Week 3 in Oaxaca: Natural Dye Class, Mask Painting and Market Meals

This past week went by super fast and it's kind of crazy that tomorrow is Thanksgiving! I'm currently home at my parents' house to have some family time and drink this Very Berry Vodka cocktail I just created for cocktails+craft out of pomegranates and lemons I found outside. But now a little bit about last week . . . 

I started out last week with an intensive Natural Dye class with Taller Teñido a Mano. I learned how to dye with pomegranate shells, brazil wood, indigo, cochineal, and marigold. It was pretty amazing to see how the colors changed when cooked and stewed with wool. You can read a full recap on this workshop on cocktails+craft. 

We finally made it to Boulenc before 1pm and were able to order off their delicious breakfast menu! I love their shakshuka, which is also one of my favorite meals to make at home. 

We also ate at my favorite markets: Pochote and La Cosecha. At both markets you can get a variety of food from different vendors. The prices are super affordable and the food is always amazing. It's fun to get drinks from one vendor, sides from another, a main from another and dessert from yet another vendor. It's the best way to try a little bit of everything and explore new tastes. I especially like it when what I am ordering is somewhat a mystery. My Spanish is getting much better, but I still fail at certain menu items. 

One of my favorite meals was at San Pablo, a (somewhat expensive) restaurant that over looks the plaza behind the Textile Museum. We spent what felt like hours there and it was really pleasant. They have a tasting platter that gives you a little bit of various local cuisines and they have sparkling red wine, which is my favorite. 

Beyond my dye workshop and eating, we worked at the co-working space Convivio and wandered around Oaxaca. We stopped in the Textile Museum, which had an exhibit of embroidery appliqué by the Guna people from Panama called Centaurs in the Tropics: The Imagery of the Molas.

Later in the week I had a studio visit with Adriana of Xhiaruxxa. She's an artisan that focuses on leather work and will be doing a workshop in Oaxaca in the next few weeks using natural dyes! 

hasta luego,

Steadfast Supply is back up at Navy Yard

Last year Steadfast Supply had a 3-month pop-up on the ground floor of the Arris residential building (Forest City). The locally-focused and small-batch shop is now up across the street. 

The team behind the project did a great job with the minimal build out, branding/typographic elements and initial brand selections. Programming yet to be seen/experienced!

Why'd they move?

There's a restaurant going into the original space.  The new space is smaller and creates a less cavernous and cozier environment for items meant for coveting. 

What can I find? 

My favorite local DC brands, and more. Because brands are selling on consignment, you'll probably see a larger variety of brands, items and more up-to-date styles than before.  

Why should I care? 

If you've ever wondered what the future of retail is going to be, this is good test. Can they pay rent that a landlord will be happy with and will these brands make enough sales to keep them coming back? How much foot traffic will this add to an already on-the-map steeet? What will their programming budget look like? In a wary retail environment, very much worth keeping an eye on.

Precedent: Tictail Market, a similar concept from Tictail (Tumblr-esque online shop tool for makers/designers) also started as a pop-up and has survived over a year in their Lower East Side location. 

Prediction: We will be seeing more globally-sourced, small-batch, curated concepts as long as small retail spaces are available or large boxes can be broken down to make such concepts possible. Especially as landlords become desperate and big box retail downsizes or closes shop. Focus will be on brands that also make sales online, which means spaces that can also accommodate for some back-of-the house storage might also fare well. Winners will include food/beverage concepts and irresistible programming. Already brands like H&M are testing this model just to stay alive and relevant. 

VISIT 

Steadfast Supply

300 Tingey Street #104 SE, Washington DC

W-Su 12-6 through December

What I learned doing the #100dayproject

For the past hundred days I've been sketching a dress a day as part of the #100dayproject. It was not as hard as I thought it would be, but it was frustrating, inspiring, overwhelming and liberating. I can't really remember the last time I committed to something like this for such a long time. I learned a lot through the process like...

