INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW: The Lemon Bowl

January 27, 2016

It's impossible to have a conversation about the DC creative community without that conversation leading, often with exceptional quickness, right around to CREATIVE SPACE. More specifically: where is it, who has it, and what can we do to get/make/own more of it as a community at large. And so our eyes are o p e n w i d e for examples of people making it work in unconventional locations across the city, whether that's at 411 New York Avenue, the Arts Walk at Monroe St. Market, and – most recently – at The Lemon Bowl, a former deli and current workspace/collective in the Park View neighborhood on Georgia Avenue.

(An aside: the fact that we just referred to a series of art studios + workspaces as unconventional means that as a city, we've got sleeves to roll up/work to put in, both on promoting + educating that these spaces add value and are vital, and on creating more, more, more. But back to the Lemon Bowl!)

Washingtonian had an amazing first look at the space last month, and we were excited to check out The Lemon Bowl for ourselves, and follow up with co-founders (and three of six women working from the space): artist Kate Zaremba, Sill Life founder Holley Simmons (you know her!), and artist/designer Linny Giffin for their perspective on (and the practice of) finding + running a creative space in Washington, DC.

There's five of you total working in the space, yes? But you three are the proprietors?

HS: There are six [of us] total! [Including] Sai Souphom, floral designer extraordinaire, Amy King, kick-ass designer for The Washington Post, [and] Gracy Obuchowicz, yogi and spiritual goddess.

KZ: Linny, Holley and I...are responsible for all the nitty gritty and general running of the space like keeping track of the bills, making sure our on-line calendar is looking sparkly and super fine, responding to inquiries, and planning workshops. Our members pay monthly to have access to use the space. We use a shared calendar so everyone is privvy to what people are planning or needing the space for. However, anyone can submit a workshop to host, you don't have to be a member for that.

You had serious vision when turning the former deli into a workshop + studio - - - and we love the retail aspect of the front room. The Lemon Bowl gets our brains working towards other community-centric, mixed-use spaces in the city like Nomad Yard and Maketto, and we see it less as a trend and more of a response to need. What are your thoughts?

LG: The Lemon Bowl invites people in for an opportunity to be playful. I think we as a community really need creative, community-centric spaces that help us feel connected to each other. Everyone in DC works so hard, but to have a chance to sit down, make something, have an in depth conversation and feel a connection to this place is invaluable.

KZ: People want to get out and be with people! This is our version of a DIY creative space that is solely based on the idea that as makers in this city, we are all here to support each other and find ways to engage in our own unique ways. We've tried to create a communal space (albeit small) where others just like you are quietly trying to make their ideas come to life. Through maker-led workshops we can engage with the community and maybe even bring out those makers who didn't know they were makers.

HS: People tell us all the time, “I’ve been looking for something like this!,” which makes us think we’re onto something. What I think the Lemon Bowl — and these other rad communal spots you mention —provides is a space where people can interact with likeminded folks in a judgment-free zone. That last part is important, especially when it comes to learning a new skill or tackling a DIY, because it’s so easy to get discouraged or doubt your abilities. You messed up that stitch? Rip it out! Paint dripped on your canvas? Cite Pollock as an influence! Dropped a stitch on your knitting? Welp, you’re fucked. Just kidding. Every snafu is a learning opportunity. Let’s figure out a solution together.

Creative workspaces absolutely exist in the city - they feel less few-and-far-between than in years past, but acquiring - and sometimes, even being in the know about them - does feel a little more difficult in DC as compared to other cities. The Lemon Bowl is a great example of strength in numbers - besides splitting the cost amongst a collective, what's your advice to fellow DC creatives ready to take the next step and start looking for a space?

HS: This kind of fell into our lap. None of us were looking for a joint studio, but when a friend reached out to me about a vacant property, it got the wheels turning. I’d say just being open and ready for an opportunity is key. And you have to see potential in a raw space! When we first saw the building — which used to house The Lemon Bowl Deli — there were pretty bad linoleum floors; a full bathroom with a random shower; and a staircase to nowhere that was straight from my childhood nightmares.

KZ: The Lemon Bowl is definitely our response to the lack of affordable workspaces for artists and even more so, it's about making a space whereby the people in it are really just hoping to support one another as creative entrepreneurs in a city that has recently begun to nurture its creative community. I think because the three of us are makers we aren't looking at this as a business more like an umbrella, a network of people who make the thing happen by working together and having an affordable space to host workshops, do product photography, screen print, have a gathering, etc. Our members have the same benefits within the space as the three of us do. That shouldn't be unique, right?!

LG: Good question- this was crippling for me as I'm a new business owner with so many big aspirations and all of the usual fog on how to get from here to there. I have always envisioned myself working in a community with inspiring women and was able to make that a reality when the Lemon Bowl was being conceived. I think you have to know what you really want, what motivates you and then put yourself out there. Let people know what you're looking for and say yes to the opportunities that align with your vision. Stick to your guns, stay open and get creative.

And how did your art/businesses/crafts change once you had a workspace outside your home?

KZ: I honestly feel myself experimenting more with new ideas and thinking more about how I can engage with the community teaching workshops. I went to art school for undergrad and it feels like I am back there in my studio space sometimes. Just knowing there is a fantastic person in a similar place that I can bounce ideas off of or reach out to with a question or idea is pretty amazing. We are also meeting amazing creative people right and left who are reaching out to us excited and interested in what we're doing.

LG: I live in Bloomingdale and I walk along the reservoir up the hill to Georgia Avenue where I camp out at the Lemon Bowl. After working from home for awhile it has been my favorite thing to come home feeling accomplished from a full days work to really relax. Walking away from work feels impossible when your studio is in your bedroom so I am loving the separation.

Walk us through a typical day at The Lemon Bowl, and on your stretch of Georgia Avenue. Who's stopping by and where are you stopping in?

HS: The Lemon Bowl is a completely flexible space, so the six of us come and go throughout the day. It’s rare that we’re all there at the same time — but we absolutely love it when that happens! Myself, I’m usually there in the morning checking on plants and spray-painting things gold (it’s a problem) before heading to my day job. On weekends, I can’t start the day without some coffee from Colony Club. Lunch is usually poutine or some other fried goodness at SmallFry or a plate of vegan mac and cheese from Woodlands. We love being in Park View and have serious crushes on all of the businesses nearby.

LG: I get my cup of coffee at Colony Club. If I have computer work to do, sometimes I'll stay there because it's so relaxing. Then I head to the Lemon Bowl to either fill orders, design something new or experiment with project ideas. If the girls are around, then we're probably off to the races rattling off ideas for The Bowl or for future collaborations. People drop in here and there for order pick ups, to buy a last minute gift or just to say hi. There's a really warm community of neighbors and businesses who we are fortunate to have around us. When the weather is nice I like to go to the park and swing on the swings or try to convince a friend to play basketball with me. re- does anyone want to play basketball with me?

H O L L E Y S I M M O N S
instagram @holleysimmons | twitter @holleyunedited
K A T E Z A R E M B A
instagram @kathrynzaremba | twitter @kathrynzaremba
L I N N Y G I F F I N
instagram @linnyfriend

T H E L E M O N B O W L
instagram @thelemonbowlDC | facebook
#thelemonbowldc

Soundwave Selection

January 11, 2016

We're excited to support this week's SOUNDWAVE SELECTION event at Songbyrd - the first in a returning monthly series of events with Kevin Chambers (Flash Frequency; Bombay Knox) at the lead. Launched in 2013, the concept is one part meet + greet, an in-depth, on-stage discussion of process and production (cool, right?), and live performance; with a focus on multimedia artists, it's "here to connect everyone" and is committed to building a great community of those for whom music and art aren't mutually exclusive. It's FREE with RSVP (and spots are going fast) - below, a little bit more from Kevin (and some words from featured artist TONY KILL, too).

[ K E V I N C H A M B E R S ]

So Soundwave Selection has been around for a while? The first Soundwave Selection was on August 14th, 2013 – this one coming on the 14th of January is the sixth, but [it feels like] back at zero because it's a fresh start with my original vision.

What made the time feel right to bring it back? I'm done with my album so now I have free time to build what I started. I like to give back with what I know to help people's progression in multimedia – whether it's music or arts. I like to educate people and bring something new to table. The foundation of one man's plan should always be acknowledged, and that's [an important part] of Soundwave Selection.

We know you've got plans to expand the website and make the monthly event just one part of a more immersive experience. Can you expand on that? [We'll have a section called] Demand and Supply where artists will donate sounds, patches, samples, editable projects, etc – right now I'm getting the back end right before launching it.

Anything else we can look forward to? Monthly mixes, merchandise and other gifts to be announced. It's going to be great.

[ T O N Y K I L L ]
“Described as a ‘cerebral recluse,’ even something of a ‘mad scientist,’ all you really need to know is that Julian Casablancas (Cult Records, NY) heard his sounds in a warehouse at a secret show and called him ‘a wizard.’ Yes, really.” - Alex Ivey, Deep District '15

As an artist, what draws you to the Soundwave Selection format? I’m intrigued foremost by process, equipment, & how one’s social climate shapes and influences what they create. My interest was piqued by the showcase’s unique premise of intimacy and transparency, especially in a day and age where theatrics and exclusion are often employed in place of innovation. It’s our role; accepted or rejected, to push the envelope and expose what lies beneath the surface beyond mainstream acceptance.

