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An Extended Art Community

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Do you have a tribe?

Throughout my experiences in my adult life (so far), I belonged to many tribes when I started my career. As I get older, some tribes have faded and I'm glad for it because I think it spread my relationships way too thin. After pivoting my career early on (you can read a little bit about it in this blog post), I began to identify myself into two tribes: UX/Service Design and Letterpress/Art Makers. These are broad categories and there are sub-tribes beneath these trees but the point is that I found them and I am never letting go. 

If you don't have a tribe that you identify with, I encourage you to seek one out. Community is the only way to collectively survive as humans and I am ever so thankful for mine.

Before coming out to Denmark, I did some research into these communities that exist in Copenhagen and found a letterpress artist named Megan Adie whose work I found really interesting. I wanted to meet her so I reached out. Unfortunately, she was at a printmaking residency in Basel (such a good excuse to not be available!) but she was kind enough to invite me to her collaborative space where, in concept, it was just like Spudnik Press where I currently teach letterpress. I respect Spudnik's business model very much so I was even more excited and determined to pay a visit.

Having spent a few days to myself, I was eager to meet some people so I headed over to Alhambra & Sons and felt those jittery feelings you get when you're going to a dinner party where you don't know most of the guests.

The result from these kinds of events can be:
1) Meh. The food was good but I'll probably never see those people again; or
2) I can't believe it took so long to meet these people. Where have they been all my life?! 

So which one was it? 2!! It was 2!!!! 

From left to right: Julie, Hanne, and Fie

These lovely ladies welcomed me in, fed me lunch in the truest Danish fashion, and we chatted about all things art, culture, politics, you name it. I find it cognitively fascinating that those who choose to take part in certain mediums tend to show interest in similar topics of conversation and values. I could feel the passion of these women as they talked about the current state of Danish politics and I could see the love they had for their craft as they allowed me to watch them work. 

Fie + Julie @ Kit Couture

Fie and Julie work for Kit Couture which is a new company that offers wonderful knitting kits for those who love to knit. I, myself, could never actually figure out the patience for knitting but I know a dear friend who does so I purchased a set of needles for her. The concept of the company is brilliant and very well branded. They haven't shipped out to the US yet but I brought some cards along to hopefully spark some orders. 
 

Hanne Zachariassen @ Miss Asphalt

Hanne is a fashion designer who runs Miss Asphalt where she creates clothes from found fabrics and does a lot of experimenting with her patterns. She also runs workshops for those who want to learn how to sew and you can feel her passion oozing through her stitches. 

I had a great time here and I definitely will not forget these girls. I'm going to visit again before I leave to say my goodbyes but I'm so happy to say that they are an extended art community for me here in Copenhagen. Another piece of home.

More Visual TREATS:

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Loneliness

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When my friend left after a week, I moved into another AirBnB to start my two week stay as a lone traveler. It's amazing what happens when you are confronted with being alone. 

I am an extreme introvert who has somehow learned to survive in an extrovert world (some say to a point where I seem extroverted) so I was a bit excited for it but also terrified. Being alone in your apartment and an environment in which you know is easy but being abroad in someone else's space was intriguingly something else. 

I remembered this clip from Louis C.K. (who I adore for a multitude of reasons) and I feel as though he described so perfectly what happens when you let yourself feel that moment of being completely alone and allowing sadness to come and engulf you. Watch it and make sure you get to 3:30.

And then it happened.

I felt grounded, human, and more real when it hit. It was as though I got myself back after the years of being drowned in so many things, conversations, activities, deadlines, etc. - all of which I love and treasure but this was leaps and bounds better than Shavasana.

So, yes. It's lonely. But, oh so good.

Here is a photo of my take away food from Letz Sushi (their photography is a visual feast in and of its own). The take-out packaging was impressive - I think particularly because of the bag which was reminiscent of shopping bags. Imagine if all of our take-out or delivery was thoughtfully packaged. I think our dining experiences in these contexts would be more pleasant and enjoyable, no?

