I came across the wonderful artwork of Kelly Rae Roberts early last year at the absolute perfect time.  I was organizing a group show entitled The Girly Show and when I found her creations I knew it was meant to be.  The show was a a big hit and since then Kelly has continued to expand her work, her vision and her success.  I love watching her soar and I am excited to share this interview today!

[March  8, 2008]

Hello my dear...As if you don't already have enough on your plate with a new website, an upcoming book launch and stationery line release, here I am asking for an interview!  Thank you so much...I am really looking forward to sharing this interview on Sparkletopia.
why thank you, christine. i am in love with sparkletopia and am happy to do it!

Your success as an artist has been swift and strong...what do you think has been the magic formula?
i really don't know! a little bit of luck. a lot of hard work. and a passion i hadn't known before until recently. i feel very, very fortunate and with each new opportunity that comes my way, i feel validation that i'm doing what i should be doing - as if the universe is saying "yes, that's it!"  it's a very new feeling for me in my life and i'm learning to trust and love it. there's a quote i read recently that i believe speaks to the experience of what i'm trying to say. it reads, "The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no (human) could have dreamed would come his way." -Goethe

Your artist statement says your art was "a dream neglected until (you were) 30 years old..."  What blocked you from pursuing this dream sooner?
when i read my old journals i see the writing of a young girl who very much wanted to learn how to draw and paint. i had long admired my creative friends, but for many reasons (fear, mainly) i choose a more practical career in my 20s. like so many other young people, i was stuck inside personal/societal expectations: go to college. get married. buy a house. get a savings account. it all had me completely distracted by what my heart really wanted. it took me until i was 30 to finally listen. so, yes, i would say it was a combination of fear, not listening, and not dreaming big for myself that kept me from doing it sooner.

What advice would you give to other closet artists out there who haven't figured out how to embark upon their own creative journey?
i would tell people to get really quiet with themselves and dare to say what it is that is calling them. is it art? travel? get a journal. start writing. start visiting art museums, crafty stores. pull out pages of magazines and images that speak to you - tape them up on your very own inspiration wall. create a little space just for you - a place where you can keep your supplies out in full view. and then i would say this: just simply begin. begin that creative project you've been putting off and see where the wings of discovery will take you.

Tell me about the connection between running and being an artist.
as i approached my 30th birthday (now 2.5 years ago), i felt called to do the one thing i never thought i could do. i hadn't discovered art yet, but for me, the one thing i didn't think i could do was running. i had always wanted to be a runner but could barely make it once around the track. when a dear friend suggested i sign up for a half marathon training program, i decided to do it. what i learned during my training was that when we push the boundaries of our potential, our confidence shines. we shed layers of grief. worry. envy. we get to the root of our strenght. so yeah, running sort of showed me myself. when i finished the half marathon, i thought to myself, "ok, done and done. if i can do that - something i never thought i could do - what else can i do?" and that's when my creative life began.

Tell me a little bit about your "day job" and how that work and your work as an artist feed off of each other.
for many years i worked as a medical social worker. i no longer work full time, but i still work a day here and there at the hospital.  my social work idealogy - that we can overcome our circumstances with strength, community and compassion very much informs my artwork. i'm always thinking of these things. about personal growth. discovery. gratitude. it's all connected, i suppose. seeing what i see at the hospital - the desperate situations, the compassion, the strength, the human experience - really inspires me to connect emotion in my pieces.

Is there one particular message you are trying to convey with all of your artwork or does each creation have its own message?
i think the universal message is connection. and meaning. i hope that those two things come through the most.  

It looks like you have been working with a softer palette lately...is this a conscious choice or has it just evolved that way organically?  How do you use color to create the emotions you are trying to convey?
hmm. it was a conscious choice. moving from oregon to california has me seeing things brighter and lighter and more sunshine-y. i'm in love with cottage colors and can't seem to escape that inspiration! for me, i like the softer palette as it coneys a bit more tenderness for me.

Here's my favorite part of your website:  the word possibilitarian.  How did you come up with that?
i LOVE this word, too! the word "possibility" was my 2007 word.  it had a hold of me for the entire year and it very much led the way. i've often thought of myself and the world as one big possibility project. recently, i came across a great quote by dr. norman vincent peale. it reads, "Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities — always see them, for they're always there." i've taken his advice, and i've become a possibilitarian, too.

Give everyone a run down of what is coming up for you this spring and summer.
let's see. the most important thing is that my book will be released this summer. it's called "Taking Flight: Inspiration + Ideas to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings" and will be published by the lovely north light books. it was a life-changing process, writing this book, and i'm so happy you contributed to it!  

Any other exciting news or announcements?
i've got a line of stationery products coming out in May! and an article in the current issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. and we'll see what unfolds for the rest of the year. i would really love to do another group gallery show - maybe in san fran? who knows!  

Thank you again...congratulations on all of your success...you are a bright light for many!!!  Blessings...Christine
thank you, christine. congratulations on all of your successes, too. i love that we have one another to support along the way. you were one of my very early inspirations and continue to be a treasure to me and so many others.
xo