The Liberty Interview: Heather Shirin

 

Odd circumstances bring people together. When you least expect it, woosh - a new person arrives into your life at the perfect time.  This 'time' for Heather Shirin and myself was during the 2012 USA Elections.  I, an Obama Lover and a Canadian with 'no vote' and Heather in the States with similar thinking and 'a vote'.  But there wasn't just Heather and I meeting and greeting on Facebook.  We had negative lurkers and crazy-ass-unreal-election-bullies in our midst.  And you know what relationships are like when there are 3 in it. It gets messy and one of you 'must' go. So, we two kindred art spirits applied our prettiest pink lipstick and became fast friends. 

I knew you would want to learn all about this magnificent talent; her art, her world, studio, thoughts - fears - she is so open and authentic. You will fall in love with her.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, Heather Shirin.

Q:

Tell us about the day you realized you wanted to be an artist.

A:

 I don't remember any specific date that I wanted to be an artist - but I do remember a time when all I wanted to be was better at one thing than my older sister. I thought I could do better than her at art and design.

Q:

What mediums do you work with and do you feel that will change over time? What medium will come next for you?

A: 

I am a mixed media artist, so I work daily with many art supplies. I currently use acrylics, gold leaf, fine art paper, glue, glitters, pencils and work on birch wood panels. I definitely think this will shift since as I grow and change - as I used to work with oils and canvas primarily.

Q:
Why North Carolina? I feel there is a journey here. Would you like to share?

A: 

I researched places to move to while living outside of Boston. A very long story short - Asheville is a beautiful mountain art community with tons of galleries, and a vibrant art scene. There are over 5,000 working artisans in this area, specializing in handmade exquisite crafts. Many ceramics, glass, painters and metal smiths. We have furniture makers and wonderful fiber artists galore.

Its a small town with less traffic than a large city, and is more affordable too. I love that is has less snow and warmer weather as well. Its the perfect balance of beauty and weather with art and music. I can now see the milky way from my front yard!

 

Q:

Can you describe your studio and what a typical day is like there?

A: 

My studio is in my home. Most mornings are slow, and I get into the studio after breakfast and some computer time. Some mornings I fit in yoga as well. Then I get the music and apron on, and work until my husband comes home at night. Its usually in and out of the workshop too for varnishing and staining the works.

Q:

Do you snack, graze or eat full meals while you work? What is your favorite food?

A:

I grab something quick for lunch and snack as needed. Fast is best.

Q:

Do you listen to music while you work? Any favorites?

A: 

Yes! My music is always on. I love Imogen Heap for her original sound and lyrics.

Q:

Do you like to work alone?

A: 

Yes, I am too social to have company to concentrate well. I do keep company with 3 studio cats who are my best companions.

Q:

Who helps you with your promotion and business side?

A:

My husband Paul Neff helps me with everything. He's my biggest fan, my photographer and my hardware installer. He carries anything heavy and helps me with some graphic design and business things when needed. He is amazing - and helps me with also providing our health insurance and emotional support as my best friend.

Q:
What is your ultimate goal?

A: 

To teach workshops in Italy, and to have a show in Paris. That, and to never return to my corporate career.

Q:
Can you share any upcoming series you’re thinking about?

A: 

Nope, never plan that far ahead.

Q:
What is the art scene like now in your region?

A: 

Its amazing. Asheville has been ranked as the #1 small city in the US for art buying. There are a ton of galleries and artists making a living here.

Q:
How do you use social media for your career?

A: 

I use Facebook for a fan page... post works in progress and create events for my openings.

Q:
What jobs/careers have you had in the past?

A: 

I was a Creative Director full time for 12 years. I also specialized in user interface design for enterprise eCommerce sites and mobile phone apps.

Q:
Coffee or Tea?

A:

 coffee with Truvia and cream.

Q:
Do you have an altar or meditation area in your studio?

A: 

No, I have a Japanese zen garden in the backyard with a Buddha statue.

Q:
Who is your creative muse?

A: Other artists.

Q:
Which artists have influenced you?

A: 

My favorite artists right now arehttps://www.facebook.com/joan.dumouchel

artists like Gustav Klimt, Audrey Kawaski and more influence me greatly.

Q:
Any art ed?

A: 

No.

Q:
Do you teach art?

A: 

Yes! I have taught mixed media collage and this spring I am teaching

'Art Nouveau Portraits'

http://www.heathershirin.com/workshops/

Q:
What do you do when you become ‘creatively stuck’? How do you recharge and refill?

