Artist Spotlight: Alex Colombo

The road that led Alex Colombo to her current career as a licensing artist has been a winding one--she has worked in many different mediums including textile painting, knitting, crocheting, and watercolor just to name a few. Alex writes a popular blog "The Moon From My Attic" where she turns the spotlight on other artists and their work. I think Alex and her work deserve that same sort of attention and since she is so good at describing her life, influences, and process, I'm going to let her speak for herself here:

I feel like I was born an artist, though it took me many years to fully figure it out. I fell in love with painting at a very early age and have been creating art in various forms ever since. My first job after graduating from art school was to create hand painted textile designs for a studio in Italy and later I worked as an interior designer for many years. I have always crafted, whether it is knitting, crocheting or creating other crafts just for the joy of creating them for family and friends.

I like to make people smile through art; it's one way for me to help them live a better life. For example, as an interior designer I assisted my clients to create their dream spaces. It's an educational process as a partnership is created and I get to learn and teach at the same time! Most of my creative process involves painting with watercolors or gouache, though I love to experiment with various media - from linen to cork to wood to more traditional paper. Essentially, I like to express the joy I feel for life through the many textures and possibilities that I've come in contact with.

Throughout my many travels, design jobs and other life events I have collected in my head lots of amazing images, so it's easy for me to draw from my own memories. I grew up in a beautiful part of Italy near the Alps and spent time at my grandpa's summer house overlooking beautiful Lake Como. Colorful wildflowers, sweet fruit trees and green roman gardens would accompany my days wandering through the hillsides there. I can still remember the beautiful moonrise and the fragrance of the wisteria over the balcony.

My work is very diverse and experimental. One day I create art for licensing, the next I interview an artist or manufacturer, or perhaps work on a freelance project. This year I've got some challenging family health issues to take care of, so I'm shifting my focus and direction to accommodate and embrace these new adventures! Even so, my need to create playful, whimsical art is part of what sustains me, and represents my outlook on life as full of joy and possibilities.

Below are some examples of Alex's work. To see more of her work, you can follow her on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ucGfqp, visit her website: http://www.alexcolombo.com,  or her online shop: http://www.alexcolombo.com/shop.html.

Photos From A Photo Shoot and Jumping The Fence From Surtex to National Stationery Show

A little before the end of 2013 I made the decision to change my business from doing only licensing and freelance illustration to designing and producing my own line of products. The decision to do this had been rolling around in my head for a few months but I never really considered it seriously until I realized one day that it was EXACTLY the direction I wanted to go in. I have some ideas for some products that I'm really excited about and I'd like to be in charge of having them made and getting them to market, so for the last few months I've been spending lots of time in front of my computer! I'm having a completely new website made, along with a catalog for the show. Below are some of the shots from the catalog shoot that we did last week. I can't wait to show you all the products but for now, here's a teaser of some of the items I've been working on. Stay tuned!

Layout for the cover

Abby Campbell straightening up the tea towels

The talented Ben Pieper moving in for a closeup shot

Ben and his assistant Annika (who is modeling one of my new tote bags)

Setting the mood for happy hour!

And last but not least, a grouping of several of my pillows

The Moon From My Attic interview

I'd like to thank Alex Colombo for featuring me on her blog "The Moon From My Attic" today. She's a wonderful artist herself and I was honored to be featured! Here's a small part of it below-just click on one of the photos below to see the entire article:

NYC and Surtex-the good and the....well, not so good

I'm happy to say I'm back from my second Surtex show and it was a really good one! I was able to make some fantastic contacts and I'm excited about the possibility of working with some great companies. Here are some photos of my booth--I was pretty happy with the way it turned out, although there is a bit of a story here....
I had shipped my box with all my banners in it to NY 8 days in advance via FedEx Ground and asked them to hold it at the 42nd st. location. When I checked tracking on it 6 days later, it said it was in NJ so I thought it was slow, but still going in the right direction and the delivery date was still correct so I didn't worry. The next day when I checked it however, it said my box was back in KS where I live!! I immediately got on the phone and found out that the 42nd st. location does NOT hold FedEx Ground shipments, even though they do say that on their website. The person I was talking to told me I probably couldn't get my box to NY til Monday! I was trying to keep calm and got ahold of a customer care representative, who said this should not have happened and she would do what she could...needless to say, I was really worried that I would not have anything on my walls, so I printed out about 17 more sheets of all my collections and cut them out in ovals to put up in case the worst thing happened. Luckily, the worst thing didn't happen--FedEx got my box there the next day (at no charge to me) and I was able to have banners in my booth after all! Color me relieved.
Sunday was a bit slow, but Monday at the show was a really good day...until the afternoon when my right eye, which had been feeling a bit blurry in the morning, started hurting so much that I had to ask my friend Karen to watch my booth while I took a cab to a minute clinic. It was a corneal abrasion, which I think occurred while trying to adjust my contacts. The rest of Monday was a little dark to me, because I had to wear sunglasses to avoid the glare of the booth lights--I'm sure that looked more than a little odd but it felt much better!
I intended on spending my final day in NY after the show doing some shopping, but by then all I wanted to do was relax so I had an awesome lunch at The Smith in the East Village, then a wonderful 1 hour massage right across 3rd Ave at Renew and Relax.
All in all, it was a very good trip and I was reminded once again how glad I am to be in this community of supportive people. At Surtex, I don't feel that I'm in competition with other artists--on the contrary, others go out of their way to get to know you and be kind and helpful. I look forward to building relationships with the potential clients that I met and also to future Surtex trips! Lastly, I can't thank my friends enough for being there for me when I needed help.

