Stitch Wish Radio

In this episode, I wanted to expand upon something Haley said in the last episode, making art that doesn't get seen by others. Maybe not never, but at least giving your creative practice the space to exist without external input.

I share a few ways that I like to explore this theme of creative intimacy in my own artistic practice!

Mentioned in this episode:
My Winter 2021 Workshops (Patchcraft and Next Level Embroidery)
Maydel patterns
Lindsay Stripling's workshops

"...not everything you make needs to be shared; having privacy with your work is kinda sexy!" One of my favorite take-aways from my conversation with Haley, ceramicist / dirt queen and the maker behind @studio.hecha! 

 We talk about many things, among them: 

- how Haley discovered her personal style

- recommendations for discovering your own style, and the art of authenticity within your own work

- the extractive nature of corporate design and the mono-culture created through corporate trend boards

- how the internet tends to remove the human behind the art

and some amazing tips on finding inspiration outside of the internet! Hearing her describe her relationship with the medium of ceramics will hit home for anyone who works with their hands! 

What an honor to be able to interview one of my idols for this episode of Stitch Wish Radio! Alexandra Hart is the author of the cult classic Native Funk and Flash, one of the original founders of Folkwear Patterns, as well as a counter-culture textile artist in her own right, located in Northern California.

This episode is a slower pace, so please enjoy the contrast from our modern societies tendency towards highly edited and condensed form of sharing information, to a relaxing conversation with this incredible artist!

Mentioned in this episode:
- Native Funk and Flash (a short lil video on it here)
- Bardo dress (more on the concept of Bardo here)
- Bolinas Macrame Park
- Folkwear Patterns (and the vintage ones that Alexandra worked on here) 
- Mystical Stitches, my book (which Alexandra wrote the forward for!) 

No matter how hard we fight against it... winter is coming. Even if you live in a temperate climate, the seasons are shifting, even if you're in a different hemisphere than I am - the seasons are shifting (and winter will, eventually, return). 

With this turn to the next quarter of the year, it's time to look at the coming few months and dream up how they look, and make decisions to move towards that vision. 

For this podcast - this means shifting to releasing every other week so I can have more time in between episodes to write and research ideas, and record interviews (of which there are some very exciting new ones coming up, so stay tuned!!) 

Lastly - Tuesday, October 5th is the LAST DAY to sign up for Magic Threads for the next few months, so if stoking your inner fire looks like getting deeper into your own creative process, be sure to check out my this online creative embroidery course before it closes!

I had the pleasure of talking about re-useing and recycling textiles for both art and business this week with Used Clothing Alchemist Crispina ffrench!

She is an environmental textile artist, teacher, and coach working with textile waste to build environmental awareness, create a healthy lifestyle, teach by example, and provide the marketplace with lovely home furnishings, clothing, and accessories.

We talk about how she got into working with repurposed textiles, her journey through entrepreneurship (including the importance of asking for help), the power and autonomy discovered through creativity, and steps we can take to move towards more ecological approach in both the textile industry and in our own work (hint: it starts with get over the guilt of being human and making waste, so we can make more mindful choices!!)

Mentioned in this episode:
Crispina's website
stitcherhood
The Sweater Chop Shop Book
Crispina's instagram

Eileen Fischer's Renew
Patagonia's Worn Wear (these are especially amazing!)
Swanson's Fabric Shop

Long before written language, our species learned to communicate through symbols. As children, we learn to identify images before we can speak. And when we reach for knowledge beyond our own culture, symbols allow us to transcend the limitations of language.

This episode scratches the surface on the idea of working with symbols and archetypes, both in our artwork and in our personal transformations. I discuss my view on how symbols and archetypes work with our minds, and how we can use corresponding images or objects to greater amplify these archetypes. 

Mentioned in this episode:
Magic Threads Online Embroidery Course
My book, Mystical Stitches
Richard Tarnas "An Introduction to Archetypal Astrology" 

Despite the fact that I don't really relate to any specific religious scripture, this connection between artistic expression and divine dedication is one that I feel deeply drawn to. So this episode is a little bit about the spiritual nature of creative acts.

 I also want to leave you with some actual tools, so I'm sharing a few light suggestions for approaching your creative endeavors in a way that is enriching and rewarding, no matter what the reason for making is!

