Sketch interview: meeting Rebecca @ Art & Philanthropy

I had this idea to pursuit my journalist's passion and write in my third language about interesting people around me. People in our Fashion, Design and Lifestyle team are these interesting ones: extremely different, interesting personalities we pass by.

This is the first blog like that, so please take your time to stop and have a read of my email chat with Rebecca, a busy artist and mum who works as Art & Philanthropy with her two children (for the link to her shop click on the blog title).


Rebecca's very personal photos... Rebecca and her son.

Rebecca: I am Rebecca Peragine, a self-taught artist and collector of unfinished projects. I do my art for a living, selling on Etsy and brick and mortar boutiques. I also do work for an organization called PEACE (http://www.peace-islamujeres.org/) creating prototypes of marketable products for the org’s Women’s Cooperative. I also create exclusive art for that particular organization, using the images to create a number of textiles to market to the tourist population. I have lived all over, for a big part in the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico where I met my husband. We currently live in Wisconsin, where I grew up, with our two children.

-What is your dream for your life?

Rebecca: I wish I would be magically ”found”, become crazy successful and never have to worry about web upkeep, cross promoting, printing, packaging, creative dry spells, taxes or wrinkles again; until that happens, I’d be happy to live somewhere with a palm tree in my yard. They make me happy. They don’t grow in Wisconsin.


-You say you create art for children, though it is very postmodern and I could imagine myself buying it. Who are your customers?

Rebecca: I’m lucky to be able to market to moms, new moms are especially fun to work with. They are sooo excited and love the idea of custom art for their new little ones. I keep my prices low on purpose; I’d rather have my work enjoyed by 100 everyday families instead of one very rich one. My art is made predominately with recycled materials, so although they have a childlike feel, they are bought by big people too. I think it’s safe to say that my art makes people feel happy, and that’s why they appeal to a diverse crowd.

-What inspires you?

Rebecca: My kids reaction to my art ideas, hearing my son tell his friends that his mommy is an artist, positive feedback, progress.

-How did you get into what you are doing now?

Rebecca: Total fluke, I have been a crafter, jewelry maker, body product inventor, potter (for a day) - pretty much a jack of all trades. A while back my family moved into a new house in the country and my older son was afraid to sleep in his new room. So, I gathered whatever was unpacked, which was a canvas, glue and some left over papers and started making a “protector dinosaur”. One piece led to another and before I knew it, I found my thing.

-Is there something missing in your life? If so, what is it?

Rebecca: Quiet, sleep, a clean house. The basics of running a business out of your home with two young boys on top of you. Travel, that’s a big one. I’m trying to be a good, stable, rooted mom, but I guess you can’t hide your free spirit when it’s so deeply seeded in your soul. I need to embrace that.

-What is your passion?

Rebecca: Right now, it’s my art. I love nurturing it and watching it grow. I’m working soooo hard to make this a lucrative career. That would be such a gift to be able to truly do what I love….and be paid well. And if I can keep going and make it, I’m going to deserve that palm tree.

-Is there anything you would like to do in our team / for our team?

Rebecca: Promote, promote, promote. I can give you any info I come across that might help all of us. I’m constantly plugging myself, so I can do the same for the team.

-What would you like to tell me / our team members?

Rebecca: Let’s all make it a priority to find promotional opportunities for each other. I’m sure you all know how time consuming self-promotion is. Any extra help would be so great!

Rebecca, thank you for your time. It was pleasure talking to you.
P.S. You are in as our team's promoter. Let's help Rebecca with promotion ideas and assistance!