PlushYou!: 2010-03-28

I am in love with Nicole Licht's work. The first time I saw it I fell in love and it's been a long affair now. Her work is delicate, thought provoking and simply lovely. It has been wonderful getting to know her and I am sure the world has felt the same. I am honored that she agreed to do an exclusive for Schmancy which will go on sale soon. Until then, enjoy this interview!

S- What was the inspiration behind this exclusive?

NL- I’m just loving this start of spring and wanted to use some bright accent colors. We are inundated with excellent Polish rabbit decorations all over my neighborhood (Greenpoint, Brooklyn); I couldn’t help but be inspired!

S- With all your art skills, what was appealing to you about plush?

NL- Honestly, it started as a kind of ‘maybe this way to help pay some bills’ sort of thing. I’d never been very ambitious with selling or showing my artwork. Crafting and sewing, which I’ve always had as a hobby, just didn’t carry the same burdens or art rhetoric I had wrestled with so it was liberating in all sorts of ways.

S- What does a perfect day sound like to you?

NL- A work, errand, chore free day spent outdoors walking, talking, wandering, discovering, relaxing and eating, drinking along the way.

S- I love all the fabrics you use in your work. What are you favorite places to find fabric?

NL- I’m lucky to live in NYC where there are many places. For silk I head up to the garment district. I have been going to Belraf Fabrics on the Lower East Side of Manhattan (159 Orchard Street between Rivington St & Stanton St) for years and years, since before they moved to their new location. There is a rotating stock and lots of linens plus I think the nice, burly Russian guys who work there recognize me after all this time…maybe? Whenever I leave the city I scour thrift shops for fabric remnants, embroidery floss.

S- What are the top five things you think you need to do to be a successful artist?

NL- That is such a hard question, Kristen! One, I’m not really qualified to answer!

Make sure people can actually see what you are up to.

Don’t be so shy.

Don’t rest on your laurels.

If you feel kind of crappy like you just made something less than great, try and redeem yourself with something stellar the next go around (repeat and repeat).

Keep it personal.
That’s my faulty ongoing plan.
I’m open to another.

S- Top 5 albums on heavy rotation these days?

NL- In the spirit of Lindsay Weir’s A1 Sporting Goods store t-shirt in episode 14 of Freaks and Geeks (we just finished watching the complete series, so excellent!):

Soulo http://www.soulo.net/

The New Feelings http://thenewfeelings.com/cornerfrenzy_listennow.html

Ivory Coasts http://www.myspace.com/ivorycoasts

Bitchneck http://www.myspace.com/bitchneck

Otherwise I really love these songs:

Cults – River

And Akron Family - http://stereogum.com/mp3/Akron%20Family%20-%20River.mp3

" target="_blank">River

Each of these beautiful Rabbit wall busts will be for purchase very soon. Each are $58, if you want to reserve one please contact me and let me know. There are a total of 10.