You will not believe me if I told you that all drawing done in this shop is done by a 3-year old girl, Gracie. She gets helped by her mom for the coloring, but the things is that, how many time we can find a 3-year old can draw properly?
Here you go...this is the picture of Gracie in action. I took this picture from her shop, to show to all of you that it's really her who do all the drawing...she is a real talented LITTLE ARTIST. Her painting is mostly animals or fun girls, what I like the most is the way she expresses her love to those creatures, draws those lines, etc.
I think I can't wait to show off some of my fave items from Tootsie and Grace....
I tried to do a in-direct interview with her and her mom, Marissa. These are things they would like to share with us:
Where do you get your inspiration?
The inspiration behind the artwork for Tootsie and Grace comes in two parts. Three year old Gracie, the designer of each piece is inspired by the things she loves, from animals to princesses, usually inspired from favorite movies, songs or bedtime stories. I then take her work and run with it, adding bold and brilliant colors on top of the designs, characters and animals I see in her artwork.
What sets you apart from your competition?
I don't know of a whole lot of artistic collaborations that involve the work of a three year old and her mother. I think that alone might just set us apart.
What medium do you work in the most?
Gracie uses a thick tipped permanent marker for her work. I then use colored pencils to add to her drawings. All the black marker work is hers alone. I try to stay away from the dark colors, as I really want her line work to show through the layers of color.
What piece of yours is your favorite right now?
Mothers tend to be biased when it comes to their children's artwork. Like all proud mothers, I think all of Gracie's pictures are perfect!! When it comes to my colorful additions, I had a lot of fun with the colors in Bertie Bumble the Buzzing Bee and Strawberries for Sarah.
Who is the artist who inspires you the most?
My favorite artist is a low profile and fairly unknown artist named Brian Nishimoto. I saw his bold and bright watercolors in a small exhibit a few years ago, and ended up becoming his painting companion for about a year while Gracie was small. Working alongside an artist that I believed to be the best, and learning from him in person was the most inspiring experience I could ever imagine!
Where is home base for you?
Home base is the small city of Abilene, Texas, as we just moved here a few weeks ago and will be here for a year or two. The home of my heart will always be the Bay Area, CA which is where I was raised and lived until recently. My family would love to be back one day soon!
What do you do to get over creative block or to take a break from creating?
I don't really have time to have creative blocks now that I am a mom with two small children. Gracie has a one year old sister, and between the two of them, I don't have a lot of time for art. When I'm not thinking about working on a picture, I am cleaning, cooking and taking care of the kids. When I have a spare minute, I jump on it and get as much art done as I can!
Do you work outside of the home/studio, and if you do, what is your day job?
My day job is being a wife and mother, which I love, but I have big aspirations to be a professional children's book writer and illustrator. I've always loved the idea of working from home, creating art.
Do you sell wholesale?
At the moment, the chance hasn't come up, but I am always open.
Do you have a website or blog in addition to your etsy shop?
You can find our everything there is to know about me and my life with art and children at my blog www.tootsiegrace.blogspot.com .. I also have another Etsy shop, which is filled with my own illustrations at www.elegantsnobbery.etsy.com .
