Supra Endura: Creative Conversations

On Today's episode, I have on the amazing Eva Monheim who is an author, arborist, entrepreneur, and artist. Eva has a background in landscape architecture and along with starting her own landscaping and floral arrange business, has taught at Temple University, the Barnes Arboretum, and is a faculty member at Longwood Gardens. Eva is also a trained green industry professional and teaches businesses and homeowners how to use sustainable management practices to help reach a carbon-neutral environment. I got to sit down with Eva and hear about her amazing career and talk about the release of her first book: Shrubs and Hedges. It was a great conversation and so inspiring, to learn more about Eva and her work check out: https://www.evamonheim.com/

Today we have on the amazingly talented Janell Wysock. Janell is a fashion designer, artist, weaver, and knitter based in Philadelphia. We were both graduates of the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator. Janell was always creative and when she found textile design it opened up a whole new world for her. While she has a one-of-a-kind sustainable fashion and home line, I have been blown away by her installations. I loved her large-scale sustainable woven tapestry all created from scraps of recycled fabric or the 'Color Under the Canopy' installation where she creates brightly knit coverings around the local trees in center city Philadelphia. Janell is also a great teacher and has taught at many prominent art retreats. I loved hearing how she found her way into her craft and her focus on sustainable practices to create textile art. You can learn more about her at https://www.janellwysock.com/

Today I have on the amazingly talented Jennifer Blauvelt. Jennifer is both the founder and the creator of Location 215, an amazing photo studio and event space but she also runs her own production company: JB Creative Production. I always love a serial entrepreneur and I was blown away by Jennifer's creativity and determination. Jen is a producer, director, and manager of all aspects of advertising and production. in the last 15 years, she has worked on successful campaigns for numerous fashion brands, pharmaceutical companies, and varied commercial clients in the US and overseas. along with running her creative business, Jen is also a proud Philadelphian, mom, community advocate, volunteer, and teen mentor. We recorded this episode at Location 215 during an amazing askers market she put on. To learn more about Jen and her business please visit: https://www.jbcreativeproductions.com and https://www.location215philly.com

Today I was so lucky to meet up with Jenna Pilant of Room Bloom. Jenna Pilant is a self-professed color-loving interior designer and upholsterer who is doing her part to spread happiness into the world one interior project at a time. Her work has appeared in Darling Magazine, San Diego Home & Garden Lifestyle, and Origin Magazine. We first met at Alt summit in 2020 and I was blown away by her charisma and love of color. I started following her on Instagram and Youtube where I really got to understand her talent and style for home renovation. It was great to talk with Jenna about growing up on a farm, her forays into the acting, and how an upholstery class sparked her passion for creating amazing interiors. Yow can learn more about Jenna Pilant at https://jennapilant.com/

On this episode of Running Times, Gagz connects with Jarad Schofer, a math professor and journey runner from Washington DC who asks himself one simple question: I wonder if I can do that? Jarad recently completed a Trans-Am run across the USA, which began on π day in Santa Monica, CA, and ended in Virginia Beach, VA, 89 days later! He was self-supported, pushing a modified baby stroller loaded with supplies, and managed to raise $45k in donations for The Cancer Research Institute on his...

Years ago I stumbled on Franny Lou's Porch. This warm and inviting space was just what I was looking for when I moved back to Philadelphia. Community and activism were welcomed here, and I loved the delicious locally sourced menu. I know I wanted to get the owner and founder Blew Kind on the podcast. Blew Kind describes herself as a mother, artist, and entrepreneur. She was born and raised in Virginia then moved to Philadelphia for performance school in 2006. She is a lover of the African diaspora, poetry, sustainable business, and bridging gaps between people groups providing safe spaces to explore, deepen, and be healthy. She has owned coffeehouse spaces for a decade and is excited to start more generative and creative businesses. This was such an uplifting conversation and I loved hearing all the amazing projects Blew Kind is involved with.

I had the pleasure to get to sit down with Richmond Tan of Souvenir and talk about creativity. I had seen Richmond around the home office at Anthropologie and always noticed him because he was so stylish. I learned he was the editorial style director at Anthropologie: styling and sculpting some of the most iconic looks for the brand. In our chat, I got to learn about what it was like for Richmond growing up in Guam, working at a vintage shop and discovering his love of fashion and the launch of his ever-changing concept shop Souvenir. Souvenir came from Richmond's love of travel and stories and features curated Pop-up collections and collaborations from cities he has traveled to. You can find out more at https://www.instagram.com/_s_o_u_v_e_n_i_r_/

Today I have on the wonderful Christopher Plant. Christopher Plant is a super entrepreneur on a passionate mission to build spaces that facilitate creative interactions and make the world a more curious and engaged community. Christopher has run many businesses, most recently Kismet Cowork and the Radio Kismet Podcast network. We talk about his long career including his years as a set and lighting designer in NYC, his time creating and running GALAPAGOS ART AND PERFORMING SPACE, learning and succeeding in the real estate market and so much more. Christopher and his fabulous team at Radio Kismet just won a 'Best Of Philly' for their namesake podcast. It was so great to sit and chat with Christopher you can learn more about him at https://kismetcowork.com/ or https://radiokismet.com/

In today’s episode, I have on Tara St James, designer and founder of Study New York. In addition to founding her own sustainable brand, she has consulted for both small and large brands and has a broad understanding of sustainable design and supply chain. Most recently Tara worked as Production Coordinator and Research Fellow in the Sustainable Strategies Lab for Pratt’s Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator. She has built a sustainable textile library and sourcing service to help the industry find responsible solutions. Tara was super helpful for me when I was living in New York and just starting Supra Endura. It was so great to catch up with her on this episode. To learn more about Tara, you can check her out at http://study-ny.com/ and https://www.resourced.fashion/.

On this episode of Creative Conversations, I get to sit down with poet Steven Kleinman. Steven is a very accomplished writer, and spolier alert: he is also my husband. It was great to do an episode with someone I know and love, and whose process I have gotten to witness over the years. Earlier this year, Steven had his first book of poetry published: 'Life Cycle of A Bear.' Steven’s work has appeared in The American Poetry Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, Oversound, The Iowa Review, The Gettysburg Review, Copper Nickel, and numerous other journals. He has been anthologized in The Best American Poetry 2020. He is currently the Director of the Creative Writing Department at the University of the Arts. I loved talking to Steven about how he found his way into writing and how he was able to grow his craft. It is great to hear how his writing evolved and how he continues to work with young poets helping them find their own voice. You can learn more about his poetry at: stevenkleinmanpoetry.com.

Today, I have the amazing Morgan Smith on the podcast. Morgan categorizes herself as a self-taught black female photographer from Philly. Her work focuses on celebrating diverse bodies and capturing and strength of women of all races, sizes, and ages. Her work has been featured in Vanity Fair, The Wall StreetJournal, V magazine, the Atlantic, Essence Nylon, and more. Her work ranges from portraits to nightlife and some stunning concert photos. Along with capturing the moment on her camera, Morgan also styles the shoots: picking models, outfits, props, and landscapes to create these beautiful surreal images. She also loves to take her view behind the scenes and show them how she created the shots. She also curates ‘Time To Pretend’, an all-female art show.This started as a small show in Philadelphia and has grown tremendously. It was so great to chat with Morgan and you can check out her work at www.phobymo.com

I had the pleasure of interviewing my friend Diana Khoi Nguyen, award-winning author and multi-media artist. I first met Diana on the book tour of her debut poetry collection: Ghost Of. This book is described as a is a haunting exploration of grief’s aftermath, for a sister and a family. As a poet and artist, Dianna continues to excavate her family's history including what it was like for her parents to be refugees of the Vietnam War. I was fascinated by her career path and what lead her to poetry. I enjoyed hearing about mentors who helped to see her potential as a poet and I also loved hearing about how she decided to mix mediums and introduce photos cuts outs into her book to help tell the. It was so great to talk with someone so immensely talented and open to artist expression. To learn more about Diana Khoi Nguyen and to check out her writing visit her website at dianakhoinguyen.com

