Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your business. I’m Claire. I live in a teeny tiny town in the foothills of California, where it’s nice and weird. I like to make stuff that makes people laugh. My business statement sums it up pretty well: “The purpose of Absolutely Small is to create and distribute approachable, enjoyable, and live-with-able art and art toys. I create in plush because you can’t hug a painting. I create in paint because it is awesome. If I can get people to smile or laugh at what I’ve created, then I’ve succeeded.”
How did you first get involved with crafting? I’ve been crafting as long as I can remember. My mom was a great enabler, always making sure I had plenty of supplies to keep me busy. Some of my earliest memories are of us crafting together.
What are your favorite materials to work with? I work a lot with fleece, but my favorite fabrics are weird cotton prints and vintage polyester. I also love sifting through vintage buttons and trims to find just the right touch of oddness for a piece.
Do you have a favorite color palette? I’m sort of a color dilettante. I like to always be working with new color combinations. The same ones over & over again just get too dull.
What are your inspirations in your art and in life? My two pugs, Topanaga and Buster, are my muses. Weirdness and goofyness inspires me. And bad puns and plays on words.
What is your favorite song or album to listen to while working? Music is always going in the studio. It helps me think, or rather, not think. Perennial favorites include Of Montreal, the first Katamari Damacy soundtrack, TMBG, Jonathan Richman, The Shins….
Who are some of your favorite indie artist/crafters and why do you love them? Leslie Hall is a huge inspiration to me. She reminds me not to take myself and life so seriously. James Kochalka is another inspiration. His daily comics are just amazing. Oh! And Vanessa Davis. Her comics are fantastic. They seem so friendly.
Any exciting future plans or developments in the works for your business? Besides being at San Francisco Bazaar/Maker Faire, you mean? This week I’m working on a new Chickenpants video. And after that, there are just too many scatterbrained plans to mention. Stay tuned!
Look for anything Absolutely Small:
shop! http://absolutelysmall.etsy.com
twitter! http://twitter.com/absolutelysmall
movies & everything else: http://absolutelysmall.com
I’m also the admin over at The Needle: http://theneedle.org