Interviews With Creative People Page Two

Click on a person's name or image to read that article: (images copyright original owner)

Tom Atkins, Creativity & Spiritual Gifts

Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Illustrator

Freeman Ng, Creator of Pearl Cards, the collaborative storytelling card game 

 Mikki Senkarik, painter of "Billboards of Happiness"

Jackson Tarver, Painter of "visions of fantasy"

Andre West, Dream Quest One Writer's Contests

These interviews may not be reproduced without including the following credit: copyright Gregory Huff. Please visit www.CreativeHelps.com for more interviews like this and many other resources designed to energize your creativity.

ANOTHER COLORFUL LIFE ~ FREEMAN NG

Freeman Ng is the creator of Pearl Cards, a creative, collaborative storytelling card game that is so much fun to play! You can read my review of this engaging and thought-provoking card game at CreativeHelps.com Product Reviews Blog entry 3/22/10.

What is the role of telling stories in your life?

I've been writing poetry and short fiction since my high school days, and in the past few years completed a pair of young adult novels that I'm currently shopping around to publishers.

What is your life’s passion, and how did you use it to create your cards?

It's all about the writing. The game is really just a variation on exercises I've done many times in writing groups I've belonged to over the years. In some of them, you pick a random picture from a magazine or a random word from the dictionary and do a free write based on it. In others, the group members take turns writing a collaborative story. The game combines both of these techniques.

 What was your goal in creating Pearl Cards?

Originally, it was a Christmas present for a friend and his family. I created one deck using one of those print-your-own-playing-cards kits. When I saw how much they enjoyed it, I realized it could become a commercial product. I love the idea of the kind of fun that it's bringing to those who play it: creative, artistic, and cooperative.

Describe the process of having your idea go from dream to reality. How long did you have the idea before you acted on it? What were some of the challenges and surprises in the journey? Were there any creative ways you employed to cover the cost of your cards from concept to reality?

I started working on it right way, and finally launched the business nearly two years later. It was a long haul! The hardest part was committing to work on it every day, even if it was just finding one more image or writing a few more lines of code or sending out a query email to one more printer. In that respect, it was very like writing my two novels. (One of which took me five years to write!) You have to have faith that if you keep working at it, however slowly, you will reach your goal.

 How did you select the images for the decks? Did you review hundreds of images, or you already had some in mind when you selected those for the decks? Was it difficult to get permission for image use?

All the current images are public domain, so there were no permissions issues. Finding them was far from easy, though. They had to be public domain; not too dependent on small details that might not show up well printed on the cards, contain subject matter conducive to game play, and be artistically interesting. I easily spent over a hundred hours, spread across three or four months, browsing through tens of thousands of images on sites like Wikimedia Commons.

Are you an artist yourself? What kind of creative work do you do?

I've only ever created one good bit of visual art, a small watercolor piece illustrating a children's ballad I wrote. I may never produce something that good again! Almost all my creative energy is devoted to my writing.

Was the creation of the game a collaborative or individual effort?

Individual. I was lucky in that I had all resources needed to do everything myself: the programming skills to create the website and the online games, the artistic judgment (in my humble opinion) to select good images for the cards, and (barely) enough money saved up to place the initial order from the printer.

Was the original deck different than the current deck? If so, in what ways?

The deck didn't change much, but the big development was the idea for the free online games. It came very late in the process, and at first, I saw them only as ways for a potential customer to try out the game before buying. Later, I realized they could be a major way of spreading awareness of the game, since people would invite their friends to play with them, and then those friends might invite other friends, etc. That's when I got more serious about them and added the Facebook version, and they ended up taking as much or more of my time and energy as the cards themselves.

Did you test the cards with a focus group? If so, what were the results?

I didn't do as much testing as I probably should have. I played the game in all its forms with a small handful of friends and family members, but their input was very valuable in deciding on the final features of the online games, and the fun I had with them was instrumental in deciding that the game itself was a viable product.

Was it difficult to find a card printer?

It was. In particular, I tried and tried to find a printer located in the United States and couldn't. The few US based companies I found did all their printing of big jobs overseas. Secondarily, I wanted to be as environmentally friendly as possible and use recycled paper and relatively cleaner plastic coating processes, but that proved to be impossible as well. There just aren't that many playing card printers that can do jobs at the volumes I needed, and they're all outside the US and don't offer greener production options.

What ways do you market the cards and what methods have been successful?

I'm still searching for the best way. Right now, the free online games are probably the most effective marketing mechanisms. I've tried some online advertising through Google, Facebook, and directly with a couple of websites, but that hasn't worked as well. I think the problem is that the game is so unique that no one online is actually looking for it. It's not like furniture, where there are people looking specifically to buy furniture and you can reach them with your furniture store ad and secure a sale. With Pearl Cards, potential customers have to be educated about the game before they can even decide if they want it. That's why the online games have worked best so far.

What kinds of positive feedback have you received from players of Pearl Cards? Do people respond the way you intended?

The one negative thing I've learned from player feedback is that a single slow player can really drag down the Facebook version of the game. Games can just die waiting for a tardy player to play the turn. Even if they eventually do, the momentum is gone by then. I need to figure out better ways of handling that case. The generic web-based game currently skips your turn automatically if you wait too long to play it, and I may need to implement something like that for the facebook version as well.

The best feedback I've gotten is from someone using the game to keep in touch with her nephews who live in another country. She said that direct email correspondence tends to be stiff and uninformative. ("How have you been?" "Good." "How's school been?" "Fine.") But with the game, "we're exploring the world together and jointly creating a new one. It's vastly more rewarding."

Have you created other games?

Nothing else of note so far. I do have plans to create iPhone and Android versions of the game, and then perhaps branch out to do some other games for those platforms.

What creative games do you like to play? What creative games inspire you?

I play chess, Go, and backgammon, which are not very like Pearl Cards! They all demand a kind of creativity, though, and Go does have a certain visual beauty.

What practical advice would you give to someone who wants to create their own card game? How should a person prepare their idea for printing?

