Featured Artist :: Scarlett Design

This week's featured artist is Scarlett Design!

Scarlett Design - Nature inspired illustrations, photography, and stationery.

Senioritis: Name and location please.
Scarlett Design: Ryan McGurl, Virginia Beach.
Senioritis: Hey Ryan, thanks for sitting down with us!

Senioritis: Can you please tell us a little about yourself?
Scarlett Design: I grew up in New England, living in both northern New Hampshire and the Boston area. After high school I took some time off, before I attended both the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Boston University, for graphic design and art history.
Three years ago I moved to Virginia Beach, where I currently live with my boyfriend and our two very spoiled dogs, Chewie and Panzer.

I enjoy hiking, camping, going to the beach, art, photography, knitting, crocheting, reading, traveling, gardening, and cooking, and I'm a dork. And I love that most days my job doesn't feel like work. I consider myself fortunate to have lived in several places, and experience the unique beauty of different areas.
Senioritis: Very cool Ryan, we have a bunch of family that lives not far from Boston. That's great that you have been able to move around a bit. What type of dogs do you have?

Senioritis: Marlon Brando: Streetcar Named Desire or the Godfather?
Scarlett Design: Godfather, I've never actually seen Streetcar.



Senioritis: How would you describe your style Ryan?
Scarlett Design: Fun, Colorful, Joyful, Intelligent.

Senioritis: Ryan, what's the best business tip you have ever received and who gave it to you?
Scarlett Design: "If at first you don't succeed, try again." I'm not sure who actually created that quote, and I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but recently while watching a documentary on American history I was struck by how often people who influenced history had failed before they became a great success.
Senioritis: We read a bunch of biographies and history books and have also found that it's those who are willing to fail the most that often find the greatest levels of success. Great tip Ryan!



Senioritis: What would you say is your favorite sport to either watch or play?
Scarlett Design: Hiking.
Senioritis: Hailing from New England we were a little concerned that you were going to say watching the Red Sox ;)

Senioritis: Chevy Chase: Fletch or Three Amigos
Scarlett Design: Fletch.

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite quote Ryan?
Scarlett Design: "There is a crack in everything, that is how the light gets in" Leonard Cohen
Senioritis: Very cool, we hadn't heard that one.



Senioritis: If you could jump in the DeLorean and go back in time; what’s one thing you would do differently in your business Ryan?
Scarlett Design: Spend more time on marketing when I first started my business
Senioritis: Absolutely, it definitely takes some effort to get the word out, especially in the beginning.

Senioritis: If the $100 bill needed a redesign, who would you put on it?
Scarlett Design: John Adams, he always seemed overlooked; perhaps because he wasn't as witty as Franklin.
Senioritis: We think Mr. Adams would look great! We recently designed a tribute to John Adams; he didn't quite make it on to a $100 bill but he did get on to the front of a composition notebook ;)

Senioritis: Where can we find you on the web Ryan?
Scarlett Design: My blog, facebook, flickr, and on twitter.
Senioritis: Looks like you have quite the web presence Ryan!



Senioritis: James Bond: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig?
Scarlett Design: Not sure, it used to be Roger Moore, but I'm really liking the new ones with Daniel Craig.
Senioritis: The new Bond movies are excellent.


Thanks for sitting down with us Ryan and letting us know a bit more about the artist behind Scarlett Design!

Featured Artist :: Khali Nouveau

This week's featured artist is Khali Nouveau!

Senioritis: Name and location please.
Khali Nouveau: Aiysha Khaalid; Boston, Massachusetts
Senioritis: Hi Aiysha!

Senioritis: Can you please tell us a little about yourself Aiysha?
Khali Nouveau: My name is A. Khaalid, nickname Khali. I am a full-time artist with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. I'm a painter, an illustrator, a mixed media artist, and a crafter. I am a stimulated artist and entrepreneur. I was a pottery artist for a private local company, a freelance artist as an interior home muralist, an art coordinator for an exclusive Dubai art gallery, and an art teacher.