1) IT'S OK TO SUCK

Tan, braids, first day. #100daysofdresses #100dayproject #illustration #practice

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on Apr 4, 2015 at 9:26am PDT

This was my first sketch on the first day of this project. Isn't it awful? I've never been good at sketching and much prefer draping fabric on a dress form when I'm working on a garment. This project was a way for me to face my fear and dive in. 

#100dayproject #100daysofdresses

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on Apr 14, 2015 at 4:29am PDT

2) JUST KEEP GOING

I hated most everything I sketched in the beginning, but I kept going and little by little they got better. On days that I was particularly tired or traveling I tried even harder to keep it up because I knew once I skipped I would just keep skipping it (you know, like when you stop going to the gym for a week and all the sudden it's been three weeks). I learned the power of doing something daily and I really enjoyed the ritual of it. When I was home, I would make coffee and then work on a sketch before I got dressed for work. When I was traveling, I would try out new surfaces, like a coffee cup or a napkin. I found I much prefer to work in the morning in my home studio, but that I could make do in other environments if I had to. 

A few years ago I took a fashion illustration class at the Community College in San Francisco. The class was excellent and my teacher was always pushing me to practice more and take more time. I found that by doing this project - not only did I practice more, but the more I did it, the more I enjoyed it and would effectively take more time on my sketches. While I'm still not an amazing fashion illustrator, I at least feel confident sketching out an idea and now enjoy the process. 

DC represent. #100daysofdresses #100dayproject #aCreativeDC

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on Apr 10, 2015 at 10:44am PDT

3) YOU NEVER KNOW HOW OR WHO YOU INSPIRE

One of the coolest parts of this project was the reception I got from friends and strangers. A co-worker actually asked me what I was doing and I was thrilled to share the project with her and invite her to join in. Since I was sharing the daily pieces on instagram, I was able to see what people liked in real time and get feedback.

I am definitely wary of being preoccupied with social media activity in lieu of enjoying face-to-face interaction, yet I felt like using my instagram account to share this project was a really healthy way to share a part of myself with my network and, hopefully, inspire others to be creative and try new things. I think we all have the capacity to create, and I hope in putting myself out there and doing something I was pretty bad at initially inspired others to do the same! 

Just landed at BWI (why?!) and had a chance to do day #51 on the airplane. I had a really early flight which made me want to dose of the entire ways I'm glad this came out of my sleepy trip. Inspired by clouds and blues. #100daysproject #100daysdresssketches #acreativedc #watercolor #artpractice

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on May 25, 2015 at 2:08pm PDT

Inspired by Grayson Perry's #Lamentation. #100daysdresssketches #100daysproject #acreativedc #fashion #illustration #sketch

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on Jun 22, 2015 at 5:39am PDT

I'm still finessing my workout/art/work/cook schedule. 3 out of 4 is a good day. #sweetpotatocorncakes #100daysofdresssketches #81-83 #sketches #100daysdresssketches

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on Jul 15, 2015 at 4:51pm PDT

Cowboy grapevines. #100daysdresssketches #100daysproject #acreativedc

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on May 16, 2015 at 8:01am PDT

Slouchy day. #100daysdresssketches #100daysproject #acreativedc

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on May 28, 2015 at 4:49am PDT

A photo posted by Stephanie Echeveste (@etxeco) on Jun 17, 2015 at 6:11am PDT

NYC Meetup at FiftyThree with The Great Discontent via The Great Discontent

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY IN NY 

I happened to be in New York during the celebration meet-up and got to meet Elle Luna and other participants in the project. It was really amazing to meet so many other creators and view their projects. I was so impressed by the body of work we collectively created! The event was hosted by FiftyThree and The Great Discontent with a special guest from the leader of the project, artist Elle Luna. 

It was really funny to hear how similar our experiences were - we all had a hard time facing our work in the beginning, had some lulls, felt like failures at one point or another, got behind and then would feel a push to keep going. Some people hadn't actually finished, some people hadn't even started, but everyone was inspired and willing to try. 

