#sparkchamber 020617 Juana Merlo

This week in the #sparkchamber, doer, collage maker, and art director Juana Merlo. She hangs out in the cultural intersection aisle. You can find her doodles at cargocollective.com/juanamerlo/Podcast-Doodle-Series

1.] Where do ideas come from?

They come from a collection of life experiences, observations, photographic memories, spontaneous occurrences, cultural shocks — and everything in between. It’s when I connect the dots irrationally that I know I have a great idea!

2.] What is the itch you are scratching?

Currently, I am obsessed with creating spontaneous work that requires no planning at all. It’s an exercise I call Drawing Improv. As I listen to podcast/radio stories, I doodle and voilà. As an art director who carefully plans every single pixel all-the-time, this exercise allows me to do just the opposite and relax.

3.] Early bird or night owl, tortoise or hare?

When I eat sushi, I leave sashimi for last. Clearly a night owl.

I am a hare who married a tortoise, which makes me forever balanced, right?

4.] How do you know when you are done?

This is a feeling I learned from my mom (who is also an artist). She never explained it to me though... I just know!