5 Questions With Hannah from The Full Color Life
We connected with Hannah Lynn from the blog The Full Color Life about a year ago to coordinate efforts to promote products made in Chicago. She instantly wanted to support the mission of Bright Endeavors and has been a valuable partner ever since. Hannah is a Chicago based artist who focuses on ethical fashion, Chicago events, and culture on The Full Color Life as a way to show that life can be full of color and limitless. The Full Color Life displays just how creativity can’t fit into one box and neither can each one of us-our backgrounds and experiences make up who we are, just like all of the unique strokes and colors that make her paintings.
1) You have a theme of giving back on your blog, what are some socially conscious brands or other organizations that you support?
I love what Bright Endeavours stands for. I love working with high school age girls in a Christian mentoring program called YoungLife. What Bright Endeavours does in the lives of these young women I am in full support of. I also love keeping up with all the news of sustainable fashion. Some companies I promote and shop at are Mata Traders, Purpose Jewelry, and Sak Saum. All of these companies are sustainable and fair trade. Also, did you know Adidas is a company fighting forced labor in the shoe industry? I just found that out. Pretty cool.
2) We love your paintings! How did you get started in creating art and why is it important to you?
When I was in junior high I tried to paint a painting of my backyard and got really frustrated. Since then I have just kept practicing. Everyone has to start somewhere to begin a change. I think everyone is creative in their own way. My creativity comes with colors and clothes. My dad knew my bent was more towards the arts and he was afraid I would drop out of high school. Unfortunately, he kept me from a lot of art classes. I had to drop a math class because it was too difficult for me. The only class open for me was a jewelry design class. I won tons of awards and got 110% in the class. I joined an art club in college. I would practice every Thursday night. I used one type of medium to really get the feel of acrylic paint. By my junior year, I really wanted to use my art for something powerful. I think once you create you should give back. I was able to donate my art for events on my school’s campus that were raising awareness about the issue of human trafficking. Find out your creative bent and don’t let anyone hold you back from starting, create and then give back.
3) What do you hope your readers will learn from you in 2018?
I hope that my readers will learn about sustainable fashion, about mainstream brands and forced labor. I hope to do the research for you and you can decide and make smart fashion choices. Half the problem is that we don’t know what goes into creating that Adidas shoe, or why Forever21 is so cheap. I have been in the middle of a YouTube series where I am interviewing a fashion designer, a fabric pattern maker, and a sustainable fashion college professor and researcher. All from Chicago. The other thing I hope readers learn about is the beautiful city that is Chicago. I go on a lot of adventures because I want to show the good stuff in Chicago. I usually post or vlog about things going on in our city. And lastly, I really want my readers to feel inspired to do what they love. I really want to inspire people to not limit themselves, to think beyond their everyday lives.
4) What do you think you’ve learned about yourself while living in Chicago? Have you had any defining experiences?
Living in Chicago is funny. When I know I have no control of a situation I usually laugh. That’s how I feel about living in Chicago. It is such an adventure. From traveling in afternoon traffic to the people you meet. A defining moment for me has been learning about different cultures. I really had to learn how to listen and ask questions about another person’s experience and culture. That has been the most rewarding lesson I think I have learned. I was walking with a friend and she was sharing her culture and I kept saying “Oh I understand that”… She said, “no you don’t”. I think that was a moment for me. She was right. I will never fully understand what it’s like to be from her culture because I am not, but I can still listen and learn from her. I have learned not to be afraid of differences because after all, that is what makes life colorful.
5) You juggle blogging, working (and school?), any tips on how to pursue a passion project while working?
When you do something that brings you life, although you are busy it gives you energy. Creating content, painting, video editing… all of it gives me so much energy. When you are creative you can’t fit into a box. I think its good to be learning, creating and working. I for sure have a balance going on right now which is great. The other two tips I can give someone who wants to start chasing a passion are really important. The first is get up early. My day job starts really early and I think that’s really how I have the time to do everything. I get up at 3:30 am. It sounds crazy and it is, but if you woke up at 5 am instead of 8 am you have three hours right there to be productive. The morning hours are your most productive and creative hours and most of us sleep through it. The second tip is be around people. Keep your network circles tight and keep your friendships even closer. People should always be the main priority.
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