Through blogging and Instagramming, I’ve been introduced to an amazing Virtual Sisterhood of Creative Ladies.

The Oh Creative Lady series is your chance to meet these incredible, kind-hearted, inspiring <insert ALL the happy, positive adjectives HERE> women.

Claire from Spoonful of Color has a vibrant, sunshiney Instagram feed that radiates happiness and joy. You’ll find snapshots of her Californian life with her adorable toddler, Cora. I am completely enamoured with her “Life in Mini Palettes” project where she creates snippets of colourful genius with paint chips. Hanging out with her on Insty just makes me giddy and happy, y’know?
It’s my pleasure to introduce Claire.

I am… Hello there! I am Claire, wife to Eddie, mama to Cora, and dog mama to Nattie Gann. We live in Huntington Beach, CA, just a few miles from the lovely Pacific Coast. Actually come to think of it, I’ve pretty much spent most of my life near the water- growing up on the coast of Florida, then moving to Savannah, GA to pursue art, and now to Southern California (perhaps my next location should be on a houseboat? ;)) My background is in Advertising/Branding and Graphic Design, but my true passion is working in mixed media and collaging with paper.

I find inspiration… in my day-to-day experiences with my family or observations I’ve made through exploring nature- It may have been something my daughter said or maybe even an interesting pattern I found on a tree outside. As for fellow creative inspiration, Matisse has always been one of my favorite artists. His use of bold colors and interesting shapes always keep my brain completely engaged and inspired.

I am excited about … currently working on my ongoing project entitled “Life in Mini Palettes,” the paint chip project. I started collaging on paint chips my second year of Graduate school at The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Those collages then led to a thesis project which was followed by my first real job, working as a greeting card designer at American Greetings in Cleveland, OH. I revisted the paint chips last fall because I had missed it so much. There is something so fulfilling and magical about connecting a color to an emotion. It has always been my favorite medium.

When I’m in a creative slump, I… Oh man, creative slumps. Those occur all too often. When it does happen, I tend to take my daughter Cora outdoors to get a fresh, new perspective. She may draw her attention to the sun, flowers or even the clouds, so that gets my mind going which eventually gets my out of the slump. The new things she discovers on a daily basis are enough inspiration for a lifetime. Oh and I also like to recharge by listening to some good music and filling my mind with lovely melodies.

I’m really proud of… When I started Spoonful of Color, I had no idea what would become of it. I’m proud to say that it has grown into something so fulfilling and I hope it is the same for others too. I’ve recently received some kind notes from Instafriends about a particular posts that have touched them. I also love that it is a project that Cora and I can share together during this stage of development in her life. We are learning from each other and I’ll always have this documentation of our discoveries. I’m so delighted it has become a resource for other creatives and moms and has led me to meet some wonderful friends (looking at you, Oh Creative Day!)

Someone once told me… Be mindful and present. To others, to your kids, to your spouse, to your work, to the community, etc. There was a article I read last year entitled “Are you lonely, mama?” by Kristen LaValley. I know the title sounds super Debbie Downer, but I love the points she makes about how hard motherhood is and how we are all in this together. My favorite line- “Don’t let loneliness steal this season from you. It’s precious and it’s beautiful and it will be over way too soon.”

I love how real that is. Motherhood is so unbelievably draining and challenging but it really doesn’t have to be if you find the right groove and a great set of pals. It can be absolutely amazing.

My advice to you is … When in doubt, just go for it. Most of the time, it will lead to something wonderful.
I remember the exact day that I started Spoonful of Color. I woke up early that morning, before my husband, daughter, and dog were awake. I went digging through my old Grad school portfolio and found my book of paint chip collages. They made me smile. Then I took them out of the dusty book, searched for a few unused paint chips I had stored away in a shoebox, and the rest is history. I took the plunge and it turned into something that exceeded my expectations.

You can find me at …
Spoonful of Color
dot + jim
The Nimbus FactoryThank you so much for giving us a glimpse into your world, Claire.
P.S I really think you should move to this side of the Pacific Ocean so our kids can have play dates and we can hang out!

And here’s the link to the “Are You Lonely, Mama” article that Claire mentioned. Beautiful words, beautiful sentiment.