We feel like the night would be equally valuable to people who have no idea what goes into what you do, and to people who'd consider themselves peers. Your thoughts? In any creative endeavor there's a cycle of preparation, expression, and review. I believe what shapes and distinguishes an individual is her/his source material, experiences; and most identifiably, her/his touch - that unquantifiable nuance which indelibly marks our poems, photographs and songs. If one person leaves the showcase affirmed in the power of their singuliarity, we were successful.

What part of the night are you most looking forward to? I have a few surprises in mind for the performance & I'm interested in gauging response to some of the new material I've written. Songbyrd does a mean hoagie (I heart the 'Sgt. Pepper'), so post-social overindulging is a must. If you're curious; yes, I will graciously accept a whiskey. Next one's on me.

web: www.txny.us | www.instagram.com/txnykill
www.twitter.com/txnykill | www.txnykill.bandcamp.com

[ S O U N D W A V E S E L E C T I O N ]
Instagram @SoundwaveSelection
Twitter @SWSelection
Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/soundwaveselection
Website: www.soundwaveselection.com
Radio : http://mixlr.com/soundwave-selection/
Facebook : www.facebook.com/soundwaveselection

Photo credit: Ben Fonarov

PERSPECTIVE: JEFFRY HESSE

December 22, 2015

"MY NAME IS Jeffry Hesse, and I’m a Product Manager. More importantly however, I’m someone who wants to inspire others to care for the planet. From the time I was a young child to today, I’ve felt connected to the world around me. This connection has taken me a number of routes in life, one of the most recent as being a Product Manager at National Geographic. While I felt a very deep connection with what I was doing there, I didn’t feel that it was enough. I wanted to give more.

Byron Glacier Ice Cave Ceiling, November 2015. Delta 3200, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon.

Moulin on Matanuska Glacier. Shot on Thrukon in July of 2015. Velvia 50, Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm Planar

Ice wall on Matanuska Glacier, Josh and Chelsea from AMS setup fixed ropes to practice Glacier Rescue techniques, August 2015. Delta 400, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon

Rob Burrows, Kevin Slotemaker, Rachael Mariko and Ella Van Sickle. A glaciologist, a bartender, two teachers and a computer nerd all walk onto a glacier. Click here to find out what happens next! This is from four or so miles up the glacier, immediately beneath the snow line. Getting to this point was important, as it tells us the health of the glacier, by indicating at which point snow is surviving from year to year, and eventually becoming glacial ice. Middle Fork Toklat Glacier, Denali Wilderness Area, August 2015. Delta PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon

Water rushes through a glacial stream on the Middle Fork Toklat Glacier. In the upper right, a tributary that fed into the Middle Fork Toklat is now disconnected and receding further back. You can read more about the health of the Middle Fork Toklat Glacier here.
Picture shot August of 2015 while collecting more data on this glaciers health. PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon.

Kevin and Sandra, Portraits in the Wild. Moments prior to this photo, we had been digging in the ground on the glacier to uncover debris and measure how deep the debris above this “dirty” part of the glacier was. Kevin is a bar tender, and Sandra is a glaciologist in training. Together our rag tag group was generating valuable information that tells the story of a changing glacier. August 2015. PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon.

Rob Burrows, a glaciologist working at Denali National Park. Rob has had the foresight to expand Citizen Science efforts, and bring others along to gather data and help tell the story of this changing world. Affectionately known as “Robopop” by us, he patrols the glaciers trying to keep them safe. August of 2015. PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon.

Kevin Slotemaker is a bartender, a comedian, and someone who cares about the planet. Here Kevin sits mere meters away from a large crevasse on the Middle Fork Toklat Glacier, adding his photographic styles to help tell the story of a changing world. Yet another soul who didn’t go to school to become a scientist, but someone who wants to help regardless. August of 2015. PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon.

I’ve always been drawn to the arts, even if I was primarily minded towards the sciences, and at some point I realized I really liked photography. Over the past three or four years, I’ve spent a lot of time shooting photos of the world around me. At points it was just to document how beautiful it is, at other points it was to capture the beauty of others in the world, and at more recent points it is to show the world changing.

I’ve decided to try and make a difference.

We continue to watch the world rapidly change around us, whether it’s socially, culturally, or physically. Sometimes, and I think most of the time we feel helpless to do anything and if there is something I’ve come to realize about being a millennial, it is that the world is full of so many problems. You don’t know where to start. You don’t know if you can start. Isn’t the work of saving this place best left to those who took exhaustive hours of schooling? Why is it my place? Can I even make a difference?

