4.2%

Illustrator and Designer : Natalia Blackthorn (∞)
based in Podgorica, Montenegro

Natalia dabbles in a variety of mediums and aims to tell stories with her art - a mixture of subjects and/or themes relating directly to her life and some that relate to others. I came across Natalia’s work via another artist on Instagram by the name of Ann Havbo, a.k.a ‘ Eightbitstrana’. Natalia added animation to one of Havbo’s illustrations, so I curiously clicked on the profile to check out her work.

She and her girlfriend, Millie Cauldron, recently created a novel, titled ‘Act Nice’ - available here on Amazon. The story follows the life of a pop singer who falls in love with his bodyguard and the challenges that arise along the way. I had the pleasure of speaking to her about challenges she’s faced as an artist, LGTBQ+ in the arts and life, the importance of being kind to yourself and others, and more! Check out the interview below!

4.1%

Black Ink Artist : Beau Preston (∞)
based in Queenstown, New Zealand

The eleventh episode of ScribbleTalks features Aussie-born now New Zealand-based artist, Beau Preston! Preston does a variety of black-ink drawings, but many of his recent work pulls inspiration from Star Wars. Take a look at some of my favorites below.

I had the pleasure of interviewing him a few weeks back. We discussed learning how to give yourself credit as an artist, overcoming fear of being in spotlight along with your art, experience creating tattoo designs, upcoming projects, and more!

4.0%

Sculpture Artists : PLASTIC CELL (∞)
based in Orange County, California

Plastic Cell was founded in 2012 by the Tran brothers:
• Andy Tran @andytrvn17
• Danny Tran @dannytr4n
• Phien Tran @phientran
• Phuong Tran @phuooooong
First off, I love that these brothers decided to collaborate and build something that would leave such a mark in the industry - it speaks volumes to the values within the family to successfully create and navigate the business together. Located in Orange County - these gentlemen specialize in creating handmade original and licensed collectible sculptures.

These limited-edition Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collectibles showcased below blew my mind! I mean - just look at these - super dope!

Plastic Cell has collaborated with some of the biggest names and companies to create such incredible pieces. Take a look at some of the others below and check out the details. While I haven’t had the opportunity to own any of their pieces - the craftsmanship and overall quality appear top-notch. I hope to own one or two of their pieces in the near future.

They also sell art prints, t-shirts, stickers, pins, and other items.
www.plasticcell.com

3.9%

Screenprinter : Brian Rohr (∞)
Owner of Coast 2 Coast Tees
based in Los Angeles, California

I discovered Rohr’s page a while back when a mutual friend shared one of his t-shirt designs. Rohr grew up in North Georgia and decided to keep close all things ‘ATLANTA-GEORGIA’ when he eventually moved out to California for the next chapter of his life.

Check out the interview below where I had the pleasure of speaking with Brian to discuss his reasoning for leaving the corporate world and going into entrepreneurship, what he truly loves about screenprinting, some of the pitfalls of the process, the importance of staying true to your style, and more!

3.8%

Australian Model and Activist : Stefania Ferrario (∞)
based in Melbourne, Australia

Ferrario and I met in New York back in 2018 after I sent her a DM on a whim upon discovering we would be in the city at the same time. Thankfully, we’ve kept in touch over the years and were able to catch up more in depth earlier this year.

In this interview, we discuss Ferrario’s mental health journey in modeling, being an activist, and dealing with backlash from using her platform to speak on various issues. Be sure to check it out and leave a comment below to let me know what you think!