Tea and Cake with Gracie featuring Violette Clark

Hi Guys! Welcome to a series we run on the blog called: Tea & Cake with Gracie :) My awesome friend and colleague Gracie Howle interviews inspiring artists and posts the interviews (including some free offers not published elsewhere before) here on the blog every 2 months or so. I love to create art and bring amazing artists & people together in my classes, in person and on social media. As part of this drive, I want to help bring more exposure to some of the amazing artists out there! Today Gracie’s interviewing Violette Clark. Make sure you check out Violette’s giveaway, free video tutorial and gift for you below! Tam xoxo

If you love Artist Interviews make sure you read the previous Tea and Cake with Gracie ones – click on artist’s name to go to their interview: Melissa Dinwiddie / Tascha Parkinson / Susana Tavares / Lynn Whipple / Karine Bossé / Jenny Grant / France Papillon / Jenny Wentworth / Kristin Dudish / Rachael Rice / Angela Kennedy (Pennystamper) / Andrea Gomoll

Hello! Gracie here :) I hope your February was AWESOME! Spring is starting to show here in the South of England, little bulbs are starting to peep up in the grass and I’m keeping my eye out for the first daffodil, that always says to me ‘winter is over’! :) Take some time now with your feet up, grab your tea / coffee / kombucha / drink of choice :) …and read about Violette Clark in the interview below. Enjoy! :)

1. Welcome Violette! Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

My name is Violette Clark – I live in gorgeous Sechelt, B.C. Canada right near the water and mountains. It’s such a quiet peaceful spot that I am forever grateful for. I was born in Casablanca Morocco but have lived in Canada most of my life. Perhaps that’s where I got my love of colour, pattern and glitter! I’m inspired by the scenery, the peace, forests and ocean here. I’m a Mom of 2 and grandmother of 3 lovely boys who call me meme! One thing I would love to share is how much art saves lives. It has saved my life – In particular art journaling. Art journaling is something I stumbled upon many years ago and when I found out how it could elevate my spirit and make me happy I became an art journal evangelist! I shared everything I knew on my blog and through various online platforms as well as through online classes such as life book and 21 Secrets. It was such a blessing to witness how art journaling transformed many other lives as well. Soon I will be teaching a couple of live art journaling workshops in my community.

Violette’s giving away 2 of her “Love who you are” dog tag necklaces, 5 postcards and 3 bookmarks to one lucky reader! :D

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED * GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED:

Thank you to everyone for joining in the giveaway and for your comments! The randomly drawn winner is:

Christina Condy

who said:

Congratulations Christina! :)

Violette’s created this, brand new and just for us, art video: ‘Fun with Caricatures’:

(Click the ‘play button’ to watch this video or click on the review link here: Review Link)

Violette’s offering all you lovely readers the gorgeous print below too :) (Pls note this print is to use and share for personal use only and, if you’re reposting online or on social media, we’d appreciate it if you include a reference link to Violette’s site: www.violette.ca. Thanks for understanding!)
Download the high res version by right-clicking on the image above and choose ‘save target as’ / ‘download linked file as’ or download from this link: BelievePrintVioletteClark.JPG

Learn more about Violette by reading the following interview:

2. When you taught on Life Book 2015 you gave us a tour of your ‘Magic Cottage‘ where you used to create and make your art. You say ‘wherever you live it should be an expression of who you are’. You’ve recently moved, can you tell us a bit about how you are making your new home into a creative space and expression of who you are?

Yes – to me art is not just about creating small art pieces – it’s about the way you live your life, how you decorate your home and yard and how you dress. We moved from the Magic Cottage 6 months ago and bought a home in a quiet seaside village in a fairly conservative neighbourhood. Very slowly I am beginning to transform my home into a place which reflects who I am. The yard has my garden art in it, silverware chandelier and lately a big wooden heart with the words “You are loved” painted on it to greet passerbys with a sweet message. Soon there will be a Peace pole with our address and other whimsical embellishments in the front yard. My home is filledwith my art, two of my painted doors and 100’s and 100’s of beloved books. So it totally does express who I am but maybe in a bit subtler way. I am 62 years old and as I age I am seeking more peace and not as much crazy colour everywhere – although I still do have my colourful art around. I am focusing more on how to combine my spirituality and art and how to share that with the world.

3. You released the book: ‘Journal Bliss: Creative Prompts to Unleash Your Inner Eccentric‘. Can you tell us a a bit about that? Will you be releasing anymore books in the future?

As I mentioned above when I discovered art journaling many years ago I became a fanatic and wanted to share it with as many people as I could – I shared it on my blog, with my newsletter subscribers, through e-magazines, real life magazines, other peoples books and eventually my own book – Journal Bliss. My book was all about how to art journal and the joys of doing so. It was one of the earliest Art Journaling books. I am very proud of it. Today you can find many others on the topic. I don’t have any plans to release anymore books in the future – however I never say never! If I could team up with someone on the same wavelength that would be great. it would have to be a book which encompasses spirituality and art.

4. If you had to choose three art supplies, what three would you choose and why?

The three art supplies I would choose are: Micron pens (I adore them!), watercolour pencil crayons or plain pencil crayons, watercolours or twinkling H2O’s. I don’t feel you need very many art supplies to create. I find it overwhelming how many art supplies there are these days, more and more are being released every day. Since I have moved to a smaller place I have challenged myself to make do with what I have since I have little storage in my new home. These three supplies do not take up too much space thankfully. I do also use acrylic paints and washi tape, and some felt pens like tombow markers. But seriously if you are a beginning art journaler don’t go out and spend a fortune – start with a few supplies and see what fits with what you are creating. Challenge yourself to create with only a few different supplies. The three supplies I have listed are the ones I return to again and again.

5. What’s your ‘go to’ when your creative mojo needs a boost?

When my creative mojo needs a boost I usually change things up and go for a walk in my quiet neighbourhood or go visit my God Rock which is a rock I love to stand on by the ocean – it’s only a 5 minute drive away. Being in nature rejuvenates my spirit and helps me get in touch with that which is truly important in my life. I also love to simply sit with a journal and a pencil and begin to randomly draw something – anything. Often that’s when magic happens. That which is unexpressed or wants to come out (unbeknownst to my conscious mind) spills onto the page! It’s awesome!