This is my little workspace at home and those are my not-yet-mailed Christmas cards.

BFF.fm is my favorite radio station. If I put on an album while working there’s a 50% chance it’s Leonard Cohen, Nicki Minaj, or Leo Kottke. I also listen to podcasts like Another Round, WTF, and On Point.

I’m working on a painting commission and getting ready to turn my Sense Memories http://newhive.com/elisabeth/collection/sense-memory into screen prints—hopefully for a show later this year. Also assorted design projects.

I don't hold onto a sense of accomplishment for very long once something’s finished, but my WHERE http://elisabethnicula.com/where.html project (woodcuts, installations, paintings, and animations) helped me start thinking in narrative terms and process a cross-country move.

For digital artwork I use Illustrator and Photoshop. I’m also a graphic designer and I started making art GIFs because I wanted to do something personal with the tools of my profession. My favorite tools are a gigantic compass and Japanese carving gouges for woodcut printmaking.

Across media, my forms are usually inspired by the landscape, things I see walking around the city, and memories. I try to obscure origins because my work isn’t about a particular place.

For my animations I plan and draw in Illustrator and assemble frame animations in Photoshop. I keep meaning to learn After Effects or something but so far I haven’t had an idea I couldn’t do this way. I love titling, wish I were a poet, and do a sort of word association based on the theme once the work is finished.

Artist pals—and creative friends in other fields—especially here in San Francisco and in Somerville, MA. Lots of people on Instagram and Newhive http://newhive.com/.

Do lots of work to develop your visual language so you’ll be ready when you have an idea and will have something to do when you don't. Support other artists.