I just spoke with Jill Bliss of Blissen, a wonderful smorgasbord of recycled items made in a collaborative effort of designers and producers. Her opinions of art and nature are both insightful and inspiring.
As someone who grew up in the city and was far removed from the knowledge of where food and products come from, I'm always interested in people who have grown up with that perspective. What advantages or disadvantages do you feel your childhood has given you?
growing up on a farm, i got to experience the entire cycle of life, and the deep commitment every component within the cycle must have in order for everything to function properly. at the same time, the experience also taught me to remain flexible and optimistic, to remember that every situation, good or bad, is temporary.
for example, you can lovingly tend to a crop for the whole growing season, and then one storm can come and destroy all your hard work for the year. it's not your fault, nor the plants' fault, but you have to find a way to survive it and go on with the belief that next year's crop will be better.
my upbringing can actually be a real disadvantage when dealing with others. many people who grew up in cities or suburbs don't seem to experience life in this same way. i'm constantly surprised and sometimes disappointed with others' lack of commitment or follow-through, dishonesty, and falsely competitive situations. at the same time, others can find me overly optimistic, naive, and easy to take advantage of.
Did you always know that you wanted to be an artist? If not, how did you find this path?
i always knew i wanted to be an artist, but was discouraged by a lot of people around me not to pursue it. most of my life has been about coming to terms with who i really am, and not letting others talk me out of it!
How is your appreciation for handcrafted things reflected in your everyday life?
You have quite a few projects going on (product design, website design, art in galleries), how do you manage to keep so many balls in the air?
What brings you comfort and joy?
Did you always know that you wanted to be an artist? If not, how did you find this path?
i always knew i wanted to be an artist, but was discouraged by a lot of people around me not to pursue it. most of my life has been about coming to terms with who i really am, and not letting others talk me out of it!
How is your appreciation for handcrafted things reflected in your everyday life?
whenever i need something my first instinct is to make it myself. if i don't have the supplies or knowledge on how to make the thing i need, i'll find someone else who does and pay them or barter with them. it's a farmer's mentality. and i'm a big proponent of supporting others who make handcrafted things. we gotta stick together and help each other out!
We all make different choices concerning the environment as to how much or how little we want to contribute. How did you come to the decision to make your products recyclable?
for me, it was a natural progression from making things from the materials i had on hand. now that i sell larger quantities of things it makes more sense to use "new" materials, but these new materials should also be recycled or sustainable. and i strive to make just enough items to satisfy demand. making too many items, even from recycled materials, is also wasteful.
for me, it was a natural progression from making things from the materials i had on hand. now that i sell larger quantities of things it makes more sense to use "new" materials, but these new materials should also be recycled or sustainable. and i strive to make just enough items to satisfy demand. making too many items, even from recycled materials, is also wasteful.
You have quite a few projects going on (product design, website design, art in galleries), how do you manage to keep so many balls in the air?
working is pretty much all i do, but thankfully i love my work!
long walks or hikes, especially in the woods or along the coastline. tea. toast. curry.
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