Be very careful who you end up contracting various bits of work to. Because you'll almost certainly have to work with companies in different cities, states, or countries from you, you'll need to work extra hard to evaluate their competence and responsiveness before you commit to them. I only selected my printer and fulfillment service after extended correspondence with multiple candidates that stretched across many months, for example, and yet, I'm not entirely happy with the printer, and actually had to switch fulfillment services about a month after my official launch.

Contact information: www.PearlCards.com

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ANOTHER COLORFUL LIFE ~ VANESSA BRANTLEY-NEWTON

Freelance illustrator is only one of the many titles for my friend, Vanessa Brantley-Newton. She is also a fulltime Mom, wife, and writer. Her illustrations (and the short vignettes that accompany many of them on her blog) capture the essence of the ideal childhood: fantasy, imagination, joy, color, spontaneity, and curiosity.

What is your favorite medium and how did you choose it? Gosh, I only get to choose one??? He, he, he!! I love so many, and I would have to be honest and say I love pen and ink and watercolor. I am a retro girl. I’m a child of the 60s and so I love the old ads found in magazines and old ad books. That stuff really speaks to me. I love the bold, thin and thick lines you get with ink and brush or quill pen. It’s beautiful, and I love the use of watercolor and gouaches to bring it all together. Before I started doing computer generated illustration, I always worked in pen and ink, and still do. It comes pretty easy for me that way. It’s something about the imperfect lines and all that really does it for me.

What inspires you? What do you look for in a subject? Children inspire me to no end. I love the giggles and screams of children at play. I love the fact that they don’t need a whole lot to make them happy. When encouraged and allowed, their imaginations can evoke characters to be explored and opportunities to be sketched. City scenes also inspire me. I love to look at skylines from different angles. Anything French is another subject for me.

What is unusual about your technique?  Not much. Though I would say I find I have to draw an illustration when I am feeling good and happy. I find that when I’m not in a good place my art becomes tight and overworked. I like to keep it loose, free and very quirky!

What artist(s) do you identify with most and why? Most of the artists that I really love and identify with are no longer with us I should say, he, he, he! Ezra Jack Keats, (The Snowy Day, Whistle for Willy, Pet Shop) is one of my favorite artists of all time. I identify with his subject matter. He lived in the inner city with children who were African and Hispanic American. He watched them at school and at play, and in their environment. He created stories and scenes that depicted them in a different light. He made the inner city a safe place; a place of stories and beautiful images, and happy and sad moments created from collage. I was raised in Newark, NJ and I went to school in Newark public schools. I look at his pictures and I see myself as a child. I see the buildings and the faces of other children that I went to school with. I see my Mom and Dad in the illustrations as well. His illustrations bring much comfort and tell us, “There is beauty even in the ghetto.”

Tell us a story about your development as an artist. Describe a moment in your life that significantly impacted your art (for example: life events changed your subject matter, plein air class, birth of child, etc.). I have always been an artist, I guess. I did my first masterpiece on the side of my parent’s kitchen stove. Sadly the piece melted while dinner was being cooked, he, he, he! My parents always knew I would much rather draw than talk or play. I could create my own world.

I knew that I wanted to be an artist when I met this teacher in kindergarten who came to our school. I still remember her big beautiful afro and her orange mini dress. She would sit and draw picture after picture for us. She would show us book with wonderful illustrations in them, and all I knew was that this is what I wanted to do. It came so easy and naturally for me. I was dyslexic, and back then there was really no help for students with that kind of learning difference. I never liked reading a book, but I loved to look at the pictures. The pictures made things click as far as learning is concerned, and this worked for me.

Now the moment that significantly changed my life as far as art is concerned was my husband of 15 years lost his job. I was a stay at home Mom and loving it. I would buy stuff to do a craft here or there, and make a greeting card or painting for a wedding or something, but that was it. I really had no need to get out there and do something with this art. For years people just knew me as “that girl who can really sing.” They didn’t know that there was much more to me, and I never bothered to tell them any different. Well, my husband Ray did the unemployment thingee for a few years; then there was no work. I went to work for awhile to bring in money, but none of it was lasting. During the time we were both out of work, I painted and drew and created dolls and other things to bring money into our home. My living room table looked like crazy madness!!! My husband asked me to clean up that creative heap of mess. I tried to but I never really did. One day a friend of mine came over to pray with me. She looked at my artwork and asked who did the illustration. I told her I did. She then asked me if I knew what she did for a living. I told her no. Now she and I had known each other for many years and never talked about what each other did. She later told me that she was an editor at Scholastic and wanted to take my work in to show it to a couple of editors for possible freelance work. I have been working ever since that day in children’s publishing. To God be the glory, he, he, he!

What is the most challenging part of the creative process? The most rewarding part?  Getting out the idea on to paper where I can see it the challenging part for me. It doesn't always come out like what I have in head LOL!  It’s rewarding when I have expressed the art and it's out of me.  It's like birthing a child. What has been growing inside for a time is now in front of you and you hold it in your hands. It's awesome!!!

How do you want others to respond to your work?  I would hope that it would make one happy and even cause healing.  I hear often about my work, "Oh I was feeling really sad today and I came across your artwork and I smiled for the first time in a long time" or "I laughed my face off at that piece of work!  It's hilarious!" So that is what I would like for people to feel when they encounter my work.  Laughter maketh like medicine.  Happiness and laughter.

What methods do you use to organize your time? How do you balance your creativity with the daily routines of life? He, he, he! Next question. Ha, I really have to be careful with time where I am concerned. I'm always on time.  I value time. Sometimes it's not so much me, but people around me that can take up time.  My time is very limited in this season.  I get up some mornings around 2 am and get to work while the house is nice and quiet. I have my alone time where I quiet my spirit and soul and hear from God, and begin working on whatever is before me.  I work some days for 16 hours sometimes more.  I do have a family so I really try to keep my afternoons and evening free to be with my husband Ray and daughter Zoe. This is the most important time for me so I will even put work to the side to be with my family. It gives me energy and then I can go and do whatever else needs to be done. 

