Tell us about your art, your background and what inspires you?
I am a classically-trained musician, having studied music since age five. For many years I taught music in public schools. I’ve been dabbling with photography most of my life and started pursuing it professionally about 8 years ago. Over the years I’ve studied other fine arts, such as painting.
While my photography business is based on portraits, real estate, and events, the art that I use in my VIDA products is mostly based on fractals. While I’m not a mathematician, I’m intrigued by the way mathematics is related to nature, art, and music. So much of composition in both art and music is based on mathematical principles, such as the Fibonacci sequence, which is found throughout nature. I was excited to discover software that would allow me to create artworks from my photographs, based on these principles.
Tell us what inspires you?
I am inspired by beautiful things and by colors; thus many of my fractal pieces are based on photographs of flowers or other colorful things that appeal to me.
How does VIDA impact your work as an artist, designer, business person, photographer?
I get a great deal of joy from sharing my work with a larger audience, whether it’s original photographs or fractal creations. When I started posting photos of some of my VIDA creations online, I got great feedback from my friends. Some who made purchases were very pleased with the quality of the products.
I always get compliments when I wear my VIDA tops or carry my handbag. While I have not sold a large number of products yet, there is one particular design that has been purchased a number of times for pillows. I’m guessing the purchase may be for an interior designer. How neat, to think that my designs could be on display, maybe to stage a model home or something similar.
What made you want to explore art- inspired fashion?
When VIDA contacted me about doing this, I thought that these fractal patterns would be something very unusual and interesting to print on fabric. The colors and shapes are so interesting—and varied, and they look great on the jewelry as well. Since then, other non-clothing items have become available, such as the kitchen and dining room items. And I love the glass dishes. I’ve ordered several of them and love the way the fractals look on them, especially when back-lit.
How do you think VIDA is different from other choices out there?
I have to admit that I don’t have experience with anything else quite like VIDA, so I’m not sure that I can make a comparison. But I think it’s wonderful to see all the different ideas that VIDA artists have developed. They are very inspiring.
