Windowsill Chats Margo Tantau

Margo is joined by Aussie Surface Pattern Designer Rachael King. Obsessed with pattern from an early age, Rachael King grew up watching her talented mother making clothes not only for her and her siblings but for bridal and formal events too. While working in her mom's fabric shop, she mused over how the pattern repeated over the fabric and wondered how fabric was printed and wouldn't it be wonderful to design fabric too? It took another 23 years before Rachael was able to start a diploma in graphic design that would then lead into her dream of becoming a surface pattern designer. Represented by Nerida Hansen at Surtex in 2017 led to her first licensed collection with Spotlight stores and since then she has worked with fashion, homewares and greeting card companies, been a part owner in a print-on-demand fabric business, self-published two books, and is now teaching and mentoring in her much-loved industry. Rachael adores the connection she makes with fellow designers through her various touchpoints and feels very privileged to be able to inspire and nurture emerging surface designers.
 
Margo and Rachael discuss:
Rachael’s creative path and how her mom instilled a love for creativity in her
Self-publishing her book, Pattern Pulse, after initial rejection
Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Big Magic, and how it catalyzed her creative endeavors
Tribulations and triumphs of women in the creative business landscape: asserting value, advocating for fair compensation, and having a network of peers and mentors
The importance of physical art in a digital age
Why individuality and authenticity are crucial to the art industry
How artists can stay true to their unique style while also being commercially viable
Challenges of building a creative community in Australia
The influence and support that often comes from maternal figures in fostering creativity
Thoughts and tips for artists facing low payment offers
 
Connect with Rachael:
www.rachaelking.com.au
www.patternpulse.com.au
www.instagram.com/rachaeldoesdesign
www.instagram.com/australiansurfacedesigners
www.facebook.com/rachaelkingdesignsbrisbane
 
Connect with Margo:
www.windowsillchats.com
www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill
 

In this part 2 of 2 episode, Margo is joined by founder of Lonesome Pictopia, Melanie Nead. Rooted in American tattooing, the wild spaces of the Pacific Northwest, and the belief that all work should be a force for good, Lonesome Pictopia is a woman-owned design collective creating magical worlds with original wallpapers, textiles, and murals. After fifteen years as a custom tattoo artist, Melanie turned her love of plants and pattern to creating one-of-a-kind, hand-painted murals, with an eye on releasing a house line in the spirit of historic wallcoverings. Their deeply designed wallpapers are traditionally printed in the UK by a sustainable manufacturer of some of the finest wallpapers in the world. Her work has appeared in Architectural Digest, Luxe Magazine, Casa Vogue Brazil, and the Business of Home podcast, among many others.
 
Margo and Melanie discuss:
How to manage project expectations, setting clear boundaries and communication with clients
The power in systems in order to save time and costs
How building in a margin of error to the cost of projects has helped her team
Infusing personal values and making a social impact into her work
Math and knowing your numbers as a creative business owner
Positioning yourself and how it can build confidence
And more!
 
Connect with Melanie:
www.lonesomepictopia.com
www.instagram.com/lonesomepictopia
 
Connect with Margo:
www.windowsillchats.com
www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
www.patreon/inthewindowsill
 

Margo is joined by founder of Lonesome Pictopia, Melanie Nead. Rooted in American tattooing, the wild spaces of the Pacific Northwest, and the belief that all work should be a force for good, Lonesome Pictopia is a woman-owned design collective creating magical worlds with original wallpapers, textiles, and murals. After fifteen years as a custom tattoo artist, Melanie turned her love of plants and pattern to creating one-of-a-kind, hand-painted murals, with an eye on releasing a house line in the spirit of historic wallcoverings. Their deeply designed wallpapers are traditionally printed in the UK by a sustainable manufacturer of some of the finest wallpapers in the world. Her work has appeared in Architectural Digest, Luxe Magazine, Casa Vogue Brazil, and the Business of Home podcast, among many others.
 
