- What is your name / organization / title?
Janelle Crawford-Hine / Janellabee Studio
- What motivated you to become a maker?
I have always been a maker since I was a child. My happiest state has always been when I am creating, whether that is cooking, painting, drawing, gardening, or sewing. I new very early on that I wanted to make a life out of creating art.
- Looking back on the early stages of your journey, what advice would you give yourself now?
I would tell myself not to be intimidated. I was definitely afraid to seek opportunities and follow through on them.
- What is your favorite thing you’ve ever made? Why?
Wow, I think that might be like picking children! I love the projects I am working on currently because they are social justice pieces. I started working on a piece with four ethnically different pregnant mamas for a printmaking prompt called "color story" in February. My son was 7 months old and I was working on it late at night between other projects. When we all came down with the flue it got abandoned. I ended up picking it back up when we went into lock down and I have been trying to finish it in the wee hours of the night between other projects. I can't wait to see how it comes out but I am also terrified that I will mess it up and have to do it again.
- What’s the next evolution for you (or your industry) going to look like?
At this point everything is uncertain because we are all home avoiding coronavirus. In February I made a plan that is still my guiding star. I was upping my caft/art fair game and applying for big shows that I had been intimidated by. That side of my plan has been completely demolished. The other had of my plan was to start pursuing freelance contracts to do children's book illustration. That has also been upended by the virus because I have very limited studio time now that I am homeschooling. The thing I have been able expand is sharing my process online with my followers and working on my online sales.
- Who would you partner with (living or dead) for your dream collaboration? And what would you work on together?
I think it would have to be Dave McKean. He has always been such an inspiration to continue to think outside that box and not let the thing you are doing define you in such a way that you limit yourself.
- You're on death row and it's time for your final meal. What'll ya have?
Today it would be Tom Kha Gai. Tomorrow it will probably be something else!
- In a world where you have two hands, all of your pets and loved ones are safe, and your studio is on fire, what do you try to save?
Ok, in two hands I think I can fit my gauges, my box with most of the blocks I have carved and if it isn't on fire I would throw my inks into my computer bag. My computer is so old and decrepit I would let it burn! 🔥 😂
- What is one piece of pop culture (movie, tv, artwork, song, etc.) that no matter how many times you return to it you still draw excitement, movement, or inspiration?
It's hard to nail down just one because I literally have a list of movies that do this for me. The Book of Kells blew my mind open and along with Song of the Sea (by the same studio) makes me so excited to create as soon as I start watching it.
- I love useless facts. Impress me with a seriously useless fact!
can sing the entirety of Les Miserables from beginning to end! 😂
- If you could try any profession other than your own, what would you choose to do?
I think I would be a zookeeper. I have always loved working with animals and when we went to the zoo I got really jealous of the zookeepers!
- What is your personal strategy/philosophy when it comes to using social media for your work?
I always look for artists who share their authentic lives and processes online and I try to create that in my own account. (Although, it's easier said than done.)
- Speaking of social media, where can people find you?
You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Etsy as Janellabee Studio. If you look really hard you might be able to find me on Pintrest.
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