Why Flowers inspire Artists? Learn more with Lauren Battistini, Stephanie Mulvihill, Amy Pleasant

00:00.00
charukaarora
Hey guys welcome back to the arts two hearts podcast. We are back with another episode with another set of 3 amazing artists. These artists are a part of our upcoming and now like book which by the time we actually push this out. You will be able to see we have Lawrence Stephanie and Amy Amy Pleasant from the from the book that we’ve recently published. It’s a exact book in the famous is one zero One floral artist. The idea is um, we curated a book which was featuring artists and we had asked artists to share their floral art inspired like art and 5 plals. And we’re so excited to be able to push this work of you know, book out in the world and I’m so excited to have these 3 amazing artists from the book to share the story talk about can talk about the artwork welcome to the podcast guys. Thank you for joining and big congratulations on being published in.

00:47.66
Stephanie Mulvihill
Thank you, Thank you for having us.

00:49.23
Amy Pleasant
Yeah, yes, thank you.

00:49.45
Lauren Battistini
Thank you.

00:56.35
charukaarora
This this is a sample I’ve been showing to everybody but congratulations. Okay guys would you like to introduce yourself Lauren would you start can anybody can you introduce who you are what you do for? everybody’s who’s listening.

01:00.90
Lauren Battistini
Thank you.

01:01.74
Stephanie Mulvihill
Ah I froze.

01:11.80
Lauren Battistini
Thank you again for having me cheruka. My name is Lauren Battistini I’m Usedton Texas based but was born and raised in New Orleans Louisiana and I do floral and travel illustration type art.

01:13.16
Stephanie Mulvihill
Boy 6

01:20.48
charukaarora
Okay.

01:26.61
Lauren Battistini
But I am a professional architectural color consultant. So that’s what I do full time and then I do art on the side. Thank you again for having me.

01:30.85
charukaarora
Um, okay oh wow, it’s a pleasure. Thank you so much for coming Stephanie do you want to go next? Oh be Miss Stephanie Amy would you like to go next.

01:44.35
Amy Pleasant
oh oh Stephanie’s back

01:50.30
charukaarora
That’s okay, yeah, okay, who wants to go next. Any of you can go.

01:54.00
Stephanie Mulvihill
I prefer it froze for some reason if I’m here it.

01:59.71
Amy Pleasant
Stephanie go ahead.

02:03.77
Stephanie Mulvihill
I can you remind me what the question was since I I froze and came back in. Okay, that’s great hi I’m Stephanie Mulva Hill um I’m currently living in New York city

02:05.18
charukaarora
Ah, we just asking I’m just asking to introduce yourself.

02:18.62
Stephanie Mulvihill
In Manhattan um I primarily work in drawing. Ah, even though I I add a lot of mixed media to my work I still kind of my core is is drawing and I work a lot with the body and.

02:35.11
charukaarora
Okay, we missed her again. Okay Amy You can go ahead. Absolutely.

02:36.47
Amy Pleasant
Okay, sure. Thank you and thanks for having me so I am primarily a figurative painter. However I have this botanical thread that goes through all my paintings. So when I saw this.

02:37.37
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, a lot of figurative work and yeah, ah I I froze again.

02:54.43
Amy Pleasant
Call for this book I thought this would be just a great fit currently I’m on a residency at the blowdell island or blood del reserve residency. So I’m in the middle of creating resources with. With native species in Washington state where I’m from um with the idea of um, applying it to a future series of painting so and I’m from the pacific northwest. Yeah.

03:17.57
charukaarora
Um, oh well.

03:23.10
charukaarora
Oh I can see some beautiful work on the about Oh I can see some really beautiful colorful works behind you.

03:29.68
Stephanie Mulvihill
Wonderful.

03:32.80
Amy Pleasant
Yeah I Thank you I I bring the color. That’s one thing I’m known for and I can’t stop myself. So yeah.

03:39.80
charukaarora
Oh that’s a good problem Stephanie would you like to go in next.

03:50.18
Stephanie Mulvihill
I Yes again I Froze had to come back in so are we still just all is could you repeat what the the question was was just to introduce myself again. Oh okay.

03:51.49
charukaarora
No problem.

03:58.00
charukaarora
You just? no, no yeah yeah, you be because we lost you in between.

