Goats For Sandy!

I've sat down to write this post about three times this evening . . . I am now realizing that it is quite stressful to write about one of the most talented people ever-to-be, who also--luckily--happens to be my best friend.

Emma Klingbeil is a rare beast. She is one of those fascinating oddities that comes along once in a blue moon. I met Emma in 2003. We were painting shoes for a company called Kiss My Feet. She reminded me of my sister, at the time (she is almost 9 years younger than me). I enjoyed her dry sense of humor and commitment to life as an artist. Yet still, after all of these years, nothing has changed:  going on just under 10 years of friendship and she is still making paintings religiously and incredibly inspiring to be around. 

She is a painter's painter. She enjoys traditional oil painting:  thick, odiferous paint that takes hours--sometimes days--to dry. In a world where everyone is looking for the quickest way to get things done, Emma patiently waits. She is the silent, but steady type:  always making things or thinking about making things or researching ideas about what types of things to make. She is consistently reevaluating her work and reinventing herself.  

She is so intensely creative that sometimes it is her only form of communication. She doesn't say a lot, but what she does say is honest and focused. And, more times than not, hilarious. 

So what's Goats For Sandy all about? Emma answers 10 questions about this and more below . . . 

1. Explain what you do. Goats For Sandy is my collection of fine art and craft . . . I love traditional oil paintings of figures and landscapes, but I wanted to make them more "fantastical", so I added a party theme. I also create clay animal heads for a 3D aspect of the series.

2. How did it get started? My mother was obsessed with dancing goats for awhile and when she saw some of my new work, she said she wanted a goat. I thought it had a nice ring to it. I've got an etsy shop:  goatsforsandy.etsy.com as well as a blog, emmaklingbeil.wordpress.com.  

3. What is your background? Where are you from? I'm from Medford:  a pretty, quaint town in central Wisconsin. I come from an arty family; my father is a musician, my sister and mother are also fine artists.  

4. What inspires you? I'm an insanely visual person--so when I need inspiration quickly, I usually look on blogs or StumbleUpon (which I just found out about) for images, color combinations, whatever looks good to me.

5. When does a creative idea usually hit you? That time in the morning when you're starting to wake up, but not quite ready . . . 

6. How did you know you wanted to be an artist when you grew up? Have you always been making artwork? It's just what my whole family did. There wasn't any other option, really. It's also the only thing that makes me feel completely fulfilled.

7. What is your favorite part of the process when making a new piece of artwork? When it clicks! I'm not one for really "planning ahead", so I start off kind of shaky. But eventually the idea comes together.

8. What are you currently working on? Goats For Sandy!! I'm getting ready for some upcoming holiday craft fairs. I am going to be making some ornaments and other trinketty things . . . 

9. If you could collaborate on an art piece with anyone, who would it be and why? Lindsey Bailey:  because it would be epic. And I'm not joshing!! (Disclaimer:  I did not know she was going to answer this question like this. I thought she would say Manet or Carvaggio, not me. Blush.)

10. If someone came up to you right now and said they want to be an artist when they grow up, what would you tell them? If you're meant to be an artist, you will be an artist.

Next Wednesday? Merging arts education and studio practice.