http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/featured-seller-lovecalifornia/
Tell us about yourself.
Hello, my name is Christin Morgan. I have two rabbits, six sisters, one niece (who I’m pretty mean to), 23 titanium screws in my body, and 428 Facebook friends. It’s nice to meet you. I recently moved back to my home town of Tyler, Texas from Los Angeles, California, where I lived and worked for five years. I miss my West coast friends desperately, but I’m enjoying being close to my family.
Apart from creating, what do you do?
These days I spend a lot of time creeping around iTunes, dreaming of the day I’ll marry Bon Iver and Matt Berninger, watching National Geographic documentaries, teaching myself to crochet, drinking wine with some pretty stellar new friends, driving to Dallas to hang out with my bestie forever, reading Steve Martin novels, and figuring out ways to annoy my mother (it’s so much easier now that I’m closer). Oh, and I paint. Spoiler alert.
What would be the title of your memoir? Why?
“Long Story Short.” It’s just not in my nature to write a memoir. I can’t even manage to keep a diary. Everything I need to say that’s worth saying should eventually come out in my work. I prefer to spill my tedious details and juicy secrets at dinners with friends. I realize that by saying this I’m setting myself up big time. Never say never, right?
Where does your inspiration come from?
Nostalgia, my friends, God, nature, and fashion design, all that. I’m also deeply influenced by a handful of teachers I had in undergrad. I consider some of them legends in the making and am still amazed that they were generous enough with their time to invest it in teaching rowdy students. Whenever I think, “This is good enough,” I imagine how they would respond and then hunker down and work harder. The desire to make them proud pushes me forward.
What does handmade mean to you?
Right now it means everything. I think Etsy and the handmade movement do for product design what blogs have done for publication. It gives a voice, a presence, and a fighting chance to those who might not have had an opportunity otherwise. It’s exciting.
Who has been most influential in your craft?
My family. I come from a big tribe of makers. Easter dresses? Grandma Memo. Furniture? Grandpa B and Uncle Bubba. 1980s earrings and painted jean jackets? Mom. To this day, Grandma Betty sends me weekly collaged notecards, and I have an ever-growing collection of Grandpa Bill’s birdhouses. I’m still waiting on a watercolor painting from my great-aunt Cecile. Maybe she’ll send me one after this sweet shout-out.
When did you know you were an artist/maker?
Short of a brief stint in kindergarten where I was convinced I would be a private investigator, I’ve never imagined myself being anything other than an artist.
How would you describe your creative process?
New ideas float into my head often. Some of them make it to the table and some don’t. The first questions I ask are, “Why is this good? Why is this important? Who benefits from this?” If I can’t answer those, then I don’t start developing the product. I don’t want to invest time in products that are simply just another thing to sell; they need to have some value and meaning.
If you could peek inside the studio of any artist, designer or craftsman (dead or alive), who would it be?
Joseph Cornell, 100%. That guy was fascinating.
What handmade possession do you most cherish?
A side table that my great grandpa made out of an apple box.
How do you get out of your creative ruts?
I’ve been known to take a great deal of time between creative bursts to refuel and recharge. If you have to force it, it’s not going to be good. I’m a firm believer in quality over quantity.
Where would you like to be in ten years?
Discussing my new product line with Jonathan Adler over coffee. Bon, Matt and kids in tow.