Service Experience Notes: Taking food to go or getting food delivered doesn't need to feel like such a 'eat to live' experience. If restaurants took the time to make the act of taking away food an extension of their business, my gut says that they would have more loyal customers. At the end of the day, the food needs to be great - remember, content is king, but this could be another example of where form could follow function.

It was delicious. But not better than LA :)

 

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Møns Klint

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Nature and I saw more of each other while I was growing up in California. My father used to wake me up at 5:30am on Saturday mornings to go hiking and I protested every single time. A dose of cartoons with a little brother was obviously more important than exploring nature when you're 11 years old but each week, my dad won the argument and I would sleep walk through a forest/canyon chosen for that particular day.

As an adult, all I want to do is be surrounded by nature. Being part of a field that deals with digital technology, I crave the outdoors to a point where I question whether or not city-life is the right choice for me. 

White chalk cliffs in the Møns Klint region.

Møns Klint is a region in South Zealand that is about 2 hours from Copenhagen's city center and to say that it is breathtaking is an understatement. My friend and I decided that this place was a must for us while planning our adventuring in Denmark so we rented a car, packed up our tent, and brought our hiking treats.

We camped at a spot that is well known for their facilities - The Møns Klint Resort. If you've been to as many camping grounds as I have, you know when something is special and The Møns Klint Resort is really special. The people are friendly, the facilities are incredibly clean, and you can tell everyone there wants to be there.

Upon arriving we were given an array of pamphlets, one of which was the most helpful. This particular pamphlet gave us insights into the special species of animals, plants, and insects that you could discover only in the Møns Klint region.

One of the most magical insects that can be found in this region is the Black-Spotted Blue Butterfly and it's story is beautiful. 

This butterfly is extremely fastidious about its choice of habitat, and is therefore extinct in the rest of Denmark. The female deposits its eggs on herbs; either thyme or marjoram. The eggs hatch and the caterpillar feeds off the plant’s small buds for the first few weeks. The caterpillar subsequently falls to the ground. Here it lies in wait for a red ant to find it. The caterpillar releases a scent to lure the ants to take it to the anthill. Here the caterpillar is left alone because it releases a sugary juice from the hind part of its body. It sucks up the ants in the same way as it does with green-flies. The caterpillar will live in the anthill through the remainder of the summer, autumn, winter and spring, getting fat on the ants and the ants’ own caterpillars. In the end, it will pass into the chrysalis stage and crawl out of the anthill in July as an adult butterfly. It now has just a very short time to swarm, mate, deposit its eggs and die before life goes on to the next generation.
- Excerpt from the pamphlet (link provided above)

The cliffs shown above are just a short hike away from the camping grounds but it is easy to navigate and the journey there is gorgeous. 

To get to the cliffs, there are a trail of stairs you have to walk through but it is all worth it in the end. Walking up the stairs gives you good exercise but just be prepared for it because it is VERY long. Your calves may suffer but your eyes will tell them it's nothing compared to the reward.

Sometimes life can seem like a movie.

When I was almost at the end of one set of stairs, I was exhausted and kind of jaded. It's amazing how easy we as humans are able to complain about things even when surrounded by all kinds of beauty and loveliness. I was humbled when I came upon a father and daughter sitting at the bottom of the stairs who were sharing a special moment. With a trumpet in hand, he was giving his daughter the gift of music as she listened with a curious spirit. 

UX notes: When users have a long journey that they must embark on, having surprise rewards will refuel the internal energy to keep going.

If you're into animals, you will love this story. 

I was coming back from a hike and I heard a "Bahhh." I turned to see where this sound was coming from and not too far away was the blackest sheep I had ever seen who was beckoning to be heard. I stopped and said hello and he came right up to me. I took in the moment and kept saying hello and also noticed the rest of the herd in the distance who were timid and did not approach me. I pet him, fed him, had a little chat with him, and then we bid adieu. 

This moment will stay with me for the rest of my life. I believe that nature romances us at times when we most need it and I really needed this. When walking away, I thought, "Maybe it was because I was wearing all black too. Or, maybe some kind of energy whirled around us in that moment." I didn't need an answer because this was one of the most magical moments I had experienced during this trip. 

