Monday, August 29, 2011

Interview in Vienna

Postcard from Vienna by Stephanie Levy


Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting with talented artist and traveler, Stephanie Levy.  Stephanie has embarked upon a 12 Countries in 12 Months project.  She will travel to a new European city each month for a year, interviewing creative people, learning about their environments, and chronicling her journey.  What a great idea!

Me and Ally at Kunsthauswien

Vienna was Stephanie’s first stop.  Lucky me!  My friend, Ally, and I met up with Stephanie at one of my favorite places in Vienna, the Kunsthauswien.  I brought a load of baskets with me and spent some time sharing my process.  

If you have a few minutes, check out the full interview!

To see more of Stephanie's wonderful pieces, visit her Etsy shop.




Saturday, August 6, 2011

The Art in Artichokes

Photo by Alene Mazzuca


I am home, surrounded by fields of lettuce, broccoli, strawberries, and of course...  Artichokes!  Home is Castroville, California, the artichoke center of the world.  Green fields of artichokes surround my parent’s home here, the heads of the thorny globe popping up towards the sky.

Photo by Alene Mazzuca


We are all influenced by our environment.  For my family, vegetables and the commerce that surrounds them are a part of who we are.  We grow up watching the fields change from tilled soil to long green rows of vegetables.  Earthy browns disappear, replaced by rich greens.


Photo by Alene Mazzuca

Photo by Alene Mazzuca

My talented sister has embraced this environment in a beautiful and creative way. She recently went out into the fields with her camera to photograph the artichoke pickers.


Photo by Alene Mazzuca

Photo by Alene Mazzuca

She then transformed the images she captured, creating a tapestry of colors and textures.  The artichoke picker becomes art.

Tapestry and photo by Alene Mazzuca

More details...


Tapestry and photo by Alene Mazzuca

Tapestry and photo by Alene Mazzuca

Tapestry and photo by Alene Mazzuca


Our world and our experiences shape us.

How has your environment influenced you?  How does it impact what you create in your life?