“I was gifted a 6x6 medium format camera by my high school photo teacher. We were at the Getty, and we were looking at a photo, and I cried. A) My work is never going to look like this. B) I know this is film because it has a look and none of my digital photos could touch this. C) I was crying because I was upset thinking that I’ve shot hundreds of thousands of digital photos and they still can’t touch this. Why? I was questioning everything, having an existential crisis. She [high school teacher] asked me, ‘Do you have a medium format camera that shoots film? I have one in storage; you can have it.’”

Celebrating curiosity with inspiration from the beloved book, The Little Prince

From January 5th to January 18th, 2026, we will be starting off the new year with a much-needed reset. The At-home Art Residency will empower you to move past that artist block or unmotivated energy that has been lingering. We are here to learn to let go of expectations of what art and creativity should look like, and reconnect with our inner child through play rather than perfection.

Whether you choose to create from home, rent out a cabin in the woods, or travel abroad, artists of all levels and disciplines are welcome to join this community that will keep us accountable as a group to gain momentum on our art practice as we take risks, research, explore, and discover.

The roots of artist residencies date back centuries, most notably in the 1900s. Back in the day, artists were sponsored to live and work with wealthy families, royal households, and churches, offering them housing and studio space as a way to foster creativity.

An artist residency nowadays is a program designed to give artists time, space, and creative freedom to work on their art practice without distractions. Often, application-based programs with a juried selection process, artist residencies, can show prestige on artist resumes, especially with programs that are internationally recognized, such as…

I got accepted into my first Art Residency in Rutland, Ohio. It was two weeks away from the familiar on a 370-acre property of medicinal plants with freedom to reclaim creativity on my own terms.

What came of it was a short film showcasing the talented women from the cohort in their practice, as well as myself, dancing and experiencing the meadows. This short film is an exploration of promise and play through the flourishing prairies and green valleys.

For many of us, there seems to always be this lingering feeling of being evaluated by people in our past because they have only ever known one side of us. It feels as if we owe them an explanation as to how we got here, filling in the gaps of our drastically changing life choices. The people who have known us the longest often have a more difficult time accepting our growth. Those worth your time and energy need not know how you got here, but can celebrate you wholly as you are today.

Initially, Zee was just growing tomatoes and bell peppers; the typical things other nurseries sold. In her own backyard, however, she was growing Okra, Amaranth, Mallow, and many other heritage vegetables. The inspiration came when her mom and grandma were in disbelief that all of these heritage crops could be grown in California. They had not seen Amaranth in twenty-five years since coming to the U.S. This made Zee go on a quest to track down seeds that were not so readily available here. The following Spring, Zee applied to the Fremont Farmer’s Market, and that’s where her nursery journey truly began.

Lighting a candle near you is a great way to not only set a cozy ambience and get in the mood for thoughtful creation, but it also serves as an old-fashioned way of keeping time. Before electricity, households relied on fires and candlelight to extend their days, especially during the cold winter months. Candles have long been favored for sacred timekeeping, allowing the burn to measure the hours passed until the glow extinguishes.

Representing the cyclical nature of both life and death, the Mexican Marigold, a medicinal flower with twenty ruffled petals, is associated with Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

Soap is deemed a necessity for hygiene, but when comparing liquid to bars, liquid soap seems to be more popular in today’s age. There is something to be said about utilizing a simple solid bar of soap, a tradition that dates back to the 17th-century. Bar soap is a gift from nature, a tangible object that creates a transformative connection with self through tender massages and intentional strokes across the body. It offers a sense of renew and rebirth that only a luxurious bar of soap can perform.

By steam distilling plant material, which includes leaves, flowers, stems, and even fruits, we can extract highly potent essential oils that can be used in soap bars, salves and balms, candles, and a full list of skin products and aromatherapy. Hydrosols, which are often overlooked, however, are often the byproduct of essential oil production that started to gain popularity for their gentle, versatile, and skin-soothing benefits.

This year, J & P Cosentino Family Farm will be celebrating their 80th anniversary the weekend of June 20 - 22, 2025 in time to celebrate Summer Solstice. The preservation of this family farm feels like such a blessing in the midst of diminishing agricultural land in lieu of cemented roads, offices, and apartment buildings. As one of the last farms standing in San Jose, it has become a supportive community hub hosting farm kitchen pop-ups, guest pop-ups, watercolor classes, farm tours, picnics and much more.