In May 2010, I had my first solo art exhibition called 'Visions of Spring' which presented acrylic on canvas, illustration on printmaking paper, and art shadow boxes. In my shop I have some of these artworks available for sale and additional artworks are viewable on my website. KhaliNouveau was created to display my original artworks for others to appreciate my passion for painting and illustration.
Senioritis: That's awesome Khali, congrats on the solo exhibit it looks like it was a great set up! We especially enjoy your Endangered Species line, they look great on display together. You've done many things Khali, what have you enjoyed doing the most? How was your time in Dubai?

Senioritis: Marlon Brando: Streetcar Named Desire or the Godfather?
Khali Nouveau: Godfather.



Senioritis: How would you describe your style Khali?
Khali Nouveau: Colorful, Unique, Stylized, Authentic.

Senioritis: What's the best business tip you have ever received and who gave it to you Khali?
Khali Nouveau: My boyfriend is a great supporter and when I feel that things aren’t going so well he would say ‘Don’t give up’. Those simple words work out for me.
Senioritis: Always a good tip. In the words of the great Jimmy Valvano, "Don't give up, don't ever give up."



Senioritis: What would you say is your favorite sport to either watch or play?
Khali Nouveau: I don’t like any sports unless you count competitive reality TV shows.
Senioritis: Hmm, some of those shows are pretty intense!

Senioritis: Chevy Chase: Fletch or Three Amigos
Khali Nouveau: Three Amigos.

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite quote Khali?
Khali Nouveau: An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.- James Whistler
Senioritis: We've never heard that one before, awesome quote!



Senioritis: If you could jump in the DeLorean and go back in time; what’s one thing you would do differently in your business?
Khali Nouveau: I would have a whole body of new artworks ready to list online.
Senioritis: That would be cool. Investing an hour promoting a shop with 5 items takes just as long as investing an hour promoting a shop with 100 items ;)

Senioritis: If the $100 bill needed a redesign, who would you put on it?
Khali Nouveau: That’s a good question. I don’t have any particular person to be on the face of a $100 bill but seeing a woman's face would be an awesome change.
Senioritis: That would be cool, there haven't been too many women featured on U.S. currency.

Senioritis: Where can we find you on the web Khali?
Khali Nouveau: My site and on twitter.



Senioritis: James Bond: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig?
Khali Nouveau: Sean Connery.
Senioritis: Chalk up another tally for the Scotsman. Connery's popularity makes us wonder why they decided to cast a different 007 actor in the first place.

Senioritis: Any shoutouts Khali?
Khali Nouveau: Thanks mom for everything!


Khali, thanks a bunch for sitting down with us and sharing a bit about yourself and your work, it's awesome. Don't forget to visit Khali's online gallery as well as her online shop!

Friday Finds 8.27.10

Happy Friday! After a few Friday Finds workspace features we figured it was time to share a few photos of senioritis headquarters ;) Our workspace features are designed to show people that while a high-end, top of the line work studio is really nice, it's not always necessary and that all it takes is a little imagination to turn any place into a sweet workspace and create some really cool stuff.

senioritis

As you may (or may not) already know, we create uniquely designed artwork and apparel. Our colorful designs pay tribute to inspirational and motivational famous seniors throughout history.



Much of our time is spent in front of a computer with a legal pad close by; and yes, I'm a PC but Beth and Jillian are Macs. Fun fact: I only write in black pen and nobody can read my writing.



When we're having trouble coming up with colors or textures for new designs we flip through our current designs. We have most of our designs printed out in postcard size (like those above) which means that they can go everywhere we go.

We're often reading something, usually business related, so having a broad selection of bookmarks readily accessible is always a plus ;)



Here's a quick shot of our secret underground lair ;) As they say, this is where the magic happens; measuring, cutting, printing and a bunch of other fun stuff!



We hope you enjoyed a quick peek into our workspace!



With September approaching and playoff baseball right around the corner, this week we would like to share our brand spankin' new Senioritis Remembers Sports Legends postcard prints. These travel sized tributes would make a great gift for any sports fan. To see more of our designs please visit our Etsy shop.

Friday Finds 8.13.10

Happy Friday the 13th! As we mentioned last Sunday, this week we bring you some Vermont inspired finds. This week's finds are either made in Vermont or inspired by the green mountain state. We hope you like what we found ;)

IMOTIME



Vermont Maple



vsc83



Native Vermont Studio



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In honor of Friday the 13th, this week we are paying tribute to 4 movie monster legends: Karloff, Chaney, Lugosi, & Carlson. Beware of black cats and anyone with knives coming out of their hand ;) Have a great weekend!






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Featured Artist :: Trixie Fishstabber Productions

This week's featured artist is Trixie Fishstabber Productions!

Trixie Fishstabber Productions - A whimsical underworld.

Senioritis: Name and location please.
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: Sandra Ford, and right now I am living in a log cabin in a historical, wildly overgrown orchard; and there is this big, fast creek down the steps that drains into a reservoir which feeds into the Snake River that flows north through Hell's Canyon. It is pretty inspiring and I consider everyday a gift to be here.
Senioritis: Wow, that sounds very cool Sandra; do you have any room for visitors ;)

Senioritis: Can you tell us a little about yourself Sandra?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: Self Taught and right handed. Published illustrator at large and re-focused after a brief (17 year) hiatus from the art universe. Hmmm, that is pretty brief!
Senioritis: That is a pretty brief bio, it would even fit into a tweet! We're glad to see that you've returned to the art universe after your brief hiatus.

Senioritis: Marlon Brando: Streetcar Named Desire or the Godfather?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: Streetcar Named Desire



Senioritis: How would you describe your style Sandra?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: Pop Surrealism, Lowbrow, Underground, Expressionist.

Senioritis: What would you say is the best business tip you have ever received and who gave it to you?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: 'Go for it knowing whatever happens, you gave it everything you had.' My hero, Ed told me that many years ago.
Senioritis: Great tip. We think one of the worst feelings is looking back and saying 'What if...?' Give it your best and leave nothing on the table; we like Ed's style!



Senioritis: What would you say is your favorite sport to either watch or play Sandra?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: Fencing.
Senioritis: Very interesting, several of our featured artists are into fencing. We're going to have to look into the link between creatives and swordplay ;)

Senioritis: Chevy Chase: Fletch or Three Amigos
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: I haven't seen either.
Senioritis: Is there a different Chevy Chase film that you prefer?

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite quote Sandra?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: 'Imagination rules the world.' Napoleon Bonaparte
Senioritis: Hmm, even the Great Emperor knew that imagination is more important than knowledge!



Senioritis: If you could jump in the DeLorean and go back in time; what’s one thing you would do differently in your business?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: I would not have put my pencils down for 17 years. Putting in your time as an artist is what makes you better, in my opinion. I've got some catching up to do.
Senioritis: Hopefully pencil skills are like riding a bike and they'll come back to you very quickly! We're still riding with our training wheels on but the more we draw and create the more comfortable we become ;)

Senioritis: If the $100 bill needed a redesign, who would you put on it?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: Edward Abbey for writing Hayduke Lives!
Senioritis: Looks like Mr. Abbey was sporting a pretty solid beard; we think a portrait of him would look wonderful on a $100 bill.

Senioritis: Where can we find you on the web Sandra?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: I've got my Etsy store here: trixiefishstabber.etsy.com
I work really hard to make my blog interesting here: trixiefishstabber.blogspot.com
One of my favorite inspirational blogs:animalarium
And a website that interests the weirdo in me: crappytaxidermy.com



Senioritis: James Bond: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: Daniel Craig
Senioritis: Another tally for Mr. Craig!

