RANDOM ACTS OF CREATIVITY
DECEMBER 2015 1
Content
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Think. Design. Create. With no boundries.
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Creators’ Note Storefront No. 1
Welcome to Random Acts of Creativity’s 1st nomadic storefront. Please step inside, stay a while and become part of a diverse and creative community. Everything here has been carefully chosen and skillfully crafted with love and infused with soul. By supporting RAC, you are supporting artistic communities from all corners of the world.
Sabrina Burda
Noelle Pallais
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About Random Acts of Creativity is a unique retail platform founded by Noelle Pallais and Sabrina Burda, that showcases one of a kind pieces in a gallery-like ambiance. Peruvian Noelle Pallais, and German Sabrina Burda are lifelong friends who both grew up in New York City and have scoured the globe in search of young artists and designers who come from diverse cultural backgrounds yet share a common artistic vision that blends minimalism with bohemian eccentricity. The RAC nomadic storefront was designed by and for treasure seekers, adventurers and creative individuals who reject passive, mass-produced consumerism. As Random Acts of Kindness reaffirm the goodness in humankind, Random Acts of Creativity reaffirm our originality to link us all as Global Citizens with high hopes of reminding us to strive for goodness and innovation.
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R|AC| Index
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A
G
Advani London
Garçonne & Chérubin
Men in Cities
Alix of Bohemia
Give Jewelry
Miscere
Andrea Llosa
[gone] Project
Modern Vice
Anna Irion
Gypsy Bells Designs
Monogram
Aumi
H
B
Hart Hagerty
Bashaques’
House of Lafayette
Bex Rox
Hugo Matha
Bianca Argimon Boobypack
C Cement Chemistry Cristina Soriano Cords for Music Cosima Buc
D Daphné Verley De Mes Amis DOTBK
E East x West Eleanor Anderson Designs Etienne Deroeux
F Foo + Foo Fredericks + Mae
I Ioanna Pantazopoulou Isa Tapia
J Janine Costa Jessica Hogarth Designs Jonny Detiger
Murathan Özbek
N Ness Isabella
P Pasotti Pinky Laing
S Sarah Chilton Designs Silly Reggie Skoby Joe Ceramics Sophie Habsburg
K
Starling Project
Kanasuu
Suitcase Magazine
Karen Margolis Kempner
T TexturableDécor
J
The Base Project
Liberty or Death
The Sunny Lion
Lindsay Bardwil
U
M
Ugo Schildge
Mannine
V
Marlo Laz Maya Zoulovits Melt
Varsity Vanina VoyVoy
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Advani London
Alix of Bohemia
Abhishek Advani
Alix Verley-Pietrafesa
Handcrafted Jackets, New York
Menswear, London 1.
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Rekindling the bespoke idiosyncrasies of a bygone era and injecting them with modern lines to create a new, avant-garde wardrobe. I was inspired by the innate elegance of my grandfather, K.U. Advani, who crossed the sartorial codes of London and Bombay, fusing their traditions into a fresh and insouciant personal style. He was no dandy, but rather an elegant innovator,pairing western double-breasted suits with long shirts from the subcontinent and customizing subtle details at Savile Row to set his bespoke wardrobe apart from all the rest. “No Comment”
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Making one of a kind garments by hand. I think of my jackets as traveling companions. The pieces are composed of elements collected from my own experiences – traded bits from London gypsies, antique ikats from Istanbul, collected scraps of Japanese indigo, and French tablecloths. They are patchworked compositions that tell a story. Making something beautiful out of something that has been forgotten or cast aside, giving an old scrap a new story and a second life. I have something inside of me that dictates that I must create. I tried to deny it for years with a desk job but it crept up on me. It doesn’t even feel like a choice. I simply must do it.
Andrea Llosa
Anna Irion Michelle Anna Irion Wrube
Andrea Llosa
Wraps, ponchos & tunics, New York
Designer Clothing, Lima 1.
Creating a brand that is characterized as independent yet infused with personality. It has an urban edge, with geometric lines that relentlessly pursue differentiation.
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It’s a motor vehicle that lives and manifests naturally within us, with means to surface in some way or another. In my case, I choose the way I dress.
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Making luxury wraps, ponchos and tunics with the finest cashmere and merino worsted wool along with a rich alchemy of silver fox, fin raccoon, coyote, and rex rabbit, leather, suede, horn, bone and crystals. My aim is to make timeless clothing that will be enjoyed and then passed on to the next generation.
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Creativity is to fully realize an inspiration in the most beautiful and loving way; then share it, so to begin the process of inspiration again.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Aumi
Bashaques’
Auminea Hamidi
Başak Cankeş
Fashion & Jewelry, New York
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Creating unique, statement, one of a kind pieces for wild spirits, dreamers, free roaming gypsies and high end hippies that love bold, colorful, eclectic, sexy, crazy designs! My designs are heavily influenced by my cultural background. My Mum is Aussie and has always been a hippy, free spirited gypsy who loves the outback, crystals, nature and spirituality. My father is Persian and injected my life with Middle Eastern culture, rich flavors, beautiful Persian rugs, extravagant jewelry and expeditions to bazaars to haggle with local merchants. Creativity is to fully realize an inspiration in the most beautiful and loving way; then share it, so to begin the process of inspiration again.
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Creativity means radical self-expression to me. It’s allowing the essence of who I am to flow outside my soul and into the physical world.
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Fashion & Art, Izmir
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Randomly getting super inspired by other artists and artisans and then translating their work into “wearable art” pieces. My brand is from Izmir and although Izmir is known to be one of the most intellectual, modern and art integrated cities in Turkey, no one is really aware of the hidden gems, artists and artisans that the city hides in its outskirts. I have always been fascinated by these artists, their loyalty to their heritage and their craft. This is what has always inspired me and shaped my collections.
Bex Rox Bex Manners
Bianca Argimon Bianca Argimon
Jewelry, London
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My life is a random act of creativity- it’s exhausting! I am an island girl from Menorca, Baleares where I grew up bare foot and fancy free. Menorca, its colors and its free spirit attitude have definitely influenced my brand over the years. Creativity is honesty. The creative effort makes us realize the truth about ourselves.
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Having a bonkers idea and figuring out how to execute it.
Drawings, Belgium
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Drawing. Drawing is my principal medium because it gives me so much freedom to play around with visual and verbal puns. Rather than produce a series of studies, I jot down a few notes and play with the original idea. I start with a concept and allow critiques and mistakes to affect and direct the process, making sure to explore all options and never relent until my instinct tells me the last brick is laid.
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Creativity is honesty. The creative effort makes us realize the truth about ourselves.Â
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Boobypack
Cement Chemistry
CC Conrad
Elena Kapompasopoulou
Sports Bra, New York
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Creating and managing Boobypack. You can tell by our name that we’re a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously, even though we provide serious utility.
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To me, creativity is differentiation.
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Jewelry, New York
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Making limited edition, handmade jewelry inspired by raw materials and geometry. My first collection, “Geometry,” is centered around the unique applicability of concrete as a malleable resource for jewelry design. As an architect, I love employing innovative design and fabrication techniques to give new artistic life to raw materials.
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Rethinking the recognizable and introducing the unknown.
Cristina Soriano
Cords for Music
Cristina Soriano
Nicholas Coblence
Accessories/Home goods, New York
1. Creating personal accessories and home goods inspired by the tropics and made in the Philippine archipelago. Each piece in my collection is incredibly unique and thereby celebrates true artisanship. 2. Finding inspiration in the everyday, in the mundane, familiar and quotidian– that’s creative genius.
Jewelry, New York
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Making icon based jewelry. Each piece we sell for Cords for Music helps fund music education in public schools. Inspired by a number of established social enterprises in the fashion space, I believe that business can be an agent for good and help bring inspiration to children in need.
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Creativity represents freedom of expression. Creativity is very personal, it’s a voice or mode of expression that allows you to take whatever is in your mind and make it real. It doesn’t always have to be new or unique, but it’s always nice when it is. In the end though, creativity needs to be about human expression. It represents our strength, our passion and our values. It is who we are and who we aspire to be.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Cosima Buc
Daphné
Cosima Bucarelli Fürstenberg
Daphné Verley
Fine Jewelry, Switzerland
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Creating eclectic fine jewels for free-spirited aesthetes. My passion for art, fashion and handcrafts came together and evolved into Cosima BUC.
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To me, creativity is when the things you’ve seen, read or experienced suddenly transform into energy and expression. Those moments make us one with the cosmos. Hence, my first collection is called COSMIC(I).
Ceramics, New York/France
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Sculpting earthenware out of clay. My creative process is informed by everyday, random yet beautiful visuals which later emerge as motifs on my ceramic pieces. I pay special attention to form, symmetry and color choice, exploring the balance and rhythm resolved in nature and revealed in the urban landscape.
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I think creativity is how we leave our stamp on this world. “The only unique contribution that we will make in this world will be born of creativity.” – Brene Brown
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De Mes Amis Ashot Sdanewitsch Menswear, Zurich
1. My random act of creativity is being the Creative Director for De Mes Amis. My job requires me to keep my eyes open throughout the day as inspiration lies within everything and every moment of daily life. A few years back, I realized that working with your closest friends and solving problems together enables you to achieve way more than you’d be able to achieve individually. At that point De Mes Amis (French for “from my friends”) was born. 2. To me, creativity means authenticity. I’ve met a number of creative minds in my life and all of them had one thing in common– they were authentic.
DOTBK Teghvir Sethi
Menswear, Brooklyn
1. Making one of a kind shirts. After graduating from Dartmouth in 2012, I started working at my father’s fashion company where I ended up running the menswear division. I grew tired of recycling plaids year after year at 10,000 pieces per design, so I decided to do the exact opposite thing– make high-quality, hand-crafted and numbered shirts in limited editions of 100 pieces. 2. To me, creativity means the courage to turn your ideas into reality. It’s 10% ideas and 90% execution. And the 90% execution involves not overthinking what you’re doing.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
East X West
Eleanor Anderson
Peter Tufo
Eleanor Anderson
Furniture, Jackson Hole
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Making furniture and other pieces that are a mix of urban/industrial and rustic styles. Ever since I was a kid I’ve always enjoyed working with wood. But it wasn’t until a few years ago, when I needed a dining table for my old apartment in NYC, that I started getting back into woodwork and design. I really enjoy the process and always feel proud to have constructed something both beautiful and useful. Figuring things out. “Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.” — Leo Burnett
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Ceramics/Textiles, Jackson
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Creating ceramics and textiles that toe the line of art and craft. I like to use bold colors and graphic patterns and am inspired by world textile traditions, folk art and contemporary illustration.
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Creativity to me means making a mark and reacting to that mark. It means showing up and making do with what you have. It means a sense of humor and constant improvisation.
Etienne Deroeux
Foo + Foo
Etienne Deroeux
Elizabeth Hilfiger
Designer Clothing, France/U.S.
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Creating a brand that is a bridge between American Leisurewear and French elegance. I truly think fashion is the best way to stand at the crossroads of everything creative as my job as a designer is to receive and interpret the world around me.
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FREEDOM.
Designer Clothing, Los Angeles
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My random act of creativity is customizing sportswear by creating conceptual pieces and unisex sweatshirts all of which are inspired by highways. Foo + Foo aims to create a direct relationship between conceptual fashion and street wear. The Random Acts of Creativity popup will include some concept pieces by Foo + Foo, others by fellow young designer Greg Ross as well as a few collaborative pieces we’ve designed together.
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Creativity is having fun.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Fredericks & Mae
Garçonne & Chérubin
Gabriel Cohen & Jolie Signorile Homegoods, Brooklyn 1.
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Creating beautiful, meaningful, useful objects in a fast, cold world using research-based design. We started making things as a way to hang out and our business grew from there. After 3 years of making things in our spare time, we took the leap and started working together fulltime 4 years ago. To us creativity is very personal. It’s something that has to come from within, when you’re not trying to please anyone but yourself.
Edward Vizard & François Sabbagh Designer Shoes, Paris 1.
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Designing and making shoes that embody French refinement and multicultural open-mindedness. We both share a passion for composing music, a creative process that inspires many of our shoe designs. To me, creativity is a gift, an ability to be unexpected and surprise people with ideas. The magic of creativity is its absence of rules and boundaries. However, what gives value to one’s creativity is the ability to direct it, to create something cohesive for people to enjoy.
[gone] Project
Gypsy Bells Designs
Anastasia Fugger & Carolina Pimenta Photography, Mexico 1.
Our collaborative series called the [gone] Project. For our first part of the series [gone] MEXICO, we embarked on a month long excursion through Mexico – from the Yucatan Peninsula to Chiapas all the way down to the pacific coast of Oaxaca. Our aim was to produce a body of work that fused two pairs of photographic eyes in the same place at the same time, while profiling distinct scenes of Mexican Culture. The images are always displayed in pairs, allowing a visual dialogue to emerge between the experiences and encounters we shared together.
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To us, creativity is making your ideas come to life so that others can share in your creative journey. “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust
Madeleine duPont & Danielle Broida Jewelry, Rishikesh 1.
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Local Himalayan crystals transformed into pieces of wearable art made to brave each new day. We created a compilation of our passions, bridging the adventure of travel with the creativity of design, spirituality found in the energy healing of crystals with the philanthropic purpose of donating 50% of our proceeds to Make a Difference India (MADI). Our collaboration launched from a yoga ashram on the side of the holy Ganga River in India. We were organically drawn to learn how to silver-smith, from which we started to collect, design, and create jewelry with the gems we discovered. Creativity is a journey. It is following your heart to places and people unknown, trusting it the divine unfolding of the universe, and taking thoughtful action when opportunities show up at your doorbell.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Hart Hagerty
House of Lafayette
Hart Huguet Hagerty
Virginie Promeyrat
Handmade Jackets, China/India
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Making truly wearable works of art that can be worn across moods, seasons and occasions and also be passed down to future generations. Made of rare handwoven embroideries from global textile communities, Hart jackets are timeless, bohemian-chic pieces that my friends will hopefully want to give their daughters in 30 years. For me, creativity means action. Do something. Make something. Try. See what happens. Don’t wait for inspiration to strike you. Start by taking a stab at something and then creativity will flood in.
Bespoke Hats, New York
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Making bespoke hats. When I was a little girl, I used to steal my grandfather’s hats, which started my obsession.
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To me, creativity means stepping out of your comfort zone and thinking outside the box. It means breaking rules, doing something differently but still making it work. It’s about taking risks. If you don’t take risks, what would you ever accomplish in life?
Hugo Matha
Ioanna Pantazopoulou
Hugo Matha
Ioanna Pantazopoulou
Designer Clothing, France
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Designing clothing that doesn’t get old. I want to make pieces that transition and stick with you. The main idea is to have something for life, not for just a season.
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For me, creativity is something visceral. It is something deep that allows you to go further.
Installation Art, Athens/New York
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I create ephemeral sculptural monuments and large installations out of unwanted and discarded materials (that tell a story). My aim is – through unexpected collisions – to disrupt, transform and challenge the habitual approach one takes to spaces and objects. What motivates my creative practice is an overenthusestic urge to build. When I make, I think with my hands.
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“An ongoing curiosity; the ability to be able to maintain a productive doubt that will trigger an unexpected journey.”
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Isa Tapia
Janine Costa
Isa Tapia
Janine Costa
Designer Shoes, Puerto Rice/New York 1.
Dreaming up new ideas and fantasies for shoes, sketching them out and then making them. I worked under Oscar de la Renta before starting my own line, which taught me the true meaning of elegance. Combining elegance with my “perfect is boring” approach allows me to create wearable pieces with personality.
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To me, creativity is freedom from the mundane–freedom to live out beautiful fantasies.
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Photography, Lima 1.
Photography. Photography for me is a way of being present and connecting with people and places. I am my most inspired when I’ve woken up before dawn and ridden my bike to the top of the mountain so I can see the sunrise over the city and breath and be thankful to be alive.
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Creativity for me is that moment when you are vibrating with the universe, when you become a part of this creative energy.
Jessica Hogarth Designs
Jonny Detiger
Jessica Hogarth
Jonny Detiger
Greeting Cards, England 1.
Making one of a kind greeting cards. Many of my designs were inspired by my homeland. They are all slightly quirky with a commercial edge.
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“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun.” – Mary Lou Cook
Artwork, Holland/New York 1.
I am an artist and designer. I tend not to make many distinctions between different creative disciplines. Art, design, architecture, music, cooking, fashion; they are all part of the same process. A random act of creativity could happen in any of these disciplines. I have used light, sound, color, and smell to create uplifting art environments. I like to move freely through these disciplines while at the same staying true to my core focus. In my case I always like to infuse my work with a distinct optimism and a hint of humor that has the power to radiate happiness and point to a bright future with unlimited possibilities.
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I believe that art = living, and living = art. I try to infuse all aspects of life with the same passion and creativity as making art. The initial creative spark is just the starting point of a journey where the destination is not always clear. For me the true beauty lies in uncovering new truths during this creative process. 27
Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Kanasuu
Karen Margolis
Sofia Brunner
Karen Margolis
Beaded Mochilas, Colombia
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Making original KANASUU mochilas. After I receive the mochilas from the Wayuu tribe families, I reimagine how our beads and colors can marry their original designs, how to take their inspiration and transform them into the final KANASUU pieces.
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For me, creativity is a passion for imagination. I grew up in an artistic household so creativity was ingrained in me from a very young age. I am so thankful that I get to use this creativity every day at KANASUU.
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Fine Art, New York
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My artwork. Cosmology, Biology and Psychology inspire my pieces, which draw upon molecular patterns from neural activity in the brain. My imagery is based on the Enso (Japanese for circle), a sacred symbol in Zen Buddhism, embodying perfection and infinity. The circle is the most basic component of existence, connecting the microscopic to the universe. I’m attracted to its mysticism as well as its paradox of imperfection and reinterpret the circle in both positive and negative space.
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I don’t have a definition of creativity, nor a random act of it...it is who I am and what I do...more like a body function than a thought out process.
Kempner
Liberty or Death
Meggie & Chris Kempner
Gabriel Liberty
Designer Clothing, New York
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Fashion is my random act of creativity. I think people express themselves in the way they dress...at least I do! I was lucky enough to grow up around fashion. My grandmother, Nan Kempner, was a collector of couture so my fascination with fashion started at a very young age.
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Creativity means expressing your own original point of view.
Designer Fashion, New York
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Designing hats jackets and soft goods for my brand Liberty or Death. All of our hats are made locally in the New York City garment district, which allows me to support local production companies and monitor the process so that each piece holds up to our high quality standards. While hats will remain the core item, moving forward, Liberty or Death is expanding to jackets and soft goods.Â
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To me creativity means bringing abstract ideas to life, which is applicable to any medium, hobby, or profession.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Lindsay Bardwil
Mannine
Lindsay Bardwil
Manri Kishimoto
Fine Art, New York
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Creating abstract art. I grew up surrounded by artists and art so becoming an artist, for me, was very much instinctual. I believe the need to create is just something that’s inside of you. I feel it is the best way to express the passion and sensory overload of life, the world around us and the worlds within our minds. To me, creativity is a way of life. I don’t know any other way and can’t imagine a life without creating in some way.It is how we individually express our own experience. So much of the human experience cannot be described or understood through language; so we create instead, to express ourselves, to get our messages across, to hopefully be a positive influence or catalyst in this world.
Designer Clothing/Accessories, Japan
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Using traditional and new Japanese textiles in an untraditional way. I like to have stories behind the pieces.
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Creativity is communication. I am not good at writing but I can express my ideas and feelings with colors and designs.
Marlo Laz
Maya Zoulovits
Jesse Marlo Laz
Maya Zoulovits
Fine Jewelry, New York
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Creating fine jewelry that appeals to bon vivants and aesthetes with bohemian spirit and luxurious sensibility. I started making jewelry when I was twelve, finding inspiration in art, travel, eccentricity and all things beautiful.
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Letting one’s mind run wild, capturing one’s imagination and translating it into something tangible.
Handmade Jewelry, Athens
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Designing idiosyncratic, minimal, chic jewelry. For me, art has nothing to do with borders or trends. It is all about inspiration, talent, creativity, enthusiasm, humility and respect.
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Uniqueness, authenticity, thinking outside the box. Creativity can be an ecstasy of both pleasure and passion for the designer.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Melt
Men in Cities Yuvi Alpert
Emma Garcin & Jeanne Biehn Sall Handcrafted shawls, Nepal
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Designing Nepalese shawls. Our designs started off very plain. But soon we ventured further and played with colors, designs and textures. It might be an accessory, but a MELT scarf isn’t content with that definition. Artfully draped across the shoulders or nonchalantly tied around the waist, our scarves become your outfit’s point of departure. Creativity is not only about art or fashion. Creativity is everywhere, it is the way you live your life, the way you raise your children. For us to be creative is to listen to ourselves and trust what we think.