04:08.37
Stephanie Mulvihill
Ah, again. Stephanie Mulva Hill um I’m in New York city um and it’s interesting I was I was ah thinking about like how this idea of floral and flowers and how they relate to my work because my work is mostly figurative I work a lot with the body. Um, but it’s but I’ve been bringing a lot of the symbol of the magnolia flower which I was I did some research on. It’s very interesting because it is the oldest flower in the fossil record. It’s about it has a fossil record. Record of about 60000000 years and so this idea of something that is so fragile can be have such longevity and it’s something that’s kind of very enduring and so I kind of like that dichotomy of a flower which is super fragile and is something that you know. It’s very impermanent because it blooms and then it dies but the fact that this particular particular flower has been around for 60000000 years it kind of predates us and so yeah, so it’s that idea of the symbol of the flower being this impermanent versus permanence and and.

05:03.92
charukaarora
Um, um.

05:06.50
charukaarora
Oh goodness.

05:19.97
charukaarora
At that. Oh Wow Amazing Tell me something did all of you um see always saw yourself as an artist since like as you were younger as a child. How has your Journeys However, your Journeys evolved.

05:21.66
Stephanie Mulvihill
Yeah, that that comes a lot into my work.

05:36.31
charukaarora
Into being where you are your work has involved into that Lord Do you want to start? oh I couldn but that would have made us for you? Yes, absolutely.

05:42.28
Lauren Battistini
I’ll start I have an accounting degree and never I for from a business perspective. Yes, but I never saw myself as an artist until a few years ago about goodness. Ah.

05:43.71
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, there.

05:51.42
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, probably really helpful as an artist is terrible.

05:54.40
charukaarora
A.

05:59.50
Lauren Battistini
Ten years ago I went to fashion design school in the middle of my life and I had to take a fashion illustration class. It’s the only class in the entire program that I loved I cried through every other class. This is how I discovered that I’m an artist but I’ve always had a fascination with color.

06:00.46
charukaarora
Oh Wow. Okay, okay, okay.

06:15.71
Lauren Battistini
So I’ve been able to weave the 2 worlds of color and art together.

06:18.59
charukaarora
Oh Wow Nice What about you? amy.

06:24.90
Amy Pleasant
Well I drew 10000 horses when I was a child so I always love drawing. Um, obviously that’s an exaggeration but I love to draw. But i.

06:29.12
charukaarora
Broken.

06:38.43
Amy Pleasant
I was a cultural anthropology major and I became a bilingual teacher. So I I taught for several years. Um, and then but kept this thread of my artwork just kept going and kept growing and so I taught until 2022 and I stopped then.

06:41.47
charukaarora
Oh now. Oh.

06:57.10
Amy Pleasant
And devoted full time to my art because the momentum of things I was doing I couldn’t do both anymore. So I just got through the pandemic going on the other side and then I said I’m I.

07:14.21
charukaarora
When I moist yourself? yeah.

07:15.83
Amy Pleasant
Done with that chapter and you know every day I come in the studio and I’m actually busier now than when I was teaching which is really hard to imagine. Um, but I I’m just completely grateful for this life.

07:25.30
charukaarora
You know.

07:29.18
Lauren Battistini
Yeah.

07:31.28
charukaarora
Wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing Stephanie what about you.

07:41.55
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, yeah I think I’ve always saw myself as an artist because I’ve always as a kid I I took art classes I Love to draw I you know filled sketchbook after sketchbook of yeah horses, lots of horses, lots of unicorn.

07:52.37
Amy Pleasant
B.

07:57.10
Stephanie Mulvihill
And like the pegasus is um and so I always did make art. Um, and then I did go to school like I I went to University for art I do teach I’m a teacher as well I teach art now and so it’s kind of yeah every every aspect of my life is.

08:20.70
charukaarora
Who. Yeah, you.

08:28.00
Stephanie Mulvihill
Sorry it keeps it. It keeps freezing on me but every every aspect of my life is devoted into art and ah you are Amy you are the goal one day I am going to and then I am going to do art full time but I actually like teaching it feeds my art practice because.

08:28.17
Lauren Battistini
And.

08:33.75
Lauren Battistini
Yeah.

08:42.79
Lauren Battistini
Peace field.

08:46.14
Stephanie Mulvihill
I can speak a lot about process I can really because when you teach something you have to understand how to how the process works how the materials work and really analyze, kind of what I do as an artist and so I don’t mean I I I love teaching and and I’m not ready to retire yet.

09:02.12
charukaarora
Yeah.

09:06.30
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, but but yeah, it’s it’s kind of always been. It’s always been there. It’s always I’ve always kind of and even if I tried to take a break. It’s like I’d be I’d be I have to do something with my hands I like have to make something.

09:08.10
Amy Pleasant
Yeah.

09:10.34
charukaarora
I Love them.

09:14.99
Amy Pleasant
Yep.