Senioritis: Any shoutouts?
Trixie Fishstabber Productions: A big thanks to everyone in forums who help people like me figure things out. My son for being so courageous. And Ed, for being from West Virginia.


Sandra, thanks so much for taking the time to share a bit about the artist and inspiration behind Trixie Fishstabber Productions!

Featured Artist :: Nicole Kristiana Studio

This week's featured artist is Nicole Kristiana Studio!

Nicole Kristiana Studio - Contemporary art and art wear.

Senioritis: Name and location please.
Nicole Kristiana Studio: Nicole Kristiana FitzGibbon, Bellefonte, DE.
Senioritis: Hi Nicole, thanks for sitting down with us!

Senioritis: Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: I received my BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and my BA from Bryn Mawr College with a concentration in Fine Art and Art History. I was born in New York and lived most of my life in the Philadelphia area. I practice the art of wonderment in my surroundings both at home and around the world. I have visited fifteen states and nine countries and have visually recorded the experience in each location, focusing on pattern, which you can see in my works. Recently, my work was published as the cover of Philadelphia Stories Magazine.
Senioritis: Wow, you have visited quite a few places. Which place has been your favorite thus far?

Senioritis: Marlon Brando: Streetcar Named Desire or the Godfather?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: The Godfather



Senioritis: How would you describe your style Nicole?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: Contemporary, Ebullient, Sophisticated, Colorful.

Senioritis: What would you say is the best business tip you have ever received and who gave it to you?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: Paraphrasing, but it was something like "In business, there are many decisions to make in a day, and, if you're reeeaaally good, about 80% will be right, so expect to make 20% wrong ones, forget them, keep making decisions and move on." I learned this valuable lesson from a dear friend, Adam, the CEO of a software company.
Senioritis: Great lesson indeed, thanks for sharing it with us!



Senioritis: What would you say is your favorite sport to either watch or play Nicole?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: I love skiing. I've been skiing since I was about 10 years old. I love to watch skiing as well.
Senioritis: Very cool, I'm not much of a skiier but I can faceplant on a snowboard like no other (remember kids always wear a helmet) ;) We think a lot of ski fans were pretty excited when Lindsey Vonn won a couple ESPY Awards last week!

Senioritis: Chevy Chase: Fletch or Three Amigos
Nicole Kristiana Studio: Fletch

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite quote Nicole?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: Strangely enough, there was a quote on the wall at my day-job, across from my grey cube, far from all the windows, that inspired me.
“Creativity in living is not without its attendant difficulties, for peculiarity breeds contempt and the unfortunate thing about being ahead of your time is that when people finally realize you were right, they’ll say it was obvious all along.” — Alan Ashley-Pitt
(Note- I have researched Alan Ashley-Pitt and it seems to be a pen name. Not even the internet or head librarian at the local University seem to know the real author. It's becoming a mission of mine to know.)
Senioritis: Great quote, it seems that this mystery person has quite a few excellent quotes. If we figure out who Alan Ashley-Pitt is we'll be sure to let you know ;)



Senioritis: If you could jump in the DeLorean and go back in time; what’s one thing you would do differently in your business?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: To be honest, I would have started earlier and would have been much better at networking and keeping contacts.
Senioritis: Good point on keeping contacts Nicole. It's usually not who we know, it's who we know knows!

Senioritis: If the $100 bill needed a redesign, who would you put on it?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: Well, I feel like it should be an American, certainly, so, I thought about art influencers, political leaders, business people and musicians who have contributed to the greatness of the nation, and I finally landed on Martin Luther King, Jr. In many ways, he represents the idea that fulfilling dreams is possible and it seemed fitting.
Senioritis: We think Dr. King would display very nicely on the$100, we can also picture a really cool Dream inspired reverse side design!

Senioritis: Where can we find you on the web Nicole?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: nicolefitzgibbon.etsy.com, my blog, my facebook fan page, my website, and twitter.



