Artist Kristin Texeira talks about her memory maps

I had the pleasure of doing a little studio visit with painter Kristin Texeira in her Brooklyn Navy Yard studio just a couple of weeks ago. Kristin and I actually graduated from Mass Art the same year, and I've been a fan of her paintings ever since. They're colorful and vibrant and bold and... just see for yourself below. We chatted about when she first started referring to her paintings as Memory Maps, what it's been like to turn her artwork into a full time job, and how she'd like to grow and develop as an artist, a painter, and a woman in business.

Not only is Kristin an inspiration because of the work she makes, but she's also such a kind & sweet soul. You can shop her paintings (and other works) and make your very own home a little brighter here; www.kristintexeira.com

Here's a little Q&A we did;
Tell us a little bit about yourself - just a little intro please. Hello my name is… ;)
Hey! My name is Kristin Texeira and I'm a painter.

-Do you have a morning ritual/How do you start most days?
I try and leave my apartment by 8 - either take a run or get the day going at a coffee shop. I write out my daily to-do list, answers whatever emails I need to get back to, and then get to work at my studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

-What’s your favorite thing about your studio space?
I rent the back area of an old letterpress print shop so I'm surrounded by old beautiful machines, drawers of type and oddball antique fans etc. The vibe, the light, and the cozy clutter are my favorite things about the space.

-What does your dream studio look & feel like?
I think I'm in it -- if I had one fat, white wall that would top it off.
And someday, when I'm an old lady I'll have a barn to myself next to my crummy shack by the sea -- the barn studio will be bigger than the house.

-How often do you change up your decor at home?
Just nestled into a new spot so I'll be tinkering until the end of time.

-How has your process developed as an artist? 
I started off doing more representational work - still lives, landscapes etc. Realized that color was the main element in why I was drawn to paint. So, I started to use color in different ways -- creating puzzles, stories, math problems etc and solving them with color. 

-Where are you favorite places to make work outside of your studio?
Anywhere that has good light and a table.

-What are your current inspirations?
Fishermen and boat builders. 

-If you could do any other job in the world, what would it be?
Hip-hop dancer if I could hip-hop dance.

-Favorite place to relax?
Anywhere in the sun (especially by the sea).

-Tell us about a collaboration you did that you really enjoyed (please).
Worked most recently with TicTail painting their storefront in LES. It has been one of my favorite corners in NY since I moved here and it was amazing really being able to spend up-close and personal time with that street corner -- making a little mark on this big city. 

-Any artists, designers, or companies you’d *love* to work on a project with?
GUCCI, MOMA, MOS DEF, THE WHITNEY, DAVID HOCKNEY, 2 CHAINZ, THE ALBERS FOUNDATION

-What’s your favorite part about doing a collaboration?
Sharing knowledge and skills and making new friends.

Kristin and "The Most Important Box Of Kristin's Life!! Save In The Event Of An Fire!"

The sweet treat I walked away with... a printed post card, Memory Map by Kristin Texeira. The day I visited her studio — August 15, 2017; misty indeed.

Hi Friends! Popping in today to deliver you some printable artwork. We know that sometimes looking at the same stuff on your wall can get a little stale, and you might just need a temporary mix up! We fully support you being able to express yourself as much as possible, and that's why we're sharing with you a few artworks that you can print out at home, and use however you'd like. 

You can grab the files for the illustrations below.  We hope these designs give you that summer feeling all year round. If you end up printing and displaying, turning it into a birthday card, or using any of the artwork here, we'd love to see what you end up doing with it! Enjoy ;)

SUNRISE printed on coral paper.

PINEAPPLE

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PARROT CHATTER

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SUNRISE

Houseplants. Oh how I love seeing homes and interiors full of greens and plant-life texture! Over here, I try to fill our home with lots of them, but I've certainly killed more than my fair share of plants. Any time I'm craving a little refresh in our apartment, I head on over to my favorite local plant shop, Rosehip, and spend way more time than needed doing laps around the shop and "oohing" over all the beauties in there. We stopped by recently with a camera in hand and chatted with Pola, owner of Rosehip, about some of her favorite houseplants.

Some of my personal favorites for house plants (based on how easy it's been keeping them alive) have been Snake Plants, Jade, & Monstera. All of which are available at Rosehip! If you're a New Yorker — go ahead and visit Pola's shop. OR if you need to send along a gift to your favorite New York person — she can hook you up there too.  Not only is she the friendliest, she's got a great eye for styling and has some fantastic planters and props available at the shop.

Pola has a great staff, who is also super knowledgable about plants (and who are all always eager to help you make your selection). I asked for a list of some of their favorite house plants, and what I got was jam packed with so much info that I decided to split it up into a couple of posts. Here are the first couple of favorite houseplants, written by Sarah Kenney from Rosehip Social Florist;

Tillandsia xerographica - Photo Courtesy of Rosehip

Tillandsia Xerographica

Tillandsia is a type of epiphytic plant with a few hundred species, about a dozen of which can be commonly found as houseplants. Native to Central and South America, air plants can grow in quite a variety of climates ranging from rainy tropical forests to dry, sunny environments. Epiphytic plants do not have root systems that need to be anchored in soil, and can be anchored to plaques and pieces of wood, or simply placed on a bright windowsill. Generally, air plants do well with medium-high humidity, proper air circulation, and filtered sunlight – east, west, and south facing windows with a sheer curtain are ideal. Best practice for watering is completely submerging your Tillandsia for a few seconds in tepid water 3 times per week. Alternatively, Tillandsia can be submerged in tepid water once per week for 15 minutes, but it is not best practice. If the leaves of your air plant begin to curl inwards, it is not receiving enough water!

The perfect place to put your air plant? A frosted window of your bathroom with a fan for air circulation.

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Aloe Vera - Photo Courtesy of Rosehip

Aloe Vera 

This monocot of the Lily Family (Asphodelaceae) is thought to be native to Southern and Eastern Africa, though botanical historians are not sure of its exact origins. Records of its use date back to as early as 1750 b.c., and was used through the New Kingdom and Ptolemaic dynasties for healing, beautification, and embalming procedures. Once sought after by noteables such as Cleopatra and Alexander the Great, Aloe vera is now commonly grown as a house plant.

The Aloe vera grows in a rosette form, with fleshy leaves that grow up to 2 ft in length. The leaf has three sections: a center gel layer, a middle latex layer, and the outer epidermal layer. The inner gel layer - where most of the medicinal elements of the plant are found - can be harvested in two ways. After you sever the desired leaf as close to the base as possible, you may:

1)    Gently squeeze the gel from the leaf as you would a tube of tooth paste.

2)    Slice the leaf open long ways, and scoop the gel from the center with a spoon

Immediately discard any unused gel, as the active chemicals begin to degrade upon exposure to air.

Aloe vera has numerous medicinal properties, mainly as a topical salve. From Cleopatra using it as a mousturizing mask, to modern scientists testing its cancer fighting properties, this plant is justly known for being one of the most versitile medicinal plants. Other topical uses include cure for pain, antiseptic, abrasion healing, and moisture control. Aloe vera, when ingested, can also act as a gentile laxative as well as a blood sugar regulator. Aloe vera juice is now widely available at grocery stores, and is a great way to cut mid-day sugar cravings. Only small doses of raw aloe are recommended, and you should consult your doctor before ingesting.

A beautiful example of the Aloe vera plant can be viewed in the Gardens of Medieval Europe exhibit at The Met Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park, NYC. (http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/met-cloisters).

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Pola, owner of Rosehip