09:17.63
charukaarora
Hands? yeah yeah I think there’s something a lot of artists like we have this I can relate to Lauren because I also was in fashion Lauren and I did go to a fashion school and fashion illustration was um my best class and.

09:27.23
Lauren Battistini
Um, okay.

09:32.63
charukaarora
You know I was interviewing. Um, so just in the beginning of my class I remember this was my first class we were given an assignment um that we had to find an illustrators work that we admired and go on Pinterest and you know copy their work and I remember going on Pinterest and. Um, being a fashion student and all of that I saw um Katie Rogers who used to go by the name of paper fashions I I brought it on the podcast recently and I looked at a work and I really enjoyed and I was like I want to do this and that was one class always that I so apart from sewing needling and you know all of those things. That was literally my best class and when I started a business I think Stephanie likes she said you know I felt like I even though I was in the creative field I felt like I had to do things by my hand as an artist and make something the desire to create something by my own hands then just um, you know.

10:19.61
Lauren Battistini
The.

10:28.18
charukaarora
Um, get it done by someone and I think that I think that time for me. Also it was like you know I want to be an artist I want to create something from my own hands and get it dirty and make that mess to feel that groundingness. What do you think is your number 1 reason for being you know. Why do you do the work that you do being an artist. What is your if I were to ask you like 1 thing what motivates you or what brings you down to you know, being an artist. Not an easy profession for sure making a living not easy the time not easy. None of it is easy yet.

10:55.69
Amy Pleasant
So now.

11:01.69
Lauren Battistini
Yeah, yeah.

11:04.78
charukaarora
Not only you we do it A lot of artists choose to. Ah, you know do it being unpaid. You know doing it as on the side or just because you know you’re compelled to create What do you think? are your reasons.

11:17.18
Lauren Battistini
Well I have two one is it’s therapeutic for me. Honestly, it just is but secondly I Love how.

11:19.43
charukaarora
Okay.

11:28.70
Lauren Battistini
Well received my art is when someone buys it I see the look on their face. That’s so gratifying for me that right There is why I continue to do art.

11:30.41
charukaarora
Man. I Love that What about you? amy.

11:38.63
Amy Pleasant
Well I think one of the reasons is I can’t not do art I I’ll be doing art until the day I’m in the ground and if I’ve had periods in my life where I’ve had illness and.

11:39.82
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, you.

11:43.66
charukaarora
I Like that? yeah.

11:55.96
Amy Pleasant
Some significant illness and I kept doing art because art connected me to life but the other thing is I feel like my work is about the ideas underneath the paint and the canvas and. People do respond to it. But it’s it’s about helping people or not helping people I shouldn’t say that um I have this philosophy where we’re all doing the best we can with the consciousness we’re given and kind of giving people permission to be. Easy on themselves to accept to forgive to and if you if you go my website look my work you it’ll kind of make more sense but just kind of give people back to themselves in ah in ah, a really just wonderful way.

12:44.40
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

12:49.69
charukaarora
Hello none. No I think it absolutely makes sense. What about you.

12:51.19
Amy Pleasant
So.

12:58.62
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, yeah I mean I I’m going to reiterate I Think what everyone else has said I think that there’s kind of it’s almost like no choice. It’s just that’s the way I think I think that’s the way I interact with the world I I do that visually I do like feel that compulsion. To make things whether it be like I’m sewing something or I’m like sculpting something or I’m drawing something. It’s it’s I Even if I like I took yeah there were many years that I didn’t do much as an artist when my like son was little and I was full time kind of mom and working full time and it was just. A lot. Ah but I still like I it always would come back I’d I’d never not be able to make something. Um and I do like that idea of the connection of my experience I feel like art connects our experience to other people’s experiences as well and happening.

13:48.24
charukaarora
Others yeah.

13:54.98
Stephanie Mulvihill
And I feel like having that human connection is like kind of what keeps me going and kind of what helps make sense of of everything life, the universe everything and so and.

14:03.40
charukaarora
Yeah, right? Yeah I Absolutely relate with that I think sometimes when I lost my mom um art was one of the biggest things that helped me very passively just I Think. Just trying to make sense even though I don’t know how that makes sense but just understanding what am I feeling? Yeah okay tell me something I’m going to pull out your works and then we’ll talk about those works that we I don’t know you cannot see me I can see your work. You can see.

14:24.00
Stephanie Mulvihill
Sorry again, but yes, making sense. Yeah.

