©Kendra J Kantor All Rights Reserved

Last week’s Featured Artist (post here) was Kendra Kantor of Like A Bird and Loose Leaf Dreams. Her Q&A was so in depth and touched upon so many of Kendra’s pursuits and passions that I had made it into two parts. Of course this is fine by me because I get to step back and look at her work for a  little while longer:)

Who are some of your favorite artists and sites?

I have to be honest, this is one of the hardest questions for me to answer. I love so many artists and photographers. One of my favorite things to do when I was at art school and whenever I go to a bookstore is to look through the photography books and magazines. But I’ll try to list a few.

I love Ralph Eugene Meatyard  Nick Brandt, Jean Shin. Those were the first 3 names that came to me.

If you’re looking for more contemporary artists, check out the Art21 website, Art Journaling magazine by Somerset, B&W Magazine or Juxtapoz Magazine.

©Kendra J Kantor All Rights Reserved

You can also check out and follow my Beautiful Art and Photography boards on Pinterest or the art inspirations&features category on my blog to see more artists I like. I update all three places fairly regularly with lovely work.

How did you get into photography?

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This is the same answer as why I chose paper as my medium. It chose me.
I don’t know how my love for the photographic medium started exactly. I was in 7th grade, and had gotten photoshop as a present I think. Later in the year, I begged my parents to buy me a small point and shoot camera….I took pictures of everything and anything. I read all the blogs and articles I could find online, I immersed myself in it. It slowly grew from there. I’m mainly self taught (as in, I learned how to use a camera, and all the technical aspects of the art by myself) but I did take 2 classes in college and spent 1 year at art school, majoring in photography.

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Tell me about your passion for road trips and adventures?

I don’t even know how to explain it. I’ve been working on a new blog with my fiance, Loose Leaf Dreams, about travel and in doing so I’ve been researching and following popular travel blogs. And every time I read about someone in another country, the adventures and places they are seeing…my heart just yearns to go out and do it. I want to see beautiful things, experience different cultures. I think the first time I’m on a different continent or in a different country…I’ll have to just sit for a minute in amazement at how far from home I really am.

Any small ideas you can include to help others create something small and from the heart to start out with?

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Relax. Don’t force it. Go to the space that makes you the most comfortable. For me, it’s surrounded by my supplies, with coffee and music playing. Listen to something soothing, soul touching or soak in the silence. If you’re really struggling with writing down your own thoughts, pick a quote, song lyrics or a poem to start with. Copy it down in your journal or art journal and then just keep writing…keep your hand moving, your thoughts flowing.

What’s your favorite coffee?
Anything.
I’m pretty open nowadays. When I first started drinking coffee, I swore I would never drink black coffee and only liked mochas. Now, I don’t even put sugar in my coffee at home. I really love a mocha from Starbucks or Panera as a treat though. And I have been hankering to try some more exotic blends, I usually just buy a cheap french vanilla ground coffee.

You are still so young, how have you found out how to be true to yourself, which you seem to do well

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Hard question. I’ve always been very observant and aware of myself and others. I’ve always noticed in people things that annoy me, or that impress me and I have always been aware of how I feel and where my feelings come from. Like I said before, I really like to think so I’m always trying to think through what I want to do with my life, what my vision is for the future and how to accomplish those things. I  feel like I don’t 100% know myself and taking time off from college was a big part of figuring that out but even without knowing all about myself or how I tick, I think it’s important not to do anything that just feels wrong. If you start a piece of artwork or writing and you dread going back to work on it, or if you start something and can’t finish it…first take some time and think about it and you may just decide that it’s because it’s not right for you. If someone comes up to you and offers you a collaboration, but it just doesn’t mesh with you or your work…don’t agree to it. Life your life how you want to, create work you enjoy and cherish.

Book recommendations:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Most of these books are technically creative writing reference books, but as a visual artist and as a writer…I find them all extremely helpful. They teach you how to think about your work, ways to push through creative blocks. These are books that I go back to, again and again…and again. And I always will.

Kendra's creative space

To read more about Kendra:

Visit her blog at Like a Bird

Read more about her adventures here:Loose Leaf Dreams

Follow her on Twitter @ kendrajkantor