With Latesha Houston
Welcome to the Clan-Witch Interviews.
This interview is with the very talented self-taught Artist, Teacher and Author, Latesha Houston.
Below is a snapshot of her beautifully illustrated book, ‘The Little Book of Magick: Illustrated Book of Quotes and Hope’
‘A dash of cosmic dust, a rainbow of shooting stars, a moon cup of starlight, what a magic treasure you are! ‘
Float away with this beautiful, vibrant hand-drawn illustration book to delight and uplift you. A reminder in case you forget all that you can achieve in this universe.
Illustrated and poetically quoted by Latesha Houston this is a book that will inspire the young and the old and the in- between to follow your heart.‘
Interview
Q1. What was your inspiration and drive behind your latest book?
I wrote the vision for the book four years ago on a piece of cardboard paper when I was sitting at the local beach. I had a spark of an idea and I just scribbled it down. Originally it was going to be called ` Latesha’s Little Book Of Hope’ that title changed along the way as my art evolved and started to center around fantasy, magick and the universe, because those have been the topics I have been interested in for some time now.
Along the way the thoughts of inspirational quotes would flash through my mind and I would jot them down in my notebook and stack them away. I felt like I had enough quotes to compile a little book so I started to tackle the illustrations to go with it. The book has a childlike innocence and expressiveness to it but it’s also a book that adults can connect to as well.
I have always wanted to inspire others and many of my artworks have a lot of symbolic and thoughtful messages weaved throughout them. I had it in my mind that I would be creating books to provide to the world I just didn’t know when I would do it. The timing seemed right for it to happen now. At the time when I had the idea, I was focused on other things so put it on the backburner but I kept the cardboard piece of paper with me and would look at it from time to time. Then I realised `Well why haven’t I done this?’ I didn’t have an answer and originally, I pitched it to a publisher (just one lol) and didn’t get a response. After that I thought I would just publish it myself because I wanted to see the idea through and step through the self-publishing process. And so this is how the ` The Little Book Of Magick’ sprung to life.
Q2. What is your creative kryptonite?
Too much work on the computer, it dulls my creativity and clutters me mentally. I recharge my going for a walk in nature it’s where I get my ideas. I don’t type my stories/ideas I write them down with pen and paper first then transfer so I can get the pure form of my concept out.
Q3. If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?
Trust yourself and go for your dreams even if it doesn’t look logical to others.
Q4. Tell us about an early experience where you learned that words have power.
When I was very young, I was always reading escaping into other places. When your reading a good book you want to read it cover to cover. It’s a sad but exciting moment when you get to the end of the book. It’s like uncovering all the imaginations of people across the planet. The bookstore has always been a haven of magic to me.
Q5. Does your creative process energise or exhaust, and in what way?
I feel energised! You have taken something that was just a thought or imagination and breathed it into existence in a tangible way that you can see. That’s powerful manifestation right there. Being creative brings great joy and happiness to my soul and makes me a better person.
Q6. Tell us what we should look out for from you in the future.
My next book will be called the `The Little Book Of Spirit Animals’ a combination of art and insights about the energy of animals themselves. I’m looking forward to producing that one. I’m playing around with the artwork ideas now!
Would you like to know more about Lateshs work? Check out her pages below:
Clan Witch & Word Refinery 