Michelle Moore is a SUNY Ulster alumnus and now an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Ulster. Here is her recent interview with Bold Journey Magazine:
Michelle, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Creativity like all things in life needs nurturing and care. There will be periods of high activity and periods 
of dormancy. I have learned that when I am in either state that I have to be mindful that it will not last forever.
The creative mind needs rest in order to come up with new ideas and be to be inspired. The only way to keep it thriving is to listen, and give it what it needs when it needs it.
On the other side of that is when the “creative spark” hits, I know I have to act on it, and move the idea forward in order to keep my advancing my work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Hi! I am an Artist, Surface Designer and Art Educator located in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.
I am currently focused on the use of natural dyes using homegrown flowers and botanicals for textiles and artwork. I spent the last ten(ish) years experimenting with this craft and have honed in on the specific area of hammered flowers and leaves on cloth and paper. Over that time I have worked with major retail brands to bring naturally dyed goods to the commercial market. I have designed natural dye kits that have been sold across the US, and have taught many workshops to share this art form with others.
Over the last few years I have been writing a book about my hammered flower process that is due to publish at the end of the year. Keep an eye out!
I also teach art courses at my Alma Mater – SUNY Ulster. I teach courses in drawing, 2D Design, graphic design foundation.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
- Digital design. I decided early on in my artistic journey that it was as important if not more to learn how to
use CAD programs, as well as create my own website in order to showcase my artwork. We live in the world of tiny screens and limited attention spans. You need to grab your viewers attention quick, and the best way is through great photos and presentation of the work your invested so much time creating. - Stop comparing yourself. This is indeed a learned “skill”. It doesn’t matter what everyone else around you is doing. Just keep focused on what you are doing and it will in time evolve organically the way it i supposed to. Everything good takes time, energy, and consistency. Keep chipping away.
- Don’t focus on what you “don’t know”. I think the biggest challenge sometimes is getting started. We often think we don’t know enough to make progress. The truth is that you need to start somewhere. Be curious, make mistakes, lean into the process. The more experiments you do, the more knowledge you will gain.Keep at it. It gets easier.Continuing to show up for yourself is best quality you can have.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Yes, I’m always looking for new ways to share my work with the world!
I’d love to do collaborations with my hammered flower art specifically.I’d love to work with an eco friendly stationery or home goods brand to bring these designs into the retail market in small batches. I also would love to work with a fashion designer to create a really beautiful hammered flower garment for something special.
I’m also looking to exhibit more of my original artwork this year.
More flowers on everything!
Contact Info:
