LIAM O'DONNELL
I met illustrator Liam O'Donnell at a private, post-college illustration course taught by Caitlin Kuhwald, one of my instructors at California College of the Arts. Liam and I quickly connected over our love for illustration, sketchbooks, and mostly because he would (very kindly) give me a ride home after class.
I've seen Liam in action, and he loves to burn the midnight oil... and the daytime oil. He cranks out new zines, creates detailed, clever, and beautifully executed illustrations, and doodles on every scrap of paper he comes across. After recently completing his MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, he's taking a much needed trip home to California, to surf, relax and recharge before he dives head first into the freelance illustration world.
Learn more about Liam's illustration process, success for the MFA program, and secret love of bees in our interview below.
1) What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
Four eggs, an avocado, two cups of black tea, and a baked Japanese sweet potato.
2) For those that don't know you yet, could you please tell us a bit more about yourself? Also, although you're in the thick of it now, you weren't always interested in art as a profession, could you tell us how you caught the creative bug?
I am from Oakland, California. My family is full of creative people but was never in any art classes until college. At UC Davis I took one drawing class and got hooked. I have been drawing ever since. Before art was on my radar as a possible career choice I was very interested in physics and the other physical sciences.
3) You recently completed your MFA at SVA (congrats!). What was favorite part of the Illustration as Visual Essay program? What was the most valuable piece of advice or take-away from your professors or the program itself?
Thanks! It was an incredible 2 years. Marshall Arisman has built a truly magical community over the 30 years the program has been around. I am honored to be a part of their alumni. Being around so many other Illustrators was definitely the best part of the program. So many ways of working and seeing the world. So much excitement about drawing.
I just did an interview with [my] department at SVA and they asked the same thing. These three things really stick out as important.
1. It’s all about the people. Illustration can be an incredibly lonely pursuit so make friends and be social along the way. Learn from your peers as much as your professors (probably more) and be nice.
2. Fail. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. You are not in the program to do things you could have done on your own. Take some risks and mess up some drawings instead of playing it safe.
3. Work hard and work in the studio. While a number of my classmates work at home I think one of the most important parts of this program is the studio environment. You are paying for the space and to be surrounded by other illustrators. Don’t waste that opportunity. Build the community you want it to be because that is one of the biggest take aways from the program. Who you meet can be as important as what you make. 2 years fly by. Make them count.
4) Your recent work, particularly your thesis, looks at multitudes and repetition. A great example being "Too Many Cooks" (above). What fascinates you about crowds, abundance, and tension?
I always considered myself a city kid but moving to New York really brought the increasing density of humans to my attention. Especially evident in NYC are the systems and the byproducts of this density. I started with that general premise and started to riff on different images based on density, overpopulation and problematic human systems.
5) Could you walk us through your process for an illustration? From concept to final image.
There is a bunch of doodling, thumbnailing and list making. Once I arrive on an idea that resonates I try to explore it compositionally and conceptually, poking and prodding it until I feel like I understand the essence of how it will read. From there I take the thumbnail that is in my sketchbook and scan it. In photoshop I colorize it and make any rough changes to composition and proportion. I print it and then draw over that. I do this as many times as it takes to flush out the details I want in the image. Once the rough has enough information in it I print that on the surface I want to ink on and use microns to draw over it.
Every step of the way I am adding more to the image. Working like this allows me to refine the picture and to add the fun little details that come to me spontaneously as I draw. After inking I scan it and color it in photoshop. I sometimes work in traditional media and in that case I follow a similar process but instead of inking over the rough I use watercolors, gouache and colored pencils.
6) Quick, look at whatever music streaming source you use: What's the last song you listened to? What band or artists have you been jamming to recently?
I am all over the place with music. I will often find a song I like and find every remix or version I can and let them run. Recently, did that with Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny". But I have also been listening to the Punch Brothers, Sarah Jarosz, Millk Carton Kids, Paul Desmond, Jimmy Cliff, Allah-Las… The list goes on. One of the things I miss most from growing up was the very intentional way I used to listen to music. There were records, tapes and CDs that were a refined object and experience that were meant to be listened to all at once. I remember that one of the most telling looks into someone’s tastes and personality was through the carefully curated mix they burned for you on CD. Recently, I have been wanting to start something equivalent to a book group but with a person making a mix for the others every few weeks.
7) What do you do to recharge? How do you stay motivated and energized to pump out new work?
I swim almost everyday. While in NYC it hasn’t been a possibility but I also surf as much as I can. The energy to make new work comes from a limit on Netflix consumption, and having good friends, good food and enough sleep.
8) Let's talk about zines. You're a zine machine. What attracts you to the zine as space for your work?
I am doodling in my sketchbooks constantly. Zines to me are an extension of that. A bunch of my favorite drawings are tiny little quarter inch scribbles that have an energy that leads into a whole project. The small zines are a great place to experiment with book forms and design ideas or to dump a bunch of those tiny drawings together. Because I have not published any books yet I figured I shouldn’t let that stop me from printing and binding small projects on my own. My most recent zine is a little underwater adventure that I am planning on turning into a coloring book but also works really well at quarter size.
9) What's a book/movie/album that's on your list, something you've been meaning to read/watch/listen to?
I still haven’t watched Birdman but have been meaning to. I am looking forward to reading H is for Hawk. I also am looking forward to catching up on the latest podcasts on Design Matters by Debbie Millman.
10) If you could have any other job, what would it be?
I would work with plants and/or bees. Farming, botany and apiaries are really fascinating and close to my heart.
11) What're you most excited for in the coming months? Any cool personal projects or events?
Having just graduated I am excited to continue with the momentum built during the program and see where that leads me. I am working on a short story/comic about a character named Terry that is a terrarium. I am planning on starting a bi monthly zine subscription and hopefully kicking off a few collaborative projects with some other Cool Friends I know.
12) Final question: Who's your cool friend?
Anyone who sends me a playlist or zine is cool in my book. *hint hint*
Make sure to connect with Liam on his Instagram here
TAYLOR GENDEL
I can't exactly remember why, but for some reason Taylor Gendel and I have pretended to be bother and sister for as long as we've known each other. We met freshman year of high-school, through mutual friends, and soon became fast friends ourselves. More than one occasion was spent sneaking into her basement late at night (oops, sorry mom) with other friends, in the middle of winter, and watching stupid early-YouTube viral videos online and eating copious amounts of snacks.
Those were good times, spent with a great friend. A friend who has since become an entrepreneur, activist, organizer and music devotee. (Check out her personal music blog here!)
Taylor has a clear understanding that the best way to get people involved and interested in sustainability and the environment is to start from within a local community, and to include the celebration of music and art as incentives for participation.
With a degree in environmental sociology, Taylor and has worked at several environmental nonprofits in Chicago, doing work that includes sustainable waste management education, zero waste program development, and solar energy advocacy.
Her ongoing project Streets & Beats (which she co-created with Emily Dahlquist), has been a way to combine her passion for the environment and sustainable education, with her love of the Chicago music and art scenes.
