Kline Art Studio

If you love photographs and needlework, then you must check out Cornflower Blue Studio! The combination of photographs and knitted items is what caught my eye in the shop. There's a great blog to go with this shop...make sure you stop by there!

Your photographs are stunning. Where do you take most of them? There are two categories that my photographs usually fall into: location and still life. The location shots are taken wherever I find a spot with great architecture and atmosphere. I took a lot of these while living in Europe, and I loved the challenge of capturing each city's mood and style. The still life photographs are taken in my home on a white background using natural light, which gives them a fresh, clean look.

I love the photos of the common household objects. What made you take those? The still life photos started with a Macro Challenge project started by another blogger. I was participating, posting a new close-up shot on my website each day. It made me really focus in on objects and see the abstract shapes and patterns that could be coaxed out of even the most mundane objects around the house.

You also have needlework pieces on your etsy site, some that are from your own original patterns. Is it difficult to write your own pattern? Writing patterns is not easy, but I usually stick to basic shapes and stitches to make it easier on myself! I usually start by drawing a diagram and making some basic measurements for the finished piece. Then I make a few samples so I work out the kinks and any potential problems. After that, I'm usually comfortable enough to write the pattern without any problems.

Along with your etsy shop you have a blog. On it you offer patterns and progress of current work, among other things. What made you start this part of your on-line presence? I started showing works in progress and patterns because I love seeing those types of things on other blogs - I was reading crafty blogs way before I became a blogger myself! Also, I tend to work on more than one project at once, so I may have 3 WIP's, but no finished projects to show!

Do you sell through any other venues? Etsy is the only online venue that I sell through, but I have work in two galleries right now - Fact & Fancy in Brooklyn, NY and Dahlia's Gallery & Boutique in Tucson, AZ. I'm also going to be in some artisan fairs this year, which I'm really excited about!

Tell me something about you. I love animals and became a vegetarian about a year ago. This has led me to incorporate a lot more organic and vegan materials into my fiber work.

Do you create daily? Yes! I have a loose schedule that I try to stick to each day, which includes art time first thing in the morning. Making it a priority is really important because it's easy to fall into an "I'm too busy right now" rut. Keeping the creative juices flowing every day makes it easy to see possibilities and ideas everywhere - I got an idea for one of my pieces on the way to the grocery store!

Do you plan and plot your creations or do you work by the seat of your pants? A lot of it is done by the seat of my pants. For the photography, I see something and make snap decisions about angles, lighting, etc. I like it to be instinctual and have an emotional appeal, so working fast is best for me. With many of my fiber pieces the designs are abstract, so I start with a general shape and inspiration in mind. After that, all bets are off and I work in a free form manner.

Describe your studio. My studio is the dining room nook of my apartment! It small, but it has everything I need. A big table to work on, my laptop and printer, sewing machine, wall mounted shelves, and a bulletin board to hold notes and sketches. I also have a rolling cart to hold sample photographic prints and shipping supplies. The key to having a home studio is organization, that way it doesn't take over the rest of your house!