                                                          Here's booth 357 at 10:30am.....

                                                    and here it is around 10:50am..................

  and finally, here it is at about 11:00am. I couldn't believe that setup took so little time!

I really wish I had taken some photos without me in the booth, but I didn't...

always one thing you never think of!

In the background, you can see my "Big Wig" ladies. I'll post some closer shots of those in a few days.
They're each printed on fabric and contain hand-stitching elements in the hair and handmade wire frames. They're hanging from brown grosgrain ribbon.

Print and Pattern

Just found out that I was featured again on the fab Print and Pattern blog! Made my day. Here are some of the pieces that were featured there. You can click on the link below to see all of them. Okay time for bed--got a plane to catch tomorrow!

http://printpattern.blogspot.com/2013/05/surtex-2013-tammy-smith.html

2013 promo packets

These little wire birds are getting ready to fly East next week! They are part of my promo packets for the press room at Surtex.

Feathered Finery group

This is another new group that I'm showing at this year's Surtex show-coming up very soon. I have done this group in many different color ways but here I'm showing it as partyware and giftbags that are primarily pink. Perfect for a bridal shower or feminine bday!

Fall In Love pillow

Booth decor is my favorite part of Surtex. I've been really into hand embroidery lately so here's a pillow I've created from one of my hand lettering pieces.

New Patterns for 2013 Surtex-Musicality and Lock and Key

This week I'm going to start showing some of my new collections that will be debuting at Surtex this year.

 Below are Musicality and Lock and Key. Last year I focused on mostly abstract patterns so this year I'm doing more illustrative work. More to come tomorrow!

Art Buyer article is out!

So excited that my article and ad are now out in the latest Art Buyer magazine! Shown in the article are my "Best In Show" dog portraits. For Surtex, I'm making these lucky pups into bright, funky hand-stitched pillows. Click on this link to read the entire piece.

Best In Show dogs

Surtex time again!

I finally finished my ad for ArtBuyer magazine that will be distributed at Surtex. Can't wait to be in NY now but it feels like I still have so much to do! Please come see me in booth #357 and stop by and say hi!

Art Everywhere

Okay, so the dust has settled after my trip to New York and Surtex!  I have finally had a chance to review my photos of NYC and forgot about this wonderful picture. 

 While walking the city before the show, I came across this amazing art in the heart of the city, but in a “quiet” neighborhood.  What a pleasant surprise to come across this art at PS#11!  What I love about this is the color, the pattern, and the overall feel that comes from finding this unique visual in the middle of a busy city.  This was my route to the Surtex show every morning and what a great way to start the day – I wonder if the students of PS#11 feel the same way? 

This picture makes you stop.  It is inspiring.  It makes you smile. . .

PS#11  was hosting a bake sale while I was there which helps support the school . . . Who does want to help a school with yummy baked goods?  I had to buy some for a treat later in the day!

Surtex Pics from Day 3

Day 3 of the Surtex Show and it is going great!!  I have been getting great response to my work, which is even more exciting!!  I am posting some additional pictures of my booth and of the detail we put into the design.  More pictures to follow of the great inspiration in and around New York City!

 

 

Sweet Suite

Well Hello!  Welcome... I'm looking forward to unfolding into this new space, this new direction. Thanks for following & joining me on this path. Life is full of them, isn't it? So to celebrate that...I say eat dessert first.

One of my new collections is Just Desserts. Here is a sweet teaser for you... This is one of the elements of the many collections that I will debut at the Surtex show in New York at the end of May. Over the next few weeks I will show you what I've been up to, & what is inspiring me to get there!

Laduree  has been making gorgeous French Macarons since 1862. Macaroons French & otherwise have been gaining popularity… 

It seems I see pictures of them everywhere. So…it was only fitting that I include them in the suite of sweets…..