14:39.49
charukaarora
In the drafts that you have I know you don’t have the book in your hands right now. But I want to show I want to particularly talk about the works that we’ve published in the book I want people to be able to when they look at the book and they turn the pages and they look at your work. They’re able to really. Not only look at a piece of art but really hear your voice and your storydian what you were thinking while you were making this work and what your story and idea is I will start with Lorden Lord and I have your work in front of me and it is called. Let me see it’s called Roda know. If I’m reduc know. Okay, it’s an oil. Thank you. It’s an oil pastel pastel creon and acrylics painting and it has it has these colorful flowers with white way vases um on it. Do you want to share with us what your.

15:16.44
Lauren Battistini
You did a very good.

15:36.19
charukaarora
What what was going in your mind and what is there a story something you want to talk about that’s about this artwork.

15:40.00
Lauren Battistini
You bet so this piece is a convergence of 3 ideas. The first of which is I wanted to start making florals that sort of leap off the page that are wild and rebellious I have been a rule follower my entire life. That’s another story for another day.

15:44.41
charukaarora
Okay.

15:56.87
Lauren Battistini
And I am just so tired of filing rules I just want to run wild. So the first thing is to let the flowers run off the canvas just a little bit and be kind of messy. The second thing is that because I’m a color specialist I’m always interested in the color of the year. So peach is the pantone color of the year a peachy kind of color. So my rendering is a peachy pink. So it’s my take on it.

16:00.57
charukaarora
Um.

16:02.72
charukaarora
Okay.

16:13.77
charukaarora
Yeah, and.

16:16.86
Lauren Battistini
Thirdly I’m very fascinated with the Greek language I’m studying it I’ve been to greece 3 times so Rovaquino means peach in Greek.

16:21.39
charukaarora
Okay, oh Wow interesting. What really? but why flowers What? what inspires you of them. Okay.

16:32.10
Lauren Battistini
I’m going to give you a very funny and simple answer. It is very hard to mess up flowers. They are always going to look beautiful and as a newer artist I Want to express myself in a subject that I know.

16:39.21
charukaarora
Ah, yeah.

16:45.10
Lauren Battistini
I can make it look beautiful Even if the lines aren’t quite right.

16:48.87
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, no, that makes sense. Um Amy I have your work. It’s a beautiful wide bright I feel I I I don’t know I that’s what I can interpret. It’s a beautiful girl.

17:03.74
charukaarora
With this veile and white dress and beautiful flowers on the background on the head in front and she’s this artwork is called the language of flowers and there’s another Keyw word gladulis it’s oil on canvas.

17:15.66
Amy Pleasant
Um, yes, yes, sure this series the language of flowers is part of a ah um, museum exhibition I had this past Summer um called

17:21.12
charukaarora
Would you like to share with us.

17:31.63
charukaarora
Congratulations.

17:32.73
Amy Pleasant
Family album where I worked from historical photos. It was much about general relational transition. Especially our mother’s grandmother’s generation and so I took um 4 photographs historical photographs of brides on their wedding day.

17:50.58
charukaarora
Okay.

17:52.53
Amy Pleasant
And ah in in the in Canton Ohio which was which is my hope town and so this particular bride I surrounded her with Gladiolas because I looked at the photograph and I paired some sort of. Metaphorical meaning where gladiolas are have a meaning of strength and when I looked at this woman and because part of the theme is the women of these generation. They.

18:16.14
charukaarora
Okay.

18:27.19
Amy Pleasant
They held the families together. They held a lot of secrets they navigated a very um difficult world at times that was very gender biased and um so it was just kind of a homage to these women and so I surrounded these women there’s different flowers. There’s like. Lilac and roses. Each bride has a different set just surrounded with those flowers and it basically just kind of ah ah, a animation of the moment this very important moment of their lives. Typically the brides were not smiling.

19:02.99
charukaarora
And yeah.

19:04.90
Amy Pleasant
Which I realized was the the social kind of war of the day. However, there were other reasons for them not to smile on their wedding day as well in just the context of the world in which which they live so they’re they’re done with love.

19:11.33
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and um, oh wow you know I don’t know if you know Sarahra Dwight dweller is work. Ah, she has the series I’ll share her link with her shout out to Sara. She’s an amazing artist and she has a similar body of like not on she’s been exploring this idea in the same context. Um, how photographs all photographs she has a series called hidden mothers and how old for all photographs where family portraits.

19:43.40
Amy Pleasant
A.

19:48.56
charukaarora
Um, when children’s photographs were taken and um when children you know there was a father or whatever and because they didn’t want to show the mother they they would put like a white or whatever a fabric on the mother so you can see a child standing and a fabric on behind but it’s actually a mother covered underneath.

20:00.14
Amy Pleasant
He.

