Here you can find inspiring and insightful interviews with amazing people doing what they love
Danielle LaPorte – Lighting your entrepreneurial fire
If you want to put a rocket under your ideas and ambition, start or grow your own business or revolutionise your current business, and make your own choices and your own money, then you need to meet Danielle LaPorte. She is one white hot woman. She made me think differently about aspects of my own business, and I wanted to share some of her magic with you. Read the full interview here
Meet Kresse Wesling, young sparky British creator of unique accessories for Hollywood superstars. Kresse is not your average fashion designer. She is one half of the very cool ‘Elvis and Kresse’ brand which took London Fashion Week by storm and has recently announced a collaboration with apple. She is one of the British Prime Minister’s Ambassadors for Social Entrepreneurship and a champion of responsible business practices. And the belt she made for Cameron Diaz to model in a Mario Testino shoot for American Vogue used to be a piece of fire hose.
Read the full interview here
Kathy is an incredible woman who has lived many lives already, as professional musician, nautical globetrotter and serial entrepreneur who has seen multi-million dollar success for her creative businesses. She also happens to be one of the funniest women I know. Here Kathy shares some very valuable insight and practical commercial advice for those of you trying to start or grow your creative business…
Read part 1 of the interview here
Read part 2 of the interview here
Christina Sbarro – The time is now
Christina is a woman who is on a mission to truly do what she loves. She is all wrapped up in the creation of 'A Field Guide to Now', a book which combines her beautiful writing and mixed media art, stitched together with the love of a community of supporters. Christina talks about the road she has taken to become the artist she is, what inspires her, and how she deals with creative challenges.
Read the full interview here
This is a conversation with one of the last real professional Icon Painters in Greece, whom I visited recently at his studio on the beautiful island of Santorini. Dimitri learnt all the important things he knows about painting from the elders in his village. His work is so revered that he has been commissioned to paint 14 icons for the legendary Panagia Episkopi Church on Santorini, a church which has existed on the island for over 1000 years. He is the first artist I have ever met who expects his work to last 'for hundreds of years'.
Read the full interview here
Image with the kind permission of Niel Jonker
Niel Jonker - artisan breadmaker, bronze sculptor and painter in South AfricaThis interview came hot off the press from South Africa, where I was on a little adventure of my own. Niel Jonker is an artisan breadmaker, bronze sculptor and painter living in the remote village of Baardskeerdersbos, in the Western Cape. He shares his deep love of creating, his view on the business of art, and his favourite aspects of being an artist. Enjoy!
Read the full interview here
Image with the kind permission of Suzanne Woolcott
Suzanne Woolcott, creator of Gorjuss™Suzanne Woolcott is the inspiring creative brains behind the Gorjuss™ empire. Some of her fans are so crazy about her work, they have had her designs tattooed on their bodies! Suzanne’s Gorjuss™ Girls are licensed by Santoro, a brand creator, design and publishing company with distribution in over 50 countries around the world. 33 year-old Suzanne runs her company with her husband Grant, from their studio in Glasgow, Scotland, where they live with their three children. Her work has been exhibited in galleries across the globe, but most regularly in Hollywood, LA , New York, NY, and Hong Kong (how cool is that?!)
Read the full interview here
Image with the kind permission of Yvonne Carmichael
Yvonne Carmichael - Curator of 'Art in Unusual Spaces'
Yvonne Carmichael is the curator of Art in Unusual Spaces, a scheme which opens up empty shop units in city centres for use by artist as project or exhibition spaces, inspiring and sometimes surprising busy shoppers. Artworks have so far have ranged from miniature prams to giant robots and from den-making to really short artist films. Yvonne shares her thoughts on exhibiting art from a curator’s perspective.
Read the full interview here
(image with the kind permission of Tim Moss)
Tim Moss, Adventurer
Do you love adventure like I do? How about skiing to the South Pole? Tim Moss fancies a go at it, but unlike most people who just dream about it, he is actually going. In January he will be accompanied on his 'Inspired by London 2012 South Pole Adventure' by an Olympian (Derek Redmond), a Paralympian (Marc Woods), and a Special Olympics athlete (Declan Kerry), as they ski to the bottom of the earth to wave the British flag in the name of participation, inclusivity and accessibility, and marking the 100th anniversary of Captain Scott reaching the Pole. At university Tim decided on a whim to organise a mountaineering expedition to Kyrgyzstan, a country he'd never heard of. In his words, "It all went horribly wrong, I had a wonderful time and have been trying to have as many adventures as humanly possible ever since."
Read the full interview here
(image with kind permission of Jessica Swift)
Jessica Gonacha Swift, artistAtlanta-based Jessica is a painter, surface pattern designer and illustrator. I was originally drawn to Jessica's gorgeous fabric designs but have since seen some of her original art work in the Enormous Tiny Art Show at the Nahcotta Gallery in Portsmouth, NH, which were just as juicy. Jessica has been a working artist since 2003, when she was 23 years old. Today she shares a peek into her creative life, and shares her journey from her first trade show through to her recent fabric line launch.
Read the full interview here
Image with the kind permission of Claudine Hellmuth
Claudine Hellmuth, artist, author and illustrator
Claudine combines photos, paint, paper and pen into quirky, whimsical-retro collages that she calls Poppets®. Claudine has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and she has developed her own signature product line with Ranger Inc (how cool is that?). Claudine has written 3 books and 3 DVDs about her techniques, and recently taught a techniques e-course 'At Home with Claudine Hellmuth' (which I took and loved) Originally from Orlando FL, Claudine lives in Washington DC with her husband Paul and their very spoiled pets. She talks to us about Martha, commissions and her creative business life.