Tell me about your blogs. I started my little blog about a year and a half ago.  My agent said that I needed a website, (which I am still working on) where clients could view my work. Blogging was the quickest way to do this. I could create new stuff and post it when I got finished.  It taught me how to work on crazy deadlines and how to write!! When I'm not neck deep into a project I get to blog almost everyday.  I have had well over 10 thousand people to  visit the blog some of which have been editors and art director that have hired me for work.  The oohlaladesignstudio was created to showcase my work and get feedback from my illustrator buddies.  I also belong to a couple of other artist blogs like Watercolorwednesdays, where I am an administrative assistant.  I also have a blog that I share with my sister Coy called 2geecheegirls ;and wibblywobblywoods, another artist blog. 

What has been your most rewarding project to date?  The Let Freedom Sing book, which just came out about 3 months ago, available from Barnes and Noble or the Creative Helps Store.  Let Freedom Sing is my first illustrated and written book by me!  It's published through Blue Apple Books located in Maplewood, NJ.  There is a podcast about the book on, Just One More Book.com. I am very happy about the way it turned out.

Your work has such a spirit of whimsy about it. Are you whimsical in real life? In what ways does your art connect with your inner child?  Oh my goodness YES!!!  I surround my work space with lots of whimsical things. I worked as a phlebotomist for many years 25 to be exact and seeing so much reality can really crush your creative side.  I have worked with children that died from cancer and even given birth to my own stillborn.  So I know a lot about reality and all of us need to dream and imagine for a bit.  Since I work alone, I play alone too.  I will serve myself an afternoon tea and paint that, discover a few new characters and get them onto paper, or create a stuffed animal or doll and give it personality and life. This is what I remember as a child. We had to use our imagination because our parents couldn't afford much else. I remember many hours of listening to Golden records in my room and going to Toyland in my mind he, he, he!  I can still see all the colors and textures and characters in my head and they come out in my artwork.  It's retro and fun and quirky and mine.  This is what connects me to my inner child.

Describe your current project. What would be your dream project? I am working on two projects now.  One with actress Tori Spelling and the other is my own project called, Don't let Auntie Mabel Bless the Table due out next Christmas.  My dream project would be a story about my summers spent in South Carolina Low Country with my grandparents. I would like to animate that story and do a series on the Gullah Geechee people.

Were you always an illustrator or did you wear other hats as an artist first? Of course, I have worked as a clerical person, sales person, phlebotomist and secretary for a Jewish religious school.

What is something (good or bad) no one told you about working freelance that you wish you knew ahead of time? Put lots and lot money away because your checks could take up to 60 days or more to come, he, he, he, he!!!  I can't stand it.  I do the work and hand it all in and they wait forever to pay up.  It's a pain in the patootie!! 

How would you encourage someone who has low self esteem to follow their dreams in spite of how they feel?  You know, I always get asked question. I had to walk away from some things and some people to do me.  It was hard and painful, but it was something that only I could do. I had no one rooting or cheering me on saying, "GO GIRL! YOU BETTAH WORK!"  Not even my parents.  My self esteem was in the toilet for many years.  When I lost the baby and my mother to colon cancer something broke!!  I realized that life don't owe us nothing and you better get busy living or get busy dying.  You can't do both.  I knew that I could be a people pleaser the whole of my life. It was making me ill and causing lots of other problems around me and in me.  I went and got me some help. I had no boundaries and everyone around me was just running me over and controlling my lie.  It wasn't until I saw the worth in my own self as a person!  Everyone didn't have to like me or be my friend or tell me that I was good or anything. I started saying the right things to myself.  Every morning I get up and I make my confession that I am the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, I have favor with God and man; whatever my hands touch WILL prosper, I am joyful and happy, I have everything I need!  I say it so often that I really believe all of this is true! I started loving me in all of my imperfections and shortcomings which allow me to love others and embrace them just as they are.  I have no desire to control anyone, but only encourage and I will tell that I can only encourage those who want to truly be encourage. I can't love you more or help you if you don't love and help your own self. You've got to want it as bad as I want to give it to you. Nough said.

You have many illustrated short vignettes on your Ooh La La Design Studio blog. Do you write and illustrate these vignettes daily, or are they from a collection? Why aren’t many of them signed?  I don't have the time to write them daily anymore.  When I have time I will put things together as they come to me.  I don't sign on the work because it's mine.  I know that there are people who are stealing and have stolen artwork from me, but I know that it's mine and they know that it's mine and if you can live with stealing my work, hey do yo thing.  Most of the ones who do take it try to copy or do what I do, but what I do comes from the Knower and that CANNOT be copied!! He, he, he!!  My work is signed; though I usually hide it somewhere inside the work.  I sign it because people do need to know where and who it comes from.

How would you encourage other self-taught artists to follow their heart?  I am self taught and I know many other artist out there are self taught.  One of the publishers that I am working with told me the reason why they picked me for the project was because they had read it someplace that I was self taught.  Keep doing what is in your heart, mind and soul to do.  I’m thinking that going to college or other schools to help hone what you have is wonderful and if you can afford to go by all means do go!! If you cannot afford it, don't let this stop you from applying for an agent or sending things out to a publisher.  Some of them like it because they feel that you are not tainted by the industry’s standards.  There is a freshness and freedom that comes from a self-taught artist. The approach is organic and full of energy, if you will.  Self-taught artists can oftentimes show even more creativity ‘cause they have not been subject to living in the box, but rather outside of it! 

What’s next on your creative horizon? More children's books and recording music for children.  I'm also working on putting together an artist retreat for three days of creativity and flow.  We will have speakers and hands on projects and crafts to inspire both young and old, taught and self-taught.

Contact information: Oohlaladesignstudio@gmail.com  oohlaladesignstudio.blogspot.com

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ANOTHER COLORFUL LIFE ~ Mikki Senkarik

Artist Mikki Senkarik’s paintings burst with the joy of living life to the fullest. I believe her work also brings peace and healing to any environment in which it is displayed. Her life story proves that a person can truly overcome great obstacles and emerge victorious in all aspects of life. Be sure to enjoy her website and her work. Read her life story, "Silent Scream" on her website along with this interview.

What do you look for in a subject?

