Our very talented art mom, Christine Griffin, was just interviewed over at Artemisia, a new blog that features ‘fantastic art from a female perspective.’

The blogs creators, Melissa Findley and Louisa Gallie created Artemisia to give exposure to female artists working the field of fantasy art, as well as share their love of “art, men” and “speculative fiction.” It’s definitely a blog to add to your reader if you’re interested in any of the above topics!

In the interview, Cris talks about the her work, and about what it’s like to be a female artist working in the fantasy art and game industry. She also talks about the challenges of being a freelance artist and mom.

So please hop on over to Artemisia and give it a read!

I finally found a little sketchbook that I can take with me everywhere! It’s just the right size to stick in my purse. It’s loaded with thick textured pages, perfect for my doodling. Each sheet of paper is also perforated so I can tear them out if I’d like.. oh that’s just fancy, I say!

I think it’s adorable - spirals and all!

I really don’t find that I need to draw on the go, but having the opportunity seems to prevent the ideas from getting lost. I rarely have the time to just sit and draw “just because”. However, I often find myself sitting and waiting while the kids are at practice or lessons whatever activity I’m most recently designated driver for “mom’s bus”. So now I can draw when the urge hits me (assuming I brought a pencil). Note to self, stash packs of sketch pencils in car.

One of the greastest things about the size, because it’s small enough to stash in my purse, the kids won’t see it sitting out, so I don’t have to share it. I don’t know what it is about my paper looking more exciting than their own. I buy countless paper packs and coloring books and notepads for my kids to color on, yet someone always seems to think mom’s paper is better. Maybe this sketchbook has hope of belonging just to mom.

I think I’m most excited because it’s been years since I carried around a sketchbook. I do most of my drawing directly onto the computer via a Wacom tablet and digital pen. To me, there is something very special, very warming about a textured piece of paper and a good quality pencil in hand. It feels so much more artist, authentic to me. Digital drawing doesn’t lend itself to anything tangible in the process. There are no graphite smudges left on my shirtsleeves nor anything to flip through and touch.. not until the piece is printed. These days I rarely print out anything I create.. it goes straight from digital design to manufacturing.

I’ve missed having a sketchbook, I think we’ll become good friends.

Well maybe it’s here, if I can remember what IT is and where HERE was or something like that.

Ever have one of those days?

I have a recurring schedule of “those days”… regularly.

I often find myself coming up with ideas or brainstorming with friends and although I think its a new exciting thought, it’s really a repeat of a brilliant moment I had previously. Or sometimes I’m sure I already did - whatever it was - only to find out I thought I did it and really didn’t even start it. This blog post is a perfect example. For a week or so I keep thinking “oh I need to share that idea……” and apparently that’s as far as I’ve gotten.

Why do our minds work like this? Is it the fault of the over thinking, the too much to do, the lack of sleep or a combination? I’d vote for the combination, but I don’t recall being this absent minded in college and I got half the sleep then than I do now. Maybe it’s the increase of blood to my braincells. I’m serious. I must bend over at least 50 times a day to pick up whatever was thrown or dropped or spilled by someone other than myself.

That’s got to be it…Too much blood rushing to the brain causes forgetfulness and disorganization.

I wonder if next week I can think up a cure for chickenpox while I’m looking for that 11th missing sock.