Learn more about Streets & Beats, Taylor's insatiable concert apatite, and her dedication to environmental education and activism below:
1) What gets you out of bed in the morning? And what did you eat for breakfast this morning?
For the past couple of years, I have worked my day job remotely from my apartment. So it’s been pretty easy for me to roll out of bed and shuffle into “the office”. On a deeper level, I am very motivated by environmental work and I strive to make an impact in whatever small way I can. Today I had a smoothie and toast for breakfast.
2) For those that don't know you yet, could you please tell us a bit about yourself? What are you up to currently?
Right now I am working part time for a solar energy nonprofit until I start a full time fellowship in the fall. I’m lucky to have the support and flexibility to work in a field that I love but unfortunately that doesn’t provide the stability of a full time for-profit position. I’ve found that environmental work is generally underfunded and difficult to break into at the entry level. So I’ve found ways to make it work, like waitressing and temporarily living at home, because I know this is what I want to do. I wouldn’t sacrifice working in a field I am passionate about for making more money at a job I don’t care about. Streets & Beats came from this flexibility and passion. Currently I am trying to keep that alive.
3) Could you give us a bit of history on Streets & Beats? What was the "ah ha!" moment?
The year I moved to back Chicago after graduating college, in addition to pursuing work in the environmental field, I also nourished my passion for music. I attended over 50 concerts and often wished I could find a way to merge my personal network of music enthusiasts with my professional goal of environmental advocacy.
I hatched the idea and brought it to my friend Emily Dahlquist, who has a background in event production, and is someone I would often run into at concerts and events. (SIDE PLUG- Emily is also a talented artist and works her ass off to pursue her passions.)
After months of excited deliberation and brainstorming, Emily and I created a project with my original goal in mind. Streets & Beats was born, and we aimed to foster a connection between environmental action and creative communities.
We facilitated grassroots street cleanups in Chicago neighborhoods our first summer. Once a month we gathered to pick up trash and recyclables, and for each project we reached out to artists and venue representatives to provide volunteers exclusive access to a concert as an incentive.
4) What has been the most challenging part of creating an organization like this? How about the most rewarding?
The biggest challenge is perseverance. It isn’t a job, so it can be hard to prioritize. Also keeping in line with the original mission is often difficult as you move forward and things change.
The most rewarding part is the positive feedback I get from friends and strangers. Everyone is incredibly supportive of not only the project’s mission but of the fact that we turned an idea into a reality.
5) Quick, look at whatever music streaming source you use: What's the last song you listened to? What band or artist have you been jamming to recently?
Currently listening to:
I’ve [also] been listening to a lot of Chance and Anderson Paak but on a search for a slower tempo I also recently discovered the bands Phox and Whitney. Beyoncé obviously.*
*No link needed ;)
6) What do you do to recharge? How do you stay motivated to continue to organize Streets & Beats events and projects, while still working a day job and trying to maintain a social life, etc?
The best way for me to recharge is to travel. It seems counterproductive but it always does the trick. I get to step back and explore someplace new, and I always come back with a new appreciation for Chicago and what I’m doing there.
Streets & Beats is an escape in itself. I’m lucky that my job is in the field that I want to be working in, but day to day work can be mundane and frustrating. Streets & Beats is where I turn when I want to put in work on something I can guarantee will excite and inspire me. I highly recommend finding an outlet like this for everyone our age struggling with work (and if you can’t find one, CREATE one). I’m lucky to have a supportive network of friends that have both encouraged me to pursue this project and participated in projects.
7) So far, Streets & Beats has successfully completed three full project-based events, each one with a distinct mission, from literal clean-up, to discussion, outreach, and recruitment. Why is it important to keep each project fresh and focused on the various aspects of environmental awareness and activism?
I would say that is the more the result of the organization’s continual evolution than a focus on keeping things fresh. As we moved through planning those first projects, we always kept our minds open to new ideas. There are a million ways to do environmental work, and we never wanted to pigeonhole ourselves into one specific approach to activism. We constantly seek new collaboration, consider any and all ideas, and focus on mobilizing a group of volunteers that may not have ever had an outlet to do environmental work.
8) What's a book/movie/album that's on your list, something you've been meaning to read/watch/listen to?
My mom gave me a book called 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. That’s a pretty lofty goal, but I’d like to try and make a small dent.
9) In addition to the reward of positively contributing to the community and environment, Streets & Beats offers volunteers the opportunity to see an upcoming live show/concert for free. How do you organize this? Have venues and artists been excited and welcoming to S&B?
Sometimes we have connections to people or venues, but usually we just find contact info and reach out. Most everyone we’ve ever proposed a collaboration with has been enthusiastic. That’s the thing I’ve found about environmental activism. People are usually on board with doing good for the planet. They just want an easy way to participate.
10) If you could have ANY superpower, what would it be?
The power to stop climate change??????
11) What're you most excited for in the coming months? Any cool projects or events for Streets & Beats? Any personal projects?
I am traveling to Hawaii for the first time in a few weeks so I’m the most excited for that. Streets & Beats is continuing to collaborate and plan. We had our first clean at a beach and we have another coming up soon. For this upcoming project we have partnered with You Are Beautiful, who will be installing their art as we clean the surrounding neighborhood.
Chicago folks- join our mailing list or like us on Facebook to stay up to date or to reach out to collaboration.
12) Final question: Who's your cool friend?
Sincerely, I think that all of my friends are super cool. One such friend, and one of my roommates is Claire McFadden. She is a brilliant and hilarious writer/performer and if you want a good laugh you should check out her Youtube channel, Bonkey. Bonus: If you watch all her shorts carefully, you will discover my professional acting debut. As you will see, I am... er....Claire is a star.
Make sure to follow all of Streets & Beats activities on their Instagram here, their aforementioned Facebook here. And if you live in or near Chicago sign up for one of their events and get involved!
JONATHAN CHAO
Jon Chao is a jack-of-all-art-trades and master of none, although his recent foray into vessels begs to differ. He has a strong visual aesthetic that translates smoothly across his different work within a variety of mediums, from experimental screen-printed zines, to ceramic vessels, wooden sculpture and graphic design.
I met Jon while working at the incredible Rock Paper Scissors Collective in Oakland, CA. Known for starting the Art Murmur/First Friday art walk (yes, that was them), RPSC (which has since relocated - thanks absurd Oakland rent hikes!) is FULL of Cool Friends, and generally amazing individuals. Jon was one of them. We connected through our mutual love of all things well designed and crafted, and he also invited me to come with him to some Drink-n-Draws held at Faultline Artspace (another terrific Oakland art-world gem). I also credit him with my introduction to the world of Instagram (thanks, Jon!).
Born and raised in Oakland, Jon studied Studio Art at the University of California, Santa Barbara. And after his stint back in Oakland, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he lives with his girlfriend, corgi and sweet cruiser bike. Learn more about Jon's long list of influences, fascination with vessels, and love for the clouds in Mexico, below:
1) What get's you out of bed in the morning? What did you eat for breakfast today?
What get's me out of bed is knowing that I have to pay my god-damn bills. I had pad thai for breakfast. I'm probably going to eat the left overs for lunch, too.
2) For those that don't know you yet, could you please tell us a bit more about yourself? What are you up to currently?
I just came back from Mexico. [While] I was there, I went to the pyramids of Teotihuacan. It was amazing. We got there in the morning and it was empty. It's a really magical place when very few people are there. The clouds were beautiful. The clouds in Mexico were just amazing the entire trip. It might been because it was the beginning of the rainy season. I got a nice obsidian obelisk there too, pretty stoked on that. I'm currently in Los Angeles doing a lot of sculpture work, mainly with wood. Living life day by day.
3) You've also dabbled in printmaking, drawing, painting, installation art, and experimental zines. What keeps you fascinated by all these different mediums?
I think they're all cool, and I don't want to be pigeon-holed to a certain medium. There are a lot of mediums out there to work with. It's always fun to see where your ideas take you with a certain medium. Along the way when you learn all these things, they give you a better feel of what's possible, and later on help you achieve your full vision.
4) Who or what has inspired you recently? What excites you?
Mountains, the sun, the moon, light, bodies of water, obelisks, polished metal, smoke, fire, vessels, clouds, Noguchi, Matthew Ronay, Alma Allen, tennis, plants, my friends, my friends playing music in the living room, Stein the corgi, old archived photos, drifting off before you go to sleep, Moebius, Nobuo Sekine, Nasreen Mohamedi, learning a new craft, monoliths, jazz, portals, standing in front of an industrial fan...
5) Could you walk us through your process for an piece? From concept to final form.
It usually involves a lot of day dreaming and meditating on certain ideas. Sometimes it's like an Agnes Martin kind of thing and I just wait for something to come to me. It happens, I noticed, when I'm driving and before I go to sleep. A vague form comes to mind and I have a general vision of what I want to make. I do a rough sketch. Then I list materials I want to use and see how the work reveals itself.
I try not to become too rigid with the process and let the work find its way to the finish line. Although sometimes I have a clear vision and crank that work out as fast as possible before the motivation goes away. Other than that, I'm normally just curious on how the concepts translate to reality.
I also make a list of projects I want to do. Then I focus on those projects and normally do as much of them as possible before I burn out and have to recharge. I work in sprints.
6) How do you recharge? How do you stay motivated and energized to pump out new work?
I play tennis as much as possible, it helps a lot with decompression. I also take week-long breaks from any art making. That helps me recollect my thoughts, and build up the energy to push out the next couple projects. As for motivation, the Internet is cool. We're able to experience a lot of art through our screens. I know it's different from seeing the work in person, but it helps to know what's out there. And there's a lot of work out there that gets me excited and motivates me to keep pushing. For me, the idea of creating new work is related to art being a form of self reflection, and a better way of understanding my relation to my personal experiences.
7) What's the last song you listened to? What band or artists have you been jamming to recently?
The last song was "The Creator Has A Master Plan" by Pharaoh Sanders [link below]. I've been listening to a lot of Sun Ra as well.
8) Let's talk about vessels. You've been creating bowls, ash trays, incense holders, etc, in both wood and ceramic. What keeps you coming back to vessels as a base structure for your work?
Good question. I think vessels as a concept is really interesting. A lot of things are vessels. Our bodies and the planet are vessels. I like the idea of making vessels that hold non tangible things like light. I think that's a really cool ethereal kind of idea. Also growing up in a religious upbringing, the idea of sacred objects and vessels is something that always stuck with me. The concept of burning things as offerings or purifying has always been around me. I like to think the objects I make relate to that in some way.
9) What's a book/movie/album that's on your list, something you've been meaning to read/watch/listen to?
I've been meaning to watch Embrace The Serpent and read this Noguchi book I just got.
10) If you weren't an artist, what would you do for work?
I would go run away into the mountains.
11) What're you most excited for in the coming months? Any cool personal projects or events?
[Currently] I'm trying to apply to a few residencies. That would be a dream if I got into some. I still have a list of a few projects I want to make. I'm working on a series of bowls that don't hold anything.
12) Final question: Who's your cool friend?
Melissa Chhan is my cool friend. She does cool things, and has cool friends too.
NATALIE EBAUGH
Natalie Ebaugh is crazy-prolific. It seems to me that she's always working on a new project, and forever rocking a new, often handmade or custom-tailored outfit. The newly Mexico City-based seamstress, designer, and creative-maker extraordinaire often sports something with a bazillion different patterns and million colors that somehow work together seamlessly (pun intended). Her visual aesthetic is prominent, unique and always fresh. Combining geometry, a variety of patterns and painterly swaths of color into often repurposed clothing items or new hand-made accessories.
I met Natalie at my friend's BBQ a few years ago in Oakland, CA. She is one of those people who just emanates warmth, and was super easy to talk to and joke around with. She began dating said BBQ friend, and was soon hanging out with our friend group on a regular basis, brought into the inner fold ;). However, for someone dating one of my closer friends, she wasn't around as much as I assumed she'd be, and it was for the sole reason that Natalie is dedicated as hell to her craft. From art quilts, to hand-bags, to jewelry, to hand-made textiles and wearables galore, Natalie eats, sleeps, and breathes creative work.
Raised in Portland, Oregon, she learned to sew at a young age and followed her interest in textiles to Baltimore, Maryland to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art. Throughout her time at MICA, Natalie explored her love of textiles, soft sculpture, quilting techniques and garment making.
Now, on top of her personal work, Natalie is as one-half of Girl Group Studios (an ongoing accessory collaboration with visual artist, Maude Kasperzak, in which the two women create hand-made, functional art pieces). Natalie is a hard-working woman who doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon, learn more about Natalie and her gift for organizing pop-ups, love of Ultra-Lounge music, and compulsive need to be creative, below:
1) What did you eat for breakfast today?
Today I had scrambled eggs and tea.
2) For those that don't know you yet, could you please tell us a bit more about yourself? What are you up to currently?
I’ve lived in Oakland for about 3 years and I just moved to Mexico City a month ago. I work for an amazing fabric store in Berkeley, called Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics, doing marketing, social media, graphics, admin stuff, etc. In my spare time I sew just about anything you can think of - costumes for music videos, commercials and short films, clothing, bags, quilts, etc. I love to sew and I do it everyday.
3) You're the co-owner/designer of Girl Group. Could you tell us a bit more about Girl Group? What's the history of this project and business?
My friend, Maude and I went to MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) together and always enjoyed each other’s work. We actually started the collaboration in 2012 and it’s been amazing to see how it’s grown. We live on opposite coasts, Maude in Baltimore, MD and myself in Oakland (now Mexico City), but we’ve somehow found time to make this work. I taught her how to sew and now we both do the sewing and the designing and everything. We’ve done a handful of craft shows, some together and some solo, and try to meet up whenever we can.