Margo and Melanie discuss:
Her creative path and the transition from tattoo artist to surface pattern designer
navigating the balance between tradition and innovation within her art
How to manage project expectations, setting clear boundaries and communication with clients
Infusing personal values and making a social impact into her work
The difficulty that comes with shifting career paths
Discovering a passion for design after tattooing
The impact of design and creativity on mental health
The magic that comes from authenticity and experimental drive
Business systems for creative entrepreneurship and how platforms like Instagram can still be a powerhouse for business growth
Balancing the need for creative mental space with the business demands of schedules and deadlines
Maintaining and revitalizing historic crafts and artistic expressions
Cinema as a design inspiration
 
Connect with Melanie:
www.lonesomepictopia.com
www.instagram.com/lonesomepictopia
 
Connect with Margo:
www.windowsillchats.com
www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
www.patreon/inthewindowsill
 

Margo is joined once again by surface pattern designer, intuitive art maker, and course creator Jessica Swift. As a child, Jessica sported a nearly-permanent Crayola marker stain on her left arm, from pinky to elbows so, naturally, she became an artist. She creates colorful, uplifting artwork and manufactures her own products in her studio in Portland, Oregon. She also collaborates with inspiring companies and publishers to create branded products such as fabric, stationery, puzzles, books, and more. She's the author of 3 books and teaches online classes on topics including pattern design, color, and intuitive art-making.
 
Margo and Jessica discuss:
The pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of Jessica’s career as an artist
How she combines outer art mediums with an inner focus for healing
Using art making as a portal for personal discovery and self expression
How to tune out external noise in order to trust your inner voice better
How engaging with art can impact decision-making
Jessica’s approach in how she uses art as a vehicle for personal growth and insight rather than just an aesthetic outcome
Authentic expression online
Her upcoming course, Unleashed: A Creative Journey to Inner Freedom
 
Connect with Jessica:
www.jessicaswift.com
www.instagram.com/jessicaswift
https://www.artforselfcare.com/unleashed
Windowsill Chats Episode 105
 
Connect with Margo:
www.windowsillchats.com
www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill
 

Margo is joined once again by artist, metalsmith, teacher, creative business coach, writer, and entrepreneur Megan Aumen. Megan has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for art, design, and creativity. In addition to her eponymous jewelry line and various other creative pursuits (including textile design, painting, and sculpture), she runs Designing an MBA, where she talks and teaches about the intersection of art and business, and Artists and Profit Makers, an online mentorship program for creative business owners. She is the author of four books, including Try It & See and Permission to Be an Artist.
 
Margo and Megan discuss:
The importance of experiential art
Understanding the seasonality of a business and why it’s important
Her journey with both self-doubt and self-empowerment when it comes to valuing creative work
Rest and relaxation for creatives and how she integrates principles into her own life to maintain a healthy creative process
Traditional advice that’s often given to artists regarding problem-solving and how it can limit their creative expression and the impact of their work
Generative AI: ethical considerations and its impact on creative workers
 
Connect with Megan:
shop.meganauman.com
instagram.com/meganauman
youtube.com/meganauman
 
Connect with Margo:
www.windowsillchats.com
www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill
 

Margo is joined by book-loving, notebook-hoarding literacy teacher educator who is on a mission to change lives one book and one notebook at a time, Stephanie Affinito. Stephanie blogs about the power of leading literate lives and podcasts weekly on books and reading, writing and notebooks and everything in between. Stephanie shares about the transformative power of reading and writing and how her own personal journey of rediscovering creativity through self-expression and the joy of literature.
 
Margo and Stephanie discuss:
Reading and writing as a form of therapy
Understanding restorative reading practices
The science behind reading for mental and physical health
The connection between literacy and emotional well-being
Encouraging joyful reading habits
Building a book apothecary
The importance of starting with achievable goals
Establishing rituals around reading
And so much more
 
Connect with Stephanie:
www.alitlife.com 
www.instagram.com/AffinitoLit 
www.facebook.com/AffinitoLit 
www.twitter.com/AffinitoLit 
www.threads.net/@affinitolit 
www.getliterate.co
stephanie-affinito-0cab.mykajabi.com/envelopesofliteratelove
stephanie-affinito-0cab.mykajabi.com/workwithstephanie
 
Connect with Margo:
www.windowsillchats.com
www.instagram.com/windowsillchats
www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill