Sharing my story: three recent interviews
From indie magazines to stationery shops
I love to read and conduct interviews, so I have also always taken great pleasure in being interviewed.
I rejoice in being asked interesting questions by someone who genuinely cares to hear my answers. Isn’t that all anyone really wants in a conversation? Then that wonderful conversation is thoughtfully edited and shared by the interviewer for all to read and benefit (or, disagree with!)
By some measure of luck, I’ve had several interviews get published lately that I want to share with you today.
Pouch Magazine
Pouch is an indie magazine for stationery lovers started by Victoria Kirst. I connected with Victoria last year around the time Pouch #1 came out and I absolutely loved the treasure trove of journaling inspiration, stationery recs, and product reviews.
It was an immediate YES for me when Victoria asked if she could interview me about visual journaling for Pouch #2! We had such a fun afternoon chatting and drawing at Public Records in Brooklyn. Somehow Victoria was able to turn our conversation into eight beautifully laid out pages about travel journaling and drawing from life.
You can read the full interview in Pouch #2 (both physical and digital copy available). If you are remotely into journaling and stationery, I can’t recommend Pouch enough!
And a little bonus update: I convinced Victoria to throw a Pouch #2 launch party this week at my sister’s bar! We were so happy to meet fellow stationery lovers, swap goodies, and share our journal spreads. I got to meet some of you readers as well—thank you for coming and saying hello 💛
Baum-kuchen
Continuing along with the stationery theme, I was also interviewed for Baum-kuchen’s website! They are a specialty stationery shop in East Los Angeles that sells beautifully curated stationery and is well-known for their Traveler’s Notebook customization service.
An email exchange with the founder Wakako Takagi (who also writes the wonderful newsletter Recipe of Baum-kuchen) led to this interview with team member Eunice.
In our conversation called “The Art of Unoptimized Creativity”, I share about leaving my tech job, my journaling systems, developing an art style, and creative block. A snippet below:
When I feel creatively blocked, it’s a sign that I’m holding too tightly to a rigid, perfectionist definition of creativity. I like to return to my rituals of freeform journaling and drawing in my sketchbook in whatever way feels easy and playful.
Read the full interview here and do check out Baum-kuchen’s stunning products afterwards!
Shoutout LA
A few months ago I received an email from a staff member at Shoutout LA, a magazine that interviews lots of entrepreneurs and creatives. The interview ended up being a standardized form with only four questions, so I took the liberty to share lengthy answers regarding my career.
Though LA is in their name, Shoutout LA also seems to interview folks outside of Los Angeles. I was thus confused by their question asking for recommendations of “local spots”, so do read the interview for my extensive itinerary for someone visiting either LA or NYC!
oh, i would love to have more contact with this type of content, and more, to learn how start this type of journalism, really really cool!
Loved the Baum-Kuchen interview! Really inspiring—but I find all that you do inspiring. Thank you!