Mindful Matter
Q&A with Victoria Ng
This month’s art is by Berlin, Germany based illustrator, Victoria Ng. She loves tackling challenges that can have a positive impact on people’s lives. With her bold and playful designs, Victoria aims to invite people into her personal world and make space for others to reflect and be seen. She says her Integrity art "is about realizing that when we free ourselves from being defined, we open ourselves up to a field of endless potentials. A sentence 'I am' with no endings. A story only left to one's imagination." For a little more about Victoria, here's a short Q&A. Where is home for you? Home is my mind. Home is coming back to my mind after a day worth of noise. Sitting in silence surrounded by nature - I feel most at peace. And strangely, it's my little safe haven. What is your definition of a successful life? My definition of success is to have fun. To be able to find joy and opportunities to play even on the rainiest days. I truly feel like we have this choice in life. We can’t choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond to it and the meaning we give it. I really believe in that and because of that I actually feel like I'm already living a successful life…I don't think there is anything or anywhere I would rather be than this moment I am in right now. Describe your perfect day. Hmm... A perfect day is to never have two days the same? Haha! It’s hard for me to describe because I love to do so many things. This is why I get bored really easily. Some things I do almost everyday are waking up around 5:30am and spending my entire morning reading, writing, reflecting, meditating and just listening to calm music. This is quite important for me because I'm naturally an anxious person with high energy and so a calm morning helps me ease into my day. I love being in nature near the water, on the mountains or up in the clouds. I find being surrounded by nature helps me organize my thoughts and clear my mind. It reminds me that what we need already exists and all the fears and doubts we carry don't actually matter. How did you get into design? Ahh this is a tricky question! I feel like design/art found me and I’m forever grateful for it. Without my ability to imagine and create, I don’t know if I would manage to push through all the challenges life has thrown at me. Growing up, it has always been my form of escape, but also my way of showing appreciation to my loved ones such as making celebratory cards. When I was younger I wanted to become a psychologist but because reading and writing wasn’t my strong-suit, I thought advertisement could be a way in: a sweet combination of understanding human behavior and design. However, I quickly realized I didn’t enjoy designing to sell and manipulate but instead wanted to design to improve people’s lives. This was really important to me as a designer. And so, product design fit like a glove. Where do you find inspiration? Like most other creatives, I get my inspiration from traveling, being in nature and learning new topics. But one thing I love doing is daydreaming. Walking aimlessly in new cities, no destination and purposely getting lost. I find when I disengage from the present world it allows my mind to wander, imagining and exploring the possibilities. So, a lot of my ideas come from the shower, long train rides and very often the most inconvenient times, haha! What's your dream design project? Oh wow! There are so many design projects I want to be part of… I would love to start my own wellness stationery business. I want to build a community around mental health and help as many young adolescents as I possibly can. I would love to paint a mural showcasing the importance of mental wellness and I want to use my creativity and skills to work with brands that are constantly striving to make the world a better place. More so recently, I have been considering going back to university to study and become an art therapist. For me, my dream is to help as many people as I possibly can, even if it means just showing up for them and holding space for them to feel seen. Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you? Thinkers: Brene Brown, Bell Hooks, Eckhart Tolle, Maya Angelou, Simone Beauvoir Artists/Designers: Barbara Kruger, Jenny Holzer, Shantell Martin, Jessica Walsh, Mr. Doodle, Wes Anderson, Adam J. KurtzFrom a very young age, my role model has always been Mother Teresa. What was the inspiration behind this design? As early as I can remember, my sense of identity was lost. I didn't know who I was and felt like a walking failure. I wasn’t good enough and craved to be more or to be someone else. It wasn’t until I read the book ‘A New Earth’ by Eckhart Tolle that I came across the two words ‘I Am’. The significance behind these two basic words brings more wisdom than any education one is fortunate to have. I was so surprised and the book inspired the words in this design. In what ways does the theme of integrity play out in your life? Listening to my heart. Deeply listening to my heart and asking myself: Does this align with my principle? Am I living up to my own standards and values? Is it a hell yes? If it's not, then it's a no. At the moment, what is your favorite… Color: African Violet, Olive Green, Watermelon Pink, Golden Yellow Food: Acai Bowl Song: The Power Is Here Now - Alexia Chellun
