HOMETOWN: Originally Wilmington, NC. Now Asheville, NC.

IN THE BEGINNING: I had just quit a ceramics studio in Berkeley, CA, so I could save money to move back home to NC. But soon after, I lost my full-time job. Between my many various part-time jobs, I started making stuffed toys out of the damaged socks I’d been collecting over the past few years of biking and walking everywhere I went.

INSPIRATION: Necessity. That, and a sculptor’s itch to create does not go away just ‘cause he’s left his ceramics studio.

KNOWN FOR: Taking ages to finish a custom order. Mostly ‘cause I’m so busy writing Lark books (ha!!) and making ready-made work for shows and events.

LARK TITLES: Stupid Sock Creatures, Plush O Rama, Invasion of the Plushies

MORE INFO: www.stupidcreatures.com or www.myspace.com/johnmurphy. I’m the second of five kids, and all our names start with J. You can find my work for sale in Asheville at Diggin’ Art, Turner and Turner Apothecary, and Enviro Depot.

CURRENT OBSESSION: Making ends meet and getting work done.

DAY JOB: At the moment, I’m working for myself. I’ve got too much to do right now to allow for a part-time job. I eat a lot of rice.

FAVORITE CREATION: The comic book.

I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT MY: Laptop. It’s my stereo, my TV, my office, my scratch pad, my studio, my external brain. Second to this is my sketchbook and a nice, inky blue ballpoint pen. I’ve got a small library of sketchbooks that I’ve filled since early college. They’re my babies.

STUDIO SOUNDTRACK: I like to listen to This American Life and watch Star Trek videos.

PERSONAL MOTTO: Pain is temporary.

PROUDEST MOMENT: I try not to have those.

WHAT I’D BE IF I WEREN’T AN AUTHOR/DESIGNER: Rich, probably.