Desert X 2019

A few weeks ago, my friend Megan texted me a link to an article about this year's Desert X exhibit, a biennial art exhibit that debuted and last took place in 2017, during our last year at Coachella. I remember meaning to check it out on the way to Indio that year, but the excitement of our #LastChella drove us straight to the polo fields to soak up as much of the festival as possible.

This year, Desert X runs from February 9 to April 21st and showcases 19 artists in a variety of mediums, all using the desert as their canvas. The pieces cover a range of environmental, political and social issues from immigration to climate change, and span across the Coachella Valley, from Palm Springs down to the Salton Sea, with a few pieces in Tijuana and Ensenada this year as well. 

Not wanting to miss it again, Megan and I hit the road, sand storms and Big Horn Sheep crises be damned...

Wonderspaces

For me, the buzz around Wonderspaces started with one picture some friends on a date posted on Instagram. In it, they were in a room with a giant floating spiked balloon. And for whatever reason, I just assumed they were in LA. That's where all the cool artsy stuff happens, right?

But within 24 hours of that photo showing up on my feed, the buzz grew steadily. My friends Makena and Liz both texted me separately asking if I'd heard of Wonderspaces. My coworkers were sharing snaps from their own visits in the kitchen at work. And more and more photos began to pop up on my Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

By the end of the next day, I was almost paralyzed with FOMO.

Wonderspaces, a traveling pop-up art exhibit that's here through July 30th, is the coolest thing to happen to San Diego in a loooong time.  As they share on their website, "you can think of Wonderspaces as a pop-up museum of extraordinary experiences.  Those experiences range from room-sized interactive art installations to virtual reality films and include art enjoyed at the world’s biggest festivals and fairs."

You can also think of Wonderspaces as an Instagram staging area or as a way to justify weeknight drinks, since all of their alcohol sales go to local charities. Because as I finally found out for myself last week, Wonderspaces has got a little something for everybody...

Miracle in the Desert

The absolute best part about finishing my MBA this past December was getting my weekends back. Not just the time... but the feeling of freedom, the unpredictability, the infinite possibilities that accompanied no longer having looming homework deadlines or the suffocating guilt that I wasn't working on homework during every spare minute I had outside of my full-time job.

Infinite possibilities. Meaning that I could wake up on any given Saturday morning and decide to go on an adventure. So I did.

During the first weekend of January, my friend Makena and I wrangled the dogs into my car, stopped for some coffee in OB and hit the road to explore the Salton Sea.

Good Riddens, 2016

This post has had some harsher titles in drafts. Let's just say F bombs were involved.

I usually love writing these recaps each year, but this one was hard. 2016 started out mildly shitty and ended really shitty. And it was shitty for a lot of what happened in the middle too.

OB Love: 1502 Candle Co.

I have been saying for the better part of two years that I want to do more posts highlighting my sweet little neighborhood of Ocean Beach. However, like most things blog-related I haven't had time during this frantic year-long race to the finish of my MBA. #MBAproblems

Here's the thing: I knew OB was home the minute I first set foot in my friend Keri's apartment complex 7 years ago. Something about it just felt like what I'd meant whenever I said I wanted to move to San Diego. It was the vibe and community I'd been searching for my whole life. And even though it took me five years after moving to San Diego to move to OB, now that I'm here I don't ever want to leave.

San Diego is home, but OB is home.

One Fun Broad

A couple of months ago, Ryan and I took a day trip to LA to wander around and wandered straight into the Museum of Contemporary Art. Later that day, on our walk from the MOCA to its sister museum, The Geffen, it was hard not to notice the incredible lines at the museum across the street.

Hundreds of people were snaked around the corner of one of LA's newest museums, The Broad, which opened only a year ago in September of 2015. And still, a year later, people regularly wait in the 90+ minute line to enjoy The Broad's colorful collection.

I wanted to be one of those people.

Living La Vida MOCA

When I was 21, I spent 3 weeks living in London visiting roughly one museum a day, most of which contained some of the most famous and important art in history. My favorite? Warhol's Marilyn Diptych at the Tate Modern.

Personally, I'd take a Warhol or a Rothko over a Da Vinci or a Michelangelo or any of the other Ninja Turtles any day.

True story. I mean, while I barely passed Art History in college, I've always loved, loved, loved modern art. It inspires me to see things from new perspectives, which in turn has influenced my own creative projects. So honestly, I'm kind of surprised that after all of my visits to LA and all of my years living in Southern California, that it took me this long to finally make it into a single modern art museum on the west coast.

Ryan and I went up to LA over Memorial Day weekend just to get out of town for the day and see what there was to explore. We ended up starting off our adventure downtown near Little Tokyo and after a couple of false starts (specifically: a failed attempt to tour the Disney Concert Hall and a too long line at The Broad), we found ourselves at the Museum of Contemporary Art, otherwise known as MOCA. 

Peace Out 2015!

Photo by Horizon Light Productions

They say that your 29th year is when Saturn returns to the exact same position in sky as it was when you were born. According to astrology, the return of Saturn means crossing the threshold to adulthood... a time for taking stock, getting introspective and coming to terms with the direction your life is going. But for me and for some of my friends, 29 has also meant one last gasp of irresponsibility.

In many ways, I acted more carefree in 2015 than I have in my entire life. There have been weeks and months where it felt like I was purposefully indulging in one last free-for-all... not caring about my diet, my spending habits or my fitness. There's been a lot to celebrate and I used all the weddings, birthdays and good news as a chance to really let loose, take chances, and party hard.

Which, as I look back now, seems to have made for a pretty fun year...

Missing Sayulita

It's shocking to me that we were only in Sayulita five months ago. It feels like it's been years since that trip... in some ways, maybe it has. I left my job, started a new job, left that job and came back to my old company in a new job. I started, suffered through and finished another MBA class. I did the Fast Metabolism Diet, went to Coachella, attended two weddings and threw a baby shower. All of these things required so much planning and time and sometimes effort that looking back, I can't believe they were all crammed into the past few months.

My body believes it though. I woke up today and I just felt tired. And tired had me craving Mexican beaches and lazing around town, downing cervezas. Sayulita was so perfectly relaxing and Ryan and I had such a great time there. Today, I missed it so much that only one thing could cheer me up: photos.

Shopped: Revolucion Del Sueno

I've been going through Mexico withdrawals fairly often lately. 

It definitely has a lot to do with the fact that I'm almost done with my first four swimming lessons. I'm anxious to go back and see how different our trip would have been with this new found confidence around water. 

But, if it wasn't for our time there, I would never have become as desperate and ready to learn as I was after we left. Spending so much time in and around the ocean made me crave the freedom that everyone else had.

I hope/plan on going back to Sayulita, maybe even next year, but until then, I've just been sorting through pictures and trying to write a few final posts to share from the trip. And since one of my favorite things about Sayulita was the shopping, I thought I'd share some images from one of the chicest stores in town, Revolucion del Sueno.

Knee High Boots and Hot Pants

On any given night you can find us down at Aero Club, which feels more like an extension of our living room than a local dive bar. In the corner by the back pool table, there's a little shelf with a lamp in the shape of a rocket on it and above it, a framed photograph of the picture you see here. I love staring at this photo and I've spent plenty of moscow mules doing just that. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it's one of my favorite pictures ever, but I almost feel silly because I don't know why. If I had to put my finger on it though, I'd say it has something to do with her casual confidence and how happy and relaxed she looks. It's calming somehow and always makes me smile.

Mostly though, I want to know what happened to this girl and who she is today, if she's still alive. I would hope so. She's got to be about 20 in the picture, which is only from the '70s. A quick Google search yielded nothing and on a whim I emailed Southwest, the airline where she worked as a flight attendant, but I doubt they'll know/write back. Was she as happy as she looked? How long was she a flight attendant? Did she hate the uniform or rock it? Does it make her happy that the photo is as iconic as it is? She would be incredible to interview.

I think the reason I seek out interviews from people who inspire me in some way, is because it's the most interesting form of writing for me. I love the challenge of drawing out what makes that person unique, of allowing people who are idolized to become human, of making them think about themselves from a different perspective. It's funny because so little of the interview is "written" by me, just the questions, but research has to go into the questions to make them effective. Maybe it's the recruiter side of me influencing the writer side of me that makes so interested in the interview form or maybe the writer side of me is what made me a natural fit for the work I do. Whatever the case, to me, interviews are like a scavenger hunt for a person's truth and when I'm inspired by a person, there is nothing I'm more curious about than what that truth is.

Scenes From My Weekend

1. Picked up the art print in the top right corner at the Little Italy Mercato on Saturday. Think this wall is finally complete!
2. For some reason this spray-painted AC unit in our neighborhood always makes me smile.
3. Walking through my neighborhood.
4. I've been meaning to check out this Little Italy art gallery for YEARS and I finally wandered up here on Saturday morning. It's the Grant Pecoff Studios above Landini's Pizza and the art was gorgeous.
5. Pretty Farmer's Market flowers.
6. More to come on this later but Sunday we spent the afternoon in La Jolla doing something I've only ever daydreamed about my entire life: I finally started learning to surf. My classmate Ian and I on the left and me and our hot instructor on the right.

Etsy Shop Highlight: The Mango Seed

Given my obsession with surf shack decor, the moment I stumbled upon Christina's Etsy Shop, The Mango Seed, I fell in love with her beachy signs and ocean-inspired art. Based out of North Carolina, The Mango Seed's coastal-style inventory boasts over 370 creations made out of  recycled and upcycled materials, as well as paintings on traditional canvas. Whether you need a new custom sign for your beachfront business, art for your walls, custom props for your beach-themed wedding, or whimsical pieces for your child's nursery, The Mango Seed is an Etsy gem! I interviewed Christina to learn more about her store and her life as an artist and business owner.

