Today is full of mist and fog here in Minnesota. Feels more like spring than late August. Our state fair starts today, which marks the official end of summer. As we head into fall and a new cycle of the year, I feel like things are changing here in my art world as well. I'm heavily gearing up for my first vendor experience at
Junk Bonanza, two weeks from today. I thought my blog could use a little seasonal perk-up as well. Check out my new blog banner by the amazing
Kris Hurst. Such dreamy colors and love how she incorporated a picture of the gorgeous new sign that
Cari made me for my booth. More on that later. I was tickled to do an interview with the one and only
Chris Brown recently. This guy just oozes creativity, fun and grit. I am so pleased that he is the guest speaker at
Silver Bella in November. Sit back and enjoy this little chat with the king of "forgotten treasures."
What's a typical day like for you? I’m not really sure if there is a typical day around here. There are certain things I do everyday though. I’m usually the first up in the morning and the last to go to bed. I kiss my wife first thing every morning and both my daughters as well then head for my studio/office. I’ll check and answer emails first, and then see what is up for the day. Urban Prairie encompasses a great deal of things – Interior design, graphic design, photo styling, writing, collecting, so there is always a project, if not three, at any given time.
How do you define creativity? What does it look like in your life? I live & breathe creativity. All of my waking moments, and most of my dreams are about design. I create, design and style everything around me. What allows you to be most creative? Quiet. I need very calm, quiet surroundings while coming up with new ideas. This could be my office during the day when everyone is gone, our back patio during early morning or late afternoon, or in the deep woods of the many forest we have here in Texas. Once ideas or projects are in motion that’s when the loud music comes on. I’ve been listening to a ton of alternative/roots/Americana country lately. That style of music has the grainy, rusty quality that is so prevalent in my work.
When did you start blogging? Your web site? What prompted you to start? What was your motivation? I started Urban Prairie
REFUELED my personal blog, in January of this year. It was a way for me to get information out to Urban Prairie fans on a quick, daily basis. I had no idea at the time that it was going to turn into this massive, cult type thing. The same goes for my website
Urban Prairie. The site was started as a showcase for my design/style/collecting works. It has since turned into a movement of sorts – which I love.
How has your online presence influenced your evolution as an artist/designer? I don’t think it has. I’m still doing what I’ve been doing my whole life – designing this little world around me and my family – and for anyone else that wants to come along for this odd ride.
I hear you’re thinking about starting a ‘zine…tell me more about that. I really enjoy the process of developing and designing within a magazine setting, but at the same time pushing that boundary to another level. Some of you may remember the music publication RAYGUN. It was designed/art directed by David Carson. When it came out it really spoke to me in a way that no other magazine had. They were doing with a magazine that I was doing with everything in my life. Seeing things in a different light and trying to inspiring others with their vision. It’s within that realm that I want to create an online ‘zine that presents everything I love about found objects, collecting them and how you can design a life around them.
Who/what are your major influences and inspirations in your art/design? There are many people whom works I find really cool – David Butler of Art of the Midwest, D’Ette Cole from Etta Industry, David Carson, to mention a few. I share a lot in common with these folks, but we all have a little bit different take on things – which is what keeps things so interesting, right? I find inspiration everywhere.
What style was your home décor when you were growing up? What have your influences been in finding your own style? I wish my parents still had the home décor from when I was growing up – it is all so hip again. I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s, so you can imagine some of the cool sofas we had. It’s that style of decor I now design my home with, with maybe a little cleaner, modern lines. Our home is a mix of modern, alt-country and industrial. Sounds strange, but somehow it all really works. I sum it up for folks as what else, Urban Prairie.
Where’s your favorite place to buy junk? Junk? What junk? I collect forgotten treasures. I collect the coolest things that for some reason people think is junk. But it is those same people who give something to me because they see it as trash then view it in my home in a different context and then want it back. I love to take things people don’t see as beautiful and somehow make it beautiful. My hunting grounds? There are several places I really dig right here in the Lone Star state. In Austin there is Uncommon Objects. With the tagline, “Raw Materials for Creative Living” who wouldn’t love this store? But without question, my favorite place to hunt my odd finds is the antique show in Warrenton, Texas. A very small town that grows to thousands twice a year for a week. It is such a great place to recharge your creative battery. This Fall I’ll be shooting footage there that I’ll be turning into a short film called Highway 290, a name from which the town is located off of. It will be out early 2008. It will be shot and edited by myself, in the true Urban Prairie form. Its style will have Chris Brown written all over it.
We went to the farmer's market today downtown Minneapolis. Everything looked so yummy! I am excited to go back next Thursday to get more gorgeous cut flowers for my vendor table. 
The colors of late summer are so warm and vibrant!
Love how the farmer's market wakes up your senses. The colors, textures and smells are irresistable.
Enjoyed eating a cucumber right from the bucket.
Going to the farmer's market always reminds me of how important it is to eat locally grown foods whenever possible. Barbara Kingsolver has a new book called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle about her experiment doing this for a year. My undergraduate degree is in environmental studies. In college I was very involved with researching and getting involved with community gardens and local urban agriculture. This is near and dear to my heart. So glad to support these local farmers and you can't beat the taste of veggies that have never seen the inside of a refrigerator. Yum!
Ok folks, the Sweet and Sinister Swap is now officially CLOSED!! Wow, what a response. This is going to be so much fun! All the partners have been assigned. Everyone who is in the comments of the 
Here's a blog button that those of you participating can post on your blog if you'd like. It was created by 
Please tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get involved with collecting antiques/oddities? 
What/who are you inspired by?
When did you start your web site and online business?
You just opened up a store, how do you think that will change things? 
Does your home look anything like your store?
Then I received this gorgeous, huge ArtsyMama Originals sign to grace my vendor booth at Junk Bonanza made by the amazingly talented 
Last year, after getting a funny little black t-shirt at Target that has glitter writing that says Sweet and Sinister my mind starting churning with ideas for a Halloween party in all black and white. Serving up treats in huge apothecary jars, have an old fashioned candy shop atmosphere with a sinister slant. The idea never truly left my head. So then it was decided this year would be the year of a sweet and sinister Halloween.
Which leads me to my invitation to all of YOU in my
Leave a comment here to join in the swap. Please make sure to include your email address. 
Still have a few tricks up my sleeve for 
Also been starting to change around my home decor to give it a warm fall feeling. Totally changing my color palette. Really inspired by this picture (above). Love everything about it.
As part of my countdown to 
Hope you enjoyed the little tour inside the estate saleing world of ArtsyMama! 
I have been quite busy lately making bunches and bunches of 
