Designer Q & A: Maya de Groot

[Madi]

If you haven't checked it out yet, Maya de Groot,
has a wonderful spotlight going on this week and a fantastic
new kit out. You can read all about it in the Designer Spotlight thread​

Now, we have the chance to get to know Maya a little better.​

She is ready to answer some of the questions you have for her! :blabla:
Ask away, and Maya:whoo: will pop in periodically to tell us about herself!​

 

[Madi]

So I totally forgot to post this, Q & A with you,
I guess you know why I forgot, we talk way to much.

so, are you going to fire me from your CT for screwing up?

 

[faerywings]

hee hee Diane!

Maya-- I can't think of a question off of the top of my head (its way too early in the morning!) but I want to tell you how much I have enjoyed seeing you grow up into an amazing woman and designer. It feels like yesterday that you and Cora were Junior Cheery O's. hugs!

 

[dwsewbiz]

I want to know when you and your family are coming to the US again, specifically California, so we can meet


And tell us about your plans now that you have graduated...more school?

 

[madigirl]

so, are you going to fire me from your CT for screwing up?

NO, never ever!! And you're not allowed to quit either!:eyebrows:

 

[madigirl]

hee hee Diane!

Maya-- I can't think of a question off of the top of my head (its way too early in the morning!) but I want to tell you how much I have enjoyed seeing you grow up into an amazing woman and designer. It feels like yesterday that you and Cora were Junior Cheery O's. hugs!

Aaaaw thanks!! HUGS

 

[madigirl]

I want to know when you and your family are coming to the US again, specifically California, so we can meet


And tell us about your plans now that you have graduated...more school?

Someday!! Would love to meet you IRL.:biggrin:

Now that I've got my bachelors in Architecture I'm studying for my masters. Started 2 weeks ago and, it will take (atleast) 2 years before I'm completely finished with university.

 

[clarabear]

Once you are all done with school and in your career field will you move on from designing??

What inspires your designs?

 

[scrappingramma]

Maya you are incredible, I love your designs.
oh and gorgeous. Now with that said.

Life as a child, what was it like for you?
Just curious if you were artistic at a young age?

 

[madigirl]

Once you are all done with school and in your career field will you move on from designing??

I guess I'll Always be designing, it will just be the question what (buildings or digital scrapbook supplies). If I'm working as an architect in a couple of years, I think it also depends on how much time I have then. But most of all I see designing as a way to be creative/to relax, so I guess as long as I still like to design and have the time, I will continue to design and scrap.

What inspires your designs?

EVERYTHING.. but it also varies per product. One product can be inspired by a quote/word, the next by a piece of clothing, something I see online, a piece of art, architecture, a video clip, lyrics of songs, colours.. I don't really have a go to "thing" to be inspired, but I guess you can say most of my products will have a handmade/vintage/art journal touch to it.

 

[madigirl]

Maya you are incredible, I love your designs.
oh and gorgeous. Now with that said.

Thanks!

Life as a child, what was it like for you?

I guess, just an ordinary happy family with my (not so little anymore) brother and my parents. Every summer we go (yes, still) to a camping (where my grandparents & uncle/aunt/niece also had a boat). At that camping they had a sandpit where they put fossils in. So you could dig them up. I really loved that and wanted to be an archeologist. Loved swimming and dancing. Took dancing (street dance, NOT ballet) lessons with a lot of girls from school. Because I wanted to be an archeologist I chose my high school, where you had Latin and Greek lessons. During the first years of high school I became more and more interested in architecture, especially by the Art Lessons and the trip we took with school to Italy. Had a close group of friends in high school and went to Croatia and Turkey with them, unfortunately we grew apart when we all went to university. But do have some really close friends at uni as well (and at least they understand why you're so busy) and that's where I'm at right now. I'm in my fourth year and now studying for my master in Architecture.

Just curious if you were artistic at a young age?

Uhm yes, I've Always loved drawing and painting. My parents told me I once made something in school and one of my fathers colleagues wanted to have it to hang on the wall. I once won a bike with a colouring competition and in the fifth class of primary school I was one of the selected kids from school who got to paint on a bus (There was a picture of me painting in the newspaper). In high school I took art lessons and learned a lot of different techniques. And my favourite form of being artistic is of course scrapping, started with it when I was 15 (2007)

I'll be back with some pictures of the painting of the bus!

 

[clarabear]

Another question...along the lines of my last question. You have a very refined quirky style that screams Maya!!! I have always loved your designs and I find them very easy to use. What drew you to art journaling/steampunk/artsy designing?? Was there any one specific who inspired you? Did it come from your architecture schooling? Basically, what refined your style??

 

[madigirl]

Another question...along the lines of my last question. You have a very refined quirky style that screams Maya!!! I have always loved your designs and I find them very easy to use. What drew you to art journaling/steampunk/artsy designing?? Was there any one specific who inspired you? Did it come from your architecture schooling? Basically, what refined your style??

Thanks! Well, when I started digital scrapbooking I got on SherrieJD's CT. THat's how I learned about ATCs and digital Art Journaling and one christmas she had a class on how to make an paper Art Journal album. And I absolutely loved doing it. I wanted to know more about Art Journaling and bought some of the somerset studio magazines. after seeing the actual paper pieces and doing it myself, I realized that was the look I was going for/would buy myself. I basically realized that's the style that makes me happy/ that I'd love to create.

and steampunk..that's a style I learned about from Castle. When searching for more information and images I found out that a common factor in layouts was creating new things with elements. I that's also what I love about digital scrapbooking..that you can take one thing and turn it into another. that you can create anything and everything you want. Plus I really liked the look of the darker colours and the victorian images.