Humboldt Magic Makers, Ep. 6
TOAD ART
Meet Toad, creator of cosmic landscapes. A Humboldt resident since 2011, she currently works her magic with Prismacolor markers on watercolor paper and creates large paintings in acrylic. Read on to discover more about this awesome Magic Maker...
How long have you been making your art?
I've been making art since before I can remember. I went to my kindergarten "career day" dressed as an artist, complete with smock and beret and painting palette. Being an artist is the only thing that I've ever been sure of in my life. It's my only constant.
What inspires you?
I don't know what specifically inspires me to create, life inspires me to live. There are so many beautiful things to experience in this world and I think it all contributes to who I am as a person, and who I am as a person is what comes out in my art. Other artists inspire me just because they are creating, it's not necessarily what they are creating. The fact that there are people in the world that are passionate about what they do, their art, be it visual art, or music or performance or whatever, it inspires me to be more passionate about what I do, too.
BEING AN ARTIST
is the only thing that I've ever been sure of in my life. It's my only constant.
How has the natural landscape of Humboldt influenced your work?
It took coming to Humboldt County to really find my style as an artist. I was never strictly a landscape artist until I moved here. The incredible landscapes here inspired me to find my signature style, and it continuously inspires my work. I'm lucky to live here because I never really have to leave to find inspiration, there is always some spot I haven't seen, always some new angle to see the beaches or mountains or trees. I could just paint beaches in Trinidad and redwood trees with suns and moons until I die. Easy.
What are your favorite products and how/when do you use them?
I'm personally old-fashioned and prefer flower. I smoke spliffs mostly because I like the balance between the female energy of the ganja and the male energy of the tobacco. Lately though I've been smoking less during the day, and I'm been getting down on some capsules instead to help me deal with every day life of a mom of a three year old. With cannabis being used more as a medicine, I'm stoked to really find what works best for me, and I'm still discovering that. I also use topical ganja salves every day for my chronic pain.
I DON'T KNOW
what specifically inspires me to create, life inspires me to live.
How does cannabis affect your creative process?
The only way that I really use cannabis in my creative process is perspective. Sometimes when I'm feeling stuck on a project or painting and I can't figure out where to go with it, I'll take a break and smoke a jay and it usually fixes my head and I can see the piece from a different angle. It puts me in a different head space and gives me the perspective I need.
How do they enhance your overall well-being?
Ganja helps keep me in a good head space. It helps me be a better mom, and it helps me manage my auto-immune disease and other health issues. I don't know what I would do without it really, and I'm stoked that it's becoming more accepted as a medicine all over the country and the world.
How has the cannabis industry in Humboldt County affected/contributed to your career as an artist/creative?
I feel really blessed to live here as an artist, and I think that's why there is such a large percentage of artists in this area, we've all experienced that Humboldt is conducive to a creative lifestyle. With being able to do trim work, or working on a ganja farm for half the year, it leaves space in your life to create. When we are caught up in the the daily grind, 9-5 american dream lifestyle, it makes it hard to have the energy to keep your craft alive. You end up working your butt off to make ends meet, you come home exhausted and it leaves no room to do what makes you truly happy. Of course times are changing in Humboldt, and you can't make a killing trimming weed like you used to, but I think the vibe will carry on. There is also something to be said about the type of people that smoke marijuana and use cannabis medicinally. We are generally more open minded then the average bear, and I think that people who are likely to be of open mind enough to smoke weed are also going to have an open enough mind to explore the arts. It goes hand in hand if you ask me.
To learn more about Toad, check out her website or follow her on Instagram!