Collaborating is not easy, but it is super rewarding and it’s also a great exercise in control. I feel like when I used to exclusively do solo projects, I had kind of a guarded ownership over my work. Collaborating with other makers on various projects has shown me how it can enrich what you’re working on. Not every decision has to be yours and that’s okay. You may do something and the other person wants to change it. If it’s a fair collaboration, you’ll get to make the next decision or you’ll come to an agreement. It’s taught me flexibility for sure. It’s also made me more open to feedback, criticism, etc. It’s important to remember that no project is ever really complete, it’s a segue into your next project. As a maker your learning and creating is continual and should never be "finished".
4) Who or what is your biggest source of inspiration? What keeps you excited about textiles, clothing, accessories and jewelry?
My older sister, Lauren, has always been a huge inspiration for me. When I was younger, I never knew that you could wear and make whatever clothing you wanted. She has always used clothing to tell her own story and sewn her own clothing when she couldn’t find ready-made clothes that could do that. I started sewing and altering clothing because of her and it’s that freedom that sewing allows you that keeps me inspired. Just the idea that you can make anything you think of a material reality is exciting.
I find inspiration from movies, costumes and different eras of dress. I love the over-the-top glamour of the late 1970s, the silhouettes of Japanese clothing of all eras, and the romance of American Western wear. I love unexpected combinations of textiles, bold prints and shapes of clothing. I'm attracted to a lot of layering and clothing that is utilitarian and also interesting to look at.
I wouldn’t say that I’m especially interested in fashion in its current form. I have no interest in being a part of the industry or current trends, but there is a lot you can learn about history from the clothing being made and worn at a specific time. And I think it’s the history of clothing that inspires me the most.
5) You and Maude work collaboratively on each piece, even though you lived on opposite coasts, and now different countries. How?! Could you walk us through your process for an item? From concept to final form.
I wish I could say that we have a highly developed and finely tuned method, but that’s just not the case. It’s been a pretty fluid process for us though and it’s usually initiated when we have an upcoming show. This year we started out scanning some of my quilt pieces and then incorporating them into designs with Maude’s digital paintings. What resulted were these bold, collaged designs with super strong colors. After we settled on three of the designs, we talked about what sizes we wanted the bags to be and ordered the fabric accordingly. Once we get the fabric, we play around with sizes and shapes of bags. The whole process is about play, which keeps things fun and new. After we choose some shapes we like, we start sewing.
6) What do you do to recharge? How do you stay motivated and energized to pump out new work?
Making is a compulsion for me, either I make things or I’ll explode. So, I try to do things that encourage and facilitate my making. For example, I like to sleep and cook for myself. I also like to clean, which sounds weird and probably boring, but keeping a clear working/living space helps me keep a clear mind. Visual and material research is important for future projects too, but I mostly focus on keeping myself in good shape so I can keep making things.
7) Quick, look at whatever music streaming source you use. What's the last song you listened to? What band or artists have you been jamming to recently?
One of my roommates turned me on to Ultra-lounge which is a genre of jazz from the 50s and 60s, related to Tiki-lounge, exotica, space-age pop and Bossa Nova. Through Ultra-lounge I found Cal Tjader, who was a Latin-American jazz musician. He mostly plays the vibraphone, which if you aren’t familiar, is in the same family as the marimba and xylophone. There’s definitely a cheesy, elevator music vibe to it, but it’s also dreamy and relaxing. It makes me feel like I’m in another time and place. My favorite albums right now are Latin Kick and Fried Bananas.
8) Besides collaborating with Maude for Girl Group, you also work with your sister Lauren, and additionally you've been organizing, and participating in a ton of pop-up shops, artisan maker fairs, festivals, etc.. Who else would you love to collaborate with?
The first pop-up that I helped organize was called Bodeguita at Turpentine Gallery in Oakland in August of 2015. We had about 10 vendors, all women makers from the area, selling art, prints, zines, clothing, jewelry, and herbal tinctures. We also had live DJs playing music and people came and just hung out all day. I received such positive feedback after the event that I decided to plan another. It seemed like the artists in the area were looking for a way to get together in a less formal setting than a gallery. Sure, the vendors were selling their work, but for me the most important part was that we were all out of our studios hanging out together.
The next maker fair I put together, called Sgraff-E-Mart, was around the same size at Sgraffito Gallery, in November 2015. It felt really cool to do another and I had more and more artists interested in participating, so with the help of my sister and some friends we put together Good Omen Market, which happened this past June. We had about 30 vendors this time plus music and food by Hella Vegan Eats.
I never saw myself as an organizer until putting these shows together. I know so many people who are making amazing work, but we only ever get together during these events. We’re all working full-time jobs and are in the studio in our spare time, so this is our only opportunity. It’s been super rewarding to help facilitate these events and I’m looking forward to doing more of that here in Mexico City. I’m not sure what form it’ll take here, but I’m excited to see what kind of community I can find or make and who I’ll collaborate with next.
9) What's a book/movie/album that's on your list, something you've been meaning to read/watch/listen to?
I just started watching Brazil (1985), but I'm only half way through, so I'd love to finish it. I can tell it's a movie that should be watched at least 2 or 3 times. The costumes and art production are incredible! I love this genre of retro-futurism in film, it reminds me a lot of Blade Runner (1982), another favorite of mine.
10) If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I love snacks, so I'd probably have to go with the "Adult Lunchable", as some of my friends call it, which is just a cheese and meat plate with fruit. I like a little bit of everything.
11) What're you most excited for in the coming months? Any cool personal projects or events?
Well, obviously I’m excited to finally be here in Mexico City! Soon I’ll be taking language courses and exploring the city more. I have grand plans to revisit quilting, now that I have more time and energy for it. I think of quilting as drawing or painting and I’m excited to just play with my materials without any deadlines or rules.
Once Matt [BBQ friend] and I get settled in our own apartment we plan to have space for friends to visit and make work in a shared studio space. I’m thinking of it as a mini artist residency. Having the time and space set aside to create is not something that everyone can afford, so we want to create that time and space for people. Whether it’s a month or just a week.
12) Final question: Who's your Cool Friend?
My cool friend is my sister, Lauren. She has always been an incredible painter, printmaker and sewist. Recently, she’s been combining these three skills into creating these rad shirts, under the name Plastic Foliage. Check out her work here: plasticfoliageclothing.com
Make sure to follow Natalie on Instagram here, Girl Group Studios here, and check out their online store here.
STEVE SANCHEZ & SUDI WACHSPRESS
Oakland-based producers Steve Sandwich (Steve Sanchez) and Space Ghost (Sudi Wachspress) are the creative duo behind Late Feelings, a meticulously curated music mix series. The pair assemble mixes which flow smoothly, blending rare songs you've never heard before, with classic hits from the last decade. Featuring a well-constructed, yet eclectic assortment of songs, ranging from Jazz to Hip-Hop, slow-jams, Salsa, Funk, Soul, R&B and more, spanning the globe, and a variety of cultures, from the last 50-odd years.
I've known these two fellas since college. In fact, Steve was one of the first people I met at all (in line to get our college freshman ID's, no doubt). Flash forward to last year (a few years out of college), and the three of us had been living together for four years. These guys are like brothers to me, and there was really only one way to interview them - good ol' fashioned Skype session.
I wanted to pick their brains about music, their mixes, and how it all came together (even though I was part of the story). The following is what transpired (minus about an hour of extra jibber-jabber, jokes and internet connection issues). This is a longer interview, but I hope you enjoy - there's a ton of name-dropping, so get ready to up your music game, and throw on one of their mixes while you read, to really set the mood.
Cool Friends: For those that don't know about Late Feelings yet, how do you explain what you do?
Sudi: So, I play the mixes at work sometimes, and I get strangers who are like "Hey, what are you listening to?" and I say welllll... This is a mix series that me and my roommate make, and it's usually just like a lot of old school jams - Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul, Latin, RnB...etc, and we're working with these genres, and most of it's pretty old, but we're not specifically bound to that, and we put these mixes up online for people to listen to.
Steve: They're inspired by a lot of samples that other musicians create, and it's a way to showcase shit that we've found while we're crate-digging...
CF: It's sort of showing what (primarily) Hip-Hop and Pop artists sample for their songs, but you're taking those little bits and you're showing the full sound - the full sampled song, right?
ST: Yeah exactly, we're opening the doors and we're showing what's going on behind the curtain.
SU: It's definitely a way for us to look for new music, and then share all these oftentimes rare songs, or maybe not even that rare, but it's stuff that people who don't go looking for music, want to listen to but [don't know where to go]. I know personally when I hear mixes like that, I get really excited because I find all this stuff that you won't hear on the radio.
CF: Do you think that your excitement around finding new music, and love of creating these mixes, comes from you both being initially Hip-Hop fans, and then becoming curious about the samples that were being used for the beats, searching for the full sample, and then realizing that the sample is just as good as the track that uses it?
ST: Yeah, that's definitely true. I also feel like when I hear other artists make mixes like that, I just wanna dive deep into a certain genre, or a certain culture. In a way, it's like doing the homework [for our mixes.] When we first started Late Feelings, we were kinda basing it off of Flying Lotus' Lovers Melt mixes. There's a lot of soul and jazz, a lot of prog-rock, and Brazilian stuff, and some Reggae stuff in there, but they go through a whole roller-coaster of music. He floats them in there really nicely, and that's what we used to start off with.
SU: I was inspired to start a mix series like this, because a lot of artists that I listen to in different genres, like Flying Lotus, Floating Points, Leatherette, they're making Hip-Hop inspired, danceable, electronic music, with sampling. But separately, they've made mixes that don't actually have the genre of music they [usually] make, it's just like a bunch of old tracks that inspire their music. And I was like whoa, there's this whole other world to these producers that's not just them making electronic music, it's also hearing a bunch of old tracks too. It makes me really excited to look up the songs in their mixes, and then make [my own] mix that feels like these all could be samples they'd use. I'm always searching for songs that were made in that time period and have become lost, or I haven't come across them in any mixes before, but they fit in the same genre for what i'm looking for at the time. I just enjoy that feeling [of searching].
CF: So 'Lovers Melt' was the initial inspiration for you guys creating a mix series of your own?
SU: Definitely. In the beginning, we didn't want to get too specific, and we wanted to explore how these different genres can flow together. We just started out with soul songs for like twenty minutes, and then move into some jazz and then maybe some Iranian shit, and it's just a really fun way to put all the pieces together of the songs that we're finding. After that, we made a couple mixes separately, because we were both just too hyped on that feeling of going through it and curating it specifically how we wanted it. We've also had two of our friends do mixes for us [so far] and I think that's one thing in the back of our mind going forward with Late Feelings... So far it's been people that we know and from the Bay Area, like our friend Alex, he goes by Xela, he just did a mix that uses a lot of African style music.
(check it out below)
Our other friend DOM, who we met through Alex, because he had a couple little get-togethers at his house, where people would just bring a some records, and we would switch back and forth. Dom was one of those people who I'd show a record to, that I was not expecting him to know, and he's just be like: "oh yeah dude, that's such a good record! Have you heard this other one?" We eventually just emailed him and asked him to submit a mix for Late Feelings and he came through with a really awesome one. (Below)
CF: Do you have other producers specifically in mind?
SU: Yeah, we have Brian Azevado (Gold Leaf) on deck, and another Brian who is a local producer who just asked if he could make one and we were like, definitely, yeah! And anyone else who collects records and produces, or is doing similar stuff, or wants to work with us, or interview us, we're open to it.
CF: So if someone was interested and fit with the vibe could they email you? hint hint!
ST: We'd definitely encourage that, 'cause it's also hard for us to always think of new people, and since we're still starting out in a way, it would help us to branch out. And it's interesting when other people [like Xela and Dom] make mixes for us, because it's nice to see their version of what Late Feelings means.
SU: Yeah, and I mean, of course we'd wanna screen them a bit, maybe if they sent us a short mix or something so we can feel it out. But yeah, definitely encouraged. Also, we can't put out mixes as fast as we'd like to, so it would be nice to get other people on board.
Email: Late.feelings@gmail.com
CF: Sudi, you recently made a mostly Brazilian-cuts mix, and Steve made a mostly Latin and Salsa inspired one. Did you decide to make them themed that way because you found a single track, and then just kept exploring? Or did you start off with the intent to make a single-genre mix?
SU: Well for starters, I was mentioning mixes that inspire me in the first place, and Floating Points [made a mix] that was all Brazilian music, and I hadn't... well I've definitely heard Brazilian music being sampled in a couple of specific songs before, like a some M.F. Doom tracks. But his mix made me realize, oh shit in the 70's and 80's there was a lot of really awesome rock and jazz that was coming out of Brazil, and seeing it all in a row through Floating Points' mix was really cool. Steve and I have been slowly finding Brazilian songs from that time period, and getting stoked on it. I was happy with my Brazilian mix, and there are different genres of music in the mix, but I tried to make them all from the same time period, and find a good flow and show how they are connected together. It was a good way to get down and dirty, and discover a lot about the artists, and music that I hadn't known about before, and from that I've discovered tons of new music.
CF: So was yours the same deal, Steve? Or more specifically, since you like grew up on Salsa, do you feel like you were re-discovering and digging further, and finding more of it to work with?
ST: Yeah. it's shit that I grew up on, and it gives me a chance to do my homework and investigate that music more. That happened with Willie Colón, who's songs we had thrown into previous mixes. But I literally went through almost all of his albums to find what I liked, and there was at least one from each album that I was excited by. I'm always trying to put at least one salsa song in our mixes, and I thought you know fuck it, I want to dedicate a whole mix to it.
CF: Sudi, I know that your dad was very much into record collecting as a younger man, do you think you grew up that same same vibe as Steve but maybe a little bit more focused on Soul and Funk?
SU: Yeah, he listened to tons of different genres, but he has pretty fat record collection. He actually listened to a lot of Pop music from back in the day, and R&B as well. And now I'm finding records, which he probably has and would recognize. He definitely was just into music and although he changed over to CDs, he still has that record collection. You know what, I hadn't really thought about it, but I'm sure there's somewhere in [my love for music] that's coming from him.
CF: Have you gotten a chance to look through his collection?
SU: Yeah, I have a couple of times, and I might have to do it again with my brother soon. It's funny because he hasn't touched some of these records in so long. Like, I bought him a record a couple of years ago, and I recently saw it in there unopened, and I was like dang, I kinda want to steal that back. *laughs* I had to beg him to give me this Isao Tomita record because he had three copies of it, and he was like "OK, OK, let me see which one's in the worst condition..." I was like come on!
CF: Would you mind walking us through the process of creating a mix?
SU: Well it usually starts with listening to a couple of mixes, and then finding a few jams that really strike hard, and then I take it to YouTube and Soundcloud, and spend an hour or two just diving into stuff. I also hit up the record store and browse for a while. But, the Brazilian mix for example, that was all from the internet actually. I mean I have a few Brazilian records, but I never found the jams I was looking for. A lot of the time I find myself in a YouTube k-hole, just absorbing a ton of songs and ripping different samples. Then we both use Abelton to mix everything together. I'd like to think i'm a good enough DJ to spin on turn tables, but I haven't gotten good enough to record with Serato yet. So we just drop everything into Abelton, and then cut and paste and add transitions and occasional effects, to make it all flow nicely. Often we want to play tracks in their full length if we can, unless it's like a 12-minute Fela Kuti song, and then we obviously have to cut it down, but we try to leave the songs in their original form, and focus on making good transitions. We don't usually try to beat-match too intensely, but we try to get it to the point where you don't even notice.
ST: What I like to do as much as I can, is hook my turn table up with the USB and record straight into Abelton, to sample my records. There's certain albums that I can't find on the internet, like some rare stuff my dad gave me for the Salsa mix. Also, with transitioning, sometime we like to let it flow into a clip from a movie or something, we both like doing that - throwing in our outside influences. It's nice to curate the mix to feel genuine.
SU: Yeah, Xela picked up on that with his mix, and even included some audio from a clip of one of the artists he used in the mix to tie it all together. It's nice to make the mixes seem like a radio broadcast or something...
CF: How did the name Late Feelings come about?
SU: Because we were so inspired by Lovers Melt, but the name was obviously already taken, we had to come up with something similar. It's a good name that can take you in different directions, and we wanted something with that vibe, and honestly, we started looking up words. It got to the point that we had so many phrases written down, that we just needed to pick one 'cause it was getting outta control.
ST: The one thing they all shared though, was that it was specific to that time of night...Or like, something about feelings, something warm and hot... like soul butter *laughs* Something that is vague enough to cover a few different aspects, like you're in love with somebody, or you're missing somebody, or you're on a high coming back down and tryna find that high again... something chilled out.
CF: It would be nice to find that list... But you're missing one important thing, which is that I WAS THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH THE FINAL NAME!
ST: Wait, really?
SU: I don't remember that...
CF: Yeah! I remember it very clearly, we were all in the kitchen, and you were mulling it over and over, saying something about feelings, and emotion, and something about being chilled out, and I said to you: What about Late Feelings? And i've never seen Steve grin harder, but he didn't wanna give it to me, and he was like "yeah, huh, that's alright, maybe i'll ask Sudi..." *laughs*
SU: *sarcastically* We owe it all to you...
Late Feelings logo designed by Steve
CF: Who have you been listening to recently? Who gets you excited and inspires you to make new mixes? What was the last thing you listened to?
Together: Harvey Sutherland.
ST: That's so hard though, there are so many... Although Hus Kingpin, who we're both into - he doesn't produce his own beats, but the beats he uses are stuff that I definitely wanna sample. He has that vibe of driving late at night. There's also a label out of Vancouver, Mood Hut, and they have these mixes called Morning Prayer, and they're so good at invoking a feeling or a specific mood. But they're more in the ambient music realm.
SU: Lately, what makes me want to make a new mix is Roc Marciano, Ka, and The Alchemist, and People's Potential Unlimited record label.
CF: What do you do when you're feeling stressed or burnt out on music? How do you recharge?
ST: Watching movies. That feeling of being in a theater is so nice, and having that time and space dedicated to that one thing, it immediately sets a mood, especially when i'm there by myself, it feels like i'm taking care of myself. I recently saw the Neon Demon, and it was really inspiring visually, and the music was really great electronic stuff. To be honest though, i've been slacking on my movie game lately, and we've both been watching a shitload of Seinfeld.
CF: Seinfeld?! Not what I was expecting.
SU: Yeah, it's not very inspiring, it's kinda the opposite, it's a way to do nothing at all... I've been mostly in music-world though, lately. And i've been trying to not stress-out about music and just let it inspire me. The other day I went to the SF Conservatory of Flowers and was just walking around, and there were all these crazy beautiful plants, and I threw on some ambient music and I was getting really inspired in there.
CF: Alright, last question: Who're your cool friends?
SU: Club Chai, which is Esra (8ulentina) and laura (Foozool). They're doing really cool things, both DJing events that are blowing up. Esra just booked some shows in Europe, they're really inspiring me right now to get more on my grind.,
ST: Oh, probably Leibo, he's been going hard [with tattooing].
PAT MORIEARTY
I met Pat at Camp Anokijig, a summer camp in Plymouth, Wisconsin (about 3 hours North of Chicago). Anokijig was a huge part of my life, from about the age of 7, until I went to college (and I honestly wish I could go back every summer). The best part about camp, besides spending the whole summer outdoors, making campfires, flirting in canoes, and being free to be a kid, was by far the friendships. You'd see the same kids every summer and you shared this special camp connection, you were family for the summer. I still talk to a core group of friends I made when I was about 13, and I still maintain the Social-Media-Frienship with others. Pat was in the core.
Back then, Pat was the only other kid who's Jew-fro hair was bigger than mine. He was the definitive goofy kid; always cracking jokes with me, making up ridiculous stories, and on par with my energy levels of constant. We grew up in the formative early teens together, from campers, to Junior Staff (like a CIT) and even spent a summer as Senior Staff. Our camp-friendship (the old school Social-Media-Friendship) became real friendship. And although we've naturally grown apart since then, mostly due to distance (and partially because it's hard to keep in contact with someone who spends a majority of the time in a tent in the wilderness) – I still know I could talk to him about anything, and when I visited him a few years ago in Colorado, it was like nothing had changed between us.
Now, Pat is bearded adventure-junkie, photographer, and the co-founder of Mobb Mountain Distillers, a distillery in Fort Collins, Colorado. Learn more about Pat's success with starting Mobb, his need for a work/play life balance, and some spear-fishing adventures in Belize, below.
1) What gets you up in the morning? And what did you eat for breakfast this morning?
When I'm not working, I try to catch an early yoga class or get out and ski or climb, depending on the season. Today was 2 eggs over easy with some toast and avocado, and a smoothie, same as most days.
2) For those that don't know you yet, could you please tell us a bit more about yourself? What are you up to currently?
