For this edition of Sobremesa, I am talking with Madeline Odonoghue, the Auckland-based artist behind the typefaces all over our Pinterest feeds. In this conversation, we dive deep into the behind-the-scenes of her creative practice, the inspiration behind her iconic typographic styles, and how she embraces imperfection and analog processes in the era of AI and automation.

Meet the artist 🍧

I’m a multidisciplinary designer & artist currently living and working in Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau), Aotearoa New Zealand. My work explores language, symbols, and hand-made forms, celebrating imperfection, analogue processes, and ideas that feel rooted in something bigger. I make a range of things, from icon packs and fonts to prints, ceramics, short films, and visual research projects.

Some key inspirations are Sister Corita Kent, the 1970s, Nina Simone, early Newport Folk Fest, art galleries, Los Angeles, old cars, folk music, protest language, documentaries, quilting as communication, Badlands (1973), architecture, Apartamento magazine, Georgia O’Keeffe, and peace signs. Essentially forms of visual communication that push against or question the systems around us.

For those discovering your work for the first time, could you share a bit more about the work you do?

I have a background in Fine Arts, majoring in painting, but I taught myself design tools while living in Los Angeles (when I wasn’t able to work under a strict partnership visa). Since then, my practice has become a merging of the two, bringing hand-drawn, organic, analogue processes into digital tools and systems, which I try to make available for others to use when possible.

I make quite a range of things. Drawings, songs, icon-based illustrations, downloadable art prints, but lately I’ve been in what I like to call “fontland”: a place where I make hand-drawn, hand-crafted fonts that can be used and reused by others, ideally on meaningful projects.

I came across your typefaces on Pinterest last year and was immediately inspired by them. I was struck by how familiar they felt. There’s a childlike quality to them. I’d love to know a bit more about what inspires your design work, and how you think about balancing playfulness with intention when you’re creating type.

Being in “fontland” gives me a lot of freedom to play with letters, drawing, and communication in a way that feels quite different from anything else. It’s like creating an idea or a feeling that can be used over and over again to communicate visually, so it really taps into my interest in language as visual communication.

There’s always a balance between being playful and conceptual, while also knowing how to systemise that into a usable design tool with the intention of it being used. That said, some of the best work I’ve made has come from moments that are more fluid, hand-drawn, or messy — ideas that didn’t try to fit a particular style, but ended up having the most impact and resonance.

I find that when I try to make something with too much intention, or become too aware of how things “should” work, baselines, structure, all of that, the work can lose its expressive, childlike quality. It loses its naivety, and with that, some of its feeling, so it becomes less successful for me.

It’s that idea that the more you know, the harder it can be to hold onto true naivety, and naivety is where the freedom sits. Much like naive music experimentation, rough recordings, where the beauty lies in the mistakes, the rawness, or a crack in a vocal, for me, playfulness is the starting point, and intention comes after.

In an era of AI and automation, I admire how your practice embraces handmade and slow processes. What does imperfection offer to your work that optimization doesn’t?

I struggle with anything too rigid, clean, or overly gridded. That might be because I don’t come from a traditional design background, so instead I tend to look at systems that are in place and slightly mess with them, so that artful thinking can still exist within them.

I still want things to function, a font still needs to work as a tool, but I want there to be an element of the hand, something human, embedded within it.

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For this edition of Sobremesa, I am talking with Fernanda Navarro, the creative force behind some of my favorite hospitality projects in Mexico. To know her is to be inspired by her taste, sensibility, and magnetism. Today, she shares with us the behind-the-scenes of her creative process and some of the tools that have enabled her to build unique and successful brands in the past decade.

Meet the artist 🦪

My name is Fernanda Navarro. I’m a multidisciplinary designer from Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. I work across creative direction, branding, interior design, and art curation, shaping brands and complete spaces from concept to experience.

My work is genuinely inspired by the desert where I grew up and by everyday life — from cloudy skies to people who are unapologetically themselves. My process is intuitive and very mood-driven (I’m a Gemini). Lately, I’ve been intentionally returning to how I started: working through analog processes like photography, painting, and collage, as well as taking ceramic and sewing classes — letting ideas take shape physically before anything becomes digital.

For those discovering your work for the first time, how do you describe what you do, and how your roles as creative director, interior designer, and graphic designer inform one another?

