Artist Profile: Vicki Boutin

Vicki Boutin

Vicki Boutin approaches art in a fun, fresh and accessible way. Her goal is to bring out the inner artist in everyone. Think you could never do that? Well, Vicki says, “Yes, YOU can do it!” In addition to teaching scrapbooking and papercrafting workshops though Canada, the United States and Europe, Vicki’s work can frequently be seen in Better Homes and Gardens, Scrapbooks, Etc. and Scrapbooks and Cards Today magazines. Vicki is the author of the recently published North Light book Creative Foundations. She lives in southern Ontario, Canada, with her husband and two children.

Where do you live?

St Catharines, Ontario, Canada

What kind of art are you known for?

JOY by Vicki Boutin

I am probably best known for paper crafting. I love scrapbooking and card making but my real passion is mixed media and altered art. I like to just create whatever I feel like making that day.

What is on your workspace right now?

Vicki Boutin's workspace

A mess. I have been away a lot this month. I am just about to clean it so that I can sit down and make some stuff!

Vicki Boutin's Creating- Space

Why do you make art?

I make art because I have to. I am the happiest when I am creating. Seriously. It makes me feel good.

What is your least favorite technique that you still use anyway?

I have a love/hate relationship with paper piecing. I love the final outcome from hand cutting art with a craft knife but I don’t enjoy the blisters and finger cramps.

What’s your favorite tool or material?

I love stamps and inks of all kinds! There is a ton of art that can be created with this combo.

What do you listen to when you create?

iTunes makes me happy. I love R&B and funky dance music.

What’s the best book you’ve read lately?

A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh

A friend of mine actually wrote a novel about a group of friends that spent summers together and kept a scrapbook. I LOVED the book. I LOVE to read!!!! I have my Kindle fired up all the time!

What’s the most inspiring trip you’ve ever taken or adventure you’ve ever had?

Vicki's Travel Journal

I have a vagabond soul. I love to travel. Teaching has taken me a number of places. France, Puerto Rico, Spain, the Netherlands and all over Canada. Each place inspires me to want to come home and make stuff! I like to collect items from the places I travel and take lots of photos that I then can incorporate into the things I am making.

What’s the last thing you cooked?

Turkey Tacos. My kids love them!

If you could surround yourself with only one color, what would it be?

Vicki's Favorite Color: Aqua

That is hard! I am a colour fanatic! But if I had to pick one colour it would be aqua. It is a happy and serene colour.

Do you have a talisman/power garment/magical thing you wear?

Not really. I just try to surround myself with “happy” things like flowers and anything colourful; I pull positive energy from those happy things.

What’s your favorite place in all the world?

One of Vicki's Favorite Places

I LOVE Paris. It is full of history, good food and lots of great junk!! But my favourite place to be is home. I love being surrounded by my family. That is my safe and happy place.

What one thing do you want to do that you haven’t done yet?

My dream is to have an RV that I funk out and travel the world taking photos and just experiencing what being on the road has to offer! One day. A girl can dream!

What’s the best day you’ve ever had?

Cozumel

I have had many good days. I like life. But there is one that comes to mind. I recently taught on a cruise and one of the ports was Cozumel, Mexico. We spent the day riding around in a jeep, snorkeling, laughing and taking in the most beautiful of sights! It was a rejuvenating day. It was good for the soul.

What’s today’s Word to Live By?

Breathe by Vicki Boutin

Breathe.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Vicki's Guilty Pleasure

Accessories. I have a shoe and jewelry obsession.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

I have thought about this a lot lately. I think I would like to control time. I would slow it down so I could get more accomplished and make it just last longer. The older I get, the faster time seems to go.

When is your favorite time of day?

Mornings. I like to get up early. I also like to go to bed late. So I like it when everyone goes to bed, too. I get lots done.

What is your earliest memory?

That’s a hard one. I have trouble remembering yesterday!

What was your first job?

I worked in a department store. My uniform was a lovely red polyester dress with a big white collar and a white belt. Yeah…I looked good!

What’s your one favorite material thing?