Mentioned in this episode:
Textile Arts Center
Episode 4: Talisman
Episode 10: Inspiration
More on  my Magic Threads Course (enrollment opens Sept 16th)
My FREE Embroidery Portal

Let's talk about one of the most powerful tools in the artists studio - creating in our minds that which does not already exist in the world! In this episode, I talk about what VISUALIZATION is to me, how it helps us access non-ordinary consciousness, and work towards creating what we do want. I also share some techniques for enhancing your ability to visualize, and some fun ways to further play around - OH AND, there's also a guided meditation towards the end! (17 minutes in) 

- My sketchbook process mentioned in Episode 12: The Creative Process
- Cheryl Humphrey's "In Color - Spectral Meditations for Healing" (video here)
- Stitched Visions Beginner's Workshop
- Magic Threads Online Course (opens up for enrollment in late September) 

So excited to have had the opportunity to interview Tessa Perlow, a textile artist based in New Jersey who makes work themed around magic, nature, mythology & love . She works on repurposed fabrics & garments with a focus on embroidery and beading.

We talk about...
- Tessa's creative practice and the evolution of her embroidery skills
- Upcycling, and Tessa's relationship to "fashion"
- Not taking yourself or your work too seriously
- Craft and Art - is there a difference?
- Finding inspiration through research

Tessa's Website
Instagram: @tessaperlow
Etsy Shop:
Mentioned:
- Dreaming The Dark - Starhawk
- Faeries - Brian Froud and Alan Lee
- Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom - Rachel Pollack
- Drawing Down the Moon - Margot Adler
- Between the Worlds Podcast
- Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain
- The End in Joshua Tree
- The Road to Nowhere - Mary Evans Oracle Deck

A little about the process of making my recent book, Mystical Stitches! I also shared a bit about the process in this IGTV post but this episode goes a little more into detail about the emotional journey and all of the epiphanies along the way! 

Making a book epiphanies - the short list:
- Listen to your creative urges; don't wait until they "make sense"
- Send the email. Write the letter. Reach out to the person about the thing - we are all human and humans love connection.
- Get help to work through your mental blocks, no matter how small they might seem
- You don’t have to have a degree in writing to write
- if something isn't working - don't force it - dream about it

Storey Publishing
Stacy Wakefield
Alexandra Jiacopetti Hart
Nina Chakrabarti
Brad Ogbonna

Next Week's interview:
Tessa Perlow 

I love learning about other people's creative evolution and artistic process, so I shared a bit of my own, as well as some ideas to consider if you're looking for new ways to think of your own artistic process.

In this episode:
- my personal creative process
- the journey of how my art and spirituality merged
- some ideas for opening up creatively
- the Sufi story of Fatima the spinner
- SOFT WORK Intuitive Garment Design course - registration closes Thursday (or when the class is full!) 

Let's talk about how clothes are designed (and why) and how we can make more sustainable choices. In this episode, I talk about:

- the difference between modern and ancient clothing construction
- my lifelong love affair with clothing design
- the problem with the $40 dress
- 5 tips for making more sustainable choices when shopping
- my online course, Soft Work

Links mentioned:
Sign up for newsletter to get into SOFT WORK
Good on You and Re/Make brand directories
Melanin and Sustainable Style's article: "47 badass womxn of color changing the landscape of sustainable fashion" 

The thing about inspiration is, its hard to pinpoint, hard to guide others to, hard to explain... but having studied the creative process for quite a while, I've picked up some ideas about inspiration that I'm sharing in this episode. I discuss:
 
 - not sharing your magic beans with the skeptic
- reverence and focused attention
- allowing intuition to lead the way even though intellect likes to do so
- concept driven vs experiment driven works
- my 7 favorite ways of seeking inspiration

Links mentioned:
Magic Threads Course opens Sept 2021 (check out works from previous Magic Threads students on Instagram here)
Stitched Visions Workshop (with $25 off Magic Threads)
FREE Embroidery Portal
Greg Jackson's article
Stitch Wish on Instagram

In conversation with Lise Silva, we talk about:

Finding inspiration through internal dream lands

Making time for meditative thought (no matter what) 

the world of wovenutopia: dreaming up new possibilities

the weird world of sharing our art in an internet culture that prefers homogeny and predictability

Rehumanizing our relationship with social media

The Mariah Fantasy Portal (doesn't matter how you feel or don't feel about Mariah Carey -  this is important stuff!)

Mentioned in this eposide:

Lise Silva's website

Craft and Practice / Wovenutopia Patreon

Wovenutopia Summer Issue

Today's podcast episode comes with a GIVEAWAY! Lise is offering us three copies of the digital mag to give away! To enter: Make sure you're following both @stitchwish and @wovenutopia, and tag a friend or two in this evening's @stitchwish post that mentions the giveaway and Wovenutopia Magazine! 

Three winners will be chosen at random - I'll contact you via DM to give you the download code. This giveaway is not associated with IG. We'll announce winners on Friday, July 30th

This episode ties together the past two episodes - reuse and play - by exploring the value of textiles. How we use textiles as a form of play and expression, and how we can bring value back to this artform by honoring the forms of cloth we already have in our lives through the act of mending.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mending E-Zine 

Soft Work Course (opens again in August)

White Coat Study 

Studio Akina (my sister's hand-dyed pieces)

Zak Foster's memory quilt swatch album 

Katrina Rodabaugh

Fibershed by Rebecca Burgess

Let's talk about how play and rest are integral to our sense of well being  - and our ability to adapt to stress and solve problems. Basically, they're the free at-home doctor available to us all, if we can figure out how to stop working long enough to let them happen. 

After a heavy month of work, I hit a wall... and PLAY and REST were there to save me! These unquantifiable acts that have no value in capitalism are two of the best things we can do for the health of our bodies and our souls. 

Mentioned in this episode:

My new book, Mystical Stitches

The Nap Ministry's Blog and Instagram

Brené Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection

Stuart Brown's Play:  How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul

This episode is a little bit about re-use, in many different catagories - a little bit about textiles, a little bit about food, and a little bit about gardening... this is about how all of the choices we make within these arenas influence not only the environment but also the health and wellness of communities around the globe. I've provided some suggestions, some statistics, and even a little singing at the end :)

Mentioned in this episode:

Katrina Rodabaugh

Seamwork Magazine (and my Remnant Revival series for them)

My Soft Work intuitive garment design course (opens back up in August / September)

Vegetables Love Flowers - Lisa Mason Ziegler

Peggy Lee

100 companies responsible for 70% of emissions (and here's a deeper dive into those stats) 

So excited for this weeks episode where I got to interview my good friend and roommate from college, Mekenzie Kay! Besides being a sparkling ball of delight and wisdom and sarcasm, Mekenzie is an artist and a children's art teacher.  In this episode, we talk about:

- learning new art forms
- fear of failure (and fear of sewing machines)
- stitching as a meditation
- dealing with others expectations as they show up in your own creative process
- working with recycled materials
- cool dogs named Shelby

Some topics mentioned in this episode:
Mekenzies GORGEOUS patchwork pieces
Mekenzie's Instagram
Lifetime Movie Network
Magic Threads Course (last day to sign up!) 

One of my FAVORITE topics - talisman! I discuss what a talisman is, ways you can make a talisman and where in your life you can use your talisman - as well as some historical examples and my own personal favorites.

Mentioned in this episode:

Planetary Archetypes (cosmologist Richard Tarnas explains these wonderfully) 

Phsychologist Carl Jung 

My Embroidered Talisman course, Magic Threads

Turkmen talisman embroidery (scroll down about halfway for the description of a "Doga")

Japanese talisman embroidery, or "Semamori"

Order my book, Mystical Stitches (+ international option)

Thanks so much for listening, I look forward to next weeks episode when I interview one of my oldest bestest friends, Mekenzie Kay, an elementary school art teacher who has taken the past year to teach herself to make pillows out of recycled denim.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Zak Foster, textile artist and memory quilt maker, about:

- the power of improvisation
- finding inspiration through repurposed materials
- building creative communities
- time management and organization (from a Virgo!)
- tiny quilts as talisman

Mentioned in this episode:
Zak's Patreon
Zak's Newsletter, "Motivation for the Maker"
Heidi Parks Hand Yoga series
Artist Paulo Arao
Our UNSTUCK: Zine Collaboration

More from me:
My website
Magic Threads Online Course
Mystical Stitches

It occurred to me that some folks might have ended up here and not have any idea who I am... So this episode I introduce myself, Christi Johnson, and share a little about where I came from, what kind of work I do in the world, and why I started this podcast!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mixed Color website

Magic Threads course

Zak Foster is next week's interview! 

How to move through a creative project (or learning process) when fear has you stuck. I'll share my tips for how to deal with the fear of starting something new, and how to deal with the fear of FINISHING something (which often looks like procrastination)!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mixed Color Journal

UNSTUCK Zine with Zak Foster

Sign up for The Embroidery Portal if you want to get started with the art of embroidery!