A: 

I go online and rest. Go shopping. I watch movies, and go to galleries to be inspired.

Q:
What are the 3 worst things that have happened to you?

A:

These are hard to discuss. I will keep it short, since most are a very long story with deep sadness.

First: I recently have contracted a rare eye disease crippling me from working on a computer for any length of time. Its reduced my ability to read anything more than a magazine article. Its not helping with my productivity.

Secondly, I went thru a broken engagement - calling off my first wedding 2 months before the date... after the invites had been sent. It was a terrible time, and then I lost my cat of 1.5 years old and never found her. I cried everyday for the kitty and the children I would never raise.

Third, Last year at this exact time, I was laid off from my corporate job, 5 days before Christmas. I had a terrible time dealing with the loss of my job and the loss of my kitten Totoro, who was diagnosed with a fatal disease - and he passed away at 7 months old on new years eve 2011. The worst thing in the world was watching my "son" die in my arms with nothing we could do about it. It was so emotionally devastating. The loss of the job and the loss of my kitten was one of the most trying times of my life.

Q:
What are the 3 best things that have happened to you?

A:
The best so far was making the right decision to marry my love, Paul. He has made all my dreams come true! I couldn't do what I do without him! Secondly moving to Asheville was a great thing. It changed everything. Being in the right place makes it easier to be who you are meant to be.

Thirdly the best thing that ever happened to me? Not sure yet. I wanna keep that one for the future.

Q:
What makes you sad?

A:
I am physical and mental pain a lot, and that makes me sad. I worry about things, the stress it brings - all that type of stuff brings me down. I suffer from anxiety and that doesn't help. Basically fear, worry and stress make me sad.

Q:
What makes you happy?

A:
My husband, family, friends and especially my cats make me happy.
I love eating out, relaxing, being in my garden, watching shooting stars, bonfires, traveling, and laughing until you cry and your belly hurts.

Q:
What do you wear while you work?

A: 

Comfortable clothes, soft cottons, soft everything. I usually shop in the pajama section for most of my wardrobe! Then I wear an apron for painting. I wear gloves and face masks when handling toxic supplies.

Q:
If you weren’t an artist what would you be?

A: 

I was a web and graphic designer professionally for years... right now I would want to work at a store doing ikebana flower designs, at a garden center or work with animals. I would ideally like to work at an art gallery or with an art consultant doing marketing and learning all I can about being a professional artist.

Q:
Name 10 people you would invite to a dinner party.

A: 

I would invite just Ewan Mcgregor. Anyone else I would invite would simply be completely ignored! 
If I must it would be many other artists -
Joan Dumouchel, Amy Sol, Audrey Kawaski, Sabrina Hard Harrison, the author Tama Kieves, President Obama, and my favorite musicians.

Liberty Post says, Thank You Heather! 

*Editor's Note: Please visit here to view all the galleries Heather spoke about!

 

Patti Friday, Photojourno, reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'.

Love Letter To Shore Lane: 72nd St.

UPDATE:  SOLD - Please contact me if you would like something similar! 

NEW! This original painting is part of a series 'Love Letter To Shore Lane'. Shore Lane is a street in Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada. The longest freshwater beach in the world. 32"x40"on  canvas. Acrylic.

Patti Friday, Photojourno, reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'.

The Best Lover's Kama Sutra Valentine's Gift Box

Bursting with delicious strawberry and white chocolate flavored romance staples meant to sweeten playtime, this gorgeously gift-ready heart shaped box is perfect for all kinds of sensual occasions. Containing 3 carefully selected Kama Sutra favorites, subtly sweet Strawberry Honey Dust with a soft feather applicator, sinfully decadent White Chocolate Body Paint with a sturdy body paintbrush and lickable, moisturizing Strawberry Creme Body Souffle. Give the gift of over-the-top pleasurable treats for body and soul with this love inducing kit.

Strawberry Sweet Heart Body Treats for Lovers Kit

Contains

• Strawberry Honey Dust - 2 oz (50g)
• White Chocolate Body Paint- 2 oz (50g) & body paintbrush
• Strawberry Creme Body Souffle - 1.8 oz (50g)

Ships within 24 hours. Kama Sutra Lovers Kit may be found here.

Patti Friday, Photojourno, reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'.