When did you start making the signs? 
In August of 2011 I was driving around in eastern North Carolina when I saw an old fence that was being taken down at a someone's home. I've always had an interest in recycling and upcycling so I stopped to ask if I could have the wood. At the time I had no idea what I was going to do with it. I brought it home and put it in a corner in my studio. One day I was playing around with different ideas and I took one of the old fence pieces and painted "SURF" on it in turquoise and white. I thought it looked so unique! That was the first sign I made and it shipped several months later to a town in France called Ciboure along the Bay of Biscay. I thought it was pretty neat that a piece of this old fence, which had been weathered for years in North Carolina, found a new home in France.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I love the ocean so I spend a lot of time at the beach. I love the energy that flows from the waves, the coastal wind, and the sun. That's the source of my inspiration. When I'm there my mind is free and ideas seem to come from nowhere.

Who are some of your favorite artists?
I admire the work of Escher, Picasso, Dali and Gaudi. I also love the work of Dolan Geiman on Etsy! His art is so creative, fantastic and magical. I have some of his work in my home now and I'll collect more in the future.

Is The Mango Seed your full-time job?
Yes it is. I've been self-employed as an artist since I graduated from college. In addition to the beach-themed signs, I also paint on canvas and take on custom projects as time permits.

How many signs do you make per day?
It really depends on the day. Some days I feel inspired and focused so I might make a quite a few, or I might paint on canvas. If I'm traveling then I won't make any. However, my iPhone and iPad are never too far out of reach so I touch Etsy everyday.

What is the most surprising thing about running your own business that you had never anticipated?
I had no idea how creative Etsy customers would be! I hear from so many people around the world who have an idea for a custom sign they would like. I love it because I never know what incredibly creative idea someone may come up with next.

What is the most special way you've seen your signs used?
Babies and weddings! I love seeing my signs and artwork decorating a baby nursery or a child's room. I hope the imagery and colors in my work inspires the imagination in their minds. I also love knowing my beachy wedding signs are a part of such a special day for newlyweds.

Proudest moment as an Etsy shop owner? 
When I sold my first triptych in 2012. It was a painting of a hammerhead shark designed across three canvases. I had it hanging on the wall in our sunroom and we loved it. I was happy it sold but sorry to see it go. Maybe one day I'll paint another one.

Most challenging aspect of being a shop owner?
I'm an artist but I'm a mom first. I have three children (9 yr old boy, 7 yr old boy, and 2 yr old girl) and I home school. So we're never bored and we're never short on challenging moments. Our mission as a family is pretty simple -- be nice, be creative, be healthy, work hard, love everyone and add to the beauty of the world. It's a never-ending journey and we try to enjoy everyday.

What is your favorite type of sign to make? 
I love to make the custom surfboards listed in my shop. They are pretty large so I have a lot of space to paint. There's no limit to how creative we can be with them and customers seem to enjoy being a part of the design process. I also love designing surf and beach-themed vintage ads. They have such a classic appeal.

What are your favorite paint brands/materials/etc? 
I love working with reclaimed materials and high quality paint. I want to make art that can be passed down over generations. To accomplish this, I work hard to make sure the materials I use are premium quality and durable. Then I pay attention to the details of the process to ensure a finished product that will last.

Can you share some details about your workspace?
I have four areas that make up my studio and workflow. First, my original studio began in a room built onto the back of our garage. I quickly outgrew that space so then the studio took over the garage as well. I installed metal shelving in the garage like a little warehouse and that's where I store thousands of reclaimed boards. I also keep quite a few tools there like a table saw, a couple of sanders, and hand tools. I use that space for processing reclaimed boards (removing nails, cutting and sanding). Second, I have a space inside my home where I design and paint. Third, I have a designated shipping area where all of my orders are packaged and prepped for shipping. Fourth, I have an office where I work on the computer and run the business day-to-day. Keeping each of these processes separate helps me focus on what I'm doing at that moment. It also helps me keep track of orders as the go from being a blank board to a finished product that's ready to ship.

What kind of support system have you had as a small business owner?
People are my support system. I have a great family and great friends. And I've made a lot of friends on Etsy and through my work.

Be sure to visit The Mango Seed and browse some of Christina's beautiful work! It will be hard not to find something to fall in love with. ;)

Inspiration: Andy Davis

sources: 1 | 2

I don't think there is an artist whose aesthetic appeals to me more completely than Andy Davis's does. He's a local, based right up the 5 in Leucadia. He draws his inspiration from cartoons like Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, and Dr. Seuss. And of course, surfing.

source: 1

I love the colors and whimsy in every piece. It totally captures the laid back attitude and happy outlook that I love to see in art.

sources: 1 | 2

If I could afford to put Andy Davis artwork all over my house, I would. It's hard for me to pick a favorite, but  "Summer Love Special" and "Hand Jive" are definitely the two prints that I am one lottery win away from buying right now.

source: 1

In several interviews, he's talked about how he and his family want to move to New Zealand and how it's what he envisions California was like in the 60s. Just another excuse to add NZ to my travel wishlist. Maybe after our friend Ann moves there? ;)
 

source: 1

On what inspires him: "I admire anybody who has the passion to do things that make them happier and that challenge them to help them grow and learn, so that they can evolve and be the best they can be, whether it is someone who is a gardener or someone who’s a mechanic or even a chef."