Q&A with Luis Patiño Cantellano
This month’s art is by Idaho based illustrator, Luis Patiño Cantellano. He is fond of plants and designing colorful, playful characters. Luis is at his best when he's among the mountains and surrounded by cedar love. He says, "Whenever I see a lonely plant sprouting in a damaged environment, I see it as a sign of hope and recovery. I like to think of it like the idiom, ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.'" For a little more about Luis, here's a short Q&A. Where is home for you? I currently live in Nampa, Idaho What is your definition of a successful life? My definition of a successful life is doing something I enjoy doing every day without it ever feeling like work. Describe your perfect day. A perfect day for me is a good hike in the mountains on a sunny day and surrounded by nature's beauty. How did you get into design? My design journey started when I was just a kid in elementary school. I liked to draw plants on my homework, desk, and other variou surfaces. A few years ago, I realized I always had a strong connection with plants, hence my username “Niño Plant” Plant Boy. . Where do you find inspiration? Lately, my inspiration has been random objects I see inside or outside the house and confining them in tight spaces, but plants are always a source of my inspiration. What's your dream design project? My dream project is to one day paint a big mural in a city that shows my love for plants. Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you? A designer that inspired me a lot and still does is Sha'an d’Anthes, known as Furrylittlepeach. Her use of color motivated me to explore and experiment with color like never before. Before, it was always grayscale with graphite for me, but when I found her page, it opened a door for me, and I quickly grew out of my comfort zone and turned a new leaf with my work. What was the inspiration behind this design? My inspiration behind this design is about how strong a plant can be even through the toughest environments. Being able to recover and adapt to new challenges shows how resilient someone or something can be. In what ways does the theme of resilience play out in your life? Resilience has played out in my life in so many ways. Being resilient has taught me to never give up on my dreams even when the going gets tough. Especially when it comes to selling my work can be difficult at times, but it hasn’t stopped me from creating and learning from my mistakes. At the moment, what is your favorite… Color: Green Food: pizza Song: Music Sounds Better with You by Neil Frances Quote: “From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them, and that is eternity.” ― Edvard Munch
Q&A with Viscaya Wagner
This month we partner with Vermont-based illustrator, Viscaya Wagner. Viscaya is a multidisciplinary designer, artist, and illustrator. She says, "This piece represents a connection with something greater than oneself and the importance of taking care of each other. For me, that is what builds passion for this life." For a little more about Viscaya, here's a short Q&A! Where is home for you? Home has always been Vermont, where I was born and raised. I’ve lived in a few places over the years and have finally returned to my roots. What is your definition of a successful life? I imagine that’s constantly changing and evolving for me, but the first things to come to mind are: showing my love, practicing gratitude, caring for my loved ones, pursuing my goals in spite of fear, living my beliefs. Describe your perfect day. Waking up slowly, making coffee and a big breakfast, having nothing to accomplish - then strawberry picking, jumping in the river, eating ice cream, and margaritas on the porch with yummy snacks! Maybe throw in some sweet friends too! How did you get into design? When I was a kid I used to spend summers in my dad’s office and I remember someone describing to me what a logo was. I loved this idea of an image somehow encapsulating a person or idea, so I started making “logos” for all his employees - interviewing them about their lives and generating something to represent how I saw them… they were terrible, but the exercise was so captivating. I think I knew from then on that I wanted to do something in that arena, and my family is made up of artists, designers, and makers so I was very well supported. I went to college and studied Studio Art and focussed all my internships on graphic design experience. The rest is history! I love that my career can include such a diverse range of approaches for solving problems and creating experiences. Where do you find inspiration? I would say my greatest source of joy and inspiration is from the natural world. I’ve always felt my best when I’m close to unobstructed nature. But I also think traveling and experiencing new cultures can do the same thing for me - anything to change my environment and be present in that time and space. What's your dream design project? There are so many to be excited about, but lately I love the idea of working on a wine label! Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you? My parents, my partner - Tanner Bowden, my friends - Eliza Carver, Sidney Howard, Chase Pellerin, Bailey Sullivan, Vincent Conti, Anthony Eslick, Michael Boswell, David Silverstein, Kyle Stecker, Tereza Wozniak, Simi Mahtani… and so many others. So many people who I’ve found online - Bailey Elder, Cody Hudson, John Zabawa, Javier Reyes, Stephen Rockwood, Niall Greaves… the list is endless. And then there are the OG’s - Isamu Noguchi, Georgia O'Keeffe, Matisse, Calder, Anni Albers, Ruth Asawa, Donald Judd, Cezanne, Hilma af Klint, Helen Frankenthaler, Ellsworth Kelly… and beyond! What was the inspiration behind this design? This piece represents a connection with something greater than oneself and the importance of taking care of each other. For me, that is what builds passion for this life. In what ways does the theme of Passion play out in your life? I think my world runs on my passion to create, to put forth, to challenge myself, to build a life I feel inspired by… it was an example set for me by my parents, and I continue to feel lit up and ready to learn, play, and explore. At the moment, what is your favorite… Color: Plum Food: Burrata and grapefruit salad with chili crisp Song: Paprika by Japanese Breakfast Quote: “You can find out how to do something and then do it, or do something and then find out what you did.” -Isamu Noguchi
Q&A with Flávia Mayer
This month’s art is by Latin illustrator, Flávia Mayer. Flávia illustrates feelings and thoughts through bold imagery — from serene women to wild tigers, her artwork approaches complex themes such as mental health, our connection to nature, to the universe, and our deepest selves. She says, "Creativity and metamorphosis are deeply connected. In the same way a butterfly must go through caterpillar and cocoon stages in order to become this exquisite, unique creature, our ideas, too, need to go through several shapes before they reach their final destination." For a little more about Flávia, here's a short Q&A. Where is home for you? This year I’ve decided to embrace the so-called ‘digital nomad’ life for a bit. I’m currently living in Spain, with plans to go to France, UK and then Brazil to visit my family! What is your definition of a successful life? For me, success is not about having the perfect job or lots of money. These things are important, sure, but more important is to have time to do what truly makes you happy. So a successful life would be a life where I can have a balance between spending time with friends and family, working with what I love and taking care of myself. Not that easy, I know! Describe your perfect day. I love slow mornings so my perfect day would start with a lie-in, breakfast in bed with lots of coffee and maybe an avocado toast. It would definitely be a sunny day so I would go for a stroll around the beach or by a river, maybe visit a local market, have a picnic with friends and family. To end the day, definitely a good film under the blankets! How did you get into design? I have loved drawing since I was little. I used to sell my drawings in school! Then one day a friend of mine suggested that I should study Graphic Design to combine my drawing skills with something more practical (because I’m quite a practical person and Art seemed a bit too abstract for me). And that was it! I think if she hadn’t suggested it I would have ended up studying astrophysics or something like that. Where do you find inspiration? Ooh, everywhere I guess! Nature is a big inspiration for me, as well as going to museums or simply walking on the street. I also love spending time on Pinterest and Dribbble when I want to look for more specific inspiration, there is so much good stuff out there! What's your dream design project? I have so many projects I’d like to do! Right now I’m talking to a friend who’s a composer about doing short animations with her music. I’m new to animation so it’s a big challenge but I hope it works out! Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you? There are so many! Lauren Hom has always been a great inspiration for me to follow my own voice. Studio Muti illustrations are something out of this world and I always looked up to them. Elizabeth Gilbert and Julia Cameron are both great thinkers and can help a lot when you get a creative block, or even just to keep your mental health in check. What was the inspiration behind this design? Butterflies are such beautiful creatures. Each one with their own uniqueness, they inspire us to be creative in our most authentic way, to grow in each cycle we go through in our lives, to cocoon our ideas for a while only to let them fly into the world one day. At the moment, what is your favorite… Color: Light blue Food: Avocado Toast Song: Atravesao by Elsa y El Mar Quote: "Maybe with good luck we’ll find what eluded us in the places we once called home” The French Dispatch (2021)
Q&A with Kate O’Hara
This month we partner with Nevada-based illustrator Kate O’Hara. Kate creates intricate botanical illustrations, inspired by the flora and fauna that surrounds us. On this month's theme, Kate says, "To me, adventure means always striving for new experiences and growth. Choosing to contend with the urge to do what’s comfortable and in order to evolve." For a little more about Kate, here's a short Q&A! Where is home for you? The biggest little city, Reno, Nevada What is your definition of a successful life? To be comfortable and healthy, connected and loved, and to have a creative passion that I’m engaging with, whether it’s art or that evolves into something else. Describe your perfect day. A day where I get into the flow on a project I’m enjoying working on, then take my dog for a long walk in sunny weather and go on a bike ride to a brewery with my boyfriend and friends. How did you get into design? I was a very shy and artistic kid, drawing was the way I could get noticed, accepted and connect with people. I ended up going to art school for college and discovered that illustration was a possible career path. I started freelancing when I graduated from school and have been doing that ever since. Where do you find inspiration? I find most of my inspiration in nature, whenever I’m outside I’m always on the hunt for interesting leaves, patterns, and small botanical details that I can add to my art. What's your dream design project? I love packaging design, my dream project would be to illustrate a whole line of some sort of botanical product like tea, or spices. I’d also love to have the time to design an entire tarot card deck. Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you? There’s so many amazing artists that I follow on social media that keep me inspired everyday. I also always go back to the work of greats like John James Audubon, William Morris, Beatrix Potter, Hokusai and Maria Sibylla Merian. What was the inspiration behind this design? The quote Onwards Ever Upwards was the inspiration for this design–to make an uplifting design representing always moving forwards intentionally. In what ways does the theme of Adventure play out in your life? I love to travel, especially to new places where there’s a sense of the unexpected. I’m currently getting into backpacking and working my way up to a multi week backpacking trip with my sister and my dog Ned. At the moment, what is your favorite… Color: Yellow Ochre Food: Mangos Song: Can I Believe You, Fleet Foxes Quote: “If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint it.” –Georgia O’Keeffe
Q&A with Alanah Sarginson
This month we partner with London-based illustrator Alanah Sarginson. Alanah is a London-based illustrator whose pieces merge her sensitivities with the beauty she finds in nature. Alanah says her May art "connects to the theme of Simplicity through its very stripped back representation of growth...[it's] a simple mindmap of what growth can feel like.” For a little more about Alanah, here's a short Q&A! Where is home for you? South London. What is your definition of a successful life? A successful life is one that aligns with your spirit. It’s not ever a destination, nor is it ever going to feel completely perfect, but it’s a life that you want to wake up and work on every day. It’s for that reason that I feel successful now! Even when I have days where I feel overwhelmed or generally down, I’m grateful that I feel those things while living a life that I’ve chosen for myself. Describe your perfect day. It would be a day in the summer, and I’d wake up early, have a nice breakfast with my housemates. I’d sit outside a coffee shop, read some philosophy, do some art, eat a pan au chocolat with an oat milk latte. Maybe go for a walk in nature with a friend, then have some time left over to cook a nice meal before going out with my friends in a beer garden while it’s still light. My dream is to live a bit like my favourite poem in the world - The Orange by Wendy Cope! Just living peacefully and with content. How did you get into design? As cliche as it is, I’ve been drawing and designing ever since I can remember! I’ve been posting my art on my Instagram account since I was 13, and have just gradually morphed from a girl with a love for drawing to a young professional illustrator. I have to thank all of the people and companies that have believed in me along my journey, as it’s really been them that have given me the opportunity and confidence to push myself and get my passion out into the world. Where do you find inspiration? I get a lot of inspiration from my studies in philosophy, especially (and possibly surprisingly) philosophy of science, particularly physics. I’m really drawn to visualizing relations, not only between people, but between objects and concepts. On the other side of things, I also get a lot of inspiration from moral philosophy, where questions of how to lead a good life really guide the purpose of my work. What's your dream design project? Gosh, I don’t think I could pin down one! I think one that’s out in the world for my friends and family to find would be so cool. Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you? Matisse and Picasso are my first two classical inspirations. I credit Manjit Thapp for getting me into digital illustration - I actually commented on her Instagram during A-Levels for advice before I even got my iPad and Apple Pencil! Nowadays I just scroll through Pinterest and Instagram for inspiration. What was the inspiration behind this design? My works are rarely products of any single inspiration or idea, but I can look at the piece in retrospect and say that it reflects my emotional state during summer 2020. It was a time of naive hope as the first lockdown measures were starting to ease, and it felt like there was this rebirth happening in society as we all reconnected. On top of that, I’d just finished my first year exams at university so I felt quite free to unwind, so I feel like this period of my life was just one of relaxation and looking ahead into an exciting future. In what ways does the theme of Simplicity play out in your life? Simplicity runs through how I try to organize my life as well as how I go about my work, both as an artist and a student. I’m a bit of an organization freak, so I try my best to avoid any clutter in my life - whether that’s physical, mental, or emotional. I think having simple habits, attitudes, and approaches to things makes life so much easier to handle. It’s so rewarding breaking down something so seemingly complex into its smaller, simpler parts. At the moment, what is your favorite… Color: Baby blue Food: Garlic and chili oil ramen noodles Song: Ghost Town by Sassy 009 Quote: “Healthy minds make sexy bodies” - a lyric by Car Seat Headrest
Q&A with Jonathan Calugi
This month we partner with Italy-based illustrator Jonathan Calugi. Jonathan is an independent, self-taught, artist whose message is about love, "Use your time to love your time. Enjoy and spread love." His Compassion inspired art centers on our human connection. "Colors, body, language, shape…We are just a series of points united with a line in this universe.” For a little more about Jonathan, here's a short Q&A! Where is home for you? Pistoia, Italy. What is your definition of a successful life? Use your time to have your time. Be happy. Describe your perfect day. Wake up early. Play with my son. Go to the studio. Make some drawings. Go out and play basketball with friends. Lunch with my girl. Afternoon in the studio (half work, half research). Back to home for dinner with family, some good wine and a lot of laughter. :) How did you get into design? It’s more how design got into my life :) I think it was totally an instant love. Design teaches me how to do more with less. Where do you find inspiration? Life, nature, sea, and books. What's your dream design project? The next one. My dream is to produce more and more for all the days of my life. Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you? Paul Rand, Pablo Picasso, Marino Marini, Pino Tovaglia, and many, many more. What was the inspiration behind this design? Like much of my art, the idea is to stay connected. We are one. In what ways does the theme of Compassion play out in your life? The main idea is that where my line finishes your line starts. A loop without an end. At the moment, what is your favorite… Color: Yellow Food: Avocado Song: Paid in Full, Eric B. & Rakim
Active listening boils down to this.
“Being a good listener is one of the most important and enchanting life skills anyone can have, yet few of us know how to do it. Not because we are evil, but because no one has taught us how.” — Alain de Botton When I first read about active listening, it helped me shift from trying to be interesting to being interested in conversation. As the concept resurfaced this month, for our theme of Kinship, I wanted to share the four key steps: Give your full attention. Orient your body and complete focus towards the speaker. This step might be obvious, and because of that, it is the easiest to forget. Think about times when you are speaking; you can feel the difference when someone has put away distractions and is truly listening to you. Don’t speak (until later). Surprise! A key part of listening, and maybe the hardest part, is simply not speaking. Avoid interrupting the speaker and filling any occasional pockets of silence with your own voice. Do feel free to signal that you are following along with an occasional head nod or “mhhm.” Share back what they’ve said. Show that you are listening by summarizing what you’ve heard, beginning with a phrase like “So, what I hear you saying is...” or “It sounds as though you…” This allows the speaker to feel heard, and also confirms your understanding. Ask open-ended questions. It’s likely that after listening you’ll have questions. Prioritize open-ended questions that help you get clarity without sending the conversation in a different direction. Psychologist and author Tania Israel suggests this simple and concise method for encouraging dialogue. “Repeat back a key word with an upward intonation. For example, if somebody says, ‘I just feel like the world is so dangerous,’ you can say, ‘Dangerous?’ By using the upward intonation, the word becomes a question. It says, ‘Tell me more about how the world is dangerous.’” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Holstee (@holstee) What I really appreciate about these steps is they help me resist the urge to offer suggestions (“You should xyz!”) or pass judgment (“That is xyz!”) without understanding what's really being said. Here is the Active Listening graphic we shared on instagram recently. If you are interested in learning more about active listening, and other activities that help you connect deeply with others, check out our Kinship Guide. In celebration of feeling heard, Mike RadparvarCo-Founder, Holstee & Reflection.app