I'm super thankful I could be a part of the celebration! I wish there was one in DC...(if you are local - let's plan a meet-up!). I now want to do another 100 days - what should I do next?

Spotted in SOHO: colorful mochilas

I was walking to brunch in SOHO with my sister and cousin and spotted these beautiful hand woven bags. We were really hot so I just grabbed a card and we rushed off to air conditioning. 

These bags are by a company called Weavers of the World and each bag, called a mochila (it means backpack in Spanish), is hand woven by the Wayuu Women in La Guajira, Columbia. Each mochila takes three weeks to make. 

I love these bags so much! They each have a really tasteful color scheme that is both minimal and fun. Check out their full selection of colorful mochilas next time you are looking for a fun bag or backpack. 

View fullsize

Creative Crush: Undone Chocolate

I've been meaning to post this for a while! Things have been busy with my new job and summer travel. Life. 

This post is a Q+A with Adam Kavalier of Undone Chocolate. Adam and his wife Kristen create handcrafted small batch bean-to-bar chocolate right here in the District. 

I discovered Undone last winter at a pop-up shop near Navy Yard. It was cold and this chocolate warmed me up! I all love their flavors (Nourish, Replenish, Arouse), but Arouse is my favorite. Undone chocolates make excellent locally-made gifts. 

We make handcrafted small batch bean to bar chocolate from antioxidant rich organic cocoa beans sourced directly from small producers. - Adam Kavalier of Undone Chocolate

When did you first discover chocolate making and why did you decide to pursue it as a career?

I stumbled across cacao while pursuing a doctorate in plant biology. I was intrigued by the chemical makeup of cacao and the process by which it becomes chocolate. Over the next six years I developed my craft in a Manhattan studio apartment, building small machines or repurposing others to fit my small batch process (not many machines are made to produce at the small level that I began at). I continued to make small batch chocolate alongside my research and studied cocoa beans for their chemical makeup. I sought out beans that had a story and were particularly rich in antioxidants. I played with different ways of making chocolate, including a number of roasting and grinding profiles to make chocolate that was high in antioxidant levels while aiming to not sacrifice flavor. Over time I fell in love with the different flavors of cacao

How do you combine science and art to make delicious chocolate?

I began making chocolate from a very analytical angle. Measuring, timing, and calculating. I tried to make chocolate making fit into a box and over time realized that it doesn't fit into a confined space. I fell in love with the flavors of cacao and making chocolate became more intuitive than calculated. While I began very process oriented, as the chocolate making is very process oriented, I shifted to a more creative perspective allowing for parameters to change according the needs of the situation.

What do you do to overcome a creative block?

Switch tasks, sometimes meditation and yoga.

How do you define creativity?

Creativity is the ability to use feeling and intuition to drive your actions and decisions. It is inherently a product of one's unique perspective.

What's one thing you have to do everyday?

So many things! Manage operations, customer relations, sales, packaging, shipping, finance, accounting, most all of these happen every day.

What one piece of advice would you give to a chocolatier just starting out?

Double your financial budget and triple your projections on the amount of time you think things will take.

Adam and Kristen Kavalier

Any tips for working with a spouse on a creative business?

For us it has been magical, working on a creative business together has allowed us to explore unique parts of ourselves and each other and has expanded our relationship in a whole new way.

Find a market that sells Undone Chocolate nearest you (I go to Smucker Farms on 14th and W) or purchase some chocolate online now! 

Special thanks to Adam for letting me do this Q+A! I learned a ton from this piece and am really excited to see Undone growing in the short time that I've known about them! 

monoprints

I recently did some hand-pressed monoprints at a workshop at Artspace DC. I'm used to working on a press, but it was pretty fun to use the baren to hand press. I printed these on rice paper using the stem of some grapes, a piece of brush and black ink.