Kevin walks the ridge of the tongue of the Middle Fork Toklat Glacier, as he makes his way back from taking measurements with Sandra and I. This was such a small area of the glacier but gives a feeling of the immense scale we are dealing with, even with tiny glaciers, which the Middle Fork Toklat is. August of 2015. Velvia 50, Olympus Stylus.

MY GRANDMOTHER HAS lived in Alaska since 1963. As a child I would occasionally come to visit from Southern California, and I’d see sights that were mind blowing. Massive mountains covered in snow. Gigantic moving creatures of ice formed by the snow deposited on these mountains. I can’t remember the first time I fell in love with glacier, I surmise it was early. I can certainly remember when I became reconnected with my love.

In the meantime, the talks around climate change have “heated up” to use a really bad pun. A lot of great work has surfaced in the meantime such as “Chasing Ice” featuring one hero of mine, James Balog. However, there appears to still be some confusion as to what is occurring in the world. Something I’ve believed for quite some time is that we need to lead by example, and if we can’t change others around us to understand the changes we are making to the world, we need to at least make the evidence clear. I’m not an accomplished scientist. I dropped out of high school to be precise. However, I’m someone who wants others to see what is happening to this world, if only because they have to see it through me. In the past year I was lucky enough to obtain a job where I can work from any corner of the world that has reasonable internet, and where I’m willing to wake up at certain times. I’ve used every spare minute aside from work and every extra dollar I’ve had for the past few years to try and continue to amass more and more photos, film, whatever, of a world that continues to change in front of my eyes. I’m bringing the story to the people around me, and instead of politicizing it, I’m just showing it the best I can.

AS HAPPENS TO some children who become adults, you can get disconnected from your family. I luckily was able to reconnect with them in 2010 when I was brought to Arizona by an interesting circumstance. No matter how interesting the circumstance, I ended up spending time having fun with my Grandparents. They invited me to come visit more often in Alaska, so I took them up on that offer. I’d fly up in winter, spend a couple weeks with them, and then fly back. The first trip back up, I coaxed my Dad into driving me down to Portage Glacier near Whittier, Alaska. On the trip down from Anchorage, you pass one beautiful sight after another until you get sick of it, kidding of course. Finally, you arrive at an area where you can hike around. Unfortunately, you cannot see Portage Glacier from this area. Disheartened, I trudged through hip-deep snow, and hiked back to a lesser known glacier to the side of Portage called Byron. What I saw was deep blues peeking from beneath packs of snow, and it was breathtaking. I knew I’d just seen something that would change my world forever, much more powerful than anything I’d seen before.

Fast forward a few years, I'm still obsessed with glaciers.

Three frame panorama of the Middle Fork Toklat Glacier. Stitched together later, this is a reproduction of a shot by Stephen R. Capps in the year 1919. I was excited to have the opportunity to mimic his work, and to show a new view of the Toklat, using similar technology to what he had. Stephen likely shot his photos with a large format box camera, so I brought along my fully manual Hasselblad to try and recreate the experience the best I could. Shot handheld without a tripod, I kept thinking to myself “aw man this isn’t going to come out, you hosed this!”. I was excited to be able to work with the negatives later to piece this together. This shot will be in Rob Burrows upcoming report on the Toklat, and is the first real piece of science I will have contributed to the world. August 2015. PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm Distagon.

Photo pair generated by Robert Burrows.

I want to show the world that just an average person can also help, and inspire others to take their privilege or opportunity, and use it to help. I most importantly want to show the most important people in my life the changes in the world around us, so that maybe they can also feel inspired to help.

Spencer Glacier as seen from a raft while on Thrukon with Errin Vasquez and Nathan Napolitano. Spencer is in a harder to reach portion of Alaska near Portage Glacier, and requires taking a train or some other form of transportation that does not include a car to reach it. It was pouring rain as I took this photo, and I thought for sure I’d ruin all my gear. July 2015. Velvia 50, Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm Planar.

Nathan and Errin in the raft on the way to see the Glacier. What makes Errin and Nathan special is that they put together a whole trip to Alaska by way of adventure motorcycle to see glaciers. Why are these beasts so special? Here they both get soaked with me as we go out to see Spencer. None of us are trained glaciologists, yet felt the need to explore glaciers. We wanted to tell the world of the beauty a glacier contains, and that we should work to save them. July 2015. Velvia 50, Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm Planar.