20:06.39
Amy Pleasant
Well.

20:08.50
charukaarora
So she does like a beautiful series you have to check her work out. It’s stunning and okay I have Stephanie I have this amazing work. It’s it’s titled ghost. It’s a mixed media on paper mounted on canvas. But.

20:11.92
Amy Pleasant
I Will That’s great.

20:27.13
charukaarora
Let me describe it for anyone who you know you will attach the image for sure. But it’s this.. It’s a figure. It’s a woman I can see the hands and this the face. The skull basically is hold it odd from a different part of the body. And I can see a lot of greens and I can see a few birds on front a few birds on the back I’m very interested in I Want to hear what Bo you thinking?? What’s your idea behind this.

20:54.16
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, sure, Um, ah so the I’m sure this is gonna have I.

20:58.72
charukaarora
Okay I think we don’t have Stephanie with us can anybody hear. Oh god no problem. Okay in the meanwhile while she will come back I’ll ask her. Um.

21:01.89
Lauren Battistini
No I think she lost her connection again.

21:13.89
charukaarora
Tell me something What do you guys think has been Okay, oh I have time stuff.

21:15.47
Amy Pleasant
Oh.

21:19.00
Stephanie Mulvihill
Can you hear me next? Okay, it keeps kicking me out on. Maybe it’s because I’m on Chrome as well I don’t know anyway me and I’ll come back in and I’ll just continue with where I left off. Yes I did yes all right? So ghost.

21:24.42
charukaarora
Ah I’m on home as well. But more if you heard my question perfect.

21:37.16
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, so it’s part of a series that I’ve been doing um and it’s you.

21:40.89
charukaarora
Um, yeah I can hear you what V Oh god.

21:44.82
Lauren Battistini
Ah.

21:53.23
Stephanie Mulvihill
I’m sorry that it’s usually doesn’t happen. But anyway it’s part of a series that it’s It’s using my body like they’re They’re essentially all self-portraits but this using kind of my body as this um, kind of metaphor or outgory.

22:10.89
Stephanie Mulvihill
When ah, you’re going through these periods of like instability where this this ideas of change. No, you can’t hear if you if you can hear me tell me, are you hear me? Okay, yeah, so periods of of yeah I never know on my end I’m just going to keep talkinggging. Um, ah.

22:15.81
charukaarora
No I can hear you we can hear you no and.

22:27.66
Stephanie Mulvihill
But these periods of kind of instability and and where you’re kind of like foundation of in the world kind of all the sudden shifts and so I kind of went through that couple years back um, relationships were kind of shifting and the fact that like this idea of like motherhood. My my son was getting older and so that identity kind of started to change and so this period of like instability and so this idea of using the body as an allegory of of change and evolution and and that’s why like there’s like different parts.

22:48.66
Lauren Battistini
Yep.

23:01.73
Stephanie Mulvihill
Ah, the pieces that are kind of all put together some of them have several arms some heads of the legs most of them don’t have a head. The head is usually covered with like flowers or birds or um, maybe because I I want it to be less.

23:05.60
charukaarora
Um, her.

23:08.24
Lauren Battistini
O.

23:09.29
charukaarora
And.

23:18.60
charukaarora
We lost her again goodness what’s happening with her today.

23:29.60
Lauren Battistini
You were saying less about less about you.

23:30.53
charukaarora
Wills last you.

23:32.33
Stephanie Mulvihill
All right I’m back. Ah and more universal this kind of and the idea that you know we all go through these periods of instability and how do we process that and how does our and our identities and our sense of self. Change kind of through those like moments where the ground Underneathneath. You feels really unstable and just um, yeah, So there’s that and then the idea the flowers kind of came in.

24:02.50
Stephanie Mulvihill
1 I mean the magnolia flower is kind of a beautiful flower. It’s a really kind of weird and interesting flower and then I then I like found the history of it. The idea that it’s just it’s been here so long and so this idea of permanence that even though there is kind of this fragility and change that there is this kind of underlying permanence that.

24:04.93
charukaarora
Um, and then.

24:20.91
Stephanie Mulvihill
Our bodies and ourselves they though they you know it’s going to be different but we’ll get there on the other side. Um, yeah, so it’s kind The ghost is kind of like this idea of like your past self is kind of like but it’s kind of always present but you’re.

24:23.42
charukaarora
Um, and.

24:31.15
charukaarora
Um.

24:34.45
charukaarora
2

24:40.50
Stephanie Mulvihill
And they’re like you don’t really know where this is going and he’s kind of yeah right in the way.