Since I show my work in areas that attract tourists the first thing I try to do is capture some of the local flavor on canvas. In Napa I paint the vineyards. In Taos the feeling of the old buildings and small streams. In Myrtle Beach I paint some of the 170 golf courses. Sedona the red rocks. Palm Desert and Las Vegas I tend to go with Tuscany and Provence.

I look for a subject that connects to people visiting the areas where I sell my art. We are very commercial. We know people come to Sedona to view the red rocks and for the spiritual healing they believe they find in them. It is not for me to say if the rocks heal. I try to let the people coming to Sedona go home with a touch of what they discovered on vacation. Likewise in all of my gallery locations.

Are your subjects based on actual scenes or idealized impressions of reality?

Yes, my subjects are based on real places. When we travel I fill sketchbooks full. We also take a jillion photos. Last year we spent six weeks in Europe. I filled five big sketchbooks and Jack took over three thousand digital images. I will take a real building and put a scene from another location in the painting. We are very fortunate to have traveled the world. I have a wealth of reference information. I find my biggest problem is deciding on what idea to paint, not what AM I GOING TO PAINT? I have more ideas than I can paint in five lifetimes.

One thing I try to do is give people a romantic view of the area I'm painting. I don't paint angst. I don't paint ugly. My collectors call my paintings Billboards of Happiness.

What is unusual about your technique?

There is nothing unique about my technique. I use a double primary palette that Jack (my mate) developed. Two yellows, two blues, two reds and white. All of my paintings are made from six colors plus white. I use the largest brush possible. Many of my flowers are painted with a #18 bristle filbert. I use a great deal of paint, which gives my work texture similar to a palette knife. I paint boldly. Many people think a man painted my paintings because of the strength of my brushwork.

I paint my skies first because they set the color range. Then I block in the base painting. When I paint floors I first put the base color and then freehand the floor tiles cutting lines in the wet surface with the tip of my brush. It can be a challenge on larger pieces. Especially when I choose to do a curved sidewalk. Keeping the lines in perfect perspective freehand does take concentration.

One tip Jack taught me. We keep a large mirror behind our easels. We study the paintings in the mirror. This allows us to view the work as if someone else had painted the piece.

Have you ever created any art that dealt with the issues you bring up in your story, Silent Scream?

I have not set out to deal with Silent Scream in my art. When I first started painting all of my doors were closed. Slowly I opened one door and then both. Now I paint vistas. I think I was afraid of what was behind the door. As I healed and grew I was able to open up. I was not aware of this until one of my collectors saw the changes and brought them to our attention.

Seldom a week passes that I don't deal with some artist who is facing a similar story as mine. That is one of the reasons we posted such a graphic and open story on my Website. I wanted to help those hurting and tell them there is hope. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Someone says to you, "There have been times in my life when I've felt like I was taking up space on the planet for no reason, like I was in everyone's way. I just don't feel like my art or my life really matter to anyone." What would you say to encourage them?

We get similar messages several times a week. The messages mostly come to Jack because of his articles and books. Frankly I cannot understand how anyone could feel they are just taking up space. That their art doesn't count. I have seen Jack write mini books to depressed artists. There is no one patented answer for all. Each person has individual needs. We take the time to answer to the best of our ability all who come to us. We point out the God didn't make a mistake when He allowed them to be born. Rejection is part of being an artist. We all suffer rejection if we try to do anything. I tell them those doing the rejecting are not being personal. Some people love what I do and don't care for Jack's high detail work. On the other hand others think he is a Master and my work okay. We don't allow peoples choices to affect us.

To answer your question, "What would you say to encourage them?" Each case has to be answered according to their fears and needs. In the body of the message we will give them hope and do our best to show them this too shall pass.

In your story you mention a point where you switched from painting horses to painting florals and scenery. Was it difficult to switch genres mid stream?

Not at all. In fact switching for equine to my current voice was liberating. I no longer had to paint perfect paintings. I could grow flowers out of season. I could put the Big Sur out my front door. My number one goal was to produce art that connected with people. Unless my art connected with enough people then we would not earn a living making and selling art. Frankly it doesn't matter what I paint. I just love the feel of a brush full of pigments against a fresh canvas. If we won the Lottery I'm confident Jack and I would both keep on painting.

What is the most challenging part of the creative process?

I find it interesting you use the challenge of the creative process. I personally don't think we create. To create is to make something from nothing. I simply put parts together. In my seventeen years as a fulltime easel painter I have never once had a painters block. Perhaps I'm lucky. I go to bed knowing the next morning what I'm going to be working on. We keep a board with my gallery's inventory. I can glance and see who needs what. Knowing I have a commission or one of my galleries is getting below the magic number stirs my painting juices. We have found the ideal number is for me to keep between 5 and 9 originals in a gallery. Under 5 and the sales slow. Over 9 and they slow. The past seven or eight years I have never been able to get any gallery 9 pieces. I paint about 175 originals a year and we sell that number. Most of my work sells before the paint dries.

The most rewarding part?

When I pull the masking take protecting my signature framing. Perhaps that is not entirely true. I get pretty pumped when I get a fax or email saying a piece has sold. The ultimate test is someone liking what we do well enough to spend their hard earned money to purchase what we make.

How has living is so many wonderful places inspired and informed your work?

I cannot say living in the exotic places inspire my work. I painted one of my best pieces in a motel room. I would be not truthful if I didn't admit living at the tourist destinations has been fun. I don’t draw inspiration from locations but from the blank canvas. We get up and go to work. There are days when I start I'm not all that revved up but I keep on painting and in an hour or so I'm deep into the mood. I think artist inspiration is a big myth. It is a cop out for those wanting an excuse not to produce. I am a professional and I produce. If I were a professional athlete I would be expected to perform at my maximum each game. Well, painting is my playing field.

What would you say to someone who compares your art to Thomas Kinkade?

I would take that as a compliment. Thomas Kinkade is an excellent draftsman and skilled painter. I wouldn't like to be compared to his mass marketing. I have no problem with Thom. I do know he has recently had to admit to heavy drinking and womanizing. I would not want to be associated with his darker side. But if someone told me I was equal to Kinkade as an easel painter I would take that as a compliment. It is easy to throw rocks when someone like Thom lives in such a big glass house.

