Artist Profile: Desiree Habicht

Desiree Habicht

Riverside, CA

1. What other ideas for this theme "rituals" did you have?  I had so many I had a hard time narrowing it down. Painting/sketching daily, Christmas morning rituals were a few of my ideas.

2.  Are you involved in any community or group projects where you donate your work?  if yes, what project or projects? Yes, I recently donated my artwork and gardens for touring to the Riverside County Medical Centers Child abuse and neglect unit for their May 2012 annual fund raiser. I also support SAQA by donating auction quilts every year, as well as Visions Art Quilt Museum and the Alliance for American Quilts.

3.  Do you belong to a small group of like-minded artists?  yes/no  Name/where?  What is the best part of being part of an art group? Yes, I belong and co-lead a small art quilting group called Sub-Q (Subterranean Quilters). It is a safe place to explore and try new techniques as we challenge and support each other as we stretch and grow.  

4.  Are you a member of a professional art organization, such as SAQA?  Have you ever held a volunteer position in the organization, and if so, what? Yes, I belong to SAQA as well as other professional art organizations such as Riverside Art Museum, PAAR (Plein Air Artists of Riverside), PSSC (Pastel Society of Southern California),The Art Colony and Watercolor West. I currently hold the position of Education and Programs Chair for PAAR . 

5.  What is your favorite palette of colors that you use in your work?  Name 5.  Name 5 of your least favorite colors? I usually use strong, bright, very saturated colors in my work, greens, oranges, reds, yellows and usually black. My least favorite colors are pastels or soft values of any color.  I guess I like to scream it from the rooftops verses whispering it from the streets.

6.  Describe your creative work space in 20 words or less.  Are you messy or tidy? 

Oh man, I hate to say this but lately my workspace is very MESSY! My husband has threatened to start a show called fabric hoarders! I start a project with a tidy workspace but it is soon messy, then I clean it before I start a new project. When I have multiple projects or a tradeshow coming it is in a constant state of mess. 

7.  What is your creative process?  Think, draw, design, make or right to the design? I think about the project or idea for awhile. Allowing my mind to play and come up with ideas then I work it out on paper, making sketches of different ideas and layouts etc. Then I will continue to expand and continue making changes as I am designing and assembling the project, its always a work in progress, like me.

8.   Is there a particular object or shape that shows up repeatedly in your work?  Why?
I like soft lines and organic shapes, there is a organic flow and rhythm to them.

9.   If you had to choose a favorite artist from another media, who would it be, and why?  It is always changing but right now I love Alvaro Castagnets work, its bold and strong, and he has dared to work outside the box of traditional watercolorists. Challenging the rules and ideas set down by the purists and traditionalist. Isn't that what all of us art quilters are doing every time we create a new piece?

10.  Have you written a book related to Art Quilts and Quilting or have an instructional DVD?  If so, can you tell us the title or titles? Yes, I wrote one, but never published it, its on my bucket list!

11.  Do you make art full time?   If you have another career, would you describe what you do? and how you incorporate art into your life? Yes, I am a full-time artist, I love waking up everyday and being able to create something beautiful.

12.  What is your most thrilling news to date in relation to your art quilt life?  I have three of my art quilts coming out in a new book called Designs in Art Quilts to be released in the spring of 2013, all three quilts featured are from Jamie and Leslie's invitational exhibits, Edges, The Space Between and Beneath the Surface! The other exciting thing was that my art quilt "Crepe Paper Poppies" was made into a art tile, 6"x16" for use in interiors. The tiles turned out beautiful and I have ordered more so I can tile some of the rooms in my house! 

www.desireesdesigns.com
http://desireesdesigns.blogspot.com