On this creative path I’ve met and become friends with many wonderful, interesting people across the world. It’s high time I introduced you to some of them.

‘My Creative Life’ is an interview series where we get an insider view of artists and their lives from different disciplines and on different stages of their own journeys. My intention is to ask questions that are perhaps a bit different from the usual – the answers to which might spark ideas or simply reassure you as you follow your own artist path.

Enjoy!

*******

Kasey and I first crossed paths when she was Googling for paintings of feathers after a dream she had and one of mine came up! She got in touch, bought it, and then we were friends. {I know! The internet is amazing.}  I have loved Kasey’s art since I first saw it, and more and more as it evolves. Her distinctive energy shows up in all her diverse work, from abstract to figurative to still life to landscape. Kasey sells and shows her work in Asheville, where she lives with her family.

Meet Kasey…

{Don’t forget you can highlight any section of the text to share it on Twitter or Facebook.}

Untitled Abstract by Kasey Moran

Wow! I had to ponder this for a while but  basically it boils down to curiosity.  I love to question why, what if and how.

Kasey Moran Bend of Ivy No 5

Is there anything you wish were different? Have you learned a way to accommodate that?

Yes, I wish I were computer savvy with mad marketing skills. I can operate my computer and my iPad. Some apps make tasks amazingly easy, thank goodness. But learning more does help me along so I Google. A lot. As for the mad marketing skills, I’m learning a bit of that too. I follow a few blogs about art marketing and I also hired an art consultant a few years back to show me what I needed to work on. That was a very big leap for me and I’m so thankful I did.

How else does your creativity express itself in your life? {Especially if you’re having a dry spell in your ‘main’ area.}

If I’m having a dry spell in my main area (acrylic painting), that’s when I turn to using a different medium like charcoal, [soft] pastels and oil pastels. I find I need my hands in something to have a more tactile approach or connection. I tend to rearrange/ clean out my studio as well during dry spells. It’s a way of bringing new energy in to my space and in to me. 

Kasey Moran Figure Study

Do you have any favourite resources, books or blogs around creativity you’d recommend for inspiration or support? 

My favorite book is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It was presented to me by one of my art teachers. That book just rocked my world. It was like a manual that was finally written for my creative self.  I’d love to give Liz a big hug, buy her a drink and thank her profusely.

Taking online classes really inspired me and it was great to connect with other creatives as well. Tara Leaver does fabulous classes as well as Pauline Agnew. Both are encouraging and have the knack for getting creative juices flowing.

Another resource I love is Pinterest. I love to do colour studies and find tons of inspiration.

What one easy and simple creative activity would you suggest to someone who feels like there’s no time for creativity in their life?

I’ve had several times in my life where I had no time to be creative. Small children and a stressful job can do that.  However, I always kept a sketchbook nearby to play in.  Play being the key word. I doodle and make small  sketches. Anything that would get pen, pencil or charcoal to paper would soothe me. I still keep a sketchbook and I’m in it everyday.

What’s your creative process like? Are you an all-in-one-intense-hit-then-collapse type or a more of a slow and steady sort? Or something else?

It’s a bit of both for me. The important thing I’ve learned is to stay open to the process, however it is. Throwing judgement at myself doesn’t help anything.  Listening to how creativity wants to come through is part of the magic. Then I respond to the canvas.  I  show up in my studio most everyday and work. I need that bit of self discipline to encourage the process and that in turn, encourages me.

What does being actively creative bring to your life that you might not have expected? 

Having friendships with other creative peeps in far away places.

What best supports your creativity to thrive?

My husband is totally awesome for encouraging  me on my creative path. Seriously, I just took over the upstairs living area that is now my studio. I have always needed time and space to do my art and I feel that having a partner that understands that has been a blessing. Being creative is an essential part of me, like breathing and he gets it.

Kasey Moran Mozart’s Flowers

Have you ever lost touch with your creative self for a long period, and if so how did you bring it back?

I’ve always kept a space for creating. Sometimes life events have happened that limited my amount of time spent being creative. But then, I always have my trusty sketchbook.

***

Website | Facebook | Instagram

[br]

[br]

If you have any questions or comments for Kasey, or have had any ahas reading her words, please do share in the comments!

[br]