Read the full interview here
Image with kind permission of Juliette Crane
Juliette Crane, mixed media artist
Juliette creates whimsical characters by layering collage and paint, and fusing them together with love! Her creative business has grown rapidly, taking her from her first showing to being published in Somerset Studio in just 12 months. Listen to the first ever Do What You Love interview podcast to hear how she has done this, and just what makes her style so unique.
Image with kind permission of Russell Crook
Russell Crook, visual merchandiser
This Do What You Love interview is with Russell Crook, a freelance visual merchandiser whose client list includes Liberty's, Nicole Farhi, L'Oreal, Disney and British retail giants BHS and George at Asda.
See here for the full interview
Abigail Borg, surface pattern designer and illustrator
Multi award winning young surface pattern designer and illustrator Abigail Borg is riding high, having just been awarded 'Best British Pattern Design 2010' by Elle Decoration at The British Design Awards. Just two years since winning New Designer of the Year 2008 award for her collection of hand-drawn and digitally-printed wallpapers, Abigail’s wallpapers, cushions and fabrics are now stocked in Liberty of London and in stores across the world. She also has freelance illustration clients like Laura Ashley Home. I talked to Abigail about her phenomenal success, and how she is managing her rapidly growing creative business.
See here for the full interview
Mark McGuinness, poet and creative coach
Mark McGuinness - poet, creative coach and trainer and creative entrepreneur - has been coaching artists and creatives since 1996, when he noticed a high proportion of them turning up in his psychotherapy consulting room. He has also consulted for organisations including the BBC, Channel 4, Arts and Business, the Institute for Practitioners in Advertising (UK) and many creative agencies and studios. Since 2006 he has been blogging about creativity and business at Wishful Thinking. In 2008 he launched Lateral Action with Brian Clark and Tony Clark, developing the site as a resource for creative entrepreneurs - first a blog and later the Lateral Action Entrepreneur Roadmap. Mark's latest course is the Creative Pathfinder, a free 25-week guide to success as a creative professional. I caught up with Mark to find out what gems he could share from his many years of working with creatives (and find out a bit about poetry too).
See here for the full interview and site links
Rachael Taylor, surface pattern designer & illustratorVoted ‘Happiest Person in Britain’, this really is a girl doing what she loves. Rachael Taylor’s bright and fun designs caught my eye some time ago, and I bought an original piece of her work for my studio. As a surface pattern designer and illustrator, Rachel has clients all over the world, and next year she will be bringing out her own line of stationery with US-based Teneues publishing.
Rachel graduated in 2005 with a BA (Hons) in Textile in Fashion Design. After working in industry for three years, she set up her own design studio in 2008. Now specialising in surface pattern design and illustration, Rachel works as a freelance designer for clients like WH Smith, Target and Graham and Brown, and runs her own design label, Rachael Taylor Designs. Rachel’s international collaborations include a signature collection with Seascape Lamps USA. I talked to Rachel about loosening up, setting up on her own and getting known.
Read the full interview here
Image with kind permission of Abigail Borg
Abigail Borg, surface pattern designer and illustrator
Multi award winning young surface pattern designer and illustrator Abigail Borg is riding high, having just been awarded 'Best British Pattern Design 2010' by Elle Decoration at The British Design Awards. Just two years since winning New Designer of the Year 2008 award for her collection of hand-drawn and digitally-printed wallpapers, Abigail’s wallpapers, cushions and fabrics are now stocked in Liberty of London and in stores across the world. She also has freelance illustration clients like Laura Ashley Home. I talked to Abigail about her phenomenal success, and how she is managing her rapidly growing creative business.
See here for the full interview
(image courtesy of Mark McGuinness)
Mark McGuinness, poet and creative coach
Mark McGuinness - poet, creative coach and trainer and creative entrepreneur - has been coaching artists and creatives since 1996, when he noticed a high proportion of them turning up in his psychotherapy consulting room. He has also consulted for organisations including the BBC, Channel 4, Arts and Business, the Institute for Practitioners in Advertising (UK) and many creative agencies and studios. Since 2006 he has been blogging about creativity and business at Wishful Thinking. In 2008 he launched Lateral Action with Brian Clark and Tony Clark, developing the site as a resource for creative entrepreneurs - first a blog and later the Lateral Action Entrepreneur Roadmap. Mark's latest course is the Creative Pathfinder, a free 25-week guide to success as a creative professional. I caught up with Mark to find out what gems he could share from his many years of working with creatives (and find out a bit about poetry too).
See here for the full interview and site links
(image courtesy of Rachel Taylor)
Rachael Taylor, surface pattern designer & illustratorVoted ‘Happiest Person in Britain’, this really is a girl doing what she loves. Rachael Taylor’s bright and fun designs caught my eye some time ago, and I bought an original piece of her work for my studio. As a surface pattern designer and illustrator, Rachel has clients all over the world, and next year she will be bringing out her own line of stationery with US-based Teneues publishing.
Rachel graduated in 2005 with a BA (Hons) in Textile in Fashion Design. After working in industry for three years, she set up her own design studio in 2008. Now specialising in surface pattern design and illustration, Rachel works as a freelance designer for clients like WH Smith, Target and Graham and Brown, and runs her own design label, Rachael Taylor Designs. Rachel’s international collaborations include a signature collection with Seascape Lamps USA. I talked to Rachel about loosening up, setting up on her own and getting known.
Read the full interview here
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