Celebrating Movember
Reported by Anam Stubbington
During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of mustaches on thousands of mens faces around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for mens health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.
You can sponsor the growing of said facial hair of friends and family and be part of a fun event to make a difference as 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer.
In honor of this being the month of Movember, I thought it would be a good time to introduce our readers to some of my favourite Male Crafters.
Fabrizio Martellucci
Q: What do you enjoy about being creative?
A: I enjoy the distraction of it, I can lose myself for hours paper crafting and when I look at the clock I realise that I spent a whole afternoon crafting. It's healing for me as I would just sulk otherwise because I'm indoors all the time due to agoraphobia and other issues.
Q: What is the most frustrating thing about being creative?
A: Not being able to create what you have brewing in your head. I might have an idea that sits there for weeks then when I'm finally ready to create, it doesn't come to fruition; I usually get totally disheartened but sometimes out of that original idea something completely different might come up and that surprises me.
Q: Where do you look for inspiration?
A: I'm an avid blog hopper for my own linking website papermood.com as I'm always on the lookout for that 'wow' handmade greeting card, I also like to read paper crafting magazines: especially the card making ones. Funnily enough my best 'lightbulb' moments came using sketches/pagemaps I really dig how you can apply any sort of papers, embellishments and ribbons, using various layouts, which seems to have taken the guessing work, out of the equation. Sketches are real time savers.
Q: What do you love about your favourite pieces of artwork?
A: something I like to share with other crafters like myself, in a way it's a bit of a legacy on my best work (I'm really a hit and miss so I'm not proud of all my stuff lol); I always hope that someone who's sitting on the fence about paper crafting might decide to start crafting because they see my creations and that would be really cool to think that I've inspired someone else.
Q: Do you find any differences being male in your creative field?
A: I think male crafters are still standing out like sore thumbs because there aren't that many of us. Mind you, I can see more men cardmakers popping up everywhere now than it used to be only a few years ago. I do like the attention I get being male as with my foreign name, it makes me stand out from the rest.
Q: What would be your favourite words of creative wisdom to others?
A: Don't buy everything you see as we only use 20% we own to produce 80% of our output (using the Pareto principle here), I believe that some of us have hoarding tendencies and that can be a problem if space is at a premium in your own dwelling. My best tip is also to give your creations only to people who will appreciate them, don't spend time trying to convert the 'only shop bought' cards brigade: you're only wasting your time. :)
Aaron Morris
Q: What do you enjoy about being creative?
A: enjoy being able to channel the creativity that I have inside me into things that make me and the ones I love happy.
Q: What is the most frustrating thing about being creative?
A: I always find it frustrating when I lose my mojo. I hate having the desire to be creative, but having trouble creating something that I am happy with. Sometimes, I get frustrated when I have too much inspiration, knowing that I will likely not get to everything I want to do.
Q: Where do you look for inspiration?
A: I find inspiration all around me. In a store, in nature, looking at other layouts (both paper and digi). I mostly get inspired to create things by my family and the memories we create - when I have memories to scrap or great photos I get inspired to create.
Q: What do you love about your favourite pieces of artwork?
A: As I've spent time scrapbooking, my style has changed. I am most happy with my style as it is now. I love layering and clustering elements, and I love adding surprising elements to my pages. I also love having layouts that I can share with my family.
Q: Do you find any differences being male in your creative field?
A: Not usually. Some people are surprised when they "find out" about me, but people are usually great about it and love having a man that shares their hobby.
Q: What would be your favourite words of creative wisdom to others?
A: I think I would love to remind people that there is no "wrong answer" in creativity. Often we get caught up in what is trendy and what others will like and forget that creativity is supposed to be something that is original to each individual. My best work comes from the times that I forget what I think is the "right thing" to do, and do what I feel works the best.
Q: What do you enjoy about being creative?
A: Finding out new techniques, experimenting with new mediums and loosing myself for a few hours!
Q: What is the most frustrating thing about being creative?
A: Never being totally happy with the artwork I create. Unfortunately we are all our own worst critics.
Q: Where do you look for inspiration?
A: In absolutely everything including my dreams! I take a camera with me wherever I go and take pictures constantly for reference.
Q: What do you love about your favourite pieces of artwork?
A: This is different for so many pieces as I dabble in many techniques, styles and media. I think, however, for my Steampunk and assemblage items, it is the ability to produce realistic faux metal, rust and aged effects to fool the viewer. It's so funny that my father spent most of his spare time restoring old items to make them look new, I on the other hand do the complete opposite, it's much more fun that way!
Q: Do you find any differences being male in your creative field?
A: Not really, I do sometimes feel a little out numbered as men are definitely the minority in this field it has to be said, but I have always got on far better with women having grown up in a female- dominated house and having all daughters.
Q: What would be your favourite words of creative wisdom to others?
A: This one is simple for me, its from Albert Einstein "Imagination is more important than knowledge"
You can see more of Andy’s work at his site: http://andyskinnerorg.blogspot.com
I hope you have enjoyed this little introduction to some awesome crafters and that you will support Movember's quest!