How do you see your artwork evolving in the years ahead?

I strive to improve with each painting. One either grows or withers up. As I have matured my work has improved. The first 90% is easy to see. The last 10% is what separates us from the masters of the past. I am still young and plan to keep on growing until the end. Each time I finish a painting and after it is shipped Jack and I go over the image and talk about what I could have done better or different. My goal is to be the very best I can be. My only competition is with myself. To improve we must be willing to look at our work from an outsider's eye. That is not easy because we tend to think our babies are cute no matter how ugly. This is why I'm so lucky to have a mate who is a true master artist at my side. He is m biggest fan but also my toughest critic. Nothing escapes his eagle eyes.

We are currently putting together my second tabletop art book. This book will be much larger than my first book. The Senkarik Signature Collection #2 will be 192 pages on 200# paper. In the new book I have added scores of pen and ink sketches delineating our travels. Lots of travel photos of Jack and me in dream locations with the remainder of the book filled with oil paintings.

My biggest scare came two years ago when doctors discovered cancer in Jack. He is my world and I'm his. We tell people we are a world of two. I am thankful to God for sparing him and letting me have my soul mate for many more years to come. As long as we have each other no enemy can defeat us. No art economy can be too slow. No negative outside influence can touch us.

Contact information: www.senkarik.com    senkarikart@SBCGlobal.net 

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ANOTHER COLORFUL LIFE ~ TOM ATKINS

Tom Atkins is truly a man of many talents. From teaching to ministry to media consulting to blogging, this man sometimes finds it difficult to describe what he does to others in a concise sentence. I would simply call him a master juggler. An important part of his ministry is teaching others about the relationship between creativity and their spiritual gifts.

How did teaching creativity and spiritual gifts become so important to you?

About ten years ago, I was asked to teach a class on spiritual gifts. I had never studied them before and took a lot of time to develop the course. When I finally got to teach it, the transformation in the group of students (all of whom were young adults) was astonishing. For the first time, they realized that they were created with a specific purpose in mind. And when they applied their gifts to life, work and ministry, they found themselves happier and more fulfilled. Watching that transformation made a profound impact on me and I began to regularly lead groups.

Creativity came out of that same experience. I am a creative person by nature - an artist, poet, and writer. And as I began to watch people, I saw their creativity grow too. Since God is in his essence, the creator, lessons on unleashing that creativity became part of what I taught.

What is the definition of "spiritual gift?"

It's a biblical term, actually, and I use it that way. According to the New Testament, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit gives us sixteen different gifts that are specifically for building the church and uplifting believers. The idea is that God asks things of us, but he also equips us to do those things by giving us the gifts to do what he asks.

These gifts can be used for other things of course, for instance, the gift of teaching can be used to teach quantum mechanics as well as new testament theology. And it's Ok (probably good) to use them elsewhere, as long as we don't neglect their purpose.

What is the difference between a spiritual gift and a vocational gift? Is it more than a process of finding out what you're good at or taking a career assessment test?

The difference is that a spiritual gift comes from God (the Holy Spirit) and is given to us to help us do God's work, whereas a vocational gift or some other talent may be (and because I am a Christian, I think is) from God, but may not be given us for a specific task that God has for us.

There are several good ways to learn your gifts. I do it through workshops and such, where I lead people through each gift and tell them for things to look for in their lives.

Often too, asking the people close to you if they see specific gifts in us can help. It's amazing how rarely we see a gift in ourselves that people around us see clearly and strongly.

And there are several self-evaluations on the web and in print. I often use: Finding Your Spiritual Gifts: Wagner-Modified Houts Questionnaire which I get from Amazon.com in bulk for workshops, classes, etc.

What is the relationship between creativity and spiritual gifts?

First, they both have their source in God. God is called by the name creator in the bible more than by any other name. It stands to reason that if he created us in his image, we too will be the creator. And spiritual gifts are very specifically given to us by the Holy Spirit, one of the three manifestations of God in the bible.

Second, they are innate. Everyone has both. We may not develop them, but they are there in each of us. In over ten years of teaching, I have never had a single person leave a class not seeing and understanding that they have a specific gift.

What do you say to the person who believes he/she has no spiritual gift?

They are wrong. Period. We all have spiritual gifts. Most of us have two or three that are strong in, and a couple more that are less strong but still presence.

Many of us have trouble seeing our own gifts, but put that same person in a group of friends and the friends almost always see the gifts. That's why I like teaching Spiritual Gifts to smaller groups that know each other well, because they help each other see their gifts.

How does knowing God’s will for your life change the way you live?

Knowing God's will gives you purpose. At the same time, it makes doing God's will easier. If you apply your gifts to God's work, it becomes a joy, not a burden. Why? Simply because you are doing what you are made to do. You are being fulfilled as a person at the same time that you are doing God's work here. I believe that's what God planned, and that it's part of what Jesus speaks of when he talks about an abundant life - a life with joy that also is within God's will.

In what ways are time management, achieving balance, and organization pivotal to your mission?

Huge. I run an engineering business, a creative consultancy, a ministry, and I have a family, and I am active in my church. Balance and managing my time is important. It took years to find that balance, I have to admit.

What are 3 general principles that, if practiced, can help lay the foundation for success in business?

First, do what you have a passion for. Otherwise, it is a burden and at some point you will crash and burn. If you have a passion, the long hours and work have purpose and bring you joy. If you don't, they will wear you out and drain you.

Second, tell people what you do. Marketing 101. I went to a seminar recently held by SunTrust bank. They had done an exhaustive study of small businesses that had grown consistently at 20% or more for 5 years running, looking for commonalities. Their thought was that knowing what they had in common could help other companies generate that same level of growth. The one thing that they all had in common is that they spent resources on marketing.

Third, and this is my whole philosophy of business: Business is about promises made and promises kept. Never forget that and you'll develop customers that will take care of you as well as you take care of them.

