Anahata Katkin

Flowers of NY:

Ugh.  Don't these peonies make your heart hurt?  Nature.  Always tugging and pulling us towards little chapters of delight.  And then just as the obsession is in full bloom...wham!  It's over.  No mas for one year. Ive barely had time to buy a single stem.  But I enjoyed these beauties at the wholesale flower district in NY last week.  The Stationery Show vendors had them bursting from many a booth too.  PAPAYA! chose fresh delphiniums for height. The plant section of the district is enough to make me think i could actually live in NY.  Getting all these babies home makes it quite tempting!  But I love my little Hobbit Shire back here in Ashland, Oregon.  And I am quite content despite the longing for a flower district and outdoor markets.  Until next season NY...

New York Stationery Show

Last week PAPAYA! attended the National Stationery Show in NYC.  It's the only industry trade show devoted to the paper and social stationery industry.  It's a very special show because much of what makes many of us drawn to paper is that we are usually artists and visual designers first and foremost, and paper is a wonderful, natural extension for us.  So the show is a beautiful showcase of many talented artists all under one roof.  There's a grassroots air at this show and a creative buzz. I decided to do some live painting at the show this year.  It was my first time painting for customers. I really wanted to remind people that we have a creative source to our brand.  That it is all generated from within.  Myself and two designers generate our brand. And it was important for me to remind customers what the process is all about.  All too often manufacturing dates, case packs and "show specials" can dominate and we lose that dialogue about process while doing business.  So it was really a fun way to interact with everyone.  It slowed us all down a bit and added a warm layer to the booth. I did start the piece at home.  The only stage in the process that I need to concentrate is if I'm sketching in a face.  And frankly they can turn out pretty ugly sometimes.  I wasn't going to risk that right at the show.  So I did get the pieces going at home. I also started this one at home as well.  In case I had more time.  But I was wrestling with this one from the start.  So she never was completed at the show. In the end this is how she turned out.  I left her a bit undone on purpose.  I am enjoying the white spaces in contrast to her dark and stormy mood.  I'm looking forward to adding her to the fall PAPAYA! line up and customers to get to see a piece from start to finished product!

PAPAYA! Living: Website Launch

PAPAYA! Living has been opened for just over three years now.  And we've finally found the time to launch it's very own website!  And I am excited about it.  Finally a place for the boutique to shine all on its own.  No more having to shuffle through facebook or instagram to find our store hours or take an online tour.  The new website has travel galleries, a boutique tour, social media portals and more. You can now easily sign up for newsletters and announcements to stay up-to-speed with behind the scenes and in store events.There's no doubt that our Flagship is very dear to me.  I adore this place.  It is a living, breathing extension of what inspires us at PAPAYA! and in our lives as a whole.  It's an ever changing landscape that gives me endless pleasure and joy.  Retail, as it turns out, is definitely going to be a lifelong passion for me.  It's all my passions in one place!
I am very blessed to have a talented and committed group of family and employees who keeps the wheels turning daily, sustains the inner workings and energizes me if I run short on steam.  It's takes a village to raise a store.  Especially a 4,000 sq. foot one.  "Go big or go home."   That's the creepy mantra that keeps teasing me lately in my head.  Certainly not words to live by.  But ones that keep cracking me up.  Ya think I'd have taken on a slightly smaller venue for our flagship vision.  But, c'est la vie.  It's a beauty and we love it, just the way she is.
I thought we'd have time for art installations, epic window displays, ongoing events, art shows, trunk shows, benefits, photo shoots and heaps of hand painted signage.  Yeaaaaahhhh...not so much. While we pour ourselves into the beauty of the boutique we are just now getting good enough at sustaining her needs that we can start adding on and building more of those original intentions.  Starting with a fresh and spanky new website.  So there's more to come from us! Join our mailing list if you feel so moved. (our eyes only) and come down this weekend for the Sidewalk Sale.  We'll have lots of goodies in the sale and 20% off ALL PAPAYA! brand products in store. xoxox...

Open House: INDIA TRAVEL TREASURY (tonight!)

Tonights our celebration of the manifested India Journey.  The full circle of wishing, going, and bringing it home.  It's really something to set out to attempt something and prove to yourself that its possible and worth exploring.  Never having set foot in India I wasn't sure what buying there would be like.  And it was indeed full of hurdles and learning.  But that's what makes the adventure so ripe.  And I admit whole heartedly that I am extremely proud of our first efforts buying for our boutique PAPAYA! Living.
We set out to learn about traditional block printing, Indian textile arts and expand our skill set and inspiration for PAPAYA! as artists.  What we found was a rich world brimming with knowledge and expertise.  Just getting to peek into the world of fine Indian textiles and craftspeople was indeed a true honor.  India is a place that makes ancient arts look like a mundane and regular day.  Its breath taking to watch the artisans at work.  I now have an incredibly deep respect for the amount of skill and time that goes into traditional Indian textiles and furnishings.  I also now cherish each and every piece that we where able to bring here to Ashland, Oregon. In fact I think I'm scaring customers with my excitement and information about each piece. (errr ummm...sorry)I am so happy that we got to fulfill a dream, and it is made all the better by being able to share that dream with others and offer such beauty to anyone who desires it.  Thank you everyone for helping make our dreams a reality and supporting these breathtaking traditional arts.  Come by and geek out with me tonight if you are in Ashland.  We'd love to see you.  33 N. Main St. Ashland, Oregon.