Anahata Katkin

YOU DO YOU

Grinding away at the drawing board.  "YOU DO YOU", for PAPAYA! fall...

Sun Speak

Working on the new babies for PAPAYA! collections.  Loving a simpler palette and sketches!  Hoping to squeeze in more sketch time this week.

Spell: and the gypsy collective

I am loving the beautiful world of Spell & the Gypsy Collective out of Australia lately.  Elizabeth & Isabella are sisters who run a famous flagship boutique and design studio in funky, Byron Bay and also online for those of us who aren't as lucky to live at the beach.
Spell is a distinct perspective that is oodles of feathers, squash blossom necklaces, leather and extra heapings of "wild at heart" style.  Which is why it makes the images they produce and the flare they wear all the more interesting... Their beautiful images make me think for a moment that caftans in the day make all the sense in the world and lounging in tribal jewelry is just a side effect of waking up.

  

Where Women Create Business, Magazine

I was happily surprised today when I stumbled onto a sneak preview of the upcoming, July 1st issue of  "Where Women Create Business" Magazine.  WWCB is a new offshoot publication from where Women Create, and offers insight, knowledge and inspiration to women entrepreneurs. We had done a really fun photo shoot with the lovely Tiffany Kirchner-Dixon back in February and just like Christmas now we get to unwrap the surprise magic.  I'm feeling so excited and honored that PAPAYA! gets to be part of this publication.  The article focuses on mother daughter business models and specifically how my mother, Gina Katkin and I started PAPAYA! 10 years ago and learned to work as a team as well as visual journeys through our offices and PAPAYA! studios.  The magazine should be available on newsstands July 1st via Barnes & Noble, or you can order directly through Stampington here.

Visiting "Ber-kland" & Lola

I've just returned from a little trip to see a friend in Oakland, California this week.  She had just moved to her address in a very lush and happening part of Oakland, however a block away the landmark stores and cafe's address themselves as being in Berkley.  So as I tried to understand the dividing line we laughed a lot about not being able to get it right while everyone else was apparently squarely placed in either zip code.  So we enjoyed some beautiful strolls through "Berkland" on foot chasing a lovely stroller and an even lovelier baby Lola who I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time!! She has the brightest face and busiest eyes.I'm in my 8th year in Ashland, Oregon (population 30,000 give or take).  And Ashland is blessed with many outstanding businesses and trail blazers alike, but by nature the town has it's limits.  Although I am lucky enough to get out and about every few months, small town life takes its toll.  Because I was visibly spastic over my superb bowl of mocha, completely defenseless against the gourmet gluten, smitten with flowers and expert cocktails.  As lovely as my town is you cannot get sangria (anywhere! Note to locals), fig parmesan crustini's, and (being the former flower stand employee that I was in Seattle for many years) I long for real flower stands and arrays of flowers!  I tell you city dwellers...  Hug your local baristas, bakers and boutique owners. (hell-do that anywhere).   What I'm trying to say is that is was a lovely sensual feast going on in "Berkland". And I was in pleasure heaven.  The neighborhoods are plant paradise!!  I could not get enough of the giant homes and rambling, overgrown gardens.  Block after block of bohemian rhapsody I tell you.  More casual than San Francisco and in some places far more lush.  On the drive down I had a chance to pitt stop in Mount Shasta City.  I picked up some selenite towers, incense, flower essences from one of the dozens of crystal shops there.  All that hippy loot that makes me happy.  No I didn't buy a bumper sticker.

Illustration Inspiration

The wierd and wonderful make me swoon.  These beautiful pieces captured my heart and are part of my Pinterest board here.   A delicious balance of fantasy, skill and freedom.  Artists right to left: Hibiki Miyazaki, Mara Piccione, Anne Siems, Inca Pan, Cendrine Rovini.  I'm on the hunt or at least feeling open minded for new sources of creativity and the thrill ofinspiration.  Headed to the Bay Area for some much needed out-of-town moments...xoxoxo.

Full Circle

I recently found this picture in an old journal.  I'm 18 here.  My friends and I went on a wild trip to Baja, Mexico on a Green Tortoise, crazy bus.  My longtime friend, Nara took this picture of me on the beach in some off-the-map location not near to anything. I was in art school at the time and it was in general, a turning point.  And ever since I found this photo I've had it on my desk to remind me of those times and how I felt then.  Things where not easy.  But my heart was full for life and I was heartily unruly.  I miss my naive spirit and at the same time I am grateful for my many new strengths.  I have a tenderness for the parts of myself I had to leave behind in order to find stability.  Seems like we never get it all at once.  We develop in some kind of circle.  Winning one battle while losing another. And the search continues for that place in the middle.  And I guess that's why this picture makes me so happy.  It seems like a brief blink in time that has a little bit of it all...  Hope you have a wonderful weekend with full circle moments.

Wendy Parr

I was super touched by singer, songwriter, teacher Wendy Parr this week when she posted this beautiful image on instagram and said: "Anahata your art (hanging on my wall at home) inspired my true colors photo shoot."  It's a stunning image of the beautiful Wendy and I couldn't be more flattered by her comment.

Inspiration Engine

Digging through some old journal scans I found this little sketch I did a long time ago.  I used to be obsessed with the idea of manufacturing ideas.  That inspiration is something that is generated from within an individual and then reflected in the outer environment.  That life responds to an internal, creative longing and reflects it back to us in symbols and experiences that feed our actions and artistic impulses on a loop.  The idea of looking for inspiration seems like a trick of the mind that's tired or worn out.  Tending the creativity muscles and puting in the work (just like any other fitness) produces a well trained imagination...an ultimately an inspiration engine!  Happy Tuesday.

Layered Creative Home

Absolutely effected by this amazing image spotted over at Moon to Moon today. A NY apartment isn't exactly what comes to mind when I look at it which makes it all the more fascinating.  The home of artists Marianne and Kore Yoors is exactly that.  Those windows, that sculpture in the oversize plants, the pottery.  It reminds me of the home of a friend I visited in Paris.  A multi-generational, Perisian family living in a mid century modern home with multiple, traditional sculpting salons within it since the 50's.  That post is here.  This photo is layers, years of artistic habbits all neatly rolled into the guise of a room...