Name?
Alicia Waters

location?
Nashville TN

What is your “day job”?
My full time day job is a Designer for Mobile Smartphone Applications

your art medium?
Pen & Ink & a Computer

website(s) featuring work?
My Portfolio: http://cargocollective.com/12ozsteak/
My Work: in Progress: http://12ozsteakworks.tumblr.com/
Monkey Ink Design: monkeyinkdesign.com (new site set to launch before Christmas!)

why do you choose to work a menial job? Is it a choice?
Besides a full time paycheck & health benefits, I enjoy creating and my day job lets me create - most of the time. It also lets me into a world that I normally wouldn’t have found interesting, but I am slowly realizing that technology can be my friend. Also, it’s pretty cool to be on the forefront of the market and contributing to some of the first legit designs on mobile apps in the market.

Also, having this job frees me up to turn down smaller freelance work and lets me focus on doing great work on my own. I’ve been able to start and complete so many cool projects with other companies or for myself, it’s liberating to not have to surrender to a crummy project for only $200 when I don’t have to. Since working at my full time job I’ve been able to create projects with my company Monkey Ink Design & with another local company, Rabbit Hole Creative - and the results of these projects have been fully rewarding & fruitful.

does your “day job” effect your creativity?
Sure. I get tired and a little defeated like anyone, but I have so many good things going on that I can usually motivate myself again once I’m off work.

what was your last meal?
I made some salmon last night but I was working too, so I didn’t have time to make any sides.
Dessert was a spoonful of peanut butter :)

two artists that you look up to?
Swoon
& I totally look up to our local poster buddy, Andy Vastagh

If you could trade places with one living human/ animal for a day who and why would it be?
Currently, I would say Tina Fey.
1. So I could know what it’s like to live in NYC as a rich person
2. So I could know what it feels like to be anawesome woman in charge of insanely creative people
3. So I could realize that even famous people have to live crazy hectic lives to balance their family, friends, health & passions - even though I know this, it’s hard to remember without a first hand experience. Kind of one of those things that when I’m older, I know I’ll pull a “wish I knew what I know now when I was younger” kinda thing.
4. Also, So I could know what it’s like to be that funny

What would your “dream” life consist of?
Dream life…. Some awesome building or old house turned into studio & shop for MID & Grand Palace, featuring shop space, inventory/shipping space, computer crazy land space, & STORE FRONT!! and maybe even a little area for ceramics & firing :) I would also live walking or biking distance from the shop & other neighborhood places like a park, coffee shop, restaurant, etc. I would also travel for work and leisure, finally.

I know that I could dream a lot bigger than this - but this is my reality dream… the one I’m actually working towards, i’m pumped.

do you like answering random questions?
Yep. it makes me remember that I’m doing things I enjoy or makes me think differently. Random questions usually are best for gaining some new thoughts & perspective. I dig it.