Alice's Looking Glass Studio

Artist: Alice M. Wingerden
Business: Alice's Looking Glass Studio
Web site: www.inaliceslookingglass.com
Location: New York, USA

What do you make?
Altered/collage/mixed-media art, digital art, digital graphics, cottage style home décor, vintage-inspired jewelry and apparel, paintings and drawings

Where and when do you do your creative work?
I work full-time as an artist, so I work whenever I want…I have a small (too small in my opinion) space in my living room that I call “my studio”. I typically work from about 2 or 3 in the afternoon till late in the evening…sometimes to the wee hours of the morning! I’ve gone to bed when my husband was heading to work sometimes!

Do you have another "day job"?
Stay-at-home-mom of a Cairn terrier…my puppy Renoir ;)

What did you study, and where?
I earned a BA in Psychology with a minor in art at Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester NY. I also spent one semester studying for a Masters in Art Therapy at Nazareth College in Rochester, but decided to put that on hold to pursue my art career.

What inspires you and what motivates you?
My faith in God, psychology, my life experiences, my mood at the moment…

When and why did you decide to start your own business?
About a year ago I decided to start my own art business. I wanted the freedom to do what I love everyday and share my creativity with the world.


How did you choose the name for your business?
(Alice’s Looking Glass Studio) Well… my real name is Alice… and I’ve always felt a “connection” with Alice in Wonderland. I also have blonde hair ;) I love the whimsy that comes with the name.

What do you love most about your work?
That people actually want to pay money for it! Sometimes I still can’t believe that! I also love when I get emails from fans of my work or custom orders… makes it all worthwhile!

What's the most fascinating place you've been?
NYC is my favorite place in the whole world. I plan on living there someday. It’s like the whole world encapsulated in one tiny island… I love that!

A book you love:
White Oleander by Janet Fitch, and of course Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

What's the most interesting thing about you?
I got to marry a guy I was “in love with” for about a year before we even started dating… and he was “in love with” me too!

What achievement are you most proud of?
That I strive to follow my dreams even when others think they are impossible.

What advice would you give women starting their own business?
Don’t give up…even when it seems impossible or too hard or like you’ll never make it… never give up on your dreams!

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Not having enough money to pay bills…since selling artwork isn’t a steady paying job sometimes there’s just no money there! Also balancing work/play since I work at home and consider creating art play… I forget sometimes to just sit down and relax.

What do you love to do in your free time?
Haha… ironic question after my last answer. Well, I love spending time with my husband, also an artist and photographer, playing with my dog, redecorating my apartment, going out for coffee, going to museums, visiting unique shops, reading fictional novels, watching reruns of crime drama TV shows (ie Law & Order).

What are you working on right now?
My own web site! I designed it from scratch just a few days ago… still have more work to do…

What do you hope to achieve next?
Learning how to use Photoshop like a pro! I love it, but want to know a lot more about it. I would also like to go back to school within the next couple of years but can’t pinpoint what for… it’s a toss-up among MA in Counseling, Art Education, or Graphic Design.