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@font-face { font-family: “Arial”; }@font-face { font-family: “Calibri”; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 115%; font-size: 11pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: “Times New Roman”; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }Vanessa Spencer is one of my editors at Somerset Memories and I had the pleasure to meet her twice at CHA personally. It is always wonderful to write with her :)

Vanessa Spencer is from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Vanessa is a mixed-media artist and is the Consulting Editor for Somerset Memories and manages The Shoppe at Somerset for Stampington & Company. To learn more about her visit her blog at http://www.artfulanthology.blogspot.com/  or her etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtfulAnthology.

1.  What do you do to get into your creative zone?

 A number of things motivate me to create. Visiting a new interesting place can be inspiring! For example I took a trip to Salvation Mountain in 2009. The amazing vibrant colors used to paint the mountain were certainly an inspiration.

A little blog hopping, flipping through the pages of art and craft magazines and books, and looking at the artwork and talent of other artists gets my creativity going as well. More recently though I have found that simply heading outdoors with my camera and taking all sorts of photographs is a great way to get inspired. There are a number of ways to kick it into gear and it’s good to change it up!

http://artfulanthology.blogspot.com/2011/03/trip-to-salvation-mountain.html

 2.  Do you ever create hidden meanings or messages in your work? (if you have an example you would like to share- sent photo)

 I have a tendency to use butterfly images in my artwork. When I was 19 I had moved to Melbourne Australia and decided to take a watercolor painting class. One of the first project assignments was to just paint a picture, anything inspiring, no rules.

It was after the project assignment that the teacher came around to each student individually and we discussed what we had painted and why. It didn’t really occur to me until I finished it that I had painted a picture with some personal emotion behind it. The name “Vanessa” is of Greek origin and means “butterfly.”  The picture I had painted was of a butterfly, trapped inside a room (on a window) and I had painted a city outside the window.

I realized through the images of what I had painted that, I had in a way, painted myself trapped inside a big new city. I wish I knew what happened to that painting! I have moved an average of once per year for the past ten years so I’ve misplaced a few things along the way… I’ve always known the origin of my name and like many I just love the simplicity and beauty of a butterfly.

 3.  If your creative work were edible, what would it taste like?

One of my favorite treats is sugar cookies! Especially the pretty ones with colorful frosting and sprinkles. They take me back to my childhood. I think these represent how my artwork would taste: sweet, with a touch of nostalgia.

 4.  What is your favorite creation?

My most recent home décor project I’m actually quite proud of! My little girl recently transitioned from a toddler bed to a big girl bed. The bed I found was functional with drawers underneath it and was the right color to match the other furniture in her room except it had black drawers which were kind of dark looking and didn’t fit.

So I decided to finally use up some scraps of paper that had been sitting in a box in my craft room. I had Izzy help me tear up all the pieces and I simply decoupaged the drawers with all the colorful scrap pieces of paper. I love how it adds so much color to her bedroom, its bright and fun – perfect for a 4 year old!

 5.  What is your biggest creative success so far and why?

Simply being a published artist is a great creative success. I have had my artwork published in over 38 publications by Stampington & Company. But being a cover artist twice for Stampington & Company’s Take Ten publication has been my greatest success.

http://artfulanthology.blogspot.com/2011/02/cover-girl-x-2.html
Thank you so much Vanessa :)

Nat