In your opinion, is there a trend of churches becoming more creative in their ministry and outreach?

It's mixed. The new "community church" movement is developing a lot of creativity, and a few individual mainline churches are. But it's spotty. Many churches still look on creativity as a dangerous thing. But my reading of the bible and of history is that the early church was very creative in everything they did. There was remarkable diversity there, and the church flourished and spread in those early days, even in the midst of great persecution.

Why? Creativity solves problems, but it also draws people to you. A creative church, and by this I don't just mean a contemporary worship experience, but creativity applied to the whole church experience, will be attractive to many, many people who are not normally church goers, but have deep spiritual needs.

You are a man of many talents. Do you find that naming each individual talent interferes with your ability to transition smoothly between them all, or are they all connected and how?

To me, they are inseparable. I tried to compartmentalize them for many years, and that never worked. It wasn't until I accepted that God had made me this way, and that I needed to accept myself as a whole and share myself as a whole, that life began to click for me. And doing that has allowed me to bring creativity into my technology work, and spirituality into all my work. it allows me to bring my technology and business side to church. As a result, it's a much richer experience for me and the people I touch.

What is the most frustrating thing about being multitalented, and how do you deal with it?

The only frustrating thing is trying to tell people what I do in a neat phrase. Twenty years into it, I still don't know what to say when someone asks me what I do.

What are a few of the testimonials you’ve heard from your clients regarding your retreats?

I love it when someone stops me on the street, and introduces me to whoever they are with, and then goes on and on about what I did for them. It doesn't matter to me what it's about, hearing that kind of personal testimony is a joyful, affirming thing. I also treasure the notes and letters people send me, and I save each one.

Any upcoming projects you’d like folks to be aware of?

Two. I've just launched a website focused on elegance in all it's guises. I love elegance and there is far too little of it out there. It will touch on elegance in art, photography, and living. The trial run site is up at http://www.aneyeforelegance.com/ but I suspect it will develop and change a lot over the coming year.

And my daughter and I are working on a project very dear to me, photographing and cataloging the history of old churches in our county. The county where we live has an abundance of these old churches from the last century, and it was in such churches that much of our country's character was formed. We don't have a site for these yet, but there will be a link to it once we launch at my personal site, www.summitmanor.org/tomatkins

Contact information: Tom Atkins, Summit Manor http://www.summitmanor.org

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ANOTHER COLORFUL LIFE ~ Jackson Tarver

Artist Jackson Tarver specializes in visual effects, textures, and patterns on paper and other textured media. His works demonstrate a vivid and vibrant use of color. As a person who enjoys looking at details and technique in art, I find that Jackson’s work provides a feast for the senses. His struggle with mental illness has not impaired his ability to create art that provokes thought and is sometimes whimsical.

Do you find that the life obstacles you have overcome contribute to your art? In what ways?

Life obstacles have taught me a lot and although I hate them when they arise, I have learned that there are times that I need to be flexible and succumb to life’s pressure and times when I need to stand my ground. To me, art is a two way communication between the artist and the world around him. Obstacles are a way of forcing me to listen to the world and the forces that be and then respond without losing my integrity. In my mental illness, I have psychotic periods where I feel like I am dying or talking to the dead or telepathically communicating with others. I believe my brain is wired differently where the subconscious gets confused with the conscious and causes me to lose touch with reality. This makes me a prime candidate to be an artist because I am already so closely in touch with the subconscious.

What is the most challenging part of the creative process? The most rewarding part?

The most challenging part is getting started and knowing what you want to convey with the piece.

The most rewarding part is when it’s hanging somewhere and people send you emails and tell you that they love it because it makes you feel like you put this message out and there are people out there that get it. It’s like throwing a "Hail Mary" (play in football), and you have no idea whether people will understand it or not, and then someone catches it in the end zone and totally get what you are doing. That is a great feeling.

Your art appears to have a lot of texture and movement. Do you also incorporate found objects into your work? How?

Usually, when I incorporate found objects into my art, it’s from piles of paint tubes, paint bottles, latex globs, ripped up old paintings, ripped up old canvases with latex globs and super glue wads. Most of it is already painted. I keep it in metal trashcans around my studio from the past several years.

What materials and supplies do you use to create your work?

Most of the time, I use cellophane mold, then I pour a bunch of it in there with latex and polyurethane. Sometimes, I use trash bags and make a big ball, then saw it into several pieces. I use a lot of watercolor paper and almost all the paintings I’ve done have to be on watercolor paper. Then, I use watercolors, watercolor pencil, speedball ink and light body acrylic.

How would you encourage someone who wants to get their work in to their local Starbucks? What was your approach, and how was it received?

For Starbucks, you first have to identify the locations that hang art. They usually have hanging systems. For the first time, you have to schedule a meeting with the manager or the person that handles the art and show them a portfolio and/or samples. Sometimes you can do it by email if you have a website. After that, if you know them, you can usually just schedule a time to hang. It’s important to follow their rules on times to install and de-install and be very professional because they provide a valuable service for local artists. Starbucks does not handle sales, you need to make sure there is plenty of contact information available. All installations were very well received. Some Starbucks worked better for me than others, and some times of the season are better.

How do you decide what to title your work?

To title it, I figure out what I think it looks like, then I get a thesaurus and come up with a really good name. Sometimes, I just make up words with hidden meanings.

If you were awarded a $2K grant to create a major work of art, what would you create?

If I were given $2000, I would create an 8’ x 10’ wall of paint tubes and all kinds of knick knacks which would have big dried sheets of latex throughout. The whole thing would be made of canvas and paper which would be ripped open in layers like a book.

At what point in the creative process do you know your work is "done?"

It’s done when you’ve sold it.

Contact information: www.absolutearts.com/jackson ,  e-mail: jdtarver7@aol.com  phone: 214-923-4864

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ANOTHER COLORFUL LIFE ~ ANDRE WEST

Andre West is a writer, a poet, a dreamer, creator and founder of Dream Quest One, a poetry and writing contest. Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com for details and to enter. Check website for contest deadlines.