I don’t experience my roles as separate disciplines. Graphic design, interior design, and creative direction are simply different languages to tell the same story.

I think in systems rather than outputs. A brand identity informs how a space feels; a space influences how people move, eat, and interact; and all of that feeds back into visual language.

Designing across disciplines allows me to create coherence — where nothing feels added on, and everything belongs to the same emotional world.

When designing a new space, where does the story usually begin for you: with the space, the food, the brand identity, or something else entirely?

I start by listening to the place, the city, the climate, the people involved, and the food, especially if it’s a restaurant project. I’m interested in spaces that feel inevitable, as if they could only exist there and nowhere else.

I do use private Pinterest mood boards as part of that early phase, not to define an aesthetic too quickly, but as a way of gathering references, textures, and atmospheres while I’m still observing and listening. The brand identity usually emerges from that process rather than being imposed.

What parts of the creative process energize you the most, and what aspects have challenged you or forced you to grow the most in the past decade, bringing ambitious projects like Humo&Sal and Salón Apache to life?

What energizes me the most is the early phase of the creative process, when things are still undefined and fragile — that moment when intuition leads before clarity appears.

I love sitting down to choose color palettes and textures, thinking about how a space or a brand should feel rather than how it should look. When working with interiors, art curation is one of my favorite parts of the process — selecting and placing pieces in a way that makes a space feel lived-in, personal, and unique. It’s where emotion and intention really come together for me.

The biggest challenge has been learning to balance sensitivity with leadership. Bringing projects like Humo&Sal and Salón Apache to life meant stepping into roles beyond design: making decisions, taking responsibility, and trusting my own criteria even when it felt uncomfortable. Growth, for me, has come from understanding that creativity also requires structure, patience, and care — that intuition needs a framework in order to fully exist in the real world.

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When you hit a creative block, what practices or rituals help you reset?

I pause work almost entirely and focus on taking care of my body — exercising, eating well, and returning to a slower rhythm. Rest, for me, isn’t something I earn after being productive; it’s what allows ideas to come back naturally.

This interview is part of Sobremesa, my series of intimate conversations with artists. Paid readers get full access to this interview and more than 60 pieces in the archive.

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Sobremesa is the interview series of this newsletter, where I feature creators and artists across different industries. I chose this name because I wanted the space to feel less like a formal interview and more like an intimate conversation with a friend. The kind that happens after a good meal and maybe a couple of drinks. Sobremesa is about curiosity, honesty, and letting conversations wander.

In the first season, I featured some of my favorite illustrators, designers, prop stylists, animators, and a baker! The second season comes out later this month, and I can’t wait to share the conversations I’ve been having recently with painters, children’s book writers, florists, and even my favorite YouTuber of all time. Can you guess who?

You know how much I value going back to previous work and looking for patterns. There were many valuable insights worth revisiting from the first round of conversations. If you have been following this series, you may know that I always ask folks about their favorite ways to search for inspiration outside the internet. Below you’ll find a compilation of all the places these artists turn to for creative inspiration, beyond scrolling online. Here is a recap of the first batch of Sobremesa interviews. Enjoy!

A year of Sobremesa: conversations with the most creative people I know

Hiller Goodspeed, artist and illustrator based in Vancouver

Advice on creating things:

I used to think I had to wait for things to happen for other things to happen—that everything required a mountain of prerequisites. I’ve learned that none of that is true. No one knows what they’re doing initially, but they do it anyway. And then they do it again, because why not?

When I’m working, I try not to think about anything other than the task at hand. If you enjoy what you’re doing and do it for yourself, it will be imbued with an unmistakable you-ness. The people you love will listen to your EP, taste your bruschetta, or look over your garden and know that no one else could have done it that way.

Ideas come and go, seemingly from the ether. I’ve learned I have to direct my consciousness to a certain mental space—like finding a good fishing spot—and wait. If I hang out there long enough, something might happen.

Where Hiller likes to search for inspiration outside the internet:

• I like to ride my bike, and walk around my neighbourhood. I assign myself missions that encourage exploration of unknown spaces. I love going to the Denman Place Mall to be inspired. I love spending time in grocery stores and wandering through alleys looking for weird, discarded stuff.

• I live close to Stanley Park and have spent a lot of time in the forest just “taking it in”. I take photos of everything I find interesting and constantly go back to reference things I have encountered.

Francesca Farris, food systems enthusiast and aspiring shepherd based in Southern Italy

Thoughts on starting from scratch in a new country:

A job, whether full-time or not, inevitably launches you into a community. It gives you a place to belong and allows people to recognize you as someone who is trying. I find that once you consistently show up, people will start to include you, and things will start to flow naturally.

When I got to Sardinia, I worked with a shepherd in the mornings, helping him shear his sheep. He used to pay me with cheese and vegetables. I also worked as a bar waitress in the evening, and this was great practice as I got to talk to strangers and completely let go of my fear and embarrassment of being wrong. I realized from the moment I opened my mouth that Italians knew I wasn’t a native speaker, but for me, this is a point of pride—that I can speak more than one language and be playful with it.

Favorite places to seek inspiration offline:

• Participating observer in small-town events. From patron saint festivals to fashion shows and talent shows, I love the energy and planning people put toward preserving tradition—and inventing tradition. All for the sake of gathering and sharing experiences as a community.

• Maximalist shops: Stores packed to the ceiling that require a ladder for the store attendant to reach the goods. In Palermo, there is an inspiring fabric store and a bookstore called La Stanza Di Carta. I love the maximalist contrast to today’s minimal, simplistic aesthetics. I find the organized chaos very exciting.
  

Sandy Sanchez, writer, brand strategist, and content creator based in Brooklyn

Sandy on creating a space that inspires you to create:

Gathering inspiration online can be a great reference. You might like how someone is styling their rug, incorporating color into their living room, or framing their art—but always think about how that would apply to your space. And when you see what others are purchasing, it’s important to ask yourself: Do I actually want that, or do I just want it because everyone has it?

Her favorite places to seek inspiration offline:

• Movies: I’m a member at Metrograph and try to see a movie every month. I also go to my neighborhood theater—it’s kind of grungy and old, but so comforting to see a movie on a random weekday.

• Historic home tours: I recently visited Donald Judd’s home in SoHo, and the guided tour was fascinating. Home tours are one of my favorite activities—nothing beats seeing these spaces in person and how artists actually lived.

Andrew Hurt, multidisciplinary artist and cook based in Vancouver

The mysterious realm of ideas and how they land in our brain:

When I get an idea for something, it usually just pops into my head out of nowhere—kind of like how David Lynch relates to creativity when he says, “An idea is like catching a big fish.” Some weeks I have no ideas at all, but I keep fishing. Then randomly I’ll get something, and when it appears, one medium usually stands out in front of the others.

I wish I could say I’m able to sit down and just come up with ideas and choose a medium at my own discretion—that would be sick. But usually, an idea just slaps me in the face out of nowhere, with the medium already in place.

Where Andy finds inspiration outside the internet:

• Exploring the city I live in: I love going to Chinatown and into the markets and seeing the old butchers behind the counter doing their thing. Food is the core of any community, and when you surround yourself with food, you surround yourself with stories—and the faces that make up a neighborhood. That always inspires me.

Lisa Cyang, art director, set designer, and photographer based in Montreal

Advice on starting a career in prop styling/photography

Don’t be scared to reach out to people whose work you like. In terms of practice, surround yourself with things you like—utensils you find interesting, rocks with nice shapes, desserts you find beautiful. Doing this might inspire you to start shooting. Exercising your imagination and putting it into practice is the best way to understand your style and strengthen your eye.

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An Interview with Hiller Goodspeed

The first time I saw Hiller’s work in the real world was last year at a local exhibition at the Yaletown Roundhouse Community Center. It was a sticky summer evening when I set out for my regular walk around the seawall. Instead of following my usual circuit, I made a last-minute detour to take a peek inside the center.

There it was: a wall covered in mini sculptures, collage, and the well-known charming illustrations. It was very stimulating, and it left me curious to learn more about the creator of all the curiosities behind the glass. Exactly a year later, in a similar serendipitous moment, I met Hiller at Zine Harvest and asked him to be a guest for Sobremesa. I am so happy he said yes.

Meet our guest 🧃

My name is Hiller Goodspeed. I am an American-Canadian artist and illustrator. I live in Vancouver, BC. I like to make, but what I make is always changing. I like to self-publish and do a lot of that. Mostly that, I would say. I am a generally creative person. I am still learning a lot, every day.

Describe your art for people who may not be familiar with it

My art is light and has a particular brevity to it. I was drawing a lot for a time, quick drawings that captured a feeling. I think most fans of my work think of these drawings when they think of my work.

In the last 7-8 years I have continued to draw, but also have worked on a number of personal projects that encompass a range of materials and subject matters. I incorporate my surroundings into my art, the things I see and hear and experience. Some have said there is a poetic quality in the things that I make. I let my creative compulsions guide me to the point where it has become difficult to succinctly describe what it is I do. I have a network of projects I can pick up or put down, depending on what I feel like working on.

I read online that you work as a librarian, along with making art. How do you think working in a library influences your creative work?

I do work in a library. I really enjoy it. On the first day of library school they tell you not to work in a library just because you love books. I actually think it is the best reason to work in a library. Working in a quiet, calm environment is a nice fit for me and allows me to exist in a tranquil state which is good for my mind and creative practice. I love facilitating the transfer of information.

You’ve self-published a lot of books and zines. You've inspired me to create and publish my first one this Spring!

Can you share some of the biggest lessons from your self-publishing journey?

That is very cool that you have published a zine. We need more zines, always. If everyone made a zine about something important to them, the world would be a resoundingly better place. I remember learning what a zine was, and what self-publishing was, and immediately thinking "yes, this is something I need to do". My first zine was called "Moon Soup" and was a collection of collages and art pieces that I made, bound with a machine we had in the design studio at the school I went to. I made 22 copies and gave them to my friends. I didn't know anything about zines when I made it.

To learn how to self-publish you have to throw yourself into it. It's intense at first, like any creative endeavour, but once you understand what you are doing, it becomes more enjoyable. There are countless guides and tutorials out there if you're unsure of where to start. I made a video called "Let's Make a Book Together" for VanCAF last year. The important part is getting yourself jazzed up to the point where you have to self-publish or you will burst into flames. There is no wrong way to do it, just go for it and see what happens.

I picked up a copy of Thought World at Zine Harvest and read the whole thing in one sitting at the Second Beach pool in Stanley Park. Something about it made me feel hopeful. Like we’re all just having a similar human experience, figuring things out.

What motivated you to create your own digital archive and what have you learned along the way?

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Thought World! I make a lot of things, and I don't always get to find out what people think of them. Which is mysterious and cool, but it is nice when someone tells me they liked something I made.

In 2023, I decided to make my own social media website, Thought World, just for me. It's kind of like a diary? A quiet corner of the internet where I can go. Maybe it's a blog, actually. It was a great idea, and a freeing experience. It brings me the kind of comfort that is hard to come by on the internet. I published year one as a celebration of itself. I plan to publish years 2 and 3 as a single volume this winter. It is all online for free, too.

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I used to think that in order to be an artist, you had to go to art school, have the best supplies, or create a certain kind of work. But seeing your art in person last year really sparked something in me. I was like, "Oh, this artist made this mini sculpture out of clay, but also makes zines, and drawings, and poems! They seem to be having a lot of fun with it."

Do you have any guiding principles when it comes to making art? How do you decide what to make, given that you are interested in so many different things?

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This interview is part of Sobremesa, my series of intimate conversations with artists. Paid readers get full access to this interview and more than 60 pieces on the archive.

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Today’s guest is Delaney Yvonne, a Vancouver-based artist and designer. Delaney’s work speaks in an intimate language that reaches the ethereal while often being inspired by the mundane. When I met Delaney in person for the first time back in the Spring at a local market, I was delighted by her warmth and her gift to make you feel seen. We bonded over fashion, art making, and the challenges of building community in this city. Instinctively, I asked her to be a guest in the newsletter. I am so excited to share my conversation with her today.

We chatted about:

• What it takes to change careers in your late 20s and how she did it

• How she makes sure precious ideas don’t vanish

• Her obsession with going down niche Etsy rabbit holes

• And so much more!

Grab a seat, your favorite drink, and let’s start with Sobremesa : )

Meet Delaney 👡

I’m a painter and graphic designer based in Vancouver. I’m primarily a painter and art has always been my main passion. In 2021, I went to school to study graphic design and now work full-time at a design agency while continuing to pursue my painting practice. I love biking to work every day, spending time with my family, drinking natural wine with my girlfriends, watching horror movies, and fashion.

My painting style leans toward realism, but I like to include a sense of contradiction or irony, and sometimes elements of social commentary or critique. Visually, I would say my work is feminine and whimsical. I am very intrigued by beauty culture so that theme often finds its way into my work.

For people who might not be familiar with your work, what are your preferred materials to work with and favorite techniques?

I am a painter and generally use acrylic on canvas. I’m currently doing a series of paintings that look closely at different textiles and patterns, focusing on their detail and texture. I love making very detailed paintings and using the smallest paintbrush imaginable. If I wake up with a sore wrist, that’s how I know yesterday was a good painting day. Outside of painting, I am a graphic designer. I find that my design work informs my artwork, and vice versa. I love when art and design intersect.

I know you’ve been making art since you were very little. Was this something that came from your parents’ encouragement, maybe by taking you to classes, or have you always naturally gravitated toward creating?

I think a little bit of both. I was always drawn to creative stuff and it always came very naturally to me. But my parents also encouraged me. They gave me time and freedom to draw, paint, collage and let me figure things out on my own. They also introduced me to their artist friends, so I had creative adults I could look up to.

I am a twin, and I’m sure that played a role as well. My twin sister is an amazing athlete and I think I wanted to find my own thing.

Before deciding to work in a creative field, you spent a few years in a completely different industry, until you decided to start over and return to school. Many people in their 20s and 30s are afraid of pivoting; it can be a risk, especially when you've built skills in a particular field for some years. What would you say to someone considering making a pivot? Any tips you can share from your experience?

I originally studied science and worked in the environmental non-profit sector as a project manager for years. As much as I loved that work and respect that field, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t quite right for me. I would work at my project management job during the day and paint in the evenings. I always felt so happy and alive when I was painting.

Over time, it became obvious that I needed to pivot to something creative. I enrolled in a graphic design program and never looked back. As soon as I was in my first class I was like “this is the perfect job for me”. It seems so obvious in retrospect but it took me a long time to get to that point. For some reason, I wasn’t giving myself permission to think of art as a career option.

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The advice I would give to someone considering a pivot:

• Give yourself permission. Don’t wait for someone to tell you it’s okay.

• You probably think you’re too old to pivot but you’re not.

• Think of it as an advantage! You will have experience and skills from someone who has only worked in one field. You may be a few years older than your new coworkers or classmates, but you will have diverse experience.

Let’s talk about your creative process! When you get great ideas you’re excited about, how do you make sure they don’t slip away? What’s the first step you take to bring them to life? I like to keep a little notepad and write everything down, but I’ve heard of friends who like to draw their ideas or record themselves to capture them before they disappear.

• I write myself little notes that would make zero sense to an outsider. My notes app is unhinged. An example I just found: “repeating like animorph, mesh, transparency multiply”. Makes perfect sense!

• I remember ideas better with visual references, so I have a private Pinterest board for every idea I’ve ever had.

“Over time, it became obvious that I needed to pivot to something creative. I enrolled in a graphic design program and never looked back. As soon as I was in my first class, I was like “this is the perfect job for me”. It seems so obvious in retrospect but it took me a long time to get to that point. For some reason, I wasn’t giving myself permission to think of art as a career option.”

Do you have any techniques for overcoming creative blocks? For those times when you don’t know what to create or where to start?

• Sleep on it: Whenever I get stuck on something, I take time away and come back the next day. The problem always seems easier with fresh eyes.

• Thumbnail sketches & word mapping: I got in the habit of doing these during design school. It always helps.

• When all else fails, watch a good movie.

What are your favorite ways of finding inspiration outside of the internet?

• Volunteering. I volunteer with an arts organization called The 525. We host exhibitions for emerging artists. I do all of the design work, including the posters for all of the exhibitions. Working with that group and meeting the artists is a constant inspiration.

• Friends from different age groups! I have friends who are way older than me and friends who are way younger. Can’t recommend this enough!

• Getting dressed. I love planning outfits. It’s a fun way to be creative that is completely separate from my work and just for myself. Shout out to my sweet partner for giving me so much closet space

Things Delaney is loving lately 💋

Online:

• Post Projects: The design studio I work at!!!

• Anjela Freja on TikTok: She does a weekly video that reviews what’s happening in the art/design world. She’s so good.

• : The Review of Beauty: I am obsessed with Jessica’s work. She is a beauty reporter and critic. She critiques the beauty industry in a thoughtful and enlightening way, and she has changed the way I view beauty culture.

• Fire of Love: A movie about volcanoes that is visually breathtaking.

• The Pitt: So much medical jargon. So much drama. I loved it.

• Going down niche Etsy rabbit holes. For example, I have one multi-page collection for keychains, one for vintage French ribbon, and one for Juicy Couture zip-ups.

Offline:

• Urban Source craft store in Vancouver: They have a huge assortment of alternative art supplies (for example, an entire bin of mismatched vinyl scraps). Great place for ephemera, weird art materials and design inspiration.

• Maude Sips: Really cool, wine-forward event series in Vancouver. Hosted by the brilliant Martina Maude.

• Tools Magazine: An annual publication out of Paris. Each issue revolves around a different type of manufacturing technique or “tool”.

• The Wall by Marlen Haushoffer: A book I really enjoyed about a woman who gets isolated in the Swiss Alps behind a mysterious wall. It's a dystopian story, but it somehow felt soft and idyllic.

Explore Delaney’s work at delaneyyvonne.com or connect with her on Instagram.

Thanks so much for reading this edition of Sobremesa! If this conversation sparked something in you, please let us know in the comments. We want to hear all about it.

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In case you missed it:

Sharing each issue of Sobremesa is always exciting to me, but as a lover of food and everything related to sharing a table with my community, this one is extra special. This month’s guest is Brittany Chow, a food artist, baker, and creator behind Bok Choy Angel, based in Vancouver. I had the opportunity to see Brittany’s work in person this past Spring at an event in Gastown, and I instantly fell in love with her creations.

Everything Brittany makes is beautiful and honest to me. I just knew I wanted to know more about her process and talk to her about all the work she is doing to bring people together through food. I am very grateful for her openness to share her creative process with us, the good and the bad of being a baker, her sources of inspiration, and much more!

Make your drink of choice, your favorite snack, and grab your seat at the table!

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This month, I am excited to introduce multidisciplinary artist Valeria Bueno as my guest. She is not only one of the most talented artists I know, but also one of my closest friends. I met Valeria through Instagram two years ago in Vancouver, despite both of us being from Baja. I was a long-time fan of her art before meeting her in person, and I must say that our friendship has been one of the biggest catalysts for me to believe in my own work as an artist. To know Valeria is to be constantly inspired to be creative and blown away by the depth of her imagination.

I am so grateful for her generosity while answering these questions. If you are a fan of artists’ interviews, this will hit the spot. Valeria walks us through her creative process while creating new characters, how she overcomes creative blocks, what it takes to rebuild a community in a new city, learn the skill of animation, and so much more.

We initially thought of doing this in a podcast format, because we knew there was so much to be said. But the episode would probably end up being 5 hours of us yapping in Spanglish, so we decided to keep it concise for you here. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Grab a pen and a notebook. There are so many takeaways on this one.

Meet Valeria 🦢

My name is Valeria Bueno. I’m a visual artist from Tijuana, based in Vancouver. I like to paint, draw, sculpt, animate, and use almost any type of medium to create characters. I have a project named wuwu. It’s about a series of blobby-shaped characters that are just like us. Through wuwu I share a narrative of the everyday. Sometimes they are short comic strips or a quick sketch, sometimes it's animation, textile, or food. They exist in any type of form.

You have a beautiful ability to create worlds and characters that resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds. From wuwu, a fluffy, sassy bunny-like creature that inspires feelings of play, love and a little bit of recklessness, to dreamy swans that seem delicate yet sneaky. What inspires you to create such universes and characters?

Reality inspires me. My mood swings inspire me. My childhood, the things I'm curious about, contradictions in life, conversations, walking, and people wearing fun outfits. All the characters I create are inspired by my closest people and myself. They are made of qualities I admire in my closest circle, especially women.

