Katharina has a very colourful artist practice. She writes, paints, makes music and likes to express herself in many ways. CREATIVE PLAY is a way to connect with herself and with the world.

 

Carrie: What is your earliest creative memory?

Good question. I remember making butterflies in the kindergarten. We put colour on a paper and folded it.

Carrie: How would you describe your art?

With my art I want to spread creative sparks, give some kind of inspiration, make people feel joy and play and a sense of homecoming. With my “Live your Expression” paintings, I want to remind people of their soul-home and encourage them to live self-expression. The technique I tend to use for my paintings are acrylic paint, watercolour or mixed media. My paintings often have a whimsical style. My favourite images are flowers, trees, animals, ornaments…

Carrie: In addition to your paintings, you’ve written and illustrated a children’s book. Tell us about the work and your experience creating it?

The idea for my children´s book “Luno is sad” came to me while looking at an elephant drawing in my sketchbook. I like to develop characters based on animals. The story is about the sad elephant Luno that walks through king Lazybird´s forest. Nothing and nobody is able to cheer him up, until the animals of the forest learn to accept Luno´s sadness.

Inspired by a copic marker workshop I decided to use this technique for the illustrations. Copic markers are quite expensive but once you know how to use them, it´s quite fun. One advantage is that you don´t have to wait until the water gets dry, as it is the case with watercolours.

In April 2011 “Luno is sad” was first published as an ebook.

In July 2011 I attended a Vipassana meditation course. Vipassana is about acceptance. If something is unpleasant we tend to fight against it but everything we fight against even gets worse. That is also the case with sadness. Acceptance helps us to deal with difficult emotions. I was astonished that this is what my children´s book “Luno is sad” is about.

Making the book was lots of work but I also had lots of fun! I am happy and grateful for what I´ve experienced through making it. For some time Luno and the other characters were my best friends! 🙂

The children´s book is available in German and English as paperback and ebook on Amazon.

Carrie: Can you describe your creative process to readers?

I experienced that the creative moment is often an unexpected one. It´s not ambition that takes me there, rather a sense of PLAY or NOTHINGNESS. Playtime is very important for my creative process. When I am creative I feel connected with my inner child. I like to scribble and to make notes…  I always have a small book with me where I can write down what comes to my mind.

Sometimes I also make records (especially for my music) In my experience, ideas and inspiration can come anytime. Sometimes the simplest activities such as folding the laundry can be a moment of full inspiration…

Carrie: What does your workspace look like?

I keep my art supply in a box. While I am creative I can be very messy. I do not have much space in my apartment but I make the best out what I have. My creativity is more important to me than having a perfect clean apartment. I would like to have a separate room for my art but I don´t complain. I think it´s better to make the best out what we have!

Carrie: What are important strategies or choices you make that help support your creative process?

As chaotic creative it´s very important for me to have some structure. I schedule my creative time and try to keep some regularity. It´s important for me to commit to my art and I can not always listen to my mood. Sometimes I get in the mood while painting, writing, etc…

Carrie: How do you know when an artwork is finished?

I ask myself “Does it really need more?”

I don´t want to overwork an artwork and I stop when I feel there is nothing more to add. I can always go back and add something if I feel it needs something more…

Carrie: What is the first thing you do when you feel stuck working on an artwork?

If I am really stuck I leave it for a while. In the past I often tried and tried with much effort. But in my experience, it´s better to leave the painting and come back another time.

It´s interesting how much leaving a painting and coming back another time can help… It´s not always easy for me as I like things to be fixed. But letting go can in fact be very refreshing! It feels to me as if the painting works inside of me and when I come back everything goes easier…

Carrie:  What has been one hurdle you’ve overcome as a creative and how did you navigate that problem?

I am a recovering perfectionist. It´s very important for me to allow myself to make mistakes. Mistakes are a part of growing as an artist. When we celebrate our mistakes and not see them as failure we start to dare more. It´s still something I need to work on 🙂

Carrie: You were a recent member of my community The Circle. Can you describe one or two benefits you experienced from being part of the program?

The Circle helped me to grow as an artist. Not only did I find out more about my art and about my personality, I also gained a lot self-confidence to call myself artist! It´s amazing how tools like the artist family tree informs my art.

All the exercises are helpful and insightful.  I very much appreciate the tools that help me to organize as an artist. I would like to promote my work to an audience and The Circle shows great ways how to do so. I am now organizing my first exhibition and I am really happy to do so 🙂

Carrie:  What is one creative resource you can’t live without?

“Steal like an Artist” by Austin Kleon.

Carrie: Who/what inspires you?

People who are in touch with their heart, who are purely expressive and follow their own path in life…

Carrie:  What does the word artist mean to you?

For me artists are people who follow ideas, find solutions, express their personality, their thoughts and truth. People who look behind facades and are free from the emotional-mental-social pressure of society.

There is an artist in everyone of us and that everyone can awake their inner artist.

Be Creatively Courageous: What kind of play do you engage in to connect with your inner artist? Me? I like to blow bubbles 🙂

 

 

Additional Contact Info:

Website:

www.penandstrings.com

www.patreon.com/penandstrings

penandstrings@gmail.com