It’s Friday and I have friends (sorry, The Cure). Yes, I do, and what’s more I want you to meet them.

Wanting to put my journalism degree to some good use (other than dust collector) I decided to run a feature on Fridays on artists I either like, connect with or am inspired by (sometimes, all three, of course). It will keep me on my journalistic toes and it will introduce you to some wonderfully creative people — not to mention give you an ever-expanding list of options of presents you could surprise me with.

So without further ado, I present you Kreativlink, from Austria.

As a child, she was sure that the distant year of 2000 would find her in an artistic persona, and oddly enough it has. She worked as a self-employed web-designer / programmer before she decided to devote herself full time to the arts and the world of journal-making. Lucky for us, of course.

Let’s get to know her better, shall we?

My name is…Renate Ikinger a.k.a. Kreativlink.

I make…mostly journals from suede but also painted fabric ones.

I’m inspired by…nature mostly and my somewhat crazy brain that often brings up strange ideas.

I cannot live without…my loved ones, enough time for me alone, frozen snickers, diet coke, laughter, dreaming, trees.

An item I’ve made that was hard to let go…oh there where many. Probably this one.

I create because…I’m not good in other jobs.

I wish I…won the lottery and could make a crazy “supplies around the world” shopping trip!

If I could learn another art it would be…ceramics.

My website is…http://www.kreativlink.at

I blog because…it’s fun.

One day…I’ll live in a house by the sea.

I started…because I could not afford sketchbooks with good paper in it.

I always…think that life still does suprise me.

If I were a color, I would be…purple. Or more realistically, black. Everything, but not pink.

My full-time job…is it. Starving artist. Oh yeah…

In a nutshell…should better be a nut!

In a bigger nutshell…ought to be an even bigger nut!

Here’s where you can find Renate:

blog: http://www.kreativlink.at

shop:http://etsy.kreativlink.at

flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kreativlink/

twitter: http://twitter.com/kreativlink

Or become a fan on Facebook: http://de-de.facebook.com/people/Renate-Kreativlink-Ikinger/1523500282

I leave you with a sneak peek at Renate’s workspace and some more of her wonderful creations.

Have a creative Friday!