Getting myself set up

Hello 2019. It’s almost the end of January and I still feel like I’m getting ready for the new year. My studio is in flux as we’re waiting for some construction and I broke my (handmade) loom. So, I decided to invest in a frame loom so I can keep doing the work I want to do and keep practicing things I want to get better at (embroidery, painting, drawing) even if it feels funky sometimes and is frustrating.

I finished another plastic bag weaving, but because I broke my loom it came out uneven. I’m excited to get a real loom and start making some larger work.

This past week I met with my Thrive NYC group and we helped each other with our artist CVs. It was really fruitful and I am motivated to update mine even if it is short at the moment.

I also just got accepted into a teaching art residency in NYC!! I am so excited an cannot wait to share more news about that.

Oh, and in minor social media news, I decided to change my personal instagram into an art instagram (@sme.art). I probably won’t be posting for a while, as i want it to be work I am proud of, but I will try and share instagram stories about my process or at least, some snippets.

Consistency

I’m making progress on a new plastic bag weaving. Being consistent in my studio time is helping, a lot. But, of course, this past week ended up being really busy and I didn’t get as much studio time in as I would have liked, but I did get some time in everyday — even if it was only 20 minutes!

Hoping to finish this piece next week before I am out of town for the holidays to visit family. Don’t worry, I already have a list of books and materials to pack to continue my art practice while traveling.

-Stephanie

Getting ready for the holiday chaos

I cannot believe it is already December! I feel like this happens every year, but this year it is particularly surprising.

And it made me realize shit I need to make more money! Before the year is over! Money come to me! I am amazed that I made it through this year and am trending upwards as far as making money and doing what I love goes, but it is still a hustle. And all my presents this year will probably be handmade.

I did my first macramé wall hanging workshop via Airbnb Experiences! I have done many macramé plant hanger workshops, but this was the first time I did a wall hanging one. I had a really cool NYC design prepared, but of course my students wanted to do their own thing. Their projects turned out awesome and I’m really happy with how the workshop went. Looking forward to more!

I also stayed mostly true to my studio hours, though later in the week I started straying and then come Saturday I had absolutely no studio time and I was really mad at myself, but then let it go. Because life happens and you do the best you can.

We went to Queens to visit a new art space that I’ll be doing a workshop at this weekend called Artefix. It’s huge and has some wonderful art in the main gallery. We stayed for a comedy show and had takeout from a nearby Nepalese place. I loved visiting a new neighborhood and glad I got to drag Jeremy along too.

I also went to an info session for a SU-Casa Residency, which I am very excited about. I’ll be working on my application this week. Check it out!

And we make DIY ugly sweaters for holiday party! See photo below.

I’m happy the holidays are coming, but also terrified that being in Arizona with my family for two weeks + will completely ruin my oh-so-carefully-created habits. We’ll see.

How do you keep your schedule when traveling or during crazy holiday time?

-Stephanie

Making A Mess (and then cleaning it up)

(This title has nothing to do with this post, but it could have!)

This past week was pretty busy. I didn’t realize how busy until I looked back at photos I took and was sure the events didn’t all happen last week, but they did.

Oh, and it was Thanksgiving! So, we also had a day trip to Jeremy’s family’s in Maryland on Thursday to eat turkey and fish.

I had some much needed friend time with some of my friends and some of Jeremy’s friends. Almost too much social time! I also hosted two airbnb workshops, block printing and shopping in in the LES. Both were enjoyable as my guests were great and I loved doing the shopping experience for the first time!!!

A student and I made pink for her block printing project

I also had a Google Hangout with a friend and it was fun. Oh, and I had an advisory board meeting geez it was a busy week!!!!

I also finish a prototype for this new NYC Hanging I’ll be teaching in a new airbnb experience in my Dumbo studio. I already booked two students for this upcoming week!

And I found a vision board I made before I decided to move to NYC and start this crazy chapter of my life. I think it’s pretty accurate. I don’t have a ring yet though ;). We’ll be doing a vision board workshop in NYC soon and in DC in January! Sign up for the January vision board workshop in DC here.

I also worked in my store (Eche Verde) for Black Friday. Three people came inside while I was there. It was very depressing. I hate retail.

But I love shopping! I had an awesome first shopping airbnb experience and I’m pretty sure my guest did too. Sadly, I didn’t get any photos of us together. I always feel weird asking.

Oh, and while at the store I prepped a bunch of plastic bags for a new weaving I’ll be working on soon.

And here’s a picture of a pretty bike stand one of Jeremy’s friends’ friends’ had in his apartment. I was a little jealous of their well-designed house, but I’ll get there.

Ok, I gotta go. I’m tired and forcing myself to just write a studio update!

-Stephanie

November Studio Update: Plastic, Knots, and Pushing Forward

It seems like this year has flown by, yet a lot has happened in the recent months and while I still feel like I am very much figuring things out, I see a path forward.

We’ve decided to close/move Eche Verde and have a pop-up up with Abacaxi until 12/9/18. We needed more space and it made the most sense to move into an office space in Brooklyn instead of trying to find a larger storefront or even office space in Lower Manhattan. I was sad about this, as was Jeremy, but hosting a pop-up has given us definite proof that even with great merchandise and an awesome story, it is still very hard to make money off a retail storefront unless you have lots of time and money to promote the store, host lots of events, build your brand, and push major online sales. The numbers just don’t make sense and we basically knew this going in, but we thought three businesses in one space would offset the price and while it kind of did, it just was not worth it for the amount of space we had.

Our new space is amazing. Jeremy will be building out offices for his employees and I’ll continue sharing the space with him for my business Distill Creative and my art studio.

Which brings me to — I’m finally making art again. It’s been frustrating as even without a full time job working for someone else, I still feel like I don’t have enough time for everything, but I am committing to daily studio time along with running my own business. It is hard and I feel like I am moving at a snail’s pace, but someday, somehow I’ll have meaningful artwork.

Plastic bags woven. 19” x 17”.

I’ve recently been using upcycled plastic bags and I am looking forward to doing more weavings in this fashion. Today I made some tassel earrings and will develop a workshop for Distill Creative Chapters.

Cotton cord knotted into words. 30” x 50”.

I’ve also been interested in how to use macramé for more than just a look pretty home decor item. I’m going to do more of these macramé word hangings, with messages.

Airbnb Experience: Macramé Plant Hanger in the new space.

I’ve been doing Creative Morning Field Trips and New York City Airbnb Experiences, which has been fun and the Experiences have helped bring in some money.

A ton of other things have happened since my last post, eek! All you really need to know, though, is that I love living in New York City and figuring out how to grow my business and be an artist.

Ok, I have to go finish up some things and then go to bed. Thanks for reading!

-Stephanie

Eche Verde and Distill Creative updates

I've been working on a new store concept with my partner called Eche Verde. It's a mixed-use retail space that includes offices, retail, and workshop studio. I work out of Eche Verde to run Distill Creative and my boyfriend works out the space to run JPG Legal. We have a shop in front of the space where we sell books, arts and crafts materials, home decor and stationery, and a studio space in the back where I do R&D for Distill Creative and run craft workshops. 

It's been really fun getting the space together, but requires a ton of time and focus (obviously) so I haven't been able to blog much here and from now on I will be focused on blogging at the Distill Creative blog and running Eche Verde's store, instagram, and events. Ahh! All the things! 

So if you are looking for me, that's where I am -- at our shop. Sign up for my mailing list to get updates Distill Creative.