24:43.20
charukaarora
All La Pan That’s that’s a beautifully and we’re also and like you say I also see it this way like you know, um children are literally like a part of a body but also you know when you let them go when they’re growing. Yeah.

24:56.88
Stephanie Mulvihill
And when they protect teenagers they like start pushing away from you’re like okay.

25:00.48
charukaarora
It’s like you know you’re it’s it’s a part of you. You know your hair. Whatever part of our body and but you’re literally putting it out there and live letting it live. It’s life of its on lovely. Okay, what about 1 last question. Um, what do you think.

25:09.90
Lauren Battistini
Oh yeah.

25:11.35
Stephanie Mulvihill
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

25:18.35
charukaarora
Has been your biggest strength and struggle all these years that you’ve worked as an artist. What would you consider the hardest part and something that you feel like was something that you feel became a strength for you.

25:33.95
Lauren Battistini
Do you want me to go first in order. Okay, so the hardest part for me has been developing my own unique style because I didn’t didn’t come from an art background. So I’ve been exploring florals.

25:35.52
charukaarora
Absolutely.

25:47.41
charukaarora
Yeah.

25:50.84
Lauren Battistini
Travel illustrations I was doing fashion faces for a while. So it’s been the most challenging to narrow it down to a couple of subjects and categories now where I think my strong suit is is because I’m a color professional I have no problem whatsoever mixing and matching all kinds of different colors and doing some nontraditional color schemes.

25:57.27
charukaarora
Who? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

26:09.49
Lauren Battistini
Color is never an issue for me. It’s really been figuring out my style and what subjects I really want to draw or paint.

26:18.14
charukaarora
I think that’s that makes sense what about use. Okay, we’ve lost Stephanie I was thinking we’ll bring her first just in case we lose. Ah but go ahead. Amy.

26:25.10
Amy Pleasant
Oh okay, um I would say my strength would be my persistence I have um this has been the long arc of a career and you know.

26:30.90
charukaarora
Yeah I show. Yeah.

26:35.00
Stephanie Mulvihill
I.

26:40.88
Amy Pleasant
I Have this thing give get comfortable with uncertainty and rejection and learn how to move on. So I think I think I think I got that down. Um I think something I struggle with is that.

26:45.36
Lauren Battistini
Yeah.

26:46.17
charukaarora
Yeah. And.

27:00.00
Amy Pleasant
Struggle at times with your own self-confidence in your own work your belief in your work and you do, but you don’t Um, sometimes when it comes to presenting your work to the world. You kind of hold back or you you really have to go forward without.

27:05.92
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.

27:19.82
Amy Pleasant
Caring. What other people are thinking about your work. You have to stick close to that voice and I have to say I have struggled with that Sometimes so.

27:28.10
charukaarora
No no make sense. What about you Stephanie before I lose you.

27:36.93
Stephanie Mulvihill
I know well if you use me I’ll come right back in? Um, so I actually funny I did go to art school and I have like studied like a you know got a master’s and a undergraduate but I I feel like Lauren I had the same thing where. I needed to find my own voice because as you study too much of other people’s work and then you’re like what about well this person’s doing this and this person this and like but what is what is my art like what what do I and also believing in that.

27:54.30
Lauren Battistini
Um, yep.

27:56.83
charukaarora
Um, yeah, why you.

28:04.15
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah.

28:07.87
Lauren Battistini
Yep.

28:10.50
Stephanie Mulvihill
And not you know that my art my my work isn’t good enough. This person’s you know, doing figurative work now. It’s actually had a resurgence figurative work. But ah, you know for years. It wasn’t it wasn’t unbogue right? and so but just trusting yourself and and trusting the work that you make.

28:24.87
charukaarora
No I think that’s a great. Yeah, okay, wonderful. Thank you so much guys. Thank you so much for sharing about your work and also sharing about you know your life as an artist.

28:29.94
Stephanie Mulvihill
Has been has been a start though and I you know always will be probably so.

28:41.33
charukaarora
Um, I just want to ask you and there’s no compulsion. You can be as honest, um, firstly congratulations on being a book but you have how how was it? How was your experience being a part of the book and if you have any feedbacks and reviews for us of being in the process I know it was an intense process but I just want to you know. Hear out from you what it would. What would you say being a part of the ones that 1 floor book. Yeah yes, yes.

29:05.93
Lauren Battistini
Should we let Stephanie go while we’ve got her on air.

29:13.94
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, I’m still here. Ah well Mike can act. Yeah I don’t know what’s going on. But anyway, um, good question I think it was relatively painless I mean I did I the ah.

29:20.20
charukaarora
Oh.

29:27.80
charukaarora
Oh wow.

29:29.20
Stephanie Mulvihill
Because I was in the studio I was in your studio book as well. So I’m probably blending the 2 together but you know part of it was with the questions and like typing up my responses to the questions. But that’s always like I mean it’s a good exercise talking about your work and and kind of who you are and your story. Um, which is always a struggle for me is.

29:39.88
charukaarora
Um, yes, yeah.

29:48.42
Stephanie Mulvihill
You know writing and talking about your work is when it’s deeply personal can be can be challenging. Um, but you know I think it was relatively painless. Um, and I mean I think that looks good and and I can’t wait to see the the finish. But.

29:48.84
charukaarora
Yeah.

29:55.60
charukaarora
Great. We’ll take that as a good sign and we’ve lost her. Yeah.

30:02.10
Amy Pleasant
Yeah, and we have I felt the same I felt like it was it was easy. Um, it was it was helpful to me that sometimes you send out more than once so that Oh yeah I need to do that? um. But yeah I felt like it was sequential steps that make sense and it was easy to participate.

30:24.47
charukaarora
Perfect. Thank you so much.

30:27.25
Lauren Battistini
I found that this was a really nice seamless process and it was such a joy and honor to be a part of this project with 99 other women 99 other artists. It’s it’s been a great a great project for me to be a part of them and you all did a good job with communication.

30:36.18
charukaarora
Oh he asked.

30:45.68
Lauren Battistini
And as Amy said there was a sequential order to this. It was easy to follow and you were also very responsive sharuka I remember I had a couple of questions for you and you responded right away and I thank you.

30:52.58
charukaarora
Thank you? So oh thank you so much we you guys keep us on. We keep you on your toes and you keep us on her to ah it’s I Think what’s exciting about you know, ah curating a book together. Is you know for us. We even though it’s you know we’re always.

30:59.37
Lauren Battistini
Her.

31:08.62
charukaarora
Improving our process. We’re trying to make things smoother better. But also we want this to be as an an inclusive process. Not only us deciding and making sure everything but we’ve always tried you know, like for this one I’ve said it before we did a whole different theme and you know when we checked the print and I was like I Just don’t feel the book has.

31:11.67
Stephanie Mulvihill
This makes things.

31:27.46
charukaarora
Come together and we really need to change the layout and we had to overnight move things and we reached out to you back again and it was a lot of chaotic but you know it was like you know it was a very participative process from all of you also and you being able to um you know. Do that with us I think I really appreciate that. Okay, 1 last thing where can people find you support you of course I would say anybody who wants to look at the work and support their work. Of course you can buy a copy of the one zero 1

31:46.00
Stephanie Mulvihill
Start.

31:47.63
Amy Pleasant
You think.

32:01.63
charukaarora
Floal artbook you can find the link in the episode. You can find on our Instagram but there’s and several other ways you can support their work our work you can buy a copy. You can share this episode. You can buy their art. We will list their Instagram websites everything for you to be able to look at that. But you can also. Like like this share this ah leave a comment on everybody’s Instagram follow them I think there’s sent so many ways for anybody to support the work that we do and the work our artist do and it’s an it’s a very important part for us. So okay, everybody.

32:25.00
Stephanie Mulvihill
And.

32:38.57
charukaarora
Can you let us know where can people follow you from here and where can they find you.

32:44.31
Amy Pleasant
Well I’m most active on Instagram so it’s at Amy Pleasant underly Seattle and then my website is Amy Pleasant seattle.com

32:57.72
charukaarora
Perfect. What about you stood Stephanie we have you go ahead.

33:05.88
Stephanie Mulvihill
I know here. Ah my so I’m both on Instagram I do have a website. Um my my website is ah Stephanie Mulverhill Dot Com um and then Instagram I’m at S Mulva Hill art and that’s it.

33:17.82
charukaarora
Perfect.

33:23.48
Stephanie Mulvihill
No art but I am actually I’m I’m active in both I do need to update my website a little bit with some more current like a couple of new pieces that I finished but Instagram is that’s more immediate than you kind of see process. And yeah, yeah.

33:29.99
charukaarora
Connection point. Yeah, okay, go ahead. Lauden.

33:37.15
Lauren Battistini
And I am most active on Instagram my handle is at l f b color that’s l like lauren f like Frank be like boy color C O L O R the american way. Ah, and then my website is wwwwww.lfbcolor.com.

33:53.90
charukaarora
Perfect. We’ll make sure we link all your links and your work and the link to the book in the show notes of this episode and thank you so much for everybody joining us. Thank you Amy Lauden and Stephanie thank you so much for your time and again. Ah, big congratulations I can’t wait to see your books in your hand and when that that happens make sure you share your photos and videos with us.

