Some may remember me as “K on the Bay” from my fashion blogger days.
Ten years ago, after returning from San Francisco (my other bay), I started a simple Tumblr blog- a blog to share photos of food, sailboats, thrift store finds, and artwork. Noticing the simple pleasures all around, I wanted to share beauty- as seen through my eyes- with others.
As my interest in photography grew, so did my audience’s interest in seeing more of my style.
A few years later, I stopped focusing on fashion and began to redirect my energy on life’s simple pleasures once again- with a lot of life lessons and personal experiences along the way.
However, when the world was put to a halt in 2020, so did my interest in writing.
It wasn’t because I didn’t have anything to say or share. Far from it. After writing consistently (and publicly) a for many years, my thoughts seemed painfully insignificant during a worldwide pandemic.
While people were getting laid off, fearful of losing their homes, and falling ill, I kept my own experiences private.
I never stopped creating, though.
The pandemic may have temporarily closed one door for me, but it opened an entirely new world. A world where I was allowed- and urged- to stay home. A world where I was encouraged to be alone and create. A world where we all had to find our own bliss- as the world we once knew no longer existed.
So, I began to tell my story through paint and fabric.
As I gathered memories, bits of inspiration, and pieces of art to re-purpose, I realized how much of my story lies within the past.
2020 felt like a year of redemption- and closure.
Inevitably, this lead me to revisiting the places and people who were a part of my original stories… and 2021 was the time for me to let them go.
After spending two months back in New York, I realized how much I changed during the pandemic- and how I never wanted to return to a conditioned state that wasn’t authentic to me.
Fashion will always be a part of my life, but so are simple days gardening in my yard, reading under a tree, or getting lost in a blank canvas. 2020 was a time to let go of who we once were, or who we thought we “should” be; and now that the world is opening back up again, so am I.
Whether it’s storytelling, painting, or putting together an outfit, creation is my world- so I hope you enjoy coming along for the sail.
The Shawn mini skirt & tote bag are a part of the Kiko & Ollie collection.
