Pretending to Fly Away on Paper Airplanes

I'd love to be with my family on a city exploration vacation this week. I've been craving another summer time road trip to an unfamiliar place. One where we can collect those illustrated post cards with the name of the state in bold, interesting type across the front!

Rather than continuing to dream of one, I decided to channel that restless energy into a paper airplane garland to add some whimsy and fun to our dining room space.

I kept the leftovers out from a drawing party that Sebastian and his new friend, Hope, had last night while her mom, Katie, and I discussed our late night crafting habits and what not.

The string has been up since Sebastian's birthday party because I love the idea of a changing garland in this space that reflects each season/occasion. I folded paper airplanes while Ruby explored the underbellies of the new chairs.

Unfortunately, she's at the same sitting height as the uncomfortably hard lip of the seat.

So, while we wish for Brett to come home and take us on an adventure up Route 66, we'll enjoy our travel themed garland and color our own post cards.

Where do you wish you were today?

xoxo,
Rachel

Invitations Are Out

We're having a small little party so it didn't take long to make these invitations. I just cut out some card stock, added graph paper with double-sided tape, layered washi tape, added my information, and addressed and stamped the backs. Post cards!

I got the inspiration from a shower my friend, Ashley, threw for her sister recently. I was able to use things I had on hand and manage to use the color scheme for Sebastian's truck party instead of something overly themed. And since Sebastian can't read I'll share with you that we ordered what we thought was an adult's fist-sized back hoe to match the little dump truck and bulldozer that my grandmother bought him on our Florida vacation. It's hard to translate scale ratios and there wasn't anything to compare it to in the pictures so we didn't realize we had actually ordered something about five times larger. Sebastian is going to be one happy little boy when he opens a back hoe the size of his little sister.

Happy weekend.
xoxo,
Rachel

Interview with Esther Ramirez of Essimar

Esther Ramirez of Essimar has long been one of my favorite mixed media artists and I'm thrilled to be able to share an interview with her here. Her use of color, pattern, negative space, free forms, and lines always inspires me and I appreciate her strong style and playful use of paper. She's bound to thrill if you're not already following her work.

1. How do you describe the style of your work?

Most of my work is made by printmaking, hand cutting, and collage with assembly. Every so often, I like to go outdoors and photograph my work in a living environment, outside of where it was created, or to later be part of an installation. Color is supreme in my work; it is the only constant. Other than that, I like to work outside of a given format. My pieces no matter the medium should tell as simple story through color and pattern--they cannot be explained outside of these elements, because who can explicate, without being boring or pretentious, color or pattern?


2. What is the process you go through from the conception to the execution of an idea? Do you sketch it out first, do measurements, or just go for it?

My process begins with a visual sketch, you can find notes of these little sketches in my pockets daily. Then the sketches are all gathered on my concept wall where I end up choosing a pattern for the day. Most of my work is a small scale schematic of a final larger piece in the works. I push myself to make a piece of work everyday--it could take an hour or all day; I'll even try to create on my lunch-breaks. There is no excuse to not limit your potential creative impulses. Mine are color.

3. Who has influenced your work, or who are you most inspired by?

Bakers. I find a true inspiration from bakeries not just because I have a sweet tooth but because of the daily process. Every morning bakers make fresh batches of bread, cookies, cupcakes... etc for their loyal customers and these little handmade assembled pieces are expected to be fresh and visually appetizing everyday. Repetition and process makes the recipe or the hand better, that is why all of my pieces are really handmade. I make all original pieces because I believe that it strengthens my process and I'm delivering a piece of original art.

7. Describe an average day.

Wake up at 6, work on orders, get ready for work, leave at 8am, get to work by 9, get home after work around and after 6. Work and read until 10 or midnight. Bed and do it all over again, about five times a week. On my days off (Mondays and Tuesdays), I work on everything Essimar Papel about 10-16 hours.


8. Biggest challenge to date?

Working a full-time job, being in school and growing Essimar Papel.


9. Most exciting moment to date?

I love having breakfast in the mornings with my boyfriend. Walking to Intelligentsia before and after work. Going out dancing once in a while. Catching the Metra and visiting my parents in the suburbs. Riding the CTA observing rooftops and graffiti. Finding color paper. Riding my bike again to work from Hyde Park to the city.

About a month ago, a very big art store in Chicago closed their doors and had an assortment of the most high quality of printing papers at ridiculous 90% markdowns. My boyfriend kindly helped me cart everything back to the car and now I have fine printing paper from all vendors for the next ten years.


10. Where would you like your work to take you?

Eventually I would like my work simultaneously sold in Target and Marimekko.


Thank you, Esther, for sharing a peek into your life and work and for motivating all of us to make beautiful, meaningful things! Search through more of Esther's work in her Flickr feed and see what she's up to on her blog.

xoxo,
Rachel