I grew up in Wisconsin, and moved to Colorado four years ago. I initially came out here to start a whiskey distillery, Mobb Mountain Distillers, as well as for the adventure and outdoor opportunities Colorado has to offer. I've spent most of my time here working on the distillery and working a handful of odd jobs doing everything from retail to landscaping. I try to spend most of my off days playing outside, skiing, climbing, hiking, fishing etc. Over the last year I've worked around four months outside of CO. I worked on a commercial Salmon boat in Alaska, and then most recently was on tour with the ski film company, Warren Miller Entertainment. The distillery has been up and running for a little more than a year and a half, and we've decided to reinvest our initial earnings to expand our operation to meet the growing demand. It's been a really fun ride and a great creative outlet for me, but I'm actually leaving CO in a few days. I'll be rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon for 22 days and then I'm moving to Idaho in February. I got a sweet graphic design job for a ski company and it's just time for a change of pace and scenery from the Colorado Front Range.
3) When I visited you a few years ago, you had just started to work on bringing a whiskey distillery to life. Now Mobb Mountain is so popular you're remodeling and making more space! Gimme a little history, from first ideas to most recent progress.
Mobb started as a group of friends in college, all with a great ambitions and a pretty wide array of skills. After school a few of us decided to open a business and Fort Collins, CO seemed like the ideal place for a distillery. The craft brewing scene is huge here with New Belgium and 30+ other breweries we figured it would be wise to branch off and make whiskey instead. After a year and a half of being open, business has been great. We managed land a great location that has a ton of new businesses opening around us right now. Our tasting room/cocktail bar has become much more popular than we initially anticipated so we're taking the next couple months to remodel the space and expand our tasting room to accommodate more customers. We have a handful of new products we're ready to release when we reopen in early March.
4) You're the creative captain of Mobb. How do think about branding and creating new, interesting content for Mobb?
My work at the distillery has always been an extension of my lifestyle. Whether it's through adventure photography or designs based on topographic maps and alpine creatures, I follow my own personal pursuits and inspirations and use them to define my vision for the distillery. It has more or less been a huge endless art project for me.
5) You're also an adventure junkie, photographer, woodworker, and artist, to name a few. How do you balance your other passions with time at Mobb?
Balance was definitely the word of the year for me in 2017. I've always been a firm believer in a 'work-hard, play-hard' lifestyle and this year I think I found a pretty ideal balance of those two. A lot of my work at Mobb has become more 'contract' based in that when new labels or merchandise designs are needed my work-load increases greatly but after that I'm mostly just in charge of social-media and our online advertising which I'm able to do on the road these days. So, when I'm not doing design work I've been able to find jobs that allow me to travel and take me to some pretty incredible places all while working remotely for Mobb.
6) You've done a lot of adventuring the last few years, tell me something that stuck with you. A beautiful place, a crazy story, or a challenge you faced?
Spear fishing in Belize was pretty life changing. It was the first time I questioned whether the mountains were where I really belong. I've always enjoyed swimming and snorkeling but free diving and spear fishing took all of that to another level. Instead of just being a passerby, an observer, you get to become a predator. It was really just a ton of fun.
7) What do you do to recharge? How do you stay motivated and energized and inspired?
When I'm home and working a lot yoga really helps me to slow down and collect my thoughts. Otherwise just being in the outdoors has its ways of settling the soul.
8) What's the best kept secret of Fort Collins? Of Colorado?
It wouldn't be a secret if I told now you would it? ;)
9) Quick, look at whatever music streaming source you use- What's the last song you listened to? What about the last book you read?
I'm using Apple Music these days. Listening to 'Horse Soldier' by Corb Lund right now. I've been on a big Haruki Murakami kick lately, I just finished Norwegian Wood.
10) What would be your last meal?
Some lobster ceviche, with a big slice of german chocolate cake.
11) What're you most excited for in the coming months? Any cool personal projects, events or adventures?
I'm leaving for a 22 day rafting trip in the Grand Canyon in a few days and then moving to northern Idaho in February.
12) Final question: Who's your Cool Friend?
You are Jess, but also Connor Lonning has been one of the biggest influences in my life in terms of chasing dreams and living a life of adventure. He's been living part time in Belize, building an awesome non-profit and filming in the middle-east for the last few years. A hell of a guy.
Make sure to follow Pat on Instagram for more insanely beautiful pictures of wilderness and whiskey HERE. And next time you're in Colorado, make a stop in Fort Collins and grab yourself a Mobb rye on the rocks.
GUNNAR POOLE
Zookeepa himself | photo by Morgan Paije
I've known music producer Gunnar Poole, aka Zookeepa, since I was in kindergarten. He's undoubtably one of my oldest friends (see below). We skipped most of 1st grade, because we were too busy talking, cracking jokes, and being as ridiculous as possible. 20 years later, we're still both ridiculous, but we're channeling our energy into creative endeavors: I recently illustrated the cover of his first full-length LP, The American, which he released for free on Soundcloud (check it out here).
Zookeepa creates spacey, hip-hop inspired, electronic beats, and all around good-vibes music. Born and raised in Chicago, Zookeepa is part of the the Chicago-based Wholeteam, a producer collective which acts as both a DIY record label, and an event management team.
Learn more about Zookeepa's production process, hairless sphynx cats, and favorite Jim Carrey quotes below.
And listen to Zookeepa's The American, while reading more:
1) What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
I know it's bad but I skipped breakfast.
2) For those that don't know you yet, could you please tell us a bit more about yourself? What've you been up to lately?
Hello, I am Zookeepa. I was born and raised in Chicago where I still reside with my girlfriend and our two hairless sphynx cats. Notably my friends and I run Wholeteam, a DIY Record Label/Event Dudes lol. Lately I've been quitting cigarettes and it's a nightmare. today is day 5...
Chicago-based Wholeteam | Photo by Morgan Paije
3) You recently released your first full-length LP, The American (congrats!). How did it feel to release a full album, compared to a single track? What was the hardest lesson you learned from this?
I feel accomplished, and I don't get that from releasing a single tune. A larger body of work I can say more if you want it to. It's very cliché but you are your own worst enemy. I was very nervous that it would define me; good or bad. I see now that it doesn't at all. I'm excited to finish more songs :D
4) Who are some of your biggest influences? Who or what inspires you to keep making work?
My biggest influences in electronic music would have to be Lil Texas and Lockah both for very different reasons. I didn't find out till I was in my 20's but making music makes me very happy. Just sitting in front of Ableton I feel very at home and I wouldn't trade that for many other things in life.
5) Could you walk us through your creative process? How does a track get produced, from initial concept, to finding samples, to mixing, etc?
I start putting sounds into "arrangement mode" on Ableton [a music production software program] till I find something I want to hear over and over and go from there. If I think of something new I want to add, no matter where I am in the process, I add it. As far as samples I use vocals I get offline and chop them into obscurity; I feel more original that way.
6) Quick, look at whatever music streaming source you use (Spotify, Tidal, Soundcloud, etc): What's the last song you listened to? What band or artists have you been jamming to recently?
I was just listening to "Back it Up" by swuM. Lately I've been listening to a lot of The Band, it was played around the house as a kid. My older sister gave me her car and one of their CDs was still in the player so Ive been listening to REAL country music all month lmao.
