During my artist residency in Joshua Tree, I created this large scale self portrait made of foraged materials found on the property at A-Z West.
An assemblage art piece inspired by my visit to Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Desert Museum of Assemblage Sculptures also in Joshua Tree.
I worked on the piece for most of the week (along with some other projects) and on the final day of my residency, I disassembled it, returning all the materials back to the land where they belonged.
It was such an interesting exercise to take the time to literally collect myself, and to pay attention to my thoughts and meaning behind the materials I chose that surfaced as I pieced myself together. And honestly, so fun!!!
So grateful to @highdeserttestsites for the opportunity to participate in this self-structured artist residency and their on-going support of the arts community.
#artchakra #impermanence #assemblageart #desert #collage #lettinggo #pullyourselftogether #mandala #selfreflection #foundobjects #foraging
Mother’s Day week in NYC, with my sweet Arley, doing all the things. What a treat to have that time together, getting to see the city through new eyes, and new experiences. I loved it all. Thank you @arleysakai 🤍🤍🤍
2. The Vessel
3. Prospect Park
4. Brooklyn Neughborhood
5. Printemps
6. Rothko
7. Duchamp
8. Turnball listening space at Cooper Hewitt
9. Cooper Hewitt
10. Public Elementary School handball court
11. Under the bridge
12. The New Museum
13. The Guggenheim
14. Inside the Oculus
15. Photo Booth tradition
16. Welcome message at Hotel
Hawaii
A little jet lag recovery layover along with some much needed family time & really fun island adventuring.
Big love & aloha to my sister Wallie, my nephew @aaronkia_tattoo & niece @thesarahjoy for making my visit so special.
Tokyo, Japan
is a lot. A lot of art, design, architecture, tradition, culinary delights, fashion, wonder… yes, a lot of wonder. I think my head will be spinning from this place and this country for some time to come.
Highlight reel:
1. Arimasuton Building - hand-built by owner, architect Keisuke Oka redefines construction as a creative, lifelong process.
2. Cruisers in Tokyo
3. Subterranean Mexican Restaurant
4. Isabel Marant building
5. Nezu Garden Museum
6-7. 21-21 Design Sight - the hub where the future of design as culture is discovered and created. (I’ve always wanted to come here)
8-10. The “Soup” exhibit at 21-21
11. Tea ceremony spot
12-13. Karimoku-Research - listening experiences between Sound & Space
14-15. The National Art Center Tokyo
16. Recently opened MoN - Museum of Narratives
17. Cathy speaking at the Heath Ceramics & Artek collab event
18. Tokyo - Birds Eye view
So grateful to @fishermans_camp for the invitation and for the great adventure along with @rzell
Kanazawa, Japan
This beautiful, ancient city has my heart. Known as a hub for traditional crafts, it is filled with galleries & specialty shops, world-class museums and extraordinary gardens.
It’s intimate, easily walkable, discoverable and bursting with rich artistic and cultural history that leaves you in awe with every turn down some narrow, Edo-era street you meander through, taking in all the deeply inspiring sights, the unfamiliar sounds and intoxicating smells drifting from the doorways of establishments where you need Google Translate to decipher what lies beyond.
This place definitely deserves a repeat visit, or who knows, maybe even an extended stay…
Magical travels with @fishermans_camp@rzell
Kyoto, Japan
Taking a bit of the road less traveled, Cathy and I planned our trip around discovering some lesser-known sites and experiences recommended by friends and frequent travelers to Kyoto, making for a truly magical experience.
@fishermans_camp #kyoto
FIELD TRIP : Bombay Beach
A last minute trip to Palm Springs for Easter provided the perfect proximity for an easy day trip to Bombay Beach with my friend Steph to check out the new works from the annual Bombay Beach Biennale.
These renegade art installations take place along the shores of the Salton Sea, transforming the decaying landscape into a canvas of both temporary and permanent art.
This living ghost town, situated 223 feet below sea level, is in constant survival mode, the result of an earlier environmental collapse, and “is a place where you get to celebrate the brokenness.”
And even in its brokenness, Bombay Beach serves as a beautiful & poignant reminder of the resiliency that can be found through art & community, especially during these unprecedented times we’re living in.
I had a really fun conversation with my friend & neighbor Rob Bell, that moved from onion-skin dyed linen napkins, to years spent leading design teams at Adidas & Patagonia, and into my current chapter reimagining Modernfolk Living — all part of the throughline in episode #417 on the RobCast.
So grateful for the conversation @realrobbell and opportunity to share my creative journey.
If you’re podcast curious, you can head to the link in my bio to hear more. 🎧
#quietleadership #handmade #noticing
Matilija Poppy Portraits from my evening walk. Arguably one of my most favorite flowers and the essence of Ojai. Indigenous to the local area, it is considered the signature native plant of the region.
THE LEGEND OF THE MATILIJA POPPY
“It is told that the daughter of Chief Matilija (e.g., Chief Peak), Amatil, loved a warrior named Cocopah. He died in a great battle, and when Amatil found him, she laid over him and died. Her tears for him were so pure and full of love, that upon her death, they seeded the unique white poppies and yellow center across the valley.”
This is an excerpt from the Women of the Valley: 100 Years of History at the @ojaivalleymuseum@bradyhahn_
#matilijapoppy #ojai #portaitphotography
FIELD TRIP: OC Studio Tours
Such a fun day exploring the creative spaces of some of Newport & Laguna’s creative icons.
There is a feeling of modern nostalgia in these spaces - deeply anchored in the area’s historic surf culture. Artifacts from the past, carefully curated and upcycled, revived with new purpose and meaning.
These working studios have a wonderfully chaordic energy, beautifully layered with tools, mood walls, and storied objects, evidence of lives spent making.
Here it is evident that analog is the preferred practice, resulting in human-made goods as unique as the makers themselves.
Grateful for the time & inspiration.🙏🏻
Jim Olarte @jimolarte
Scott Richard’s @slightlychoppy
Jeff “Yoki” Yokoyama @yokishop
Steve Jones @bettershelter
Everything, in its right place. The magic of Ojai has felt particularly sparkly lately. So grateful to call this beautiful Valley of the Moon, home.
#fullmoon #pinkmoment #ojai #bloodmoon
