By Jessica Johnson
Q) How long have you lived in SC?
I moved here 24 years ago. I love the weather here. I would never leave, it’s too beautiful.
Q) Has living here influenced your creativity?
Q) Are there other creatives in your family?
My little, Bella, who is 10. She is saving otter pop wrappers because she is going to design a dress next year for Fashion Teens.
Q) What is the first thing you remember making/writing/creating?
When I grew up we didn’t have a lot of money I so I would go to the second hand store and buy broken jewelry and remake it. I always loved clothes and fashion — I loved Barbie dolls. I played with Barbie dolls all the way up to high school. After I graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco I started working runway, so I went from Barbie dolls to life-size Barbies.
Q) When did you first call yourself an “artist”?
When I joined FashionArt. I never thought I was an artist before. When they asked me, “What is the name of your wearable art piece?” I thought, “Art piece?” I thought only painters were artists. That’s when an artist was born.
Q) How do ideas come to you? Do they come in a flash or do they percolate?
It just hits me! I have to make sure I always have a notebook by me so I can jot things down.
Q) Who are your creative idols? Why?
Andy Warhol — I just loved his funkiness. I love Betsey Johnson, and Liberace — all his costumes! Someone asked me, “How would you describe your fashion sense?” and I said it would be Liberace and Betsey Johnson go to a 70s yard sale.
Q) What never fails to inspire you?
The world. One of my graphic art teachers would send us out on a walk to “get inspired.” She told us, “ Use all your senses…and you will come back with something.”
Q) What is the best advice you have been given about being an artist?
The sky is the limit. Aim high.
Q) What do you say when people say they aren’t creative?
I get that a lot. I start with asking, well, what is it you do enjoy? Then we find out they are actually already an artist — they love to bake or cook, or wrap presents, or organize rooms or closets. We are all artistic. We all have something very special inside of us. You just have to find your passion in what you do and that’s your art.
Q) What is the biggest myth about creativity?
That you can’t make money off of it. You can — if you’re really good. But you really have to be different.
Q) Why is being creative important to you?
It’s frickin’ awesome! I feel like life is so much brighter and bubbly and the sky is the limit.
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To learn more about Ruby Roxanne Designs visit www.rubyroxannedesigns.com. Ruby’s leather cuffs and hats can be purchased at the American Hat Makers boutique, “The Hat Hangar,” at 125 Aviation Way in Watsonville.
Raised in Aptos, Jessica Johnson is a freelance writer, author and blogger dedicated to helping others live brave, creative lives. Read more about her creative journey at www.vinegarandvanilla.com. Email your questions, comments and creative suggestions to her at jessica@vinegarandvanilla.com