Creating Success around the World - last post!

This is my last post so far on the blog hop. It will be carried on by the other hosts and might become more interactive - great chance for you to bring your beautiful blog out there! Keep up to date!


Welcome to
Creating Success around the World

The worldwide blog hop tour, that introduces you to creative people from all corners of the globe.

Every Wednesday our hosts on each continent will introduce you to someone new whose creativity is inspiring!

Here's how you can take this worldwide tour with us:

You can follow all the hosts to support them and keep up to date with the fabulous posts they will share every week.  Then if you are inspired to join, just link up your own blog to make some new international friends.

Remember to leave us a comment when you follow us so we can follow you back! And of course we'd love if you added our button to your site to help spread the word!



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Here are your hosts:

Make sure you visit them all to see the inspiration and creative people every continent has to add to our community.

Australasia - Jill @ Creating my way to Success
Europe - Yaga @ The Shiny Bubble
North America - Suzy @ Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom
South America - Molly @ Marya Mariah
Asia - Janelle @ Of Pinks and Fairytales

Africa - Sadly, our African host is not able to participate in the Blog hop anymore. We are looking for somebody new to join the team - could it be you?! ;o)

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Charlène Fournier is a graphical designer and illustrator from Belgium. I wanted to know how the artist behind all the sweet illustrations, the beautiful jewelry and the adorable plushies feels about what she's doing. Read why Charlène wants to move away from Belgium but still likes the people in her town, and what she does against creativity block. 

Tell us a bit about your trade: What do you create, how and where do you sell your things,

how long have you been doing this?

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Hi! I own a little etsy shop called Les Joues Grises. I opened it right after finishing my art studies in june of this year, so it is a pretty young shop. I sell mostly illustrations, prints and originals. I also like to make jewelry and plushes, so you can find some in the shop too.

 

Please, tell us a little bit about the place and the country that you live in.

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I currently live in Liege, a big/small city in Belgium. It's an old mining city, lots of red brick and grey. Sky often gray, a river called la Meuse crossing the city. Small houses with several stories, very typical and pretty. Kinda dirty sometimes, but great people in it + they have the most delicious fries so they're forgiven. ;)

Do you think that your surroundings influence your creativity? How? 

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Right now I'm not sure, I think most of my creative roots come from the people I know, I often see similarities with them after I finish a drawing.

How and why did you 'pick' your creative outlet of choice?

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I have always drawn and doodled, I didn't really see myself doing anything else. I picked graphic design studies because I could be creative and have the possibility of a career.(yeah, sometimes I think it's a little bit of a coward decision) 

 

 

 Why did you decide to sell what you are creating?

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Hum…That a tough question! I think at some point I wanted to see if I could do it, if people would be interested in buying my work…or not ^-^'

How did you start your business?

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Simply by opening it on Etsy, I also created a page on Facebook to promote it and I have a twitter account  :)

I also have a blog (far before my shop actually), but I'm not a regular blogger, so it is updated…when it is updated (boooohoooo). I'm currently working on a better version for my portfolio. I think I'll add a blog part, prettier than the one I have now.

So there is plenty of choices to follow my work (maybe a little...too much ?) :)

What, in your opinion is your biggest strength in your creative life and how does it

influence your work?

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I am eclectic, I love to experiment a lot of techniques and mix them to create. Etching, sewing, painting, doodling, mixing all that…So much to try, so little time!

I think this is my biggest strength and it can help during creative blocking, I just switch my techniques and try something else/new. In the end, my illustrations can be mixed media.

What would you regard as your greatest weakness in terms of your creativity and how do

you deal with it?

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Creativity blocking. It's just awful to feel you powerless at doing what you love the most. When I feel empty/tired/creative free, I just do something else, I go out or I read blogs/magazines.

How do you stay motivated and inspired?

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I try to push myself doing at least one thing a day.

Where do you see yourself and your creative life in two years? Do you have any plans?

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I'd love to be a freelance illustrator, still selling my illustrations. I would love to live in Berlin. Or Antwerpen. Great cultural background there.

What are your 5 hottest tips for people who want to be more successful with

creating?
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1/ Try a lot. If you fail, try again. Keep up hope.

2/ Watch clouds and stars every time you can: They are magical.

3/ Listen to good music (the one that gives you energy :) )

4/ Just observe things and faces around you. Every little thing is amazing when you look at them carefully enough.

5/ Share. Just share your knowledge, learn from other people with other kind of knowledge. You never loose creativity doing so, because it never ends.

Thank you so much for all that neat advice, Charlène!

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Now it's your turn! Link up your posts: Inspiration, craftsy blahs, tutorials, tips or business talk: We wanna know! 
Link up your blog and you might be the next artist featured in our interviews!


New to the world tour? Check our previous tours here!

Thanks for reading!