Speak With Your Craft: Bailey Raha!
Welcome to Speak With Your Craft, a (semi-)regular feature that profiles the many creative individuals in my life and my attempt to shed light on what inspires them. I also want to expose readers to crafts, talents, and skills that may be slightly offbeat or unusual and encourage the support of the movers and makers in the handmade world. The first profile of 2017: Bailey Raha! Bailey, an Northwest CT-based artist, is an incredibly talented quilter, who specializes in natural dyes and recycled and natural fibers. Her designs merge traditional patterns with a modern, thoughtful perspective and one that is heavily rooted in nature. I could get into a major discussion of quilting and its relationship to modern feminism and self-expression, but I'll refrain for now and let Bailey speak for herself. Settle in and learn more about Bailey and her beautiful wares!
When did you first realize that you like to create?
As a small child I was always making, creating, and collecting things. I think I took to creative outlets to help quell anxieties I had about the world. Working with my hands continues to bring me peace.
Who or what are some of your creative influences?
Maura Ambrose, Andrew Wyeth, Season Evans, the women of Gee’s Bend, Edward Hopper. The collective history of the quilting craft and all the female quilters who came before me.
Describe your process: Do you map things out? Just go for it? How do you get to the end product?
I spend a lot of time looking at quilts in books and online, both old, and new. By looking, I collect little fragments of things I like, things that stick with me. On the whole, I tend to be drawn to traditional, simple patterns. I sketch a lot, but most of my drawings will never become quilts. Even after I’ve settled on a design, there’s always a bit of improvisation that goes on as the fabric I use speaks to me in a different way than a paper and a pencil. I trust my ability to make decisions and don’t take the process too seriously.
A lot of your work (as seen on your Instagram feed) has a strong aesthetic, with a focus on natural light, textures and colors, and, well, nature in general. What inspires you about nature, or, more generally, what inspires you to create?
Pokeberry dye (photo by Bailey Raha)
Daffodil dye (photo by Bailey Raha)
Every breath yields new ideas, new processes, new excitement. With every inhale there comes an exhale, but the landscape plays on. I look to honor that cycle through my process. My work is materially born out of the landscape. The fabric I use begins in the ground. The dyes I use are both harvested and foraged. There is something about being in nature that is so humbling. I am reminded of how minute my existence is, as I couldn’t do what I do, live the life I live without the natural world in all its quiet grandeur.
Your quilting work uses a lot of repurposed or natural fibers, and you dye your own fabric with different roots and flowers. Why did you choose to integrate sustainability into your wares?
Being able to spend my time creating is such a privilege. As an artist, I believe it is important to be conscious of how I source my materials. I use only natural fibers and naturally hand dye my own fabric. Beautiful dye colors can be achieved with food scraps, weeds, and natural debris with little to no chemical mordants or modifiers.
What’s one of your favorite projects - past, present, or one in the works?
Every piece I make teaches me something new. My two most recent quilts were satisfying for different reasons. The Winter Sky quilt for its large size, and the Cowgirl in the Sand quilt for the way all the naturally dyed fabrics interact with each other. One of my goals for the new year is to expand my natural dyeing practice.
Cowgirl in the Sand quilt, designed and made by Bailey Raha. (photo by Bailey Raha)
What’s the best piece of advice/quote that you’ve received about creating? Or, conversely, what would you recommend to other artists?
“Be kind to yourself, others, and the world. Trust your instincts. Be persistent and stay true to what you believe in. ”
Bonus: What are three of your favorite books and why?
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck, for its extensive multi-generational narrative.
- The Betsy and Tacy series (a childhood favorite) by Maud Hart Lovelace, for its quiet scenes of girlhood.
- In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney, an incredible catalog of successful women, all of whom inspire me to keep pushing forward.
Thanks, Bailey! Check out her quilts and quilted pillows (like the ones below) and learn more about her process her site: baileyraha.com! I strongly recommend that you follow Bailey on Instagram and her images from the Northwest Hills of CT.
Have an idea for Speak With Your Craft? Know some interesting makers, crafters, cooks, bakers, food growers, woodworkers, herbalists, photographers, writers, actors, musicians, painters, fiber artists, and creative forces in your life? I have friends lined up in the near future, but I'm open to suggestions! Leave a comment or contact me! Remember, makers or creators need not fit into a neat box to be featured. So, here’s to more creating, crafting, listening, learning, and collaborating in 2017!
Speak With Your Craft: Glenn Roth
Welcome to Speak With Your Craft, a (semi-)regular feature that profiles the many creative individuals in my life and my attempt to shed light on what inspires them. I also want to expose readers to crafts, talents, and skills that may be slightly offbeat or unusual. Today's profile: Glenn Roth! Glenn is an unbelievably talented musician, fingerstyle guitarist, and true music lover. While he is Connecticut-based, he travels extensively, touring nationally and internationally. If you've traveled to NYC, you may have actually heard Glenn busking in Grand Central Station and subway tunnels as part of the MTA's Music Under New York program. If you need to be perked up and/or happened to exist, I don't know, during the year that was 2016, I highly recommend listening to Glenn Roth! Check out our interview and some of his tunes below:
When did you first realize that you like to play/create music?
I started to play the guitar at age 7, after seeing Eddie Van Halen on TV. I remember at a young age coming up with chord progressions and song ides in my head. It wasn't until I grew older that these ideas became songs.
What experiences or individuals have influenced your style?
