March '23: Emily Jo Horst

EMILY JO HORST

Emily is potter, based in Toledo, OH. She first became introduced to the craft at a young age when her grandmother purchased her a toy potters wheel for her birthday. From that moment on, clay weaved in + out of her life, but ultimately became her full-time focus over the past five years. Read more about Emily in our interview below.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from my hikes in the woods, other talented potters/artists, and the beauty of functional ware lifting and romanticizing the most ordinary moments of life.  

What details do you enjoy working on when creating?

The details I most enjoy when creating are the small moments that can happen in just one square inch - the carved patterning on my mugs, the small crystals developed in glazes, and the fluidity of clay captured forever turning basically into glass covered stone. 

How would you describe your ideal working environment?

My ideal working environment is not quite achieved in my tiny 88 square foot studio in my apartment, but once I am able to purchase a house I can certainly see it. A larger space with garage doors to open in warm weather, surrounded by gardens and woods in a secluded area where you never hear traffic. Not to say there wouldn't be some loud music and dancing here and there. 

What does a typical day for you look like?

A typical day might include some teaching and studio management at The 577 Foundation, and plenty of hours spent in my personal studio throwing pots (my favorite part of the process) trimming, glazing, loading/unloading my kiln, or working on the administration/social media part of business. As a small business owner it really is a Jane of all trades occupation! 

Who exposed you to pottery/clay/ceramics?

I was exposed to pottery early in life when my Grandmother bought a toy potters wheel for my 10th birthday. My Mother realized how much I liked it and signed me up for classes at the local potters guild. Since then I have enjoyed pottery here and there in my life but really decided to dedicate myself after graduating from The University of Toledo in 2018. I have been fully immersed in making, teaching and honing my skills as a potter for the past 5 years. 

Follow along & see more of Emily’s work

February '23: John Neary

JOHN NEARY

John is an Irish-born, Detroit-based artist. He pulls influence from his homeland and culture to create abstract art. He started to paint as a therapeutic way to deal with loss, and now has a wide portfolio of peaceful and minimal aesthetic works. We ask him about his ideal creative environment and how his style has changed + evolved overtime. Read on to learn more about John and his work.

What is your favorite type of art to create?

There’s an ancient form of Irish writing called ogham. It was typically done on stones, from bottom to top, with letters represented by various combinations of diagonal and horizontal lines. I take words that have meaning to me and create abstract art from their equivalent in ogham writing. My largest series is the “time” series where the markings spell out the Gaelic word for time.

What details do you enjoy working on when creating?

Bringing a piece together for a client and especially having a sense for where the space will live. Art can be made to beautifully compliment a space if the two are in sync.

Who or what influences your work?

I started painting as a therapeutic way to deal with loss of a loved one a few years ago. That healing process was the greatest factor in setting the language for my work. Other than that I’m influenced by a host of artists I love to follow online.

What are the most important elements when creating?

Use of negative space is very important to me. I like to create work that is calm and peaceful, which makes ‘where you don’t paint’ just as important as where you do paint.

How do you collaborate with a client to capture their vision?

Mostly just to understand the space where the painting will live. My style is my style and I don’t compromise my approach, I just adapt spacing and tones to work with their space.

Among all of your work do you have a favorite and why?

I love the burgundy and black piece I keep at home. It’s peaceful and moody at the same time and was one of my first successful pieces. 


How has your style changed or evolved overtime?

My artistic style and language is still relatively new so I hope it evolves over time and speaks to people who enjoy my works.

How would you describe your ideal working environment?

At home with lots of light and some good music playing. I love to paint outdoors in the fall too.

Follow along & see more of John’s work

January '23: Michelle Delange

MICHELLE DELANGE

Michelle is a mixed media abstract artist who works with a variety of mediums. Her artwork is inspired by nature and full of texture. Michelle shares about her transition from interior designer to artist & what influences her work. Check out our conversation below.

What is your favorite type of art to create?

I consider myself a mixed media abstract artist. I really enjoy working with a variety of mediums - linen and cotton, mineral pigments, coffee grounds (and coffee!) and acrylics. It depends on my mood at the time! The abstract style gives me the most freedom in my creativity to put on the canvas whatever I’m feeling in the moment.

How would you describe your ideal working environment?

In my ideal creative environment, it’s a wide open space, filled with natural light, great music, a favorite candle and a Venti Chai Latte in hand. I can get into my “zone” pretty easily this way and work for hours. Realistically, I’m at home with my little ones when they’re not in school and work at our kitchen table in 20 minute bursts of time. I am incredibly grateful for my family who doesn’t mind moving a canvas before nightly dinner!

What or who has influenced your work?

Nature would be my top answer. Second might just be my own mind, working through emotions and playing with materials. My art is almost always intuitive and I discover what I like (and don’t like) as I go.

What details do you enjoy working on when creating?

Texture, texture and more texture. While I love creating a calm and cohesive color story in my works, they’re also filled with interest through texture. I want my pieces to cause intrigue and wonder and a stirring in several of the senses at once. Working in layers also forces me to slow down, contemplate and make intentional changes as the piece progresses.

What was the transition from interior designer to artist like?

Being vulnerable, my transition from interior designer to artist came at an emotionally turbulent time in my life. While my love for interior design will never disappear, I found that creating art better suits the slower pace myself and my family needed. Art became healing for me.

Follow along & see more of Michelle’s work

December '22: Erinn Schultz

ERINN SCHULTZ

Master painter and soulful reflector, Erinn's work embraces elements of the natural world. Her art is a reflection of the beauty that surrounds her. Read more about Erinn in our interview below.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am most inspired by time in nature. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1) Whether it’s the shifting shapes of clouds, the colors of a sunrise, or the shape and form of flower, all these fill me with joy, which fuels my work.