Menswear/Accessories, New York
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Making menswear and accessories. My motivation for starting Men In Cities was partly selfish– I wanted to make certain things for myself that I couldn’t find elsewhere.
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Picasso was quoted saying, “every child is an artist, the problem is staying one when you grow up.” I feel that creativity means tapping into your youthful side and having fun.
Miscere
Modern Vice Collection
Kayla & Lindsey Schwartz
Jordan Adoni
Clothing/Accessories, New York
Shoes, New York
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Mixing fabrics and creating multifunctional and original pieces. The first piece of our interchangeable collection was our weekender bag. It was developed during a trip to Vail, Colorado when Kayla started wrapping her wool jacket around her carry on bag, wishing her California items looked a bit more wintery. We then started to do the same with any fabric we could get our hands on and became very inspired.
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Creativity is endless opportunity.
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Shoes. I’m from Long Island. I’ve been living in the city for 15 years. My father is Israeli, so our household was a mix of Israeli culture and American culture. Modern Vice is based out of NYC. My family has a history in the shoe business and my brother and I had the opportunity to open a domestic shoe factory where we can be creative and have full control of our manufacturing process. This is what makes Modern Vice so special. I just love feet. “Real innovation starts at the factory level”
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Monogram
Murathan Özbek
Yair Mayo
Murathan Özbek
Handcrafted leather pieces, Lima
Photography, Turkey
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Working on Monogram, a Peruvian based company that sells limited edition and collector’s edition handcrafted leather pieces. Every piece is individually numbered, signed and meticulously crafted with true heritage materials. Monogram’s mission today is to support Peruvian artisans while creating opportunities for future generations by focusing on production and training.
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I grew up in a silent and simple city with a lot of emptiness, where there is nothing very inspiring for the eye. The only gem that is hidden there is the landscape and the scenery. Maybe these silent landscapes were the inspiration for my photography. It is hard to know yourself without knowing others around you. This is how Photography appeared in my life; As a result of my quest to understand life, myself, and the people who lived all around, it became my own language. My biggest inspirations always come from my discoveries I make during my travels.
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Creativity is your freedom to express something new and bring that new idea to life.
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For me everything apart art is done for a purpose. But art itself is an additional decoration to life. Creativity exists in order for each person to add their own touch, their own decoration to life. This is why it is hard to define what creativity is. It is a different language for each individual soul. My art and my life is based on this idea. The idea of creating to add a meaning and a touch of decoration to what already exists in life.
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Ness Isabella
Give Jewelry
Ness Isabella
Paisley Dee
Clutches, Istanbul
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Making one of a kind accessories including kilim clutches. I was inspired by the exotic prints, colors, and textiles that I grew up around in Istanbul and wanted to incorporate them into a distinct brand.
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Finding your passion. “When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple.”– Paulo Coelho
Jewelry, Miami
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Creating an environmentally and socially conscious brand. At GIVE Jewelry, our mission is to help fund environmentally sustainable communities, focusing on the need for clean air, clean water and an end to deforestation. My brand is based out of Miami but all of our work is handmade by Mayan Women.
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To me, creativity means expressing your ideas. Creativity is the manifestation of your soul’s drive, at times leading you to your purpose and at others leading you to an outlet for expression.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Pasotti
Pinky Laing Pinky Laing
Nicola Begotti Luxury Umbrellas, Castellucchio
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Umbrella Design. I am continuing the journey my grandmother started in 1956 when she started Pasotti. I love combining new and modern design ideas with more classical ones. I am constantly finding inspiration in magazines, pop culture and city landscapes.
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Doing something that is both new and beautiful.
Bespoke Jackets, London
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Designing and producing military inspired jackets and tailcoats. My brand is a truly British brand. All the fabrics and trimmings are sourced in the UK and then crafted into jackets by my tailors in London’s East End.They are loosely based on the Napoleonic uniform. I often scour old military uniform books and exhibitions for inspiration. We just launched the detachable military styled tailcoat and are about to sample the Lancers jacket. Creativity is such an individual concept. Most people are very creative but it shows in different ways. Creativity cannot be measured- it’s all in the eye of the beholder. Creativity is making, producing and thinking about something that is out of the norm.
Sarah Chilton Designs
Sasha
Sarah Chilton
Jenna A Levine
Fine Jewelry, New York
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Jewelry design. Semi-precious and precious stones all have a lot of different meanings behind them, so I make sure to incorporate those meanings in each piece. Everything in my collections is a certain shape, color, name, etc. for a reason. I love playing around with my designs while making sure there is a story/purpose behind each one.
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Creativity to me means a sense of freedom. It’s the freedom to explore, play and create. It’s all about taking risks and having fun with the art that you most enjoy. “Lose your dreams and you might lose your mind.” – Mick Jagger
Skin Care, New York
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Skin Care Products. Growing up my sister and I both suffered from dry skin. I was inspired to produce a range of products that my whole family uses to achieve clear, healthy and radiant skin. SASHA is ‘raised’ in NYC, created for hardworking, cosmopolitan men and women who want premium and effective products that are both gentle to their bodies and the planet. It takes several attempts to craft an effective, yet gentle product that not only has a synergy among ingredient function but also a harmonious scent. This creativity can start as ‘random’ but becomes highly edited to a truly scientific art form.
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Being responsive to my environment. I find product formulation to be very creative as there are many constraints that force me to think in an innovative but focused way. It is a common proverb, but certainly a good one to remember when starting a business: ”If first you dont succeed, try try again” – Thomas H. Palmer 37
Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Silly Reggie
Skoby Joe Ceramics Joe Skoby
Regine Mechulan Greeting Cards, Florida
1.
Spreading my punny love by making sentimental and original greeting cards.
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Being fun and vulnerable! Everyone is always so worried about what others are thinking. Truly open yourself up to the world and you’ll be surprised what comes out! “We have to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles, and work. Or waffles, friends, then work. But work has to come third.”
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Ceramics, La Jolla
1.
Sculpting and creating ceramics. My work reflects my relationship with nature. As a surfer from Southern California, I appreciate the pure form of self-expression that disappears after each wave. Each piece is textured and glazed with images of the sun engulfed in saltwater; light dancing like gold on the ever-changing sea.
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Accessing creativity means breaking the demanding bonds of routine and entering an elevated mental state. When one is immersed in the creative process, all the hectic noise of life quiets and a sort of trance-like focus sets in, perhaps similar to meditation where there seems to be a communion with the Divine.
Sophie Habsburg
Starling Project
Sophie Habsburg
Sterling McDavid
Handcrafted Handbags, Italy
1.
Designing handcrafted handbags. I like to update classics in a distinctly modern and glamorous way using an array of exotic materials. These handbags are designed to complete the nonchalant yet perceptive woman. During my studies in Paris, I made the acquaintance of many stellar fashion figures, notably Valentino, Ungaro, Courreges, Rochas and Versace. My experiences and friendship with these designers was inspiring, and enhanced my enduring enthusiasm for turning craftsmanship into art. The Sophie Habsburg collection showcases an intimate approach to luxury.
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Building something from within your heart by finding inspirations from your own experiences and exposure to different cultures, while learning from those who reinforce your encouragement.
Solar Engery Candles, New York
1.
Creating innovative ways to give back. A portion of the proceeds from each Starling candle will fund solar energy projects in the developing world. For example, countries such as Chad in Africa, where people regularly die of preventable causes like cholera because the people do not have easy access to clean water. Solar power not only can provide light, but can also be used to power pumps that provide clean water, which is one way we are using solar power in Chad. UNICEF inspires me every day to do more for those in need.
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It means coming up with your own solutions. “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Gandhi
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Suitcase Magazine
TexturableDécor Claudia Rosillo
Serena Guen Publication, London/New York
1.
Creating SUITCASE Magazine, a multimedia travel and fashion publication that aims to inspire and inform people about different cultures and places. I’ve spent my life visiting friends and families around the world, leading me to believe that travelling is one of the best things you can do with your precious time. I wanted to create a toolkit for it, to help people dig deeper, explore further and really get the most of it.
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Creativity means building something that causes you to look at the world in a different way.
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Blankets, Uruguay
1.
