I came across Barbara Hammond’s blog over a year ago and liked her style. She shares chapters of her Grandmother’s life, which are just eye opening and so much more. I was thrilled when I [ finally ] realized we are practically neighbors and super thrilled when we got to meet at the beach this past summer.

Recently Barbara did a post on her artwork. What? She is an artist too? Yes she is and a good one.

Interview:

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Toledo, Ohio. It’s not a huge city but I went to 14 schools in 12 years… 4 in sixth grade alone. My mother married a lot. I sometimes lived with my grandparents when it wasn’t convenient for my mother to have me live with her. I would never be the ‘sane’ person I like to think I am today if it hadn’t been for my grandparents. They are always the answer to the question I get a lot from people who read my blog…”How did you ever turn out normal??”(Normal being a relative term. 😉 In many ways I grew up way too soon. I was the primary care giver for my brother before he was a year old. I was only 10 then. The next 8 years were often like I imagine being a single parent is. Everything revolved around my brothers (2nd one born when I was 14). I averaged 30 days absent a semester due to childcare. It’s amazing I never failed a grade.

What creative influences did you have growing up?

I had to really think about this question. In the schools I attended where art classes were available I took any and all I could fit in. I managed to spend my last 2 high school years at one school and they had an excellent art program. My art teacher there, Mrs. Ellis, was the first person besides my grandmother to ever compliment my work.I also remember from an early age going to the Toledo Museum of Art every chance I got. I would take the bus there alone whenever I could. They have a very large collection of Impressionist Art, which I love, but mostly I remember sitting in the Cloister Gallery and day dreaming. It felt like being in the times of Romeo and Juliet and I would lose myself in that daydream.

Besides Writing, painting, blogging and taking beautiful photos, do you have a day job?

My last day job was part-time floral design. That ended 3 years ago when the owner had to downsize and move the business. I still help him with special events occasionally. I also do special events on my own, like weddings and parties.

 Tell us a little about your blog.

The blog began on a dreary, snowy, February day in 2010 when I realized, OMG, “This is the year I turn 60!” I had an art website with Network Solutions and they helped me set-up a WordPress site. I originally called it, “The Winter of my Discontent”. Lol. By the time my birthday rolled around in July I had worked out most of the demons and realized I’ve had a pretty amazing life. It’s been an ongoing lesson in how to really appreciate what you have and realize we are not determined by our circumstances.Not to mention all the great people I’ve met through blogging. I couldn’t even imagine I would ever have friends all over the world!I agree with you completely that everyone has a story. I think because of that, everyone should have a blog. It’s been one of the greatest learning experiences of my life.

What are some things you do to keep yourself creative?

Not enough, actually. I signed on for a watercolor class this summer. I prefer working in pastels and/or oils and had tried watercolor years ago and hated it. It’s really a hard medium to master, which I obviously won’t. It has a great quality for illustrations for children’s books and can be mixed with pastel for detail, so I wanted to play with it for the next Duffy book.I always have fresh flowers around me. They make me smile. And I’m lucky enough to live in Philadelphia which offers an abundance of Art and Creativity all around me.

Tell us about your book.

The Duffy Chronicles, Duffy Finds His Family, began as a fun little essay written for my family. Duffy was a pound puppy we rescued when he was about 4mo. old. Our older dog, Benson, was having a nervous breakdown after we moved from Pittsburgh to Philly and everyone including the Vet told us he would calm down if we got him a buddy. It worked..

Duffy was an old soul who owned my heart the second I laid eyes on him. Since he had a past, so to speak, we often wondered about some of his little quirks, like subtly begging at the table and ducking when you put the plate down for him. I thought someone must have hit him with a plate. I also thought it would be fun to fill in the blanks. When I gave the story to my family my son suggested it would make a good children’s book. I’d never written a book and didn’t believe I could but I worked on it off and on for a long time. After many revisions and a tower of rejection letters I gave up. Two days after Duffy died, at the ripe old age of 15, I found a publisher on Craigslist. I was too sad to even get out of my pajamas and found myself slogging through the internet mindlessly. On Craigslist I found an opportunity with a new publishing company looking for illustrations and stories for children’s books. I submitted and they accepted. The book was in my hands in less than a month! Mirror Publishing and Neal Wooten are amazing. Doing the illustrations myself certainly sped up the process, but they really are a great company to work with. I donate all profits from The Duffy Chronicles to local no-kill shelters. It’s taken me longer to write the 2nd book than I imagined possible, but it’s coming along.

Are you writing now?

I am. In addition to the 2nd of the Duffy Chronicles I started a series on my blog called ‘Georgia on My Mind’, which is my grandmother’s story. I intend to make it a full-fledged book eventually. I’m not rushing the process. This book is, in many ways, writing itself. I’m going to give it all the space needed and pray for an agent or publisher to find it before I have to deal with queries and submissions.

 What tools or media do you use?

My tools are a laptop, smart phone, and digital camera. I’m very active on Facebook and somewhat active on Twitter. I tried Pinterest but, being a very visual person, I just couldn’t devote the time. I would get nothing done if I tried to keep up with all that eye candy.

What motivates you?

Meeting women like you, and Sonia Marsh, and Diana Bauer, to name a few, motivates me. Women with interesting lives and families much like mine who are being published and sharing their stories with the rest of us. You’re inspiring the rest of us.

I dislike?

Rude people.

Holiday Shopping ideas…

http://www.cafepress.com/hammondart

fb is: https://www.facebook.com/zero.60.beyond

The blog is: http://zeroto60andbeyond.com

The book is: http://www.amazon.com/The-Duffy-Chronicles-Barbara-Hammond/dp/0980067545/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347465493&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Duffy+Chronicles

Thank you so much Barbara for your time,

Doreen