Stitchify - Crafts and Fiber Arts Inspiration

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Lori Brown, an incredibly talented artist. Lori makes some of the most kickass plush, sculptures, and paintings that you have ever seen.

Lori finds inspiration in anything and everything and cannot pinpoint a certain source. However, exploring nature, reading (especially science fiction and fantasy), and listening to music gets her gears turning. She tries to be present in each moment, taking in all of the sights, beauty, shapes, magic, and patterns that surround her. Like the novels that Lori reads, she creates her own “magical worlds filled with wondrous creatures”.

The different mediums that Lori works with all require different creative processes. Paintings require tons of planning before the paint and brushes even come out. She sketches until it’s just right, then resizes and tweaks until the composition is how she envisioned it.

Her sculptures are created much more spontaneously and the final shape is revealed to her as she works.

The process of creating her plush creatures is somewhere in between. Lori makes patterns using her sketches, which usually takes a few tries to get just right; and the variations that naturally occur during the sewing and embroidery of each individual plush creature gives them their own expression and personality.

As Lori says, she loves all three outlets. “Each medium requires a different part of me and satisfies a different aspect of my creative drive”.

Rapid fire Lori Brown

• Music: Nick Cave, T. Rex, the Kinks, Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Radiohead, Camper Van Beethoven, 16 Horsepower, The Flaming Lips, Miss Derringer, Old Crow Medicine Show
• Supplies: The Quilter’s Square (buying local = good!), and Hobby Lobby (selection is key, at times)
• Favorite Locale of Natural Beauty: The Red River Gorge in Kentucky - beautiful rock formations, waterfalls, trees and plant life not to mention all of the animals and insects, fungi, moss and lichens
• Her Flickr: Click here
• Her craftblog: Click here

Thanks, Lori, for sharing your art and your story. To purchase and/or view more of Lori’s creations, please visit her shop.

Related posts:

1. Madame Bogg
2. Sculptural Crochet
3. Go Ahead, Make My Day

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 at 5:00 am and is filed under artists, craftblog, plush, sewing, shops, toys.