Who are artists you admire and why?

There are several artists who have been highly influential in my artistic journey. First is my grandmother, Isabel. I used to love exploring her studio, examining all the dried flowers, animal bones and interesting materials. She taught me to be curious about the world around me. From Mark Rothko I learned how art is not something merely to look at, but to experience. His dynamic color field paintings create a sense of presence, something I strive to create with my work. J.M Turner’s romantic landscapes capture me with their sweeping beauty and form. Lastly, from artist Makoto Fujimura, I learned that art can be a tool to not only transform society, but to worship God.

How has your style changed over time?

During the first two years of art school, I was confined to mostly figure and still life studies. Although I learned valuable foundational skills, I was more interested in the emotional and expressive nature of art, so I turned to abstraction. My earliest pieces were primarily abstract landscapes, which later became to completely nonobjective color fields. I primarily worked in this style for almost 20 years. Just over two years ago, I became increasingly frustrated with working abstractly. As a simple exercise, I decided to paint from a photograph I took of a late summer field. I found myself absorbed in the colors, shapes, and textures like never before. My breakthrough had come. Since then, I have continued to develop my technical skills in landscape and floral painting. Currently, I am working to find my happy medium between abstract and representational.

What subject or medium are you looking to explore more?

I would like to explore florals on a larger scale, and include more drawing into the final piece, to create a loose and flowy feel. As primarily an acrylic painter, I’d like to try adding texture and playing with combining watercolor elements with the acrylic.

See more of Erinn’s work

November '22: Lyzz Hope

LYZZ HOPE

Lyzz is a Detroit-based artist driven by her appreciation for vibrant colors and vintage aesthetics. Her artwork is heavily influenced by music and fashion from the 60’s and 70’s. Her talents encompass fine art, photography and interior design.

Learn more about Lyzz’s joint venture work for Tell Me I'm Pretty and how she balances time between passions, in our conversation below.

What is your favorite type of art to create?

We LOVE creating unique lifestyle photography that follows the journey of one woman (whose face is hidden by a lampshade) doing ordinary things, from the then in the now, and making them look fabulous!

What are the most important elements when creating?

It's very important to capture the playfulness of the woman with the lampshade (aka Her). We are careful not to overwhelm her environment with too many colors and textures. It's about finding the right balance of elements and choosing specifically what we want to share in each photograph.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

We are inspired by the art expressed in vintage fashion and storytelling. We are amused by all the little details that provoke one to say tell me I’m pretty!

How do you balance your time between your passions?

We both have full time jobs and own our own businesses outside of TMIP. It's important that we never forget that this is a passion and not a job. If we don't have time for it, we don't force it. We just revisit it another day.

Learn more about Lyzz

October '22: Dave Gronzo

DAVE GRONZO

Dave is a skilled carpenter based in Northern Oakland County. He's the master craftsman behind many of the beautiful custom pieces you see in our projects. It's no secret, we love supporting our local trades and when it comes to fine woodworking, Dave is at the top of our list!

What is a project you're most proud of?

I had a client run up and give me a big hug while holding back her tears of joy. That is what makes me proud. There is nothing better than bringing joy into someone’s life from building a piece for them.

What is your favorite Material to work with?

My favorite wood to work with in the sense of workability (machining, sanding, and finishing) would be mahogany. With its straight grain and being relatively free of voids it is a versatile choice for furniture. Its durability and beauty round off my reasons for being my favorite.

What's your process for creating a new piece of furniture?

After the initial inspiration and sketch, I figure out how I want to build it. If it’s a built-in, I want to know how I will break it down for delivery. If it’s furniture, I want to know what kind of joinery I will use. Then it’s off to the computer. I draw everything in CAD. With CAD I can get my shop drawings, materials lists, and cut lists. Once this is done it’s time to go to the shop for my favorite part, build it. There are many processes in the shop and they're different for most projects. One thing is constant, always do things in batches to save on setup time. Then delivery and/or installation.

What is your favorite Type of furniture to create?

My favorite type of furniture to build is one that challenges me. I love to try out a new type of joinery or integrating something into a built-in that is unexpected. Building different styles keeps things fun and fresh.

Check out Dave’s Instagram

September '22: Andrea Koral

ANDREA KORAL

Andrea is a Detroit based abstract artist. Painting and exploring her creativity has brought her tremendous joy over the years and her art is an expression of that. For the longest time, she felt like art was a selfish hobby, but over time, she grew to realize just how wrong that thinking was. Andrea was designed to be creative and when she gives voice to that desire, she feels more whole, more present and more fully herself! Check out our interview with her below.

Where do you get new ideas and inspiration?

I find new art inspiration every day! All around me. I always try and have my eyes open for what might inspire me but usually it is nature. I love looking at shadows or the cool patterns on rocks or shells! We recently visited Pictured Rocks and I have been dreaming of the oranges and turquoise colors for my next series.

What is your favorite medium to work with?

I like to set out all my art supplies and keep them at a hands reach so I have all the things at the ready. I really love working with acrylic paint because it dries fast and if I don’t like something, I just keep adding layers and it adds dimension and beauty to the piece. But I almost always add in bits of oil pastels, tissue paper, pens, chalks, you name it, I like to mix it all together.

What is your favorite room in your house?

My favorite room in my house is my dining room. I have a huge piece of my art hanging in the dining room and I love to sit at the table with friends and family. There is a big bay window on one side with a bird feeder so I can see outside. I also have a big gallery wall of florals that is visible from my dining room with art from Etsy and one of my favorite artists, Erin Gregory. But mostly, it is my favorite place because it is the place where my whole family gathers every day to eat dinner and talk about our highs and lows from the day. We play cards with the kids here, and countless games of “guess who.”

Check out Andrea’s work