Nature rules.

More Visual TREATS:

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Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

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Insight: Having no responsibility to answer to someone for at least 8 hours a day allows you to calibrate your compass to rediscover your truth north. 

I love art, design, and architecture. The letter I received from myself, sent by my high school english teacher 5 years after my senior year, told me that if I didn't have these things in my life, I needed to do something about it. It was this letter that led me to attend art school for my graduate studies and commit to a journey filled with perspective, discipline, conceptual thought, and craftsmanship. 

Throughout the years, I must admit that I became jaded with the endless politics and ladder climbing of the art world. The superficiality and unfiltered representation/celebration of presented work at various shows that was questionable at times created a spiraling negative lens of which I chose to respond with rejection and retraction. I lost my desire to see the treasures that exist in the pursuance of creating something with an idea/conversation in mind and for this realization, I have to thank The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.

From its location and architecture build, this museum is a beautiful Mecca of carefully curated work that has a vast amount of people from all over the world traveling to experience its environment and all that it contains. I noticed the colorful array of people who I entered the museum with and I had the strangest feeling that I was at home. 'Home' is a word which its definition has constantly been morphing throughout my life - I still can't tell you what it fully means to me but I can tell you that it is the word I want to use to describe that moment.

During my graduate studies, one of the things that I had the chance to do was take a trip to New York with some professors in our painting department. It was winter and there were many galleries and museums planned for the trip but the most memorable space scheduled was the Dia:Beacon. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (LMMA) is not too different from how the Dia:Beacon is constructed. Here are the reasons why:

1. They both take a considerable amount of time and planning to visit

It is not an easy task to show up at both of these museums. What I mean by that is that it's not some place where you can pop in for an hour or two and then go shopping at H&M down the street when you feel you've had enough art for the day. There is a particular place and purpose for these kinds of museums as well but both Dia:Beacon and LMMA do not fall into that category. 

Why is this important?
By situating a place where the commute is specific and at least 40 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of a city does a few things. It prepares your mind and body for what you are about to encounter. There is something beautifully quiet about riding a train outside of a city and walking towards a space where you are about to be in close proximity to thoughtful work. By constructing a journey such as this, work that is going to be shown does not need to compete with other things that are vying for your attention. It forces you to be dedicated. To listen. To watch. To have a conversation with and about what is being shown. To be successful in what most art work is trying to nudge you to do: self-reflect on the subject matter at hand.

UX notes: By constructing an experience that is not as easily spoon-fed to someone, there is activity and intentionality to finding the goal you have to offer. Through this activity, there is already a sense of community in those who achieve this goal. In addition, during the research process, there is more information offered and time to be prepared with online content of what you are about to be rewarded with.

 

2. Distinct architecture defines your experience

My thesis dealt with a lot of architecture comments - mostly around the fact that you can design your workspace to achieve the goals you would like in your organization. I am not an architect but I am an interaction designer, and it is important to note that while interacting with things both digital and physical, your environment sets the tone and determines the potential of your experience.

Why is this important?
Your physical body is something that we aren't normally in tune with while we are experiencing something. Of course, when you are visiting a monument or sculptures that comment on your actual human size, you are aware of how you feel in that given moment but what I am eluding to are how our bodies subconsciously move about a space and what it prepares for while exploring content. 

While Dia:Beacon gives you its entire landscape so that you can prepare your entire visit, LMMA does something quite different. It suggests a hint of what you are about to experience, almost like a secret passageway, and takes you on a journey. I have to admit, I was a exhausted after the first few exhibitions because I was not prepared for how vastly large this space was but while putting into perspective the secrets that LMMA was trying to uncover based on its landscape, it was enjoyable in its intense exploration.

UX notes: There is a balance between how much you prepare a user for and how many secrets you can expose throughout someone's journey. It is important to use different methods to prepare someone for how much of a journey they will embark on and design it in a way that it does not exhaust the human from quitting altogether. 