TexturableDécor is the name of my handmade blankets. I am located in Punta Rubia, a beach town on the east coast facing the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the countryside on the other. Every day I find my inspiration in the simplicity of nature to translate it to the hand-dyed yarns and combinations of loom-woven items. I enjoy everything that develops a link between the hands and the object. My family has always been related to the country and since I’m a little girl I know the work with sheep and wool. I’ve always seen the country’s women knit and wove, hoping to do it myself one day.
2.
It’s a way of living, because it does not only translates to the design of products, a creative person is creative in every aspect of his life. It helps to be malleable, mutable, and to find exits when we think there isn’t any. I believe creativity is a huge type of optimism and moves the best in you.
The Base Project
The Sunny Lion
Chris Akin
Claira Preston
Fashion, Namibia/Ghana/Jordan
1.
Blending philanthropic work with entrepreneurialism and creating inspirational street art for the public. The Base Project is a socially motivated fashion brand that builds a bridge between artisans in the developing world and the U.S. fashion market..
2.
“I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” – Isaac Newton
Headphones, Los Angeles
1.
Designing tangle-free, embroidery-floss wrapped earbuds that are hand-woven locally. The color combinations are all inspired by the spirit of distinct beaches and surf breaks along the California coast. We give 10% of the profits to the Raise Hope for Congo foundation, which helps women victims of the conflict mineral crisis.
2.
Creativity for me has always been a medium for human connection and collaboration.
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Meet the Creatives RAC’s Questions: 1. What is your Random Act of Creativity? 2. What does Creativity mean to you?
Ugo Schildge
Varsity Alexander S. & Sebastian Adams
Ugo Schildge Artwork, New York/Paris
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My artwork. Everything in my work starts from a founding mechanism: the cogwheel. Cogwheels in varying sizes and numbers create a new kinematic image; the initially figurative picture becomes abstract. Put into motion by a random and somewhat uncontrollable dynamic which contrasts with the required technical accuracy of adjustments and gears, far from coming undone, it seems to be regenerated, multiplied and reinterpreted over and over again. I would say that creativity is the boundary between curiosity and pragmatism. It is the duality of the artist and the craftsman.
Baseball Caps, Norway
1.
Mastering the cap. We searched and searched for the perfect cap, but never found the quality and superior fit we were dreaming of. In the end, we decided to take the matter into our own hands. From that day on, our goal has been to make the best hats in the world.
2.
For us, creativity is about rethinking preconceived ideas.
Vanina
Voy Voy
Tatiana Fayad & Joanne Hayek
Nat Disston
Jewelry/Accessories/Fashion, Beirut
Menswear, New York/San Francisco
1.
Using fashion as a visual art form capable of carrying a cultural message and thus spreading a sense of social and ecological responsibility. Vanina is a social enterprise based in our home country, Lebanon, where we source and produce all of our products. At Vanina, we use fashion as a tool for social and environmental change by working and collaborating with local organizations and NGOs.
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2.
Creativity is making something ordinary extraordinary!
2.
The business began by building surfboards. The idea was to make them as fun to look at as they were to ride. I thought the same approach should be used for men’s clothing, every aspect of design should carry as much form as function. We created simple, well built shirts with pockets to carry phones when wearing a wet bathing suit, or a hidden micro-fiber cloth to clean sunglasses. Creativity is uninhibited output. It’s applying ideas, building something new, or piecing things together in ways that haven’t been perceived before. It’s forgetting the rules. There are no rules.
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Thank You
A special thanks to all those who collaborated and helped bring RAC to life! Creative Assistant Madeline Spates
Event + Design Production OTR Collective
Design + Art Curation Collaborators
Eleanor Edelmen + Laura Currie of Prospect Creative
Art Curation Collaborator Brooke Rohrbach
Art Advisor
Natasha Schlesinger of ArtMuse
Store Furniture Designer Ashley Platt
Creative Video Production Natas Pictures
Interactive Designer Elisa Jimenez
Digital & Graphic Designer Sophie Steinmeyer
Copy Editor
Christina Conrad
Castle FitzJohns Gallery Vincent Harrison
Limanjar Matcha Bar NYC Rise Coffee
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98 ORCHARD STREET, NEW YORK 9TH – 21ST DECEMBER 2015 OPEN DAILY 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM