and buy links:
http://parlezmoiblog.blogspot.com/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KathleenValentine

 

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