Chris Greenwood’s album Igloo was recently released on iTunes and amazon.com. I had the opportunity to work with Chris on the album artwork and during that time did an interview with him. In the interview Chris talks about what it was like to make the album, why he fell in love with making music and what some of his plans are in the future. We also had strange moment in the middle of the interview. Click the read more to get read view the interview.

Bob: Hi Chris, glad to have you here. Thanks for sitting down and doing this interview.
Chris: Thanks Bob
Bob:  So I guess my first question would be. How long have you been making music in general?
Chris: I started playing guitar when I was 13. I started writing music when I was 14.
Bob: What got you interested in music?
Chris: Green Day, Silver Chair and Nirvana. All 90′s bands, inspired me to learn electric guitar.
Bob: It made you want to do that.
Chris: I didn’t do it to vent. I didn’t really have any problems at that age. I just liked it.
Bob: You’ve played with other bands. Do you like playing in a band? How does the style differ from your solo work?
Chris: I do love playing in a band and getting other people’s impute in making music. W/out other minds working with you on a song, you don’t know if something could be made better in it’s place. The style of the band differs in that there’s more power and energy. There are other energies besides your own that you have to take into consideration. It becomes your style added to the style of other people’s and it becomes it’s own unique style. It’s more indie soft rock I guess. The mood is the same as my solo. It’s usually sad and gloomy but sometimes happy. Happiness is hard to come by I guess. [laughs] .
Bob: Igloo is your first complete album. How long did it take you to make it?
Chris: Igloo is my first complete album, but it’s complete in a sense that it has all of my thoughts come together the way I want it to. An album should be what you hear it to be in your head and if it doesn’t come out that way it feels like something is missing. This would be my fifth album if I counted all my past projects, but I’m not counting those. This is the first one that I feel is complete.
Bob: You had a lot of help on Igloo. What were some of the challenges in pulling it all together.
Chris: Ummm huh, finding the right drummer at the right time was the biggest problem I had.
Bob: Because you were looking for a specific style of drummer?
Chris: Most drummers play what they like to listen too. I tried drummers out on some songs and if I liked what I heard we tried and some recording until we got it right. The other hard thing was getting the right string players.
Bob: Anything else about the process that was challenging? Was there something that you didn’t expect?
Chris: I didn’t expect to get rid of so many songs that were originally supposed to be on the album. I expected to have certain songs. Out of 40 songs that I wrote I stuck to 12 of them. I did add a hidden track at the end because I liked it but didn’t know where it fit with the rest of the album. I wrote it for my ex girlfriend as a lullaby that I ended up turning into a song. It’s a simple song. But the penny whistle took me about 20 tries to get it right.

Meg: Come look at this there’s a big bird outside eating a squirrel!

15 minutes later

Bob: That was crazy. I’ll post a picture with the interview. What are some of your favorite bands and musicians?
Chris: I love Paul Simon, Eisley, Iron and Wine, Bell X1. Damian Rice, Fleet Foxes and Gemma Hayes and one more, The Frames.
Bob: Is there a release date for the album?
Chris: No, I do not know. That’s my organizational skills for you. iTunes will put in on whenever they get to it. It takes 2 to 6 weeks. It should be available on iTunes late December.
Bob: Do you have future projects coming up?
Chris: I’m planning on making a six song Christmas album, I’ll start working on it in the summer. Some covers of ones I learned in Catholic school and maybe one that I write. I really like O’ Holy Night. After that I don’t know. I kinda just want to a break. Igloo took a long time because I wanted everything to sound right.
Bob: Any plans to record wit the band you’re in? What is your band’s name?
Chris: Yeah probably. We don’t have a name, not yet
Bob: Thanks again. It’s always great to hang out.
Chris: Thanks it was fun.

These are pictures of the Generic/Specific Zine, created for the Generic Zine Exchange.

We’ve teamed up with Meghan Burch to offer our first t-shirt design. Check it out.

Kim is a great illustrator I’ve become acquainted with though my wife who works at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. She has a fun unique and very cohesive style that includes printed textures and patterns as wells as digital media. If you have eyes in your head you’ve probably seen her work. Some of her clients include American Express, Time Magazine and How Magazine. Check out her site to see more.

Recently had the chance to catch up with an old classmate, Dana Woulfe, at RISD, where we both spoke to a class about illustration and design. Dana in involved with Project SF, an international artist collective featuring some great artists and designers. Check it out.

Rachel Denny makes amazing rabbits and deer from died felt and wool fabrics. Check out her work, you won’t be disappointed.

Justin at Push A Pixel runs a great site featuring artists and designers from around the world.

Meghan Burch has been an art maker since she can remember. She studied illustration at the Massachusetts College of Art and is now an Art Studio Educator at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. Meghan also designs and makes products for Kaybu, her collection of hand screen-printed and sewn home goods, accessories and apparel.

I recently had a chance to sit down with Meghan and talk about her love of art making and design.

F: Thanks for taking the time to sit down for an interview. I’m sure you’re very busy.Let’s start at the beginning. Did you always have a desire to make things?

MB: I think so. One of the first products I can remember making was a replica of the heat pack my dad used for his back. My version was 10+ layers of writing paper and probably a whole bottle of Elmer’s glue. I was so proud of having reproduced the same thick squishy texture as the actual heat pack. My mom’s reaction was at the very least kind, if not genuinely encouraging, when I showed it to her. I think a big reason why I still love to make stuff today is because my whole network of family and friends were really supportive of my early interests and experiments.

F: So how does an illustration major end up working in three dimensions?

MB: I studied illustration because in high school when people saw that I could draw things realistically, they suggested I study illustration. I didn’t know much about non-representational art or sculpture, so I thought, why not. What I loved about being an illustration student was the level of professionalism required from the start. The fast pace, the demanding nature of design, working within pre-determined limitations, it was great training. I’ve really enjoyed the path that has lead me to this point.

F: Where do you get your ideas from?

MB: Where don’t I get ideas from? Sometimes I wish I could turn that part of in my brain off. Getting to work in an art museum with all ages of people in a hands-on space is very idea stimulating. Helping others “think with materials” can be incredibly idea building. I think what’s happening is that my brain is always making connections between things I see, hear, encounter, taste, etc., illumination. A list of particular things that interest/ inspire me would include: growth patterns, moss, unexpected flavor combinations, the beach, photography, serendipitous and found marks, design blogs, work by Tara Donovan, modern and contemporary architecture, wandering in the library or the thrift store, visiting a city.

F: What projects are you currently working?

M: I’m working on some new surface patterns and some tests for new home products and messenger style bags for Kaybu. I’m also working on an installation of screen-printed felt forms of an exhibition in May. Last spring I sewed my first dress, so this spring I’d like to make a custom dress form so I can make more of my own clothes. I think that’s enough projects for now.

F: Thanks for letting me interview you. It was both fun and inspiring. We’ll defiantly check in with you in the future to see what you’re up too.

To see more of Meghan’s work:
Blog: kaybu.com
Shop: kaybu.etsy.com