34:17.25
Lauren Battistini
Yes, thank you sharuka so much for this opportunity to be interviewed.

34:18.31
Stephanie Mulvihill
Um, you will be shared far and wide far and wide. Yeah, thank you. It was a great conversation.

34:21.19
charukaarora
Ah, thank you? Absolutely thank you so much. Thank you I lead one second from all of you.

34:22.36
Amy Pleasant
Yeah, thank you sheruka.

About the Guest(s):

• Lauren Battistini: Lauren Battistini is a Texas-based floral and travel illustrator. With a background in accounting and a passion for color, Lauren weaves together her love for art and vibrant hues to create stunning floral artwork. She is known for her wild and rebellious floral illustrations that bring a sense of joy and beauty to her audience. Connect with Lauren on Instagram and visit her website here.
• Stephanie Mulvihill: Stephanie Mulvihill is a New York City-based artist who primarily works in drawing and mixed media. Her core focus is on figurative work, exploring the human body and its connection to the world. Stephanie’s art often incorporates the symbol of the magnolia flower, representing fragility and endurance. She is also a teacher, using her knowledge and experience to inspire others in their artistic journeys. Follow Stephanie on Instagram and visit her website here.
• Amy Pleasant: Amy Pleasant is a figurative painter based in the Pacific Northwest. Her artwork features a botanical thread that runs through all her paintings, incorporating flowers as a metaphor for strength and resilience. Amy’s work explores the experiences of women, particularly those of past generations, and aims to give them a voice through her art. Currently on a residency at the Bloedel Reserve, Amy is dedicated to creating meaningful and thought-provoking pieces. Connect with Amy on Instagram and visit her website here.

Episode Summary:

Welcome to another episode of the Arts To Hearts Podcast! In this episode, host Charuka Arora interviews three talented artists: Lauren Battistini, Stephanie Mulvihill, and Amy Pleasant. These artists are featured in the recently published book “101 Floral Artists,” which showcases their unique floral-inspired artwork. The conversation delves into their artistic journeys, the inspiration behind their work, and the significance of flowers in their art. Each artist shares their personal experiences and perspectives, providing valuable insights into the world of art. Join Charuka Arora and her guests as they discuss the beauty of flowers, the evolution of their artistic styles, and the importance of self-expression through art.

Key Takeaways:

• Lauren Battistini discovered her passion for art later in life and combines her love for color and art to create vibrant floral illustrations.
• Stephanie Mulvihill uses the human body as an allegory for change and evolution, incorporating the symbol of the magnolia flower to represent fragility and endurance.
• Amy Pleasant’s figurative paintings explore the experiences of women, particularly those of past generations, and aim to give them a voice through art.
• All three artists emphasize the therapeutic nature of art and the joy they find in creating something beautiful.
• The artists discuss the challenges they face, such as developing their unique style and maintaining self-confidence in their work.

Notable Quotes:

• “I’ve always had a fascination with color. So I’ve been able to weave the two worlds of color and art together.” – Lauren Battistini
• “Art connects our experience to other people’s experiences. Having that human connection is what keeps me going.” – Stephanie Mulvihill
• “I can’t not do art. I’ll be doing art until the day I’m in the ground.” – Amy Pleasant

Charuka Arora is the founder of the Arts to Hearts Project and Host of the Arts to Hearts Podcast. She is also an acclaimed Indian artist known for her contemporary embellished paintings. Her unique blend of gouache, collage, embroidery, painting, and drawing explores the intersection of art, culture, heritage, and womanhood. Through her work, she tells stories of female strength and encapsulates them in pieces that can be treasured for generations.

Charuka’s work draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, recognizing women as vessels of Shakti, the cosmic energy. She beautifully portrays powerful goddesses like Durga Maa riding a tiger or lion, symbolizing their unlimited power to protect virtue and combat evil.

Through her art, Charuka invites us into the world of women, showcasing their beauty, strength, and resilience. Her creations not only exhibit exceptional talent but also serve as an inspiration and a symbol of hope for those challenging societal norms.

Arts to Hearts Podcast is a show delving into the lives and passions of renowned artists. From running creative businesses and studio art practices to cultivating a successful mindset, Charuka Arora engages in heartfelt conversations with her guests. Experience your personal happy hour with your favorite artists, right in your studio.

Through candid discussions, Charuka and her guests reveal the joys and challenges of a vibrant creative life, both within and beyond our studios. Get ready to be inspired and uplifted as you tune in.