Teefury

So you recently moved from upper midwest to sunny California. How is it? The weather must be like heaven in comparison.
It's pretty awesome and crazy. This is the time of year where the weather could go straight to winter in Wisconsin. I'm glad I'm warm and safe by the Pacific Ocean breeze.

How was the road trip across the US? See anything epic?
It was absolutely amazing. My husband and I took a leisurely two weeks to travel across the U.S., and drove over 4,000 miles in the process. We saw geysers, painted canyons, flaming gorges, odd desert vegetation, and lots of animals that looked like they shouldn't exist.

You were a cartographer before you left. Can you enlighten us on that type of work?
My job was cartographer/graphic designer, but I ended up just fulfilling some "creative specialist" role at my job. I did everything from audio production, to flash animation, to 3D rendering, to illustration, to brochure design, to map design, and so on. Cartography itself is pretty technical. Mostly everything on Earth is already mapped, so we often referenced atlases and other resources to create our maps from. A lot of the time I felt like I was doing research for a school project. It was a pretty fun, different job.

You also went full time freelance. How's working from home?
It's been interesting so far. I've been creating more substantial art than I have in a long, long time. I'm starting a ritual of going to a coffee shop and just sketch in a sketchbook for hours on end, thinking of ideas. It's sort of like going to the office.

Any new developments online with your artwork? (new art, posters, anything)
I recently redesigned my website. There is definitely new work on the site! (http://www.sonmisonmi.com)

Where can people find you on the net?
I have work available and for sale at Society6 (http://www.society6.com/studio/sonmi) and inPRNT (http://www.inprnt.com/gallery/sonmi/).

I also have a "fan page" on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Julia-Sonmi-Heglund/130892860292026?ref=ts) as well as a Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonmi/) page.

What's your favorite food?
Spaghetti.

Your man is a musician? (and you too?) Got any music for us to sample online?
Yes! And I'm not biased when I say he's one of my favorite musicians. He writes his own music (http://www.myspace.com/otherfaces), and is a live band member in Zola Jesus (http://www.myspace.com/zolajesus). They just recently wrapped up a two-month long Europe and U.S. tour, where they played with such bands as Fever Ray and The XX. It's good to have him home!

My own music project is called Sonmi (http://sonmi.bandcamp.com), and I occasionally perform it live with my husband.

Who are some of your favorite artists?
Many of my favorite artists are my own friends. I'm lucky to know so many talented people!!