Today I am thrilled to have on Kiva Motnyk of Thomspon Street Studio. Kiva's studio creates one-of-a-kind textiles and objects in a beautiful, hand-crafted and artistic manner. I have been a fan of the brand for a long time and was so excited to meet with Kiva and learn more about the process. Kiva has a background in fashion design and spent 10 years at Isaac Mizrahi. She left her role there as creative director as she felt she wanted to start her own line and really explore materials and the hand-crafted nature of creating textiles. Through Thompson Street Studio she set up collaborative art shows with other fellow makers. As the Studio evolved, she learned her signature style and continue to play with materials. Along with running the brand, she continues to work on art exhibitions, consult with other brands, and even consults Ellen Degeneres on her home design projects ( so cool!). I was amazed at all she has accomplished and her openness to share. Please check out Kiva's work at www.thompsonstreetstudio.com

Welcome to the launch of the fourth season. I am beyond thrilled to have on my friend Angela McKay of Ohkii Studio. Angela is a surface pattern designer and illustrator, we met as coworkers and I was instantly in love with her colorful and expressive painting style. Angela's work has been seen everywhere from Gucci campaigns to Elle Decor collaboration and she just launched a printed kids collection for H&M Kids. On the show, Angela talks about growing up in rural Australia, traveling the world, building her voice as an artist, and balancing raising a family while also pursuing her creative goals. Angela takes time to take us through her creative journey on how she built her brand and how her artwork has evolved. To learn more about Angela, you can check her out at Ohkii Studio's website ohkiistudio.com

Welcome back to Season Four of the Supra Endura Creative Conversations Podcast. I launched season three at the beginning of the pandemic and it has been crazy to reflect on what a wild year it has been. It felt great to get back into podcasting and getting to hear how my guest creative businesses are going and how the pandemic has affected them. I was so excited to also be working with Radio Kismet this season and am so happy to be a part of their podcast network. I have some amazing guests from Philadelphia and beyond: designers, arts, photographers, writers. I have loved curating these conversations and I hope you will enjoy them as well. Stay tuned, new episodes will be released every other Thursday.

Welcome to our last episode of Season 3. For this 36Th episode I want to switch it up a bit and both take you inside my own business along with talking shop with Nicole Haddad of Lobo Mau on what it is like running a small business in the pandemic. I have been working on some initiatives within my own brand along with being in a reflective period of what it is like being a solo entrepreneur. This episode I talk about what it is like to launch a new product. I take you inside the process and thinking behind what it takes to bring a new product to market. A few years ago I fell in love with beeswax wraps and I wanted to find a way to make them with Supra Endura prints. I take you on my journey of sourcing, figuring out digital marketing and what it is like to enter a new product category: Kitchenware. Being an entrepreneur is such a thrilling/ terrifying experience and I wanted to impart some of the knowledge I have learned along the way. Next, I digitally sit down with Nicole Haddad of Lobo Mau. Nicole is a close friend and a central figure in the Philadelphia independent fashion scene. I wanted to get her take on the pandemic and what she is doing. It was great to hear what has been working for her and where she had to pivot. I also love her positivity, it is what we need right now. I hope you find this episode refreshing and real. And if anything I hope it is useful to you on your own creative journey! :)