 

3. The work is phenomenal and relevant

I commented earlier on the fact that I was tired of the art world showing things that were questionable at times. This is where curators shine. Just like any industry, an expert's responsibility is to know what currently exists, how the current culture defines what is relevant right now and projects the future to be, and what work has been crafted to communicate and comment seamlessly to both history and the current state of time. LMMA did not disappoint when it came to the work it chose to show and the exhibitions it created for visitors during the month of July 2015. 

Why is this important?
I believe that the art world's responsibility is not only to show relevant work that drives people to consider what it is happening in their current world but to also push into the future of where a certain medium can go. Without the knowledge of historical work done in a particular medium, there is the dangerous ability to create something that has already been done which could potentially be deemed as irrelevant. Celebrating work that has created an impact on industry mediums is a wonderful thing - and LMMA does just that.

UX notes: Just like painters, printers, sculptors, etc. do their homework in art history so that they can create something that comments on past artists while pushing the boundaries of their mediums, experience creators must do the same. Benchmarking off of other sites, apps, services, etc. is one of the best ways to push the UX industry into the future. Additionally, without a doubt, content is king in all contexts.

More Visual TREATS:


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Traveling to København

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Photo Credit: Ping Yi Wang

Photo Credit: Ping Yi Wang

I thought it was important to go somewhere I didn't know too well during a sabbatical but to also stay away from over extending myself during this important time I have. Traveling can be exhausting so I committed to stay put even though it was very tempting to plan trips to Paris, Berlin, Prague, and the list goes on. 

For me, I planned to go to Copenhagen, Denmark. I chose Copenhagen because I had been there with a friend of mine for a few days before a graduate school trip and I absolutely fell in love with it. Besides being a design Mecca, there was something about that city that initially attracted me. The vibe, bikes, design, fashion, and so much more. 

So I flew. And landed safely. (I've recently acquired a fear of flights so I was happy the flight was successful.) 

My friend Ping from New York came with me and she planned to adventure around with me for the first week. Here is an accidental photo while we were trying to take a selfie.

My immediate experience after landing:

Being in the User Experience + Service Design industry, I want to share my first experience I had when landing in Denmark. 

A Simple Feedback Kiosk

I had to purchase a train ticket to get into the city and after doing so, I was met with a feedback engine. Very simple and direct but it enticed me to give my opinion which is very good in the UX world.

The person who helped me purchase my train ticket was kind enough to tell me exactly how to get to the particular train I needed to go to and was pleasant to converse with during my transaction.

I pushed the green happy face to the far left. 

Good start to the trip. 

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I Cleaned. Everything.

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A friend of mine came over to my apartment around March and asked me how I keep my apartment from being bombarded with stuff. A really nice compliment because in the back of my mind I'm always thinking, "Why do I have so much stuff? Am I secretly a hoarder?"

Every season I do a clean out of things in my apartment. Most of the time, this activity deals with the cleansing and refreshing of: clothes, refrigerated goods, pantry items, and the most accessible storage closet I have. What this means is that I have a storage closet that is massively piled with "just in case" goods, bookcases I have not reorganized, technology items that have been shoved into boxes, and so much more. I figured that if I wanted to recharge my batteries and situate myself in a space that felt new and refreshed, I needed to cleanse my physical space of habitation.

So I cleaned. Everything.

It wasn't the seasonal type of cleaning. It was a wipe out of everything in my apartment. It took me 3 days to go through everything from room to room and throughout the activity I was met with many thoughts. 
 

"Why do I still have this?"
"Will I need this in the future?"
"I wonder if they make these anymore."
"How can I go about changing my activity around this?"
... and so much more.


When it was all said and done (which really means I decided that a first round was successful) I slept even better that night. However, there will be a round 2.

I heard about a book called "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo and I plan on reading it while in Copenhagen. We'll see what happens.

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I Could Sleep. I Could Wake.

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I slept soundly.

I woke up at 7:30am, without an alarm, and I was happy to get out of bed. 

Good sign. 

One of the things I struggled a lot with during the last 6 months of my job was the inability to sleep at night and the dreaded morning alarm that rang right when I felt like I had just fallen asleep. 

