Q: What's your favorite piece of work that you have created, your favorite project or your favorite part of the work day?
A: A couple years ago, I drew a 12 Days of Christmas series, and these 9 Dancing Ladies still top my list of favorite illustrations. It was inspired by a vivid memory of being 11 years old at summer camp on a balcony, watching my friends spin around to music below.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Aside from creating things with my Everglades fabric, I'm currently working on some laser-cut garden signs for my community garden, a mural design for my neighborhood school, and a series of vegetable puns (hopefully I can share more about that last one soon!)
Q: What are your goals for the future, both work wise and life?
A: Designing my own fabric line was a huge work goal attained last year, so I'm still pretty flabbergasted by that. I suppose designing for a quality childrenswear company or publishing a picture book would be great next steps! Current life goals include raising my two daughters to be kind, understanding and inquisitive adults and exploring more of this beautiful planet, preferably with my favorite person, my husband Matt. We're currently planning a 10th anniversary trip to Scotland for Summer of 2018.
Q: What are you doing when you're not creating or at work? What hobbies do you have?
A: I love to read, and swim, and collect milk glass from local thrift stores. I'm also the vice president of a fundraising committee for my neighborhood school (where my kids attend) and right now we're raising funds to transform our giant asphalt playlot/parking lot into a tree and turf-filled multi-sport complex.
Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A: While living in Japan for a summer, I climbed Mt. Fuji with a Marine Commander, a Naval Captain and my 11-year-old neighbor. Buy me a cup of coffee at Quilt Market and I'll tell you more!
Q: Do you have any favorite blogs/magazines/IG feeds that you follow or read?
A: I love following Helen Dardik on Instagram and reading Uppercase Magazine. For blogs, I check in on Print & Pattern regularly and like to scroll through They Draw & Travel and They Draw & Cook.
Q: What else should we know about you and your work?
A: I think my work speaks for itself, and reflects me pretty well: Quirky, kid-friendly and colorful. I don't like perfectly straight lines and I love drawing the sharp teeth on my not-so-scary predators.
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| *Betsy at work in her studio |
Q: Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others?
A: Make some friends with similar goals and check in regularly! I'm part of Pencil Parade Collective along with three other talented women and they have been my best motivators! We check in regularly online and once a month have a Skype session to talk about what we're working on and what our goals are for the next month.
Q: Do you admire any artists / people? (famous or not!)
A: Of course! Some of my current favorites are Elise Gravel and Ryo Takemasa. I'm also influenced by the illustrations of Leonard Weisgard, Charley Harper and Ezra Jack Keats.
Q: What is your favorite....
Color:Yellow
Animal:Giraffe
Season:Autumn
Movie:Amelie
Book:Too many to choose from! But if I had to pick, I'd go with the entire Harry Potter series.
Vacation Spot: Santorini, Greece
Food:Buttered toast
Q: Where else can we find you?
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Thanks, Betsy! We're so excited to see what you create for Quilt Market and for all of your future MMF collections!
Here are a some more sneak peeks of Everglades...
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| *Climbing, Glade Glimmer, Peek |
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| *Tumbling Blooms, Bad Teeth |
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| *Peek, Chomp, Take Flight |
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| *Float, Take Flight, Climbing, Tumbling Blooms, Glade Glimmer, Hazy Moon, Snowy Egret, Bad Teeth, Peek, Chomp |
Everglades will start shipping to stores in January, 2018