For this weeks podcast I got to digitally sit down with Conrad Benner of the Streets Dept. This was an amazing and full conversations and I got to learn about how Conrad started his blog and how it grew into a platform to promote local artists and a tool for social change. Conrad is Philly native who started his blog just as a passion project but soon found himself forming relationships with the Philadelphia's prominent streets artist. As the years went on his blog grew in popularity and eventually he was able to focus on it full time. Benner was interested in finding ways that his platform could both be a part of the larger conversation about art in a public space and affect social change. He has worked on various projects like: #AmICutOut, a pop-up art installation created with Covenant House Pennsylvania to help raise awareness and money to end youth homelessness in Philadelphia, and Signs of Solidarity, an inauguration day public art protest in opposition to hate and in protest of any and all that embolden divisiveness. Conrad has also started his own podcast where he sits down with the creative minds shaping Philadelphia and beyond. He talks to everyone from street artist to local politicians and for the last season he was able to take the podcast on the road. I love his interview style and along with the local leaders he has interviewed. We ended the episode with me in full amazement of what Conrad has achieved so far and excited for his next projects.

am so excited for todays episode for Zen of Fason De Viv. Zen was born in Haiti and grew up in West Philly to entrepreneur parents. Zen eventually found her way into retail and eventually launched her own store/ online shop. She talked about being a single mom and deciding to go all in on her dream of creating a lifestyle brand and a future for her family. I originally met her when she had her shop in Old City and I loved it. She had a great mix of independent brands and works to showcase makers from all around the world. Zen is also deeply interested in community and works to help mentor minority owned business on how to thrive in the growing marketplace. It was great to hear how she has grown and how she continued to help fostering the community through mentorships and non-profits her and her family have set up.

We have an amazing guest on: Judy Wicks! I have been wanted to get Judy on for a while and I am so excited to have her! For those of you who don't know Judy Wicks is an author, activist and entrepreneur. Judy founded Philadelphia’s iconic White Dog Cafe in 1983. She was also a pioneer in the farm to table movement and a model in sustainable business practices. She has gone on to found Fair Food Philly, the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia and, nationwide, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. With her All Together Now project she is connecting Pennsylvania’s rural agricultural community with the urban communities to build a sustainable and resilient regional economy. Judy's principles of sustainable business practice started when she spent a year working and living in an Eskimo village and seeing how the indigenous population shared and supported each other. After that she and her former husband started the first Free People store, which was the beginning of what we now know as Urban Outfitters. She then started in the restaurant business and went on to open the famous White Dog Cafe. What I love about this interview is Judy really gives us a history of important parts of Philadelphia's culture. She went on to publish her autobiography: Good Morning Beautiful business all about her entrepreneurial journey and how to build a new compassionate economy that works with the planet. Judy is still deeply involved in the community and fighting social injustice, she recently when to DC to march in Jane Fonda’s fire drill Friday's and has been supporting and protesting with Black Lives Matter movement. It was great to talk to her and hear about how she figured out all of these things.

Today I want to bring you an episode with 2 friends of mine who are deeply creative and married, yes married. I have long been interested in creative couples who work in different mediums and them coming together to create something sublime. Our guest today are Issacs Tin Wei Lin and Melissa Choi. I knew Melissa from the fashion community when she cofounded the line Senpai Kohai with pas guest Pia Panaligan. Melissa has worked in many parts of the fashion industry as a designer, artist, stylist and more. She is a perennially creative person who always has an amazing sense of style and always a few different creative projects she is working on. Isaac tin Wei Lin is an artist who’s graphic and abstract paintings are buzzing with details of calligraphic, brushed and hand-drawn patterns. His work has appeared in a number of galleries and museum’s such as the Philadelphia Art Museum, Berkeley art museum and Fleisher Ollman Gallery. Earlier this year they decided to embark on creating a clothing line together: Choi Lin, this featured the artwork of Issacs and design sensibility of Melissa. The result is dazzling: pops of colors and buzzy prints along with a few beautifully hand sequins cartoon cats. They launched the collection with a pop up and art installation at the Room Shop Vintage studio in Philly and then did an installation and pop up in Tokyo. I am so happy to get to chat with them about their own art practices along with what it was like coming together and working on this.