Truth or Dare, Spin the Bottle, easy break-ups and your own locker … those were the days of middle school and, most likely, your first boy-girl party. OK, I was a dork and didn’t get invited to a lot of parties, but that’s not the point. Those days of passing notes in class still give me butterflies in my stomach (the good ones), so it’s not surprising that Chicago-born, San Diego-based “illustrator, musician and stuff maker” Susie Ghahremani named her business after such exciting times.

If you’ve never heard of boygirlparty, then you’ve probably seen her creations on just about every crafty site and in every popular magazine known to man. In the course of 5 years, Susie’s work has gotten an unheard-of amount of attention from the media and fellow creative minds. As a professional freelance illustrator, she as worked with some big names, such as: Martha Stewart Kids Magazine, The New York Times, GQ, the ASPCA, Shape Magazine and Utne Reader … just to name a few.

You’ve probably noticed by now that this interview is not a part of my ongoing Portland series, so what gives!? Hey, cool your jets and I’ll tell you … spaz. At the beginning of 2007, Susie made the conscious decision to begin printing all of her creations “as eco-friendly as possible.” That means adorable indie art on 100% recycled paper with soy ink - Al Gore would be proud. When I heard about her eco-leanings, I had to get an interview with this crafty maven.

After browsing the boygirlparty store for over a half hour, I compiled a list of questions for one of the best interviews I’ve done on this blog so far. Read on to find out more about the logic behind Susie’s green transition, her love for finches, making music, and her packed creation schedule.

I’ll start off by asking the most obvious question - how did you make the decision to start printing your creations in eco-friendly manners?

Susie Ghahremani: Running a small business where everything is done mostly by hand (painting, packing, folding, assembling, cutting, pressing) and with minimal packaging, the transition has been natural, sensical and relatively easy. At this point, it has been sourcing the materials and collaborators (such as eco-friendly printers, recycled mailers, organic and recycled materials, etc) to help me bring my designs to life in a more ecologically responsible way which has at times been a challenge. Although the impact of a business as small as mine on the environment is probably diminutive, I think every bit helps, and if I already live my life in an eco-friendly way, it makes sense to do that with my products as well.

As independent businesses continue to become the norm, do you see creative and crafty companies as a vital element of a sustainable world? Why or why not?

Susie: I think sustainable developments and inventions have been a product of people who have thought creatively and sought alternatives to the way things had been done in the past. This is exactly the same mentality of crafty/artsy people: evolutionary thinking. I think the two fields are very much linked and will continue to be.

Susie/boygirlparty’s first eco-creations: the polka dot letter pad ($6) and the chickadee cards ($5)

Chicago, Providence, and San Diego - which is your favorite and why?

Susie: Chicago! Best public transportation, parks/open space everywhere, and culturally overwhelming in the best way possible.

Other than your many variety creations and creative endeavors, you are well-known for your love of finches; how did that develop?

Susie: I never considered much the life of tiny birds, and once I began to, they had a profound impact on me. It’s not something simple for me to explain, but I basically feel that they’re very intuitive and interesting animals, and their dedication to their shared lives is inspiring.

In the past two years, your boygirlparty crafty creations have gotten an insurmountable amount of press; has your solo music work taken a back seat as a result?

Susie: My solo music has not been the focus of my life lately. I used to tour for months at a time, and on my last tour, I was working on illustration and could feel my well-being unraveling by being spread so thin. At night I’d be playing shows and loading out of clubs at 3am, then I’d be waking up at 7am to fax something to a client. It was a nightmare. Music continues to provide an outlet for me when I feel overwhelmed or out of sorts with art-making, I’m just not as focused on it now as I used to be. (but that could change again I’m sure.)

It’s not just cards and stationary; boygirlparty has a whole reem of goods! Clockwise from top left: owl necklace ($20), “Let’s Get Primitive” book by Heather Menicucci ($15), owl pouch (sold out, sorry), midwest pop cozy ($5), and typewriter wallet ($20).

Name your top 3 favorite clients you have worked with.

Susie: I’ve been lucky to work with consistently amazing clients, so it’s difficult to pick a top three. Chronicle Books has been a favorite collaborator of mine — they bring so much energy and excitement and possibility to every project, it is a joy and an honor to work with them. Their entire staff is prolific, creative and enthusiastic. Giant Robot has invited me to participate in plenty of their well curated art shows and treat me like family. They have been with me since the beginning. Pete Morelewicz at Washington City Paper has been an ongoing source of interesting commissions and thoughtful feedback. He works my paintings into the design of the paper in a way that makes my work look better than it ought to. All three of these clients trust me and my work, but also challenge me to grow as an artist, and that is the best possible kind of support you can get as an artist from your clients.

If you weren’t having such a successful illustration career, what would you be doing instead? Animal activist? Math professor? Persian chef?

Susie: Wow, you know me so well! I’d love to do more with animals; perhaps wildlife rescue. I also like the idea of being a librarian or farmer.

A small selection of Susie’s fetching art, in postcard form

Your recent interview on the CRAFT blog inspired this question: with as much hard work as you have put into your business, what would your dream client/project?

Susie: I’m working on my dream project right now! I’ll have to think up a new dream when this project is done…Any project where the client is hiring you with an understanding of your work, your style, your strengths, even your ideology, and a willingness to bring out the best in all of those things, promises to be a wonderful project.

Do you have any other nifty, secret projects in the works that you could hint at?

Susie: I’m currently in the works developing a line of (eco-friendly) stationery products with Chronicle Books in a variety of formats for release in Fall 2008. I also have an upcoming solo show at Giant Robot SF on November 10th and will be selling my wares at the craft show Felt Club XL in Los Angeles on November 18th! Shambhala will soon be releasing a book of outdoor activities for parents and kids with my illustrations titled “I Love Dirt!” [by author Jennifer Ward; available May 13th, 2008] and iPop will be releasing a series of paperweights and magnets with my artwork on it in their holiday collection!

[All images courtesy of Susie Ghahremani/boygirlparty]