My social life has so much influence on my projects. Connection is sacred to me, and I cherish the one-on-one relationships I have with the people I love. I think that the intimacy of getting to know them in such closeness has made me develop a detailed awareness of their unique personalities.

Here’s a little context on some of the characters:

• The wuwu fluffy bunny was created one night after New Year's Eve. I was hungover and sick, and I was feeling heartbroken because I was in a weird romantic relationship. I asked myself: How do I want love to feel? What do I need? I need soft love, I want love to feel like a cloud. And that is how wuwu was created, out of a heartbreak.

• The swan character's name is Valentina, and she is inspired by my passion for ballet and swans. She has this personality that seems so graceful, and she is kind of a perfectionist. She is inspired by this rigid energy that I carry sometimes. Valentina likes to spend time with the rest of the characters. Most of them are just silly and fun. This helps to give her a contrast of not taking herself too seriously; she needs to surround herself with messy characters who make her loosen up.

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This month’s guest is Lisa Cyang — art director, set designer and photographer based in Montreal. Her work is truly special and I am always inspired the whimsical realities she creates through her art. I am honored to have her as a guest on the newsletter!

Lisa, I am a big fan of all the work you do across creative direction, photography, and set design. I can’t believe I get to interview for my newsletter! I am curious about how you started in these disciplines and if you were always sure about pursuing a creative career.

I actually never knew this industry existed. Growing up, my parents weren’t super involved in my schooling and as immigrants from Taiwan, they didn’t exactly encourage or know much about pursuing arts as a career.

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For this issue of Sobremesa, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andrew Hurt. One of my favorite multidisciplinary artists in Vancouver. We chatted about the different aspects that inform his work, his experience sharing his art with the world, and what it means to be an artist.

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For this issue of Sobremesa, I interviewed Sandy Sanchez — writer of one of my favorite newsletters, Small Pleasures. When I started this series she was one of the first people I wanted to feature as I deeply resonate with her appreciation for the little (big) things in life. When Sandy and I got together on a video call at the beginning of the year to brainstorm different ways of working together, I was enchanted by the fact that it felt like speaking to an old friend although it was our first speaking on a call. One of the most beautiful things about living in these digital times is that we can make connections with people on the Internet. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Buy me a matcha 🍵

On this Sobremesa issue —

• What inspires Sandy to write her newsletter

• Favorite pieces she has collected and tips on how to start decorating your home so it really reflects your style and personality

• Ways of finding inspiration outside of the internet + all the things she is loving both offline and online right now

Meet Sandy 👛

I’m Sandy Sanchez. I’m a writer, brand strategist, and content creator based in Brooklyn. I currently work at Headspace as a Senior Copywriter. I love writing about interiors, culture, and everyday delights for my newsletter, Small Pleasures, and about home and design for publications like Architectural Digest. My ideal days consist of going to my favorite neighborhood shops, visiting art museums and bookstores, making a good meal, redecorating my space, putting together outfits, and walking with my dog, Noguchi.

What inspired you to start your newsletter, Small Pleasures?

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For this first edition of Sobremesa, I interviewed the talented Francesca Farris, a food systems enthusiast and aspiring shepherd based in Southern Italy. She shared her favorite aspects of living on the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. She also discusses the most challenging parts of moving across the globe, learning the language, and building a support network in a small community. I am so grateful for the candidness of her responses, and I’m sure you will leave feeling as inspired as I did.

Meet Francesca

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The Meaning

The word ‘Sobremesa’ doesn’t have a direct English translation. In Spanish it refers to the time spent sitting around the table after a meal, drinking, and enjoying each other’s company and conversation.

About this section

I talk a lot about intentional ways of finding inspiration outside of the Internet on this newsletter, and one of my favorite tools to get inspired is meeting interesting people that I admire, and listening closely as they teach me new things about their craft. I love asking questions, I love learning about the experiences that make someone who they are today, and why they make their art. In this new section, I want to invite all these talented people to sit down at my table, and share their world with all of you.

Sobremesa will be a series of conversations released once or twice a month. The first issue is already out! This new section will be only for paid readers by the end of the Spring, so consider upgrading your subscription. I have been writing this newsletter for over a year now, and I am very excited to see it grow and expand this year. Please let me know if you or someone you know would be interested in being a guest.

Con amor,

Florencia

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