1. What was your inspiration for starting Dream Quest One?

My inspiration for starting Dream Quest One goes as far back as my early childhood education. Besides playing with Lincoln Logs and Army Men toys, I remember reading books and learning nursery rhymes. Particularly, I really loved the times when my mother would read bedtime stories to me. So about the age of five or six years old, I began reading books on my own. This is when my mother let me read bedtime stories to her. She told me that she enjoyed my reading so much, I would put her to sleep instead. Enthusiastically, with childlike confidence, I wanted to read stories and Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes to my dear mother in order to show her that I can read. In doing so, it made me feel good to start and finish reading a complete book. As a child, my favorite book to read was The Bike Lesson by Stan and Jan Berenstain. I guess you could say that I was hooked on phonics at an early age.

I learned that a picture is worth a thousand words. Noticing that many children’s books contained illustrations, I saw that those pictures only reinforced what I had already read. Discovering my imagination took me to far off places in the universe where I could visit by reading words alone. Therefore, in my youthful mind pictures had become redundant. Not that there was anything wrong with a colorful illustration but pictures seem to replace words I could be reading. I then asked my mother to get me books without pictures. Since a picture is worth a thousand words then a word is worth a thousand and one pictures I could imagine, I thought. And she brought me all sorts of new and exciting tales to read.

My imagination began to grow and develop while opening my mind. During this time, I lived with my family at a government housing project building in “The Village” called the “Row Houses” in the A.B.L.A. Homes at Chicago, Illinois. Located on the West Side, I lived right across the street from Fosco Park. My big brother and I use to play in the dirty field, ride bikes, skateboard, roller-skate, fly kites, and even ice skate during the winter months. We always had what we needed so being poor didn’t bother us that much. We hardly even thought about it sometimes, but we knew. We use to eat maple syrup and bread sandwiches back then. Hey, it kept us alive. I’d still eat one until this day.

As years went by, I was considered a “gifted” child at Medill Elementary School. I really didn’t know what “gifted” meant since I didn’t receive too many gifts back then. All I remember is that a few other students and I had to take more advanced classes than our regular homeroom peers. I went to different instructors for reading, music and art classes. At this time my reading comprehension, vocabulary, and verbal skills were considered above average. I didn’t understand what that really meant because all I wanted to do was have fun with my friends and play. It was nice to take a break from the monotony of being in the same classroom setting all day.

So from first grade class through junior high school I remember attending Junior Great Books classes. We read stories such as The Velveteen Rabbit, The Ugly Duckling, and The Emperor’s New Clothes, discussing what happened in those stories as a group. It helped develop the essential skills of reading carefully, thinking critically, listening intently, and speaking and writing persuasively. I had fun participating in those group discussions and did very well in English Grammar subjects. I wrote essay compositions and poems for classroom exercises and homework. I never stopped reading books. My teachers would always praise my ability to produce very creative writing. It felt good to write, whether it was a short story or poem; to transform thoughts and feelings into words, convey messages to readers, producing a desired outcome or effect. I love writing. It’s that simple.

I remember having my essays, stories and poems posted in my classroom and on the hallway walls at my schools. I continued writing but there was something else about me. I always wanted to fit in with the popular students. And being smart was not very popular in these circles. Also, there were some negative influences from family members and so-called friends that steered me to mischief at times. So I became shy and timid about showing my gifts and talents to those around me. I tried to please everyone as I grew up. In doing so, I was never fully able to express myself or “be myself” so to speak. I usually wrote a story or poem as required from my teachers. Once in 5^th grade, I kept a composition book full of essays I wrote throughout the school year. There was a time when I went home with a note from my teacher to my mother. She told my mother that she didn’t believe I had written a certain composition and ‘please don’t do your child’s homework for him.’ Well, my mother didn’t help me. I wrote the story while sitting alone in my room. My mother couldn’t believe I had created such a great story when I showed her before turning in my homework the following day. Nonetheless, I wrote it, only to have my composition book thrown into the trash can on the last day of school. I really regret throwing those stories away. My mother said she really wanted to keep that book too. Usually I write a story or poem when I’m inspired or motivated by a profound person, a memorable place, a wonderful thing, or an outstanding occurrence in my life.

Mrs. Smiley, a strict and disciplined school librarian, at Gallistel Language Academy once pulled me aside to say, “Andre, you really have a talent for creative writing. Keep it up. I want you to remember that.” She even wrote her wonderful praise to me in my elementary school graduation autograph book. Writing a book became a somewhat of a dream that might be possible, like unicorns and fire breathing dragons. But I never went deeper into the thought of it back then.

During high school, I continued occasionally writing poems and stories about my life and the things that I have done. There was a local writers’ newsletter that sponsored a poetry contest. I entered a poem not knowing what would happen. To my surprise I won an honorable mention and received a big red dictionary. That contest really gave me a healthy dose of inspiration to continue writing. I always loved poetry and writing even through college. I wrote more stories while taking English courses. Receiving an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts Education it really didn’t dawn on me until I paused and reflected about the direction I have been going in life. To support myself I have been a landscaper and a front-end maintenance worker for a major supermarket chain in Chicago, Illinois. In whatever job I’ve done, I like to do it right or I won’t do it all.

There was always the fear of rejection that haunted me all of my life. I always sought approval form others for fear of being criticized. I was also afraid of failing and succeeding, thinking disaster would come to bring me down and out. I was scared to take a risk, to make mistakes, to let go and live life as I believed in my heart. Sometimes family members mean well, but they may also discourage one from pursuing their calling in life. They may sound like Glum from Gulliver’s Travels saying, “You never make it”. All the wasted time I spent trying to be whatever someone else wanted me to be has passed. I got tired of being afraid to venture off into the unknown. I always have been and always will be writer, a poet and a dreamer, not in that exact order though.

I know that there are others out there like me who have let negative thinking and criticism hold them back from becoming the writer that they truly are. There is someone right here and now who needs to know that dreams are not just for other people. Dreams are for you too. It’s okay to dream for dreams do come true. You can write until your heart is content.