Senioritis: James Bond: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: Pierce Brosnan
Senioritis: Put a tally in Mr. Brosnan's column! Mr. Connery is still in the lead but we're glad to see a new 007 get his name on the board!

Senioritis: Any shoutouts?
Nicole Kristiana Studio: To my fiancé, Ross and my brother Ben for their loving support!


Nicole, thanks for taking the time to let our readers know a bit more about the artist behind Nicole Kristiana Studios!

Featured Artist :: Studio M.M.E.

This week's featured artist is Studio M.M.E.!

Studio M.M.E. - Fairy tale pen and ink prints.

Senioritis: Name and location please.
Studio M.M.E.: Megan Eckman, Fargo, North Dakota (soon to be San Jose, California come July!)
Senioritis: Hey Megan, not sure if you made it out to the west coast yet but we hope the preparation/trip is going smoothly!

Senioritis: Can you tell us a little about yourself Megan?
Studio M.M.E.: I'm an illustrator and freelance writer living in the lovely state of North Dakota. Born in Rapid City, South Dakota, I subsequently moved to flatter and flatter places, ultimately ending in Moorhead, Minnesota, where I received my BA degrees in art and creative writing from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2009. Like most children, I wanted to be a veterinarian (more of a vet surgeon actually) but I still wanted to learn as much about drawing as I could. So I entered college with the desire to become a writer and an artist. My parents didn't mind as long as I started a business before I graduated. In January 2009, I did just that with Studio M.M.E. and began writing for freelance magazines across the country and selling prints of my pen and ink illustrations worldwide.
Senioritis: Very cool Megan! How was it balancing going to school and running your business? I'm not sure how the terrain is in San Jose but a few trips to San Francisco should make up for years of living in the flat lands ;)

Senioritis: Marlon Brando: Streetcar Named Desire or the Godfather?
Studio M.M.E.: Godfather



Senioritis: Megan, how would you describe your style to someone who has never seen your work?
Studio M.M.E.: Whimsical, humorous, inquisitive, and reminiscent.

Senioritis: What would you say is the best business tip you have ever received and who gave it to you?
Studio M.M.E.: Focus your shop. A fellow Etsy seller, Meluseena, gave me that tip a few months back. I immediately trashed everything in my shop that wasn't my artwork and focused more on my pen and ink work. Since then, my shop has taken off!
Senioritis: That's some great advice from Meluseena. We think that having a main line or general theme to your shop allows for an easier, more cohesive, and more enjoyable browsing experience. We're glad to hear you have seen such great results after making this adjustment!



Senioritis: What would you say is your favorite sport to either watch or play Megan?
Studio M.M.E.: Rapier. There's nothing more exhilarating than defending yourself with a sword.
Senioritis: Hmm, think the closest I've been to a rapier was watching The Three Musketeers in HD. How did you get into fencing (hope that's the proper term and I don't end up at the pointy end of a rapier)?

Senioritis: Chevy Chase: Fletch or Three Amigos
Studio M.M.E.: Three Amigos.
Senioritis: Do you remember how to summon the Invisible Swordsman ;)

Senioritis: Do you have a favorite quote Megan?
Studio M.M.E.: If the fool would persist in his folly, he would become wise.
-William Blake
Senioritis: I like that one. I think in today's society of instant gratification many of us give up on things before we truly have a chance to learn and improve.



Senioritis: If you could jump in the DeLorean and go back in time; what’s one thing you would do differently in your business?
Studio M.M.E.: I would have avoided Twitter. I know everyone is in love with it but I'd rather spend my time blogging. If I didn't have mine set up to RSS feed from my Facebook, you'd never see me on there.
Senioritis: Interesting. We used to post our Famous Senior of the day on Twitter everyday but for the past few months have switched over to a Tumblr blog. We don't get as much traffic as when we posted on twitter but we seem to get more interaction and feedback on our designs through the blog.

