ZELAYA

Artist of the Week: Cynthia Vardhan Ceramics

Zelaya — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:54:12 +0000

One great thing about Etsy is that you stumble upon great talent all the time. I stumbled upon artist Cynthia Vardhan last week, and couldn’t stop looking through her work. I absolutely love how she painstakingly decorates each piece- all her pieces scream: I love what I do! I also appreciate how she uses pigmented clay to make the patterns raise above the surface, so you can both see and feel them. Inspiration for her patterns comes from various places, she says, “anywhere from European lace doilies and henna patterns from India to the traditional fabrics of West Africa & Bali.” Here are some pieces that caught my eye:

Happy Monday everyone!

Inspiration: Everyday Heroes

Zelaya — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:58:51 +0000

One of my favorite sources of inspiration comes from hearing stories of individuals who do what they love and believe is right, against all odds. Sometimes doing what we love requires great will and creativity, a dynamic and unstoppable duo. Seeing this strength and courage in other people fills my body with hope and vitality. The story of Luis Humberto Soriano did just that. He is a teacher who goes to the smallest, hard to reach, violence-stricken towns of Colombia with his mobile donkey library to read stories and teach children how to read and write.

And here is a video with subtitles:

Don’t forget that we all have the potential to access this great strength and creativity to do what truly makes us happy in ways that also benefit those around us…

In Appreciation…

Zelaya — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:26:47 +0000

Will you be my Valentine : )
In appreciation for all the for the support and friendship we have received this year already, we are having a 10% discount on all items in our etsy store from now until 2/14. Coupon code: lovely

Inspiration: Branches

Zelaya — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:07:05 +0000

I have always dragged branches that seemed either interesting, useful, or simply beautiful into my home, my whole life. As of lately I have been seeing a lot of photos online of branches used in ingenious and beautiful ways, I feel relieved I’m not the only one with this obsession. When I say I have been seeing photos online, I mean in Pinterest, a online pinboard that I have been fascinated with the last few days. I made a search of branches and all these beautiful images and ideas came up…enjoy!

The Blessings of Thick and Unruly Hair

Zelaya — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:49:00 +0000

When I found this installation on Colossal, an art and design blog, I remembered how grateful I am for my hair. I used to do art installations with my hair back in the day, I wish I kept pictures. In this installation piece, artist Jenine Shereos, has stitched and knotted every strand of hair to create intricate leaves, truly beautiful.

Hair has always been something I feel passionate about, in positive and negative ways. My mom’s side of the family has incredibly thick, strong, unruly, dark hair. To this day, I have not found anyone with thicker hair than mine. I used to think it was a nuisance that it had a life of its own, it would not stay in place no matter how many barrettes, braiding techniques, or products I used…and let me tell you, I tried everything. I was incredibly envious of those girls whose hair remained tame after brushing, for me it meant static wonderland.

Now that I am older, I realize that once I learned to surrender and live side by side with my enemy, this long, thick, unruly hair of mine became a blessing. I realized how fun and useful it can be. Growing up in a place were the mentality of re-use is nothing but second-nature, my mom and I always had use for our hair whenever stuck somewhere with limited tools. I remember tying, sewing, and even flossing (I know it sounds gross) with my hair thanks to my mom’s advice. I made art installations and jewelry when in art school, I specially remember making a beautifully braided bracelet for one of my boyfriends. Now I mainly use it to keep my neck warm in winter, for shade in the summer, as an accessory to dance with, and as a tool to reclaim my personal space. All I need is a few head shakes to make anyone step back. But more importantly, I use this hair to remind myself of my strength, that I come from powerful and resilient people who lived in rough environments, who experienced struggles of all kinds, and somehow managed to survive. Thank you mom for this beautiful gift!

Happy Friday everyone!

Helping our Communities: Stress Management Classes

Zelaya — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:09:30 +0000

We have united with Sita Movement to promote health and wellness throughout underserved communities of color in the Bay Area of California. For every five items that Zelaya Design sells, we take a percentage and help pay for one low-income woman of color to attend a Stress Management class. These classes are culturally relevant and include dance, yoga, and meditation. Sometimes guest speakers are invited to talk about subjects such as nutrition, anatomy, and introductions to different types of healing modalities. Our mission in joining efforts with Sita Movement is to encourage self-awareness and help individuals gain control over their health and that of their communities.

Sita Movement seeks to integrate mindful practices, and services to make them accessible to culturally diverse communities. Stress management and yoga flow classes borrow from several mindful disciplines to form a unique practice that helps develop awareness and inner peace, while gaining balance, flexibility, and strength with grace.

Currently, Sita Movement teaches a class in Fruitvale, Oakland, CA for Clinica de La Raza, a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the quality of life of diverse communities by providing culturally appropriate, high quality, and accessible health care for all.

If you are in or near the bay area, Sita Movement also offers classes in Berkeley, CA:

Location:
Niroga Center for Healing
1808 University Avenue
Classes:
Dance and Yoga Flow en Español: Mondays @ 4:30pm
Yoga Flow en Español: Saturdays @ 8:15am

Color and our Homes

Zelaya — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:12:39 +0000

As I have told you before, I have an infatuation with homes, and love peeking into different living rooms, gardens, etc. It is completely fascinating to see how people organize the world around them, what colors and shapes they are drawn to, their priorities, as well their quirks and twists. Bring me some pictures of your home, a cup of tea, and your problems, and I’ll give you my most geniune advice. Looking through the spaces section in the wonderful blog: Design Sponge, I was compelled by the use of color in some of the homes they featured, this is what caught my eye:

The mustard yellow rug adds a good amount of brightness…

The various tones of red in the couch match the painting and rug beautifully…

No color here, I just love the plant that is hanging from that frame : )

I don’t like big bold pink things usually, but this coach not only fits in, it adds softness and lightness to this room full of sharp lines and edges…

The aquamarine tones in this room add to the magical feel…

Happy Thursday everyone!

New Service: Garment Revival

Zelaya — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:21:33 +0000

Inspired by the concept of re-use, I have decided to offer a new service, that of revamping old garments with any of the signature Zelaya appliques, reverse applique, and embroidery designs. Check my online store for more details. Below are some of the featured appliques that can give any of your old garments a new life!

…and happy Lunar New Year Everyone! Wishing you all good health and that your dreams become true!

Less is More: Uniform Project

Zelaya — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:50:10 +0000

Less has always been more. A few carefully chosen words say more than blabber, one good friend is more valueable than a million aquantances, and a good fitting garment is worth more than ten that fit just ok.

Along the same theme, I stumbled upon an interesting concept, the Uniform Project, developed by Sheena Matheiken. She wanted to help fundraise for the Akanksha Foundation, a non profit that works to bring education to children in slums. Sheena decided to create a challenge where she would wear the same dress for an entire year, making it look different and unique every single day using different vintage, handmade, reused, or donated accessories. This fundrasier caught fire over the media, and is now facilitating many other projects with great causes around the globe. It is always inspiring to see people with beautiful missions make their dreams come true in a creative, sustainable….and stylish way. Voila!

Preview: Zelaya Bridal Line 2012

Zelaya — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:14:11 +0000

This is one of the outfits included in the Zelaya Bridal line for 2012. This time all bridal garments will be made out of 100% organic cotton knit, using embroidery and applique techniques. This line will launch in about a month, so stay tuned!