On March 17, 2005 I decided to launch the Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest (www.DreamQuestOne.com). This is my avenue to connect with poets and writers from all walks of life. All are welcome to share poems and short stories with the world today. I encourage anyone with a dream of writing to give him or herself a chance. This contest is a labor of love to me. I put my heart, spirit and soul to make it so. Somehow I try to reach out to everyone who enters this contest. This is my connection to humanity. My gateway to all writers, poets and dreamers is Dreamquestone.Com.

2. What works have you written?

Up until now I have only written short stories and poems for myself. I am a work in progress. Recently, I have just started writing on a deeper level in my pursuit of being published. I hope to complete and publish my book in the near future. So stay tuned to Dream Quest One for updates.

3. How long have you been offering these contests?

I created and established Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest on March 17, 2005. So far I have held four previous contests. Now the contests are being held semi-annually. The closing dates are usually July 31 and December 31.

4. Who judges the entries and by what criteria?

I have a unique panel of randomly selected independent judges. Having a background in education, I choose students from colleges and universities to become members of the Dare to Dream Master Selection Committee. Judges may be picked from the University of Illinois at Chicago, DePaul University, Loyola University, Roosevelt University, Harold Washington College, Chicago State University, Florida A& M, Columbia College, and National Louis University to name a few.

5. How many entries do you typically receive?

The Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest is still relatively new to the world of literature. It typically has received from 300 to 405 entries in this unique dual contest. I am working toward spreading the message out to anyone who writes and dreams of writing.

 6. Describe the most unusual entry you’ve received.

Although there have been many entries that made me “think,” sometimes well-known authors, poets and people most notable in all walks of life from around the world have entered this competition. However, I would say that Mr. Lester Colodny sent the most unusual entry I can think of right now. It is a story titled, “What’s Funnier Than A Barrel Of Monkeys?” It was a hilarious and unusual short story. Also, Lester Colodny happens to be a producer, director, writer actor and advertising maven, with several Cleos (the academy award for advertising) and an Emmy to his credit, has written a memoir about his life and the people he helped while working with the William Morris Agency in New York (people such as Neil and Danny Simon, Mel Brooks, and Woody Allen). He created, produced and wrote “The Munsters” and wrote episodes for the “Get Smart” and “Love American Style” television shows. Wow, the list of his credits goes on. He received an Emmy for Best Director, Writer, and Producer for The Baja Marimbas and Jack Benny Show. Now that is usual!

7. Can participants recycle their entries for other writing contest?

Yes, the beauty of this contest is that all participants retain the rights to recycle their literary works of art as entries for other writing contests. See Official Rules at http://www.dreamquestone.com/page2.html for details.

8. How do you promote the winners of the contest?

The winners of the contest are announced and their stories and poems are published online in the Dare to Dream pages at http://www.dreamquestone.com/page9.html. People from all over the world may visit the website to read winning poems and short stories. It’s kind of neat.

9. What is the largest prize you have ever given?

Dream Quest One awards six prizes totaling $1275.00 in this poetry and short story competition. The largest prize given to contest winners in the Writing Contest is the First Prize in the amount of $500.00. Second Prize is $250.00 and Third Prize is $100.00. The Poetry First Prize is $250.00. Second Prize is $125.00 and Third Prize is $50.00.

10. Why is encouraging writers so important to you?

Encouraging writers is very important to me because I believe there is a potential for greatness in everyone. There are people who are talented, gifted with the ability to write the most beautiful poetry and creative stories known to man. However, some people like me have felt oppressed, repressed or somehow not able to express themselves due to people, places, things and circumstances. Maybe someone keeps telling you that you will never make it as a writer. Well, I have news for you. Yes, you can. You can change your mind, change your world, dream and make it a reality.

11. What have you learned as a result of starting your contest?

I have learned many things as a result of starting Dream Quest One. First, I have learned to get outside of myself and consider that the next person I meet just might be a potential present and future great writer or poet. I learned to keep an open mind about people and their cultural and geographical backgrounds. No matter what we think, we are all human beings and have a whole lot in common. It is the similarities, not the differences that help us to understand and relate to the human condition. And we can learn to live together and through our differences. I learned that people share the same hopes, dreams and aspirations in world of writing. Others dream and may need to be awakened to a new beginning in their lives. Writing, whether fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, fantasy, journals, essays, screenplays, diaries or any of the over 50 types of poetry is therapeutic and good to expand the horizons of the mind. By quoting the words in Richard Bach’s story, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, when he discovers the technique of flying: “We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!”

12. What is the ultimate goal of your website? What do you wish to achieve?

The ultimate goal of Dream Quest One is to inspire, motivate and encourage anyone who has the desire or love of poetry and writing to continue doing so without fear of failure or success, regardless of negative criticism from others or ourselves. I hope that all who enter will exercise their right and power to dream and work toward making them a reality. That goes for setting realistic and attainable realistic goals in writing. A dream is nothing but a goal with a deadline.

13. What happens to entries that do not win prizes?

I honestly believe that all those who choose to enter the contest and put forth their best efforts to produce a great story or poem are actually winners themselves. Realistically, there are a total of 3 winners chosen from either poetry or writing contest. However, the entries that do not win may be randomly featured on a page at Dream Quest One from time to time. So be on the look out for more outstanding stories and poems.

14. How long are winning entries published online?

All contest winners will be showcased on the Dare to Dream (D2D pages) http://www.dreamquestone.com/page9.html from the day of winner announcement until the end of the following competition. In the case of the current competition, all winning entries will be posted from January 31, 2008 until July 31, 2008. Thereafter, all winning poems and stories will be kept in Dream Quest One’s archives. In turn they may be brought out at random as featured literary works of art.

15. Can participants have more than one entry in the contest at a time?

In this unique dual competition participants may enter both the poetry contest and writing contest at the same time.

Thank you very much for your time and attention to Dream Quest One. If you so choose to enter this contest we will be eagerly looking forward to seeing your literary work. And remember, in whatever you do, “its okay to dream”, for dreams do come true.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Contact: Andre L. West

Dream Quest One

Poetry & Writing Contest

P.O. Box 3141

Chicago, IL 60654

Email: alwest56@hotmail.com

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