Today's questionnaire comes from the fantastic Reagan Gore of Hydria Illustrations. Her answers are just like her -- honest, smart, and hilarious. You won't want to miss her on April 7th!
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
This question is a weird one for me. I don’t think there is such a thing as perfect happiness. I think every emotion is wonderful and amazing in its own way, but also temporary. Instead I’ll list some things that make me happy.
- Making my kids laugh till they can barely breathe.
- Buying/experimenting with new art supplies.
- When someone asks for a second plate of food I made.
- Dresses with pockets.
- Glitter.
- Road trips to nowhere.
- Making art with my husband.
- The feeling of sand between my toes.
Which living person do you most admire?
My husband. He has an unending ability to put up with my shit and still love me. Plus he’s also really funny, and his art/design skills inspire me.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Super soft fluffy toilet paper.
What is your current state of mind?
Open. Open to new experiences and new opportunities. Open to letting new ideas in. Open to change. Just open.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Virtue? Hmm temperance. No moderation for me. I want it all or nothing.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I dislike this question.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Humor. If we can’t laugh together -- byyyyyyeeee.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Humor and realness. I ain’t got time for those fake betches.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Don’t put that in your mouth.
Wtf?
Rad
Son of a biscuit
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
What - art and nature. I was raised by a hippie/artist and some of my earliest memories are sitting on the floor coloring and drawing with my mom. I grew up in east Texas and spent most of my childhood exploring in the woods that backed up to our house.
Who - that’s trickier. Everyone I love is the greatest love of my life. Though I love each person differently I love them all with the same intensity. My kids are easiest to put at the top of the list, right next to my husband.
When and where were you happiest?
I am happiest in the moments I’m in. Where does that happen? It can be anywhere. Going for a walk to the park and watching my kids skip hand in hand. The moments I was in the room for the birth of my best friend’s two kids. Meeting my other best friend in a way that was so random there could be no other explanation than fate. When I wake up and my husband is already making breakfast. Walking up the steps of the Acropolis in Athens. For me happiness is in the temporary moments that take place all around us all the time.
Which talent would you most like to have?
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I’ve spent 39 years becoming who I am -- so zero.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Getting to do what I love. It’s a pretty rad feeling to make art and have people want that art to come live with them.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing what would it be?
I’d like to come back as a stellar being swimming through the cosmos.
Where would you most like to live?
This changes regularly. A little villa overlooking the Mediterranean just outside of Athens would be nice.
What is your most treasured possession?
A giant jar full of years and years worth of all my wristbands from shows/festivals that my husband and I have been too.
What is your most marked characteristic?
I don’t know? My sarcasm is on point.
What do you most value in your friends?
Realness. I’m a Gemini and we spend a lot of time thinking about the real motivations behind words and actions. Because of that I tend to really love people I don’t have to figure out. When people just are who they are they give you a chance to fall in love with all the things about them that make them wonderful and crazy.
Who are your favorite artists?
I have tons and they change often. Currently:
Ana Victoria Calderon @anavictoriana
Sari Shryack @not_sorry_art
Linzie Hunter @linziehunter
Anke Weckmann @ankeweckmann
Merle Goll @merlegoll_illustration
Lize Meddings @lizemeddings
Amy Durant @amydurantart
Which local artists or makers most inspire you?
There’s a lot of them. Carla Sue has been amazing and I have really enjoyed collaborating with her. Tracy Carlson takes photos that blow me away and the designs she makes for her scarves are mesmerizing. Ayde of Tenacious Leaf makes me smile. Each of her succulents comes in such cute containers. I love seeing the new stuff she’s got each event. EarthlyChic has some of my favorite ceramics. The pieces they sell are so colorful and they just make me happy. Kristen of fLuxe Jewelry inspires the heck out of me. I love her jewelry so so much. It’s the only jewelry I hide from my toddler (my toddler is rad but she breaks stuff). That’s just off the top of my head.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Madame Bathory. I mean she was terrible, but I get it aging is rough. It’s just really hard to find tons of virgins to sacrifice these days.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Anyone fighting injustice and inequality.
What are your favorite names?
Shilo
Penny
Chrissypoo
What is your motto?
If you don’t ask the answer is always no.
From Vanity Fair: "The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature." We've taken the original Proust Questionnaire and modified it a bit for our artists and makers so that they can share more about themselves with all of you. Check out the series to see how they all answered.
