20.11

Do What You Love Interview – Jo Klima

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This week’s interview is with Jo Klima, an Australian designer and artist who’s passionate about exploring creative projects which support our desire to live a beautiful and authentic life. Jo runs The Darling Tree, an art and design studio in Brisbane, where she spends her days creating stunning websites, custom art and pattern designs for amazing women, businesses and products.

ProfilePhoto by Carter & Rose Photography

I was introduced to Jo a while ago and I loved her work so much that I commissioned her to overhaul our branding and website. She’s one of those incredible people who has an uncanny knack of just ‘getting’ what you are trying to communicate and coming up with ideas that truly represent the heart and soul of your brand.

It’s been a while since our last interview so I thought it would be nice to catch up with Jo and find out about her blossoming business and exciting new product range – leggings for darling legs! Don’t miss her generous giveaway at the end of this interview!

BaliJo lives and breathes creativity – photo by Zipporah Lomax

1. How are you leading a life ‘doing what you love’?

When I was young you would always find me doing something arty and crafty. My passion for creating continued through school in art and photography, and by the end of high school I knew that art and graphic design would be the perfect path for me.

Now I live and breathe art, design and creativity. My business provides the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing women and undeniably soulful and inspiring businesses, which are creating unique offerings and really shaking things up.

I get to travel the world for inspiration, for fun, and to meet new creative masterminds to collaborate with, and I also get to spend weekend retreats immersed in long, deeply quiet stretches of time with just my paints and good music for company.

2. You redesigned your life in order to do what you love. What was the ‘a-ha’ moment that inspired you to make big changes?

A few years ago I  felt stuck, overwhelmed, bored and resentful while trying to do my best creative work. I had become passive and believed I had little or no control over my own circumstances. It was exhausting and not the life I wanted to keep living. Thankfully I didn’t have to. It all began to change when I discovered that I actually did have control over where I wanted my life to go. I read books, joined groups and started courses to learn more about my interests. Life started opening up and I changed my perspective. The amazing resources we all have at our fingertips really do offer a chance for any of us to change our thoughts and actions at any time and create a life we truly love.

jopainting@2xCreating a life she loves

3. What have been your biggest highlights in the last year or two?

Over the last two years my creative life and work has shifted and transformed in amazing ways. There have been exciting new ideas and opportunities, pure enjoyment of the creative process and a deeper and grounding confidence in trusting myself and listening to my intuition. Some of the best moments was when I travelled to Bali in March to join Flora Bowley on her painting retreat. It really inspired me to bring art into my life and business on deeper level. This led me to join Jennifer Lee in her Right-Brain Business Plan mentorship program and work towards some new business dreams and goals. In July I moved into my new art studio, so I could spend my day designing and painting in the one space. During that time I also had the chance to travel the world and meet many of the friends I’ve made online, in person!

4. You’ve just given your website a makeover. Why have you decided to take it in a new direction?

I wanted to rethink the way I do things at The Darling Tree. I love to draw, paint, and create but these things have never been as large a part of my business as I wanted them to be. Of course, I’ve always poured my art into my websites but ultimately I want to make art for use beyond just the digital space. My aesthetic has shifted a bit too, so earlier in the year I started making a plan to create a whole new look, and a whole new site, that share a new way of working with me with the world. One of the biggest changes in my business model is that I now offer art, surface pattern and licensing services. It’s a very exciting time.

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5. We love your latest project… designer leggings! What inspired the idea?

A couple of years ago I became more aware of how artists could make a living from having their art printed on different types of products, and it got me thinking. I’d started to practice yoga and I loved the idea of having my artwork and patterns on a range of leggings that could be used for that, as well as normal day wear.

shareimage4@2xJo’s new legging range available for pre-order at Darling Legs

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What has been exciting in the past year or so is seeing other companies crop up that are helping designers achieve this by offering more print-on-demand type of services. When I came across one a company which helps designers crowdfund their own fashion collection, which included leggings, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to launch some designs I had been working on.

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I shared a few hints on social media which had an amazing response, and now this exclusive collection is available for pre-order at Darling Legs. (See the giveaway section at the end of this interview for your chance to win art work and a custom yoga mat for placing an order and for telling us where and when you’d wear your gorgeous leggings!).

6. Tell us about your art blog – Maps to Herself. How did it come about?

Maps to Herself gently came into existence after being inspired to begin meditation, yoga, journaling and painting. These practices opened up doors and led me to discover other parts of myself. They helped me to develop a more intuitive approach to my art and writing. My blog is my passion project – it’s a place where I can create and share parts of my creative self which are separate from my main work and client projects. Since I started it many new opportunities and creative collaborations have come my way and I don’t believe these would have happened if I hadn’t started to explore my creative and spiritual self.

shareimage3@2xYoga opened new doors and helped Jo to get to know herself better

7. What has been your biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it?

There’s a recurring theme that has been a big part of my journey, and it continues to be so. It’s understanding the importance of believing in what I do, the impact I create, and strengthening my brand story so that it resonates with the right people. It’s letting go of what other people are doing, what they might think of me, and knowing that I need to market myself and what I offer without fearing (as an introvert often does) that it’s too much.

8. Whose work is inspiring you most at the moment?

There are many incredible artists and creators who I’m in awe of. For their amazing artwork and businesses I adore Jai Vasicek, Lisa Congdon and Laura Blythman. And for the merging of art, patterns and fashion I am always inspired by Mara Hoffman, Helen Dealtry and Mister Zimi.

9. What is the best advice you have received?

Remove the word ‘but’ from your vocabulary and stop comparing yourself to the ‘supposed’ competition… there is no competition!

10. It’s an exciting time for you. What’s next?

By early 2015 I’d like to have finished a collection of artwork that I’ve been working on. I’d like to showcase it in a solo exhibition and also sell online. I have ideas of products I’d like to create with some artwork and patterns, such as yoga mats, and I’d also love to partner with businesses who already create amazing products and collaborate with artists to bring their visions to life.

Jo’s snapshot:

Best lightbulb moment: Only I can create the life that I want for myself, no one else can do it for me.

Colour you’re most loving right now: Purple and teal show up in my artwork all the time.

Favourite way to relax: Napping in the sunshine!

Happiness is: Arriving in a new city or country I’ve never been before.

Most inspiring book read: Spirit Junkie by Gabby Bernstein

Quote you live by: “Strive for progress not perfection.”

Wish for the world: For people and the media to give more attention to the real adventurers and heroes of our day, so our society can start moving towards a different and more authentic system of perceiving value and success.

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For more on Jo, her work, and to check out her blog, step on over to The Darling Tree, visit her Facebook page, read her Blog or say hello on Instagram or Pinterest.

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GIVEAWAY!

THE PRIZE: To celebrate the launch of her new product range, Jo is giving you the chance to win an extra large wall print (28″ x 39”) featuring ‘A Place Yet to Explore’ artwork (valued at $75 USD + shipping). THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!  The winner has been announced here.

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design_exploreThe prize – extra large wall print featuring ‘A Place Yet to Explore’ artwork

TO ENTER: For a chance to win this gorgeous art work we’d love to know when or where you’d wear a pair of Jo’s gorgeous designer leggings! Just post in the comments box below, completing the follow statement: ‘I’d wear my gorgeous new leggings…’ . Please include your full name, country, email address, and a link to your blog/website if you have one.

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DEADLINE: The giveaway closes at 12 noon EST / 5pm GMT on 16th December 2014. Any comments left after this time will not be considered.

SMALL PRINT: There will be one winner who will be chosen from the entries after the deadline, and announced on this blog shortly afterward. The competition is open to anyone over 18 anywhere in the world. There is no cash alternative. Our decision on the winner is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Pre-order your leggings now and enter the free prize draw for another chance to win! 

When you pre-order a pair of Jo’s leggings between now and 16th December ’14 you will automatically be entered into a free prize draw to win a custom yoga mat and an extra large wall print, both featuring ‘A Place Yet to Explore’ artwork. For more information and to place an order visit Darling Legs.

winyogamat@2xCustom yoga mat featuring ‘A Place Yet To Explore’ art work

GOOD LUCK!

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