Errin pauses as he walks down a ridge on Matanuska Glacier. Errin and Nathan linked up with me through our collective love of bicycles, and my uploading pictures of glaciers to Instagram. I served as their local Alaskan guide, but in many cases, learned more from them. In this little area on Matanuska, we practiced ascending glacier walls, setting anchors, and made coffee. July of 2015. Velvia 50, Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm Planar.

Nathan takes a photo of Matanuska Glacier on top of a ridge. If there were a heart to Thrukon, it was certainly Nathan, and to this day he keeps me pumped to do even more exploration with him and Errin. July 2015. PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm Planar

Matanuska Glacier is a beast, and the largest glacier I’ve been exploring. You can walk 27 miles further back this glacier to it’s beginning somewhere on Mount Marcus Baker. To think you can walk 27 miles on ice is a real crazy thought. As you can see, the land around this glacier is not snow capped, at points I was wearing a T shirt and practically sun bathing. The amount of power contained within this ice is remarkable, and that they’ve survived as long as they have is incredible to think about. However, they are retreating very quickly, which makes one wonder why? If they have survived thousands and thousands of years, why in the span of fifty are they pushing backwards at incredible rates? July of 2015. PanF+, Hasselblad 500C/M, 80mm Planar.

Glacier Grey, Torres Del Paine, Patagonia, Chile. One of the windiest days of my life, or as I screamed to others as I passed on my way back “Viento mas fuerte!”. One of the most amazing sights in the world is this glacier, to me. In my limited travels, I find myself coming back here often. This year I plan to return, and hopefully retake this shot to see visually if any change has occurred. Part of why I take these pictures, and repeat them, is to show a change year over year to those around me. March 2014. Velvia 100, Mamiya 645 Pro TL, 80mm Sekor

Themes in my current work as a photographer are the power of the glacial systems and how it affects us; feminism, and the radical ladies of Science/Adventure (Sandra, Chelsea and Dorothy, I’m looking at you!); [and] climate Change and how it is affecting low elevation and smaller glaciers. In the past year I’ve gone on the following expeditions, joy rides, and otherwise to help tell this story:

Self Guided - Patagonia, Torres Del Paine, O Circuit, February 2014
Self Guided - Byron Glacier, Alaska, November 2014
Self Guided - Patagonia, Torres Del Paine, W Circuit, March 2015
Self Guided - Byron Glacier, Alaska, June 2015
Thrukon Expedition - Spencer and Matanuska Glaciers, July 2015
Alaska Geographic Citizen Science Expedition - Middle Fork Toklat Glacier, August 2015
Glacier Traversal and Crevasse Rescue Course - Matanuska Glacier, August 2015
Self Guided - Portage Glacier, Alaska, August 2015
Self Guided - Milk Glacier, Alaska, August 2015
Self Guided - Byron Glacier, Alaska, November 2015

Hanging glaciers in the French Valley, Torres Del Paine, Patagonia, Chile. March 2015. Velvia 100, Mamiya 645 PRO TL, 80mm Sekor.

I really dig shooting portraits in extremely wild places and only using natural light. I’m not adverse to flash, but I enjoy coming to learn how to harness the power of the sun as it pertains to photography. I as well really enjoy using negative space to call attention to other structures as of late. In general, I like to do things in what I consider an odd way. I’m not a contrarian but I grew up punk, and so a desire to do things left of center I feel has arisen as a result. While this doesn’t dominate my choices on approach, it certainly has influenced it.

I shoot only film for photography nowadays, for a multitude of reasons. For one, I want to use a format with the most information density available to document these sights. I’m a student of Ansel Adams in many ways, and I also use some of the same cameras that he used to document the world around him, like the Hasselblad 500C/M, and now, Large Format. For two, the aesthetic breathes old life into familiar concepts. There is something about seeing a Velvia photo of a glacier that I just can’t replicate with digital.

Peering up through a hole in the ceiling of an ice cave on Byron Glacier. The floor was littered in gigantic chunks of ice, and as I stood there I wondered if another would come crashing on me. Ice caves are not places to feel comfortable, so I did my work and was out as quick as I came. You however are certainly conflicted as you sit in a very beautiful place, wanting to stay longer. This particular ice cave has collapse a number of times, moving further back into the hill over the past three years. Based on the glaciers retreat, new areas open up, each as unstable as the one before it. It becomes a lottery on if you will be able to step inside one from month to month. November 2015. Neopan Acros 100, Hasselblad 500C/M, 50mm Distagon

IF YOU LIKE my photography, you can purchase prints of some my photos here.
Proceeds go to charities that benefit glacier research (and the occasional burrito for me).
I’m on Instagram at @aygueyguey
and Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/130892829@N08/