NEW Paintings: Love Letter To Wasaga Beach

UPDATE:  SOLD

Maybe it's the subzero temperatures and the streams of snow past my window or perhaps it is a longing to walk our beautiful freshwater beach, but I am in the groove. The paint is moving in wonderful ways off my brush and the newly completed pieces are now in my shop!  You can find them here. How do you beat the winter weather?

Patti Friday, Photojourno, reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'.

Judgements By Rosea Lake

A photo exploring the way women are made to feel judged by the length of their skirt has 'gone viral' after it was posted by an artist from Vancouver.

Graphic design student Rosea Lake posted 'Judgements' earlier this month on her Tumblr account, and it has since been shared more than 200,000 times.

Patti Friday, Photojourno, reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'.

Love Letter To Shore Lane

I've begun a love letter (painting series) to Wasaga Beach. Read all about it here:  http://thebeachpost.blogspot.ca/2013/01/love-letter-to-shore-lane.html


Patti Friday, Photojourno, reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'.

How Rich People Think

21 Ways Rich People Think Differently

1. Average people think MONEY is the root of all evil. Rich people believe POVERTY is the root of all evil.

"The average person has been brainwashed to believe rich people are lucky or dishonest," Siebold writes.

That's why there's a certain shame that comes along with "getting rich" in lower-income communities.

"The world class knows that while having money doesn't guarantee happiness, it does make your life easier and more enjoyable." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

2. Average people think selfishness is a vice. Rich people think selfishness is a virtue.

"The rich go out there and try to make themselves happy. They don't try to pretend to save the world," Siebold told Business Insider. 

The problem is that middle class people see that as a negative––and it's keeping them poor, he writes.

"If you're not taking care of you, you're not in a position to help anyone else. You can't give what you don't have."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

3. Average people have a lottery mentality. Rich people have an action mentality.

"While the masses are waiting to pick the right numbers and praying for prosperity, the great ones are solving problems," Siebold writes.

"The hero [middle class people] are waiting for may be God, government, their boss or their spouse. It's the average person's level of thinking that breeds this approach to life and living while the clock keeps ticking away." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

4. Average people think the road to riches is paved with formal education. Rich people believe in acquiring specific knowledge.

"Many world-class performers have little formal education, and have amassed their wealth through the acquisition and subsequent sale of specific knowledge," he writes. 

"Meanwhile, the masses are convinced that master's degrees and doctorates are the way to wealth, mostly because they are trapped in the linear line of thought that holds them back from higher levels of consciousness...The wealthy aren't interested in the means, only the end."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

5. Average people long for the good old days. Rich people dream of the future.

"Self-made millionaires get rich because they're willing to bet on themselves and project their dreams, goals and ideas into an unknown future," Siebold writes. 

"People who believe their best days are behind them rarely get rich, and often struggle with unhappiness and depression."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

6. Average people see money through the eyes of emotion. Rich people think about money logically.

"An ordinarily smart, well-educated and otherwise successful person can be instantly transformed into a fear-based, scarcity driven thinker whose greatest financial aspiration is to retire comfortably," he writes.

"The world class sees money for what it is and what it's not, through the eyes of logic. The great ones know money is a critical tool that presents options and opportunities." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

7.  Average people earn money doing things they don't love. Rich people follow their passion.

"To the average person, it looks like the rich are working all the time," Siebold says. "But one of the smartest strategies of the world class is doing what they love and finding a way to get paid for it."

On the other hand, middle class take jobs they don't enjoy "because they need the money and they've been trained in school and conditioned by society to live in a linear thinking world that equates earning money with physical or mental effort." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

8.  Average people set low expectations so they're never disappointed. Rich people are up for the challenge.

"Psychologists and other mental health experts often advise people to set low expectations for their life to ensure they are not disappointed," Siebold writes.

"No one would ever strike it rich and live their dreams without huge expectations." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

9. Average people believe you have to DO something to get rich. Rich people believe you have to BE something to get rich.

"That's why people like Donald Trump go from millionaire to nine billion dollars in debt and come back richer than ever," he writes. 

"While the masses are fixated on the doing and the immediate results of their actions, the great ones are learning and growing from every experience, whether it's a success or a failure, knowing their true reward is becoming a human success machine that eventually produces outstanding results."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

10. Average people believe you need money to make money. Rich people use other people's money.

Linear thought might tell people to make money in order to earn more, but Siebold says the rich aren't afraid to fund their future from other people's pockets.

"Rich people know not being solvent enough to personally afford something is not relevant. The real question is, 'Is this worth buying, investing in, or pursuing?'" he writes. 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

11. Average people believe the markets are driven by logic and strategy. Rich people know they're driven by emotion and greed.

Investing successfully in the stock market isn't just about a fancy math formula.

"The rich know that the primary emotions that drive financial markets are fear and greed, and they factor this into all trades and trends they observe," Siebold writes.

"This knowledge of human nature and its overlapping impact on trading give them strategic advantage in building greater wealth through leverage."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

12. Average people live beyond their means. Rich people live below theirs.

"Here's how to live below your means and tap into the secret wealthy people have used for centuries: Get rich so you can afford to," he writes.  

"The rich live below their means, not because they're so savvy, but because they make so much money that they can afford to live like royalty while still having a king's ransom socked away for the future." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

13. Average people teach their children how to survive. Rich people teach their kids to get rich.

Rich parents teach their kids from an early age about the world of "haves" and "have-nots," Siebold says. Even he admits many people have argued that he's supporting the idea of elitism. 

He disagrees.

"[People] say parents are teaching their kids to look down on the masses because they're poor. This isn't true," he writes. "What they're teaching their kids is to see the world through the eyes of objective reality––the way society really is." 

If children understand wealth early on, they'll be more likely to strive for it later in life.

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

14. Average people let money stress them out. Rich people find peace of mind in wealth.

The reason wealthy people earn more wealth is that they're not afraid to admit that money can solve most problems, Siebold says.

"[The middle class] sees money as a never-ending necessary evil that must be endured as part of life. The world class sees money as the great liberator, and with enough of it, they are able to purchase financial peace of mind."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

15. Average people would rather be entertained than educated. Rich people would rather be educated than entertained.

While the rich don't put much stock in furthering wealth through formal education, they appreciate the power of learning long after college is over, Siebold says.

"Walk into a wealthy person's home and one of the first things you'll see is an extensive library of books they've used to educate themselves on how to become more successful," he writes.

"The middle class reads novels, tabloids and entertainment magazines." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

16. Average people think rich people are snobs. Rich people just want to surround themselves with like-minded people.

The negative money mentality poisoning the middle class is what keeps the rich hanging out with the rich, he says.

"[Rich people] can't afford the messages of doom and gloom," he writes. "This is often misinterpreted by the masses as snobbery.

Labeling the world class as snobs is another way the middle class finds to feel better bout themselves and their chosen path of mediocrity."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

17. Average people focus on saving. Rich people focus on earning.

Siebold theorizes that the wealthy focus on what they'll gain by taking risks, rather than how to save what they have.

"The masses are so focused on clipping coupons and living frugally they miss major opportunities," he writes.

"Even in the midst of a cash flow crisis, the rich reject the nickle and dime thinking of the masses. They are the masters of focusing their mental energy where it belongs: on the big money." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

18. Average people play it safe with money. Rich people know when to take risks.

"Leverage is the watchword of the rich," Siebold writes. 

"Every investor loses money on occasion, but the world class knows no matter what happens, they will aways be able to earn more." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

19. Average people love to be comfortable. Rich people find comfort in uncertainty.

For the most part, it takes guts to take the risks necessary to make it as a millionaire––a challenge most middle class thinkers aren't comfortable living with.

"Physical, psychological, and emotional comfort is the primary goal of the middle class mindset," Siebold writes.

World class thinkers learn early on that becoming a millionaire isn't easy and the need for comfort can be devastating. They learn to be comfortable while operating in a state of ongoing uncertainty."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

20. Average people never make the connection between money and health. Rich people know money can save your life.

While the middle class squabbles over the virtues of Obamacare and their company's health plan, the super wealthy are enrolled in a super elite "boutique medical care" association, Siebold says.

"They pay a substantial yearly membership fee that guarantees them 24-hour access to a private physician who only serves a small group of members," he writes.

"Some wealthy neighborhoods have implemented this strategy and even require the physician to live in the neighborhood."

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

21. Average people believe they must choose between a great family and being rich. Rich people know you can have it all.

The idea the wealth must come at the expense of family time is nothing but a "cop-out", Siebold says.

"The masses have been brainwashed to believe it's an either/or equation," he writes. "The rich know you can have anything you want if you approach the challenge with a mindset rooted in love and abundance." 

From Steve Siebold, author of "How Rich People Think."

Buy a copy of the book here or here.  

Patti Friday, Photojourno, reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'.