There are a many different experiences that have influenced my music. Number one is listening to all different types and genres of music. In high school, I attended a week long guitar camp and it was a memorable experience where I really started to learn about theory and different guitar techniques. Some of my influences include Tommy Emmanuel, Michael Hedges, Trey Anastasio, and 311!
You’ve traveled quite extensively. Any favorite place? And, how - if at all - did this place or any other regions/places influence your creativity?
I love to travel. My goal is to bring my music all over the world. I love to tour around America and see all the different regions. So far, though, my favorite place to visit was New Zealand.
Describe your process: How do you decide to play the pieces that you perform or create?
My music starts with a certain tuning on the guitar. I like to experiment with open tunings. Each time I change the tuning, it dictates what melodies and rhythms I will create. The process is very improvisational until I come up with solid ideas and the song starts to take form. Some songs take me years to write and other come quickly.
What’s one of your favorite projects - lately or in general? Why?
Currently, I'm putting together my first album of cover tunes. It should be released in early 2017. I'm also in the process of writing for my next original music album. I'm always striving to create great music!
When did you realize that you wanted to be a musician for a living? And, were you at all concerned that you may lose some of your drive or passion for music if you depended on it for financial stability?
Great question. I realized I wanted to be musician when I was a youngster. It wasn't until I graduated college in 2000 that my career started to take form. After taking a few different day jobs, I started to book gigs and was, for the first time, playing my own instrumental music for crowds. It was a great feeling and sparked my drive for pursuing a life of music. The financial side is tricky. It is a constant struggle to keep trucking along. Over the years, I have managed to acquire a smorgasbord of gigs, including restaurants, hospitals, private events, and playing Music Under New York. Music Under New York is a program sponsored by the M.T.A. in New York City. I have a lifetime permit to perform in Grand Central and throughout the subway system. This experience has helped me build my fanbase and shape me as a musician.
That's so cool! I'm sure, without knowing it, people have heard you play! What’s your latest creative project in the works (music or non-music) - either something you’re physically working on, some project or creation you’ve been wanting to tackle, or both? Or, conversely, what would you recommend to other musicians or artists?
I'm always concentrating on my solo career, but also love to play with other musicians. I love to perform with the incomparable Kristen Graves and Shawn Taylor. My recommendations for other artists is to stay true to what your goal is and don't let all the no answers you will receive affect your dream of making music.
What’s the best piece of advice/quote that you’ve received about creating or that’s been the most helpful to you?
“Stay positive and love your life!”
Bonus: If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
My super power would be to fly, so I could get to my gigs faster!
Thanks, Glenn! Check out more of his music, upcoming shows, background, and latest travels on his site: glennroth.com! Find links to his social media accounts - especially his YouTube channel! - to follow him on his musical endeavors. And, be sure to listen to some of his tunes below:
Have an idea for Speak With Your Craft? Know some interesting makers, crafters, cooks, bakers, food growers, woodworkers, herbalists, photographers, writers, actors, musicians, painters, fiber artists, and creative forces in your life? I have friends lined up in the near future, but I'm open to suggestions! Leave a comment or contact me: speakwithyourfood [at] gmail [dot] com. Remember, makers or creators need not fit into a neat box to be featured. So, here’s to more creating, crafting, listening, learning, and collaborating!
Simply Smiles blog: "Growing moments: 2016 garden season on the reservation"
Click here to read my reflections on the La Plant Grows Its Own Food project with Simply Smiles!
Eating mindfully: "The Six Contemplations for Young People"
A few years ago, I listened to an interview by Jon Cabot-Zinn on the topic of mindfulness. I was beginning graduate school, having a near mid-early-20s crisis of sorts, and it was exactly what I needed to hear to be more sane, and it really did change my perspective on how to live.
Since then, the concepts of "being mindful" and "being present" are ever-present...and I hope these notions of self-awareness are taken to heart (..and not just another superficial -ism). I'm fascinated by the connection, too, about what and how we eat and the impact on our immediate bodies as well as the world around us. Enter: How to Eat, a book, part of a mindfulness series, by Zen master and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. To use the favorite adjective of my friend, it's truly magical. It's enlightening, empowering, and, really, just full of common sense.
My family did not say grace before meals, but, as I got into farming and growing food, I grew to like the notion of giving gratitude to the food on the table. Even if not said aloud, it's something that all parties at the table can recognize, contemplate, and participate in: how the food got to our plates, the work involved to produce that food by both humans and nature, and embracing the individuals present and sitting around the table. I thought I'd share one of my favorite sections from the book, called "Six Food Contemplations for Young People," which makes it digestible (pun intended) for all ages:
Six Food Contemplations for Young People by Thich Nhat Hanh
1. The food is the gift of the whole universe: the Earth, the sky, the rain, and the sun.
2. We thank the people who have made this food, especially the farmers, the people at the market, and the cooks.
3. We only put on our plate as much food as we can eat.
4. We want to chew the food slowly so that we can enjoy it.
5. This food gives us energy to practice being more loving and understanding.
6. We eat this food in order to be healthy and happy, and to love each other as family.
How cool is that? By now, I assume that a fair amount of people may have given up on their resolutions - many of which are unfortunately prompted by a negative or unhealthy relationship with food or one's self-image. But, think about it: if we learn to be present during our meals, and, by extension, experiences in our lives, things begin to gain some clarity. We all could use a little more patience and understanding in our lives, and it seems that if we incorporate these thoughtful set of mantras into our daily practice, eating and living could be a bit more cheerful and magical.
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Get the book - it's definitely worth the read: How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh, available through Parallax Press, or check with your local bookstore (I got my copy at Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT!).
