Hello Create Arts Online Friends!

​Create Arts Online simply wouldn’t be what it is without the talented artists and instructors who share their knowledge and creativity with all of us.

It’s actually a pretty special thing to find artists who not only create beautiful work but who can also teach it in a way that makes you feel comfortable, inspired, and ready to try it yourself.

That’s always our goal when we bring a new instructor to Create Arts Online:

Artists who love to welcome you into their process and make you feel like you’re sitting right beside them (virtually, of course) as they share their techniques, ideas, and passion for creating.

Today I want to shine a spotlight on one of those artists.

~Sunny Carvalho~

I’ve spent quite a few hours here at CAO HQ with Sunny over the years, getting to know her while watching her work. And one thing I can tell you, Sunny has this wonderful ability to bring her imagination right onto the page.

With each course she teaches, you can watch her take a blank surface and slowly build characters, color, and story until the piece takes on a life of its own.

Her creativity is playful, thoughtful, and incredibly inspiring to watch.

So I thought it would be fun to ask Sunny a few questions about her background, how she found her way to becoming a full-time artist, and what inspires the imaginative work she shares with all of us.

Before we jump into our Artist Spotlight conversation, you can SAVE 10% on ALL of Sunny's courses now through Thursday at midnight!

Our Artist Spotlight with Sunny Carvalho.

When did you first consider yourself an artist? I always say, "I was born, and then I picked up a pencil".

I can never remember a time when I wasn't drawing, painting, or making some sort of craft. My earliest drawings were of Snoopy and Charlie Brown, so I guess humor has also always been a part of my attraction to art. Also, my mom taught me to crochet on a Greyhound bus when I was 5 years old. That's a very vivid memory of my art path.

Are you professionally trained? Do you have a degree in art?
​No. Life didn't allow me to study art in a school setting. I considered enrolling in some sort of college-type art courses when my children left home for college, but by then, I had already found my style and decided I was happy, so I would just stay the course.

If not, how did you train yourself? At every stage of my life, I made art. I am not saying it was always GOOD art.

But I learned something with every attempt, and continuing to create was the key to finding a style that interested me. There came a day when I decided that I would only make art that I liked and would be happy to keep if no one was interested. I think that's when other people noticed my work. There is a "soul" that shines through when you make something you yourself love.

How many hours a day do you spend in the studio?
​I would say about 5 hours a day, mostly in the late afternoons and evenings. But it's not the amount of time, it's the inspiration that determines my output. I tend to focus more on exercise and yard work at the studio during the morning hours and switch to art after lunchtime, often sculpting ceramic faces to use later when I start making figures or doing freehand machine stitching to add to other projects. Also, no day is complete without a nap! :)

Do you create commissions or do your own work? No commissions. I did commissions at various stages of my career, but when I realized they made me miserable and destroyed my inspiration and creativity, I stopped. It's nice to have people ask for custom pieces, but for me, it's like pulling teeth to get them finished.

lease describe your dedicated art space or studio. I am blessed to have found an old, affordable house 3 miles away that I bought to use as a studio. I thought I would be there for 20+ years ,but life had other ideas. A different house (still 3 miles away but in a different direction) went on the market 3 years later. IIt happened to be on land connected to my parents' land, so I made the decision to sell the first studio and buy this one.That was 9 years ago. The blessing there was that I have been close by to help as my dad battled dementia (we lost him recently) and as my mom forges a different life now. So I am there during the day working ,and then I come home to work at the dining room table in the evenings.
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What materials do you work with and why? Do you like to experiment with new materials?

I do way too many different things! There is something in me that is always looking for a "new" idea to hold my attention. I have way too many art supplies, but I don't tend to try to minimize because as soon as I get rid of something, I find I suddenly just can't even LIVE without that certain thing.

I tend to work in a circular way, focusing on a certain medium until I get bored. For instance, last year I made tons of little hand-stitched patches (which I sew onto antique spools and then add sculpted figures on top). This year seems to be little sculpted characters and scenes. I will always love watercolor and acrylic, as well. It just depends on what is holding my attention at the time. I love being able to follow my intuition.

What are your thoughts on online vs live learning?

I think they both have value. It's nice to be physically around other people, enjoying the socialization as well as the technical information, but it's also nice to be able to pause and study a technique in an online situation and rewatch what the teacher is teaching as often as I like.

What challenges have you experienced that helped you grow as an artist? There is one story that I have told many times: Many years ago, when I was beginning to find my current style, I went to the art supply store to ask what supplies I should use to get a certain look that I was desiring. I took a set of art cards (ACEOs) that I had made. A lady overheard my questions (she didn't work there) and asked to see my work. I handed her my cards (they were in acrylic cases). She shuffled through them and then literally dropped them onto the counter and pronounced with an eyeroll, "whimsical." It almost destroyed me. For YEARS after that, I resisted the word whimsical. But finally, I accepted the word. My work is definitely whimsical, and I'm fine with that. It's what I like to make and what I like to look at. There's enough challenge just living in this world, why not embrace some whimsy?!

Who are your inspirations?

I have SO MANY artist inspirations, but I would say the foundation would be Mark Ryden (his gorgeous girls in unusual situations slay me) and Tim Burton (the sheer weirdness of his characters is delicious).

Anything else you would like to add?

Thank you so much to Create Arts Online for hosting me and always being so supportive.

Needless to say, I am completely inspired and in awe at Sunny's work. I hope you found some inspiration from our Artist Spotlight and are ready to dive into your studio or art space and begin creating with Create Arts Online by your side!

Until next time, keep learning and keep creating~

​Create Arts Online​
Founder