Monday, January 23, 2006

Art and Blogging {Christine "Swirly Girl" Miller}

Here is part III of my Art and Blogging interviews. The lovely "swirly girl" herself, Christine Miller.

AM: When did you start blogging?
SG: I kept a very sporadic journal for a couple of years, but can't say I officially started blogging until June 2005.

AM: What was your motivation?
SG: To re-connect with my audience. I had built a small "fan base" with my Swirly brand, but kept a low profile for a few years due to a lot of personal turmoil. When I realized it was still very important to me to inspire others I decided to start posting journal entries more regularly. The response has been lovely, and what is interesting is that many people who read my blog now had never even heard of Swirly before. I love this!

AM: Who is your audience/readership?
SG: Mostly women - other artists, bloggers, creative souls.

AM: Does your blog circulation matter to you?
SG: It actually does. One of my goals is to get another book published, and I know that if I have steady traffic on my website, it will help me create a stronger book proposal.

AM: Has blogging changed your creative process at all? Are you inspired by other bloggers?
SG: Absolutely. One of the nice bonuses of keeping up with my blog regularly is that it has improved my writing a great deal, and it is also giving me a lot of potential material for my book. I am inspired by other bloggers all the time.

AM: Is there a down side to blogging?
SG: It can be difficult to feel comfortable ignoring it. When I don't post for a few days, I feel kind of bad, but I try not to be obsessive about it. I do my best.

AM: Blogs can be very intimate; do you enjoy showing a different side of yourself?
SG: Yes, I like being serious and thought-provoking some days and then funny other days.

AM: What is a typical day like for you?
SG: My day usually involves a wee bit of household stuff each day (cleaning up the kitchen after breakfast, laundry, etc.), but most of my time is spent in my studio wearing old, paint-covered jeans and t-shirts creating like a mad woman. (Lucky me!)

AM:Where do you usually create?
SG: In my studio in LA (it is at home)

AM: Do you find the computer has distracted you from your art?
SG: Only a little because I am kind of addicted to email.

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