1. Please tell us about your art and yourself: who are you, what do you do, how did you start your creative life?

My name is Cori Dantini. I live and work in a town called Pullman in Washington state, which is nestled in the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse.

I graduated with a BFA in art from WSU (which is also in Pullman), with a major emphasis in painting and a minor in printmaking.

Since graduating from college I have done everything in my power to make art a part of my living. I have designed clip art, greeting cards (which I still do), done commercial work (most exciting client… Starbucks), and now I am creating mixed media paintings for art/craft fairs and my etsy shop, which I sell (hopefully) and then turn into archival prints.

I consider my little mixed media pieces to be visual poems. I know it sounds strange, but I fully enjoy the uncomfortable moments, the smaller parts of the greater whole. I think a lot of truth can be found there. In my work I am trying to accomplish the capturing of those moments, or breaths, the looks that you “think” you may have seen, or that deep deep sigh that happens way in the background (sometimes). What I am hoping to do in making these little pieces is to hand you that moment and have you think your own thoughts about them, and then with each and every meeting we are creating our own new truth (together).

2. How do you come up with an idea for a piece ?

I used to plan things out, sketch and think all of my thoughts before I even began, but what I discovered was that my work wasn’t very fun or spontaneous (to look at or to make,) so years ago I decided to stop doing it that way. So now, I am not a planner. I am a maker.

Basically, I begin by creating a background out of vintage papers, then I put that pencil down and I start to draw, and I see what the person or animal looks like, or I will find something written on the pages I am drawing on, and that will spark something which will send me down a certain path (which I follow like an obedient dog!).

I do my very best to follow my imagination. Sometimes it works, and other times, it doesn’t (and mostly I am okay with that).

3. Do you have living (or RIP) artists you are inspired from ?

I have so many people and things that inspire me… I feel like I always say the same ones, Amanda Blake, Camilla Engman, Calef Brown to name a few. But a new one I have is Squeak Carnwath, she is amazing (and inspiring).

4. Do you have any creating ritual ?

When I begin a project or start a new series of paintings I HAVE to start with a clean studio. If I don’t, I can’t begin… so the very first thing is a BIG cleaning/organizing. I should also add that I don’t clean while I am in the middle of the project, so the mess can become quite out of hand, but for some reason it does not bother me while I am in the process of creating. Maybe it is just knowing that when I am done, I will clean again.

5. Do you have a studio or creative place-room-corner ? How does it impact your art ?

I have a Fairly generous sized studio (300 square feet or so), and it is such a blessing. I am surrounded by all of my stuff at all times and I find this to be very helpful. Something I always say is, if you don’t have it you can’t use it. So there is a lot of stuff around here (I might add I hardly use any of it, but it doesn’t stop me from gathering it all up). Plus I have big plans for some found object / assemblage pieces some day.

6. What would be your top 5 creative inspirations?

well, I love music that fills you up (piano music and traditional middle eastern music are two big favorites): for me the right kind of music can open up spaces that are sort of hard to tap into.

I also like to look at other people’s artwork, but find I suck all that info in so deeply that I need to be careful. I don’t do it on purpose, but sometimes images or compositions (line work even) will get in my head and then it will come pouring out at random, so I have to be careful.

I love E.E. Cummings, he writes the most beautiful (open ended) sentences.

My son… he says and does the most amazing things. He has coined many interesting ideas, for example a while back he said to me his earsight isn’t very good. In a million years I would never think a thing like that. Such a beautiful little thought.

A good walk can do wonders as well.

7. What are you into at the moment ? Do you have any art obsessions ?

I am in love with the first page of an old book (the page where someone with some fantastic name like delores would sign that book with her lovely old fashioned penmanship).

I am really into the night sky right now. I am painting people who are wearing it, birds that are filled up with it… I am pondering balloons and sacks that people are dragging around that are filled up with it. It seems to symbolize for me, potential.

Rulers.

I am really loving the new built to spill album called There Is No Enemy, particularly song two ( Hindsight ).

8. Any dreams or project for the future?

Well, I am in the process of making one of my dreams come true at the moment. I just recently learned that I have been selected to be part of the cherry creek art festival (in Denver), as part of their emerging artists program. It is a huge and wonderful art fair, that frankly is the best I have ever been too. It is something I have always told myself that I would try and do if I ever became brave enough to tackle the art/craft fair world (which I just did this past summer on a local level).

So this year I decided I would throw in my hat (what did I have to lose right?). I ABSOLUTELY did not think I would get in, but I am always saying to everyone that you can’t do anything if you don’t throw your hat in… so I did, and I got in! Honestly, I couldn’t believe it ! So now… I am painting like mad. My goal is to show up with over 100 paintings, mostly because I have NO idea how many I will need. So better to have too many than not enough.

9. Any advice creative-wise for our readers ?

I say just make stuff… good or bad. If it is good, GREAT, if it is bad, make more ! Just do it… Make. Make. Make.

I have a theory that with everything you make, you will learn a little something from it. If you do it long enough, you will learn a lot, and become better and better at what you do. So go ahead and make stuff.

You have nothing to lose and a lot to learn (from yourself).

Thanks Cori! Your art is truly poetic, and I totally can relate to the uncomfortables creative moments and the messy studio! Creation in chaos! You can find Cori’s creation in her two Etsy shops, one is Bright and colorful with print of her oil paintings, the other one a bit more color-subtil (see image above), with more poetic images. She also has a blog where you can follow her illustrated musings.