Illustrations by matem-atyka

I've known Misia Schmidt for many years now. She is a very talented artists and illustrator behind matem-atyka. Born and raised in Poland she moved to U.S. in her early twenties. According to Misia is was "one of the best life changers so far!". Misia and her husband Peter lived in different parts of the country like Virginia, Illinois and have recently moved to Los Angeles, CA.



I had a chance to talk to Misia about her life and art.

How did you start?
I grew up reading or rather closely studying comic books. I wasn't as much interested in the words as the pictures themselves. Deciphering the story behind the drawings seemed to be more interesting than having it spelled out. I wanted to be an artist myself, create my own stuff. I did draw a lot during my childhood but then I picked it up again after I moved to the states. In my experience of growing up in Poland, art was never considered something important or even time worthy. I kept hearing I should focus on something more tangible.



I also didn't know anyone with artistic interests, so gradually I stopped (well, almost). Moving to the states changed a lot for me. I was granted such a new, fresh perspective on life, but strangely it allowed me to tap into my true nature again. Attending The School of the Art Institute of Chicago kind of sealed the deal for me.



What are your major sources of inspiration?
For me to paint or draw is not a matter of finding inspiration. There is nothing romantic or inspirational about it. I can't explain how I arrive at my images. I guess it is the way I process my surroundings. It's a way of thinking and communicating. The good thing is I never run out of ideas, I only wish I was able to work faster.

I should say that I do enjoy California more than any other places I've experienced. I'm simply overwhelmed with its abundance of light and nature.

Upcycled cashmere by Irina Baranova

Richmond, VA is famous for it's beautiful James river, southern cuisine and historic landmarks. It's now getting more and more attention for its vibrant arts and creative talent community. With the local university (VCU) art's school being ranked among the top art schools in the country and a number of local companies attracting international talent the city is turning into a very cool place to live in.



One of the very talented and unique local textile artists is Irina Baranova who is originally from Russia. Irina works with luxurious textiles like cashmere, silk and linen turning them into wearable pieces of art.



Irina upcycles items donated to her by friends and clients turning them into completely new designs. Mixing different fabrics, colors and fibers Irina creates stylish and beautiful sweaters, coats, skirts, vests that look luxurious and cozy at the same time. Every item turns out to be unique and special. Her style is instantly recognizable and you might have seen women and men wearing her designs in the streets of Richmond.

Lampwork beads handmade by glass artist Katerina Koroleva

Handmade lampwork always fascinated me! There are amazing artists out there who turn glass into art beads of different shapes, colors and sizes. I can easily imagine people collecting glass beads as some of them are as beautiful as gem stones. I've recently came across lampwork of glass artist Katerina Koroleva of MayaHoney. She works in her own studio creating totally amazing glass beads. Katerina was kind enough to share her aspirations and inspirations.



My name is Katerina and I'm a Russian artisan currently living with my family in Slovakia (EU). I started lampworking in 2008 after my daughter was born. I'm now a proud member of American organizations: Self Representing Artists in lampwork and Self Representing Artists in Jewelry Design.



I create glass beads out of my studio in Slovakia which is a beautiful country located right in the middle of Europe. Slovakia is known for its manufacturing traditions. It's a close neighbor of Czech Republic famous for its glass beads and traditions of glass making. Bohemian crystal glass of Bohemia region is known all over the world.



I always dreamed about living in a small town or a village surrounded by nature. My dream has finally come true a few years ago. The place we live in right now is a huge source of inspiration for me. We live next to the most beautiful lake Slnava that looks and smells like the sea. Our house is surrounded by woods with plenty of squirrels, hairs, foxes and even bears. So I just try to replicate in my organic beads all designs nature displays to me every day.



I just adore the sea and you can track sea-ocean theme in my lampwork beads. I make a lot of shells, starfishes etc. I just love to make my customers happy. When I think of how many people own my jewelry and beads - oh, it's a really good feeling, trust me!