Senioritis: If the $100 bill needed a redesign, who would you put on it?
Studio M.M.E.: Martin Van Buren. You have to love his facial hair.
Senioritis: Very true, you typically don't see facial hair like that anymore; HOWEVER, we stumbled across a great exhibit in Chelsea a few weeks back that proves that phenomenal facial hair is still alive and well! Check out photographer Dave Mead's Magnificent Specimens to see some people that give Mr. Van Buren a run for his money ;)

Senioritis: Megan, where can we find you on the web?
Studio M.M.E.: studiomme.etsy.com, my blog, my facebook fan page and my site, The Illustrative Studio of Megan Marie Eckman.



Senioritis: James Bond: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig?
Studio M.M.E.: Is there any contest? Sean Connery.
Senioritis: Well, looks like Mr. Connery has taken an early 2-1 lead with our featured artists.


Thanks for spending a few minutes with us Megan and letting our readers know a bit more about the awesome illustrator behind Studio M.M.E.. We're looking forward to seeing your new works and hope you enjoy the west coast!

Featured Artists :: 2.10.10 - 6.09.10

Hello senioritis blog reader!
Now you know how to greet people in English!

This week we're shaking things up a bit. A wise man once said:

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you
could miss it.

Well, we figured it was time for us to stop and take a look around so this week we give you a quick stroll down memory lane:

2.10: Skribbly Kids
2.17: Heather King Photography
2.24: Digicute
3.3: Jewelry by Tara
3.10: WingAndWillow
3.17: Echoes of Stars' Designs
3.24: Handmade by Anne Potter
3.31: Himawari Designs
4.7: Mich20
4.14: Authentic Arts
4.21: RobinsFlight
4.28: Filigree Photos
5.5: PeacockLane
5.12: Samantha Nowak Illustrations
5.19: jessiemacCreations
5.26: Emelia Jane Photography
6.2: A Little Stranger
6.9: Pause Designs

We would like to say thanks to all artists that have been featured; we and our readers appreciate you taking the time to share some info with us.

We will be back next week with the first in a long line of new featured artists. In our ongoing quest to keep things fun and fresh we're mixing things up with some new questions so be sure to check back .

And now back to your regularly scheduled program...

Friday Finds 6.11.10

As you may already know, last week we had the opportunity to check out Renegade Craft Fair over in Brooklyn. It was a very cool event with lots of great talent. While I enjoyed looking at everything, I especially liked checking out the illustrators, here's a few of my favorites. We hope you enjoy this week's Renegade inspired segment of Friday Finds, have an awesome day!

DKNG Studios

The first thing I actually noticed about DKNG was that they had some really cool 'Support Your Local Artist' stickers. We like to support local artists so we figured let's take a look, what we found were some very cool illustrations. DKNG had some really sweet music related designs on display (we later found out that they are the resident poster artists for the Troubador out in Hollywood, CA). Here's a quick sample of DKNG's work but please visit their site to see some great art and apparel!



Vahalla Studios

I especially liked the Decemberists and Kings of Leon designs, despite the fact that my sister had to tell me who they are (apparently I've fallen a bit out of touch with music recently). These two designs drew me into Vahalla's booth where we immediately saw many other great designs. Vahalla is a full service design studio so if you're in the Kansas City area and need some help these guys can lend you a hand. Check out Vahalla's site to learn more about the duo and view their work.



Sara Antoinette Martin

I'm not sure how to describe Sara's style but I know that I like it and that when I saw it I immediately thought tattoo art. For those of you who weren't able to see Sara's set up over at Renegade please swing by her site to see some great color & black and white offerings as well as a very cool guy lurking in the toys section.



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This week we pay tribute to Scottish writer Robert Louis Stvenson with an illustration based on a 1930's Swedish movie poster. To see more of our tributes please visit our Etsy shop. Have a great weekend!






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