7) What emoji doesn't exist yet, that should?
A sword and Shield emoji if that doesn't exist already.
They do kind of... Just separately.
8) How do you recharge when you're feeling burnt out or stuck? Any tricks, activities, or practices to get the creative flow moving again?
Binge stream TV shows and smoke a bunch with my gf and cats. Works every time.
9) What's a book/movie/album that's on your list, something you've been meaning to read/watch/listen to?
I love Tame Impala and I still haven't heard their new album, "Currents". Gonna go do that after this, actually.
10) What are some words of wisdom you'd impart to your younger self, or younger folks in general?
I would tell my younger self to take a chance on writing music. I always loved music but was too scared to express myself till I was about 21. So, to all the other snotty noses I quote one of my own personal heroes, Jim Carrey: "You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love".
11) What are you most excited for in the coming months? Any cool projects or events?
I'm excited about all the stuff my Wholeteam fam have in store for the world all 2k16. Keep an ear in Mojek's direction. I'm also excited and honored to be a Cool Friend, this blog is going to rule I can't wait to read about other Cool Friends.
12) Final question: Who's your cool friend?
You're my cool friend!!
Aw, shucks pal. Let's go with Mojek, though.
Keep up with all of Zookeepa's new tracks on his Soundcloud here or his Facebook page
JACQUI JACQUES
I was lying with Jacqui Jacques on the floor of her apartment in Oakland, CA staring up at the beautifully-constructed textile canopy that was part of her senior thesis show. Vibrant yet earthy colors, created with natural dyes and sun bleaches. I knew almost nothing about textile work, but I knew this was special.
Jacqui continued working with textiles, and now the New Jersey-based artist, clothing & textile designer, and natural alchemist, is the owner of Earthly, "an ever-evolving lifestyle brand...creating a new genre of holistic apparel and leading the way in the future of sustainable fashion."
Learn more about Jacqui's natural dye workshops, volunteer work with alpacas, need for water submersion, and love of neo-soul below:
1) What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
Watermelon, mad mad watermelon.
2) For those that don't know you yet, could you please tell us a bit about yourself? What are you up to currently?
So I’m Jacqui Jacques, I come from the beaches of New Jers., I studied apparel design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn my first two years of college. I left to immerse myself in textiles & fiber art at CCA [California College of the Arts] in Oakland (where I met the COOLEST friend, Jess!). I got into natural dyes after taking a class with lovely Sasha Duerr ... and that was the beginning of it all! I travelled around the world to volunteer and learn the craft deeper. From living with the weaving women of Guatemala, to herding alpacas in Portugal and using their soft fur to make textiles that empowered local women. I could go on for days! Now, I am spending the summer in Asbury Park, NJ ... vending my lifestyle line, Earthly, at Asbury Fresh market and teaching natural dye workshops.
3) Could you give us a bit of history on Earthly? What sets Earthly apart, and why is sustainability and natural dyes important for wearables?
It actually all was born from my senior thesis show called Color Medicine. I created an interactive chromotherapy installation using botanical dyes and fabric. I figured if traditional chromotherapy used chemical-filled plastic to heal people, there was no question that using colors obtained straight from nature would make a huge difference! That set me off on the path of using pure, intentionally-foraged plant dyes to color the clothing I make. Most people don’t realize that when they buy conventional clothing (any clothing NOT dyed with natural dyes), they are unknowingly ingesting harmful toxins through their skin from the chemical dyes. The skin is our largest and most absorbent organ! So with Earthly, you can enshroud your precious body with healing plant essences and receive all the healing benefits. I think it truly (and hopefully!) is the future.
A look at Color Medicine - Jacqui's installation-based thesis project
4) What's been the biggest hurdle you've faced with starting your own business? And how did (or how are you working to) overcome it?
Starting your own business, completely by yourself, is harder than I ever could have imagined! It’s truly insane, but I’m learning so much. The biggest hurdle is not having 5 clones of myself. And also having no investors or big a$$ fund to start the business with. I am literally working my ass off and then simultaneously using the money I make to start my business. Feeling like you can’t take time “off” for one second is really stressful. But I’ve learned to force myself to take chill days because it’s necessary to keep up the zest & not burn out. It’s also very hard that a naturally dyed clothing line is such an under-the-radar concept still, that it doesn’t run at all like a normal clothing brand.
The Earthly pop-up booth
5) Could you walk us through your creative process? From initial concept to final constructed, wearable item.
Hmm, it’s hard to pin down, because there is definitely a difference between what I would make if it was just for arts sake, and what I make for customers. Everything always starts with making the fabric, because that’s the true fun and magical part! Usually I am guided by the availability of plant-life in my area. Working with the seasons and with the generosity of what my local florists can provide. I like to make wearables that are all about the textile, keeping the shape simple and ethereal.
Earthly promotional video created by Andrea Raggio
6) What do you do to recharge? How do you stay motivated and energized to pump out new work?
Being around nature is an instant recharge for me. Also just being submerged in water every now 'n then is SO crucial. I feel most inspired when I’m traveling and when I'm bumping perfect music.
A close-up of some Earthly fabric
7) Quick, look at whatever music streaming source you use: What's the last song you listened to? What band or artists have you been jamming to recently?
I’ve been nonstop neo-soul for a while now. My tops [right now] are The Internet, Sampa the Great, Kelela, Jordan Rakei, SPZRKT, Sango, the Anti album (luv u riri), & tons of UK future soul/hiphop. Soulection is also always on wax.
8) Who or what has inspired you recently?
I just recently hatched a plan, with (future CoolFriend) Andrea Raggio, to move to Brooklyn area later this year. And talking with her about building our epically inspiring/crazy/fun space & life together is fueling my fiya right now!
Earthly's sun-bleached, custom-made leggings
9) What's a book/movie/album that's on your list, something you've been meaning to read/watch/listen to?
Actually Andrea just recommended the book Sapiens. It’s basically about why the way we are. Sounds dope cuz ... human beings are so insanely weird!
A naturally-dyed top created from indigo, acacia bark, and avocado.
10) If you could meet any famous person (living or dead) who would it be and why?
Hmmmmmmmm... Definitely Prince or Jane Goodall. First people that came to mind. Prince because *Prince*. And Jane, because she was my biggest childhood idol & animals are my #1.
A silky Earthly top
11) You've been organizing events like artisan craft fairs, and natural dyeing workshops. What're you most excited for in the coming months? Any cool projects or events?
First off, I’m excited that it is Spring and there are finally plants growing and flowers blooming!! It makes finding dye materials so much easier than in the cold months. I’m hyped for my first *legit* Natural Dye workshop at Bond & Bangs Apothecary next week! I’m also planning some events in London for the end of summer- like community garden dye days and teaching children about the botanical dye magic! At POP Brixton - keep your ear to zee ground.
Earthly offers made-to-order, hand-dyed, custom pieces
12) Final question: Who's your cool friend?
The amount of cool friends I have is like damn. So my cool friend is my super cool boyfriend - Jacob Read! He runs his own business Pig&Rig and is a dope graphic designer.
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