I am a person who loves to work. I put a lot of time and energy into my craft of producing experiences in whatever medium I am met with. 

I know this about myself. I love my line of work. I enjoy designing and creating. I do it sometimes until I literally have to force myself to sleep if I am really enjoying the particular subject matter or project. For someone like me to have no motivation in the morning to get to work, something needed to be done and I know I made the right choice. It was a glaring red flag that I could not avoid staring at every day.

Part of me worried that my sleeping patterns would get worse due to new anxieties that were entering my life, but what I realized is that there are good anxieties and bad anxieties - and these new anxieties were extensions of taking a leap of faith. 

I'm happy to get my sleep back.

What Is A Sabbatical?

I first heard of the word sabbatical in practice when I was at the Hamilton Wood Type Museum in Two Rivers, WI from a guy named Robert Zolna. He stated that his time period was 1 full year. Since he was in the same field of work that I am in, it sparked my interest and as I began to talk to him about his current commitment, I was even more intrigued at the state of peace he was in and how much he was enjoying his decision.

It made me think.
 

What exactly was he doing on a daily basis?
What was his goal? 
Was he lonely?
What made him take the step to do so?


So I looked it up. Being a book nerd, I naturally went to the dictionary first and this is what I found:

sab·bat·i·cal

səˈbadək(ə)l/
noun
1.  a leave often with pay granted to a college teacher for study or travel, traditionally every seventh year.
2. a period of time during which someone does not work at his or her regular job and is able to rest, travel, do research, etc.
3. a break or change from a normal routine (as of employment)

adjective
1. of or relating to a sabbatical.
2. (archaic) of or appropriate to the sabbath.

 

Three things I gathered from this definition were: 

1) Every seven years of work
Reflecting back on my work life, I began to count and the years and it amounted to 7. Check. 

2) A break/change that can involve rest, travel, research, etc.
Good place to start thinking of structure and goals. I know I need to rest, I love to travel, and I'm always researching no matter what I'm doing. Perhaps more definitive structure will benefit non-structured time schedules. Ok, got it.

3) Related to the word 'sabbath'
I grew up in a very Jewish town and knowledge of religious meanings were prevalent. I know what keeping the sabbath is from a biblical perspective: A day of rest. A period of time to absorb solely for yourself to reflect on your surroundings. The folks in my town would lay back, attend a synagogue when the sun went down, and really take in the purpose of the day. So I concluded that what I needed to do was do nothing but rest and reflect with purpose. Check.

So then the question became, how long? To take a break for a year was probably not the best for me in my particular situation so I decided that 2-3 months would be a good time period and that I could gage from there whether or not I needed more time.  

But what goals would I be pursuing? 

I know that I love my industry and the mediums I have chosen for my art work so I decided that my goals would be the following:
1) What subject matter in UX/Service Design would I want to tackle next?
2) What project would inspire me to push my letterpress art further?

Through the next few months, I hope that I will be able to find the answers to these questions.

Why I Decided to Take a Sabbatical

Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina.

I told somebody a few weeks ago that I was going to take a mini-sabbatical. 
 

He replied, "Aren't you too young to do that?" 


The question made me uncomfortable. Within those few seconds before I had an answer, I went through every single emotion I felt during the last 6 months while coming to this decision for myself. 

My thoughts were: Was I overstepping my sense of importance in the working world? Did I deserve to go on a sabbatical? I think I'm a hard worker... I'm pretty sure I am a hard worker. What exactly does the word 'sabbatical' even mean? What are you supposed to do during that time? I suppose I am still young... but do I have to be in my forties for this to be socially acceptable? What if I am deemed lazy when I return? Will I be relevant when I return? Is this right? Is this good? 
 

I took a breath, looked at him and said, "No. I'm not too young. You see, the way I work is very different from others - I put a lot of myself into my work and have done so for the past 7 years. I need to do this for myself right now, otherwise, I will lose who I am and will no longer be able to contribute to the world in the way I would like to for the future." 


So I did it.

It's my first time but I'm going to try to articulate the thoughts I have throughout this period. Brace yourselves - I have no idea what will happen.