How do you prepare yourself, ready yourself, to make art?
For me it’s always different. Sometimes the art itself gets me into the project—once I’m in the making, I’m in the mindset. Sometimes I read or watch interviews or essays to get me inspired. Often the spark comes from a new material or idea I’ve tucked away to try. Music or voice helps too—especially the Talk Art podcast or the Yeah, I Made It podcast by The House That Has Been, which features artists talking about their process and lives. Generally I would say that my first step is to clean up my space. Whether it’s organizing a table or cleaning a corner, the act feels generous, thoughtful, and gets me moving.

Can you tell us about Bella Garbaggio?
Bella Garbaggio is my new storefront brand! You will be seeing it out in the world more in the next year as I expand and experiment with different installations, sculptures, and collections. Some of it will be small-scale objects, some buyer-facing and some just to experience. One of the first pieces I created was a life-size trash can out of wood that has been exhibited and photographed and used and handled and painted on.

Do you collect art? Can you share something about any of the pieces that you’ve collected over the years?
I do! One of the perks of having creative friends is being able to trade or buy artwork when we were just starting out. One of the first pieces I ever got was a little blue ceramic cup by Gracelee Lawrence. She had just started making work that came out of the digital realm—scanning fruits and vegetables—and this little blue ceramic cup has all the markings of a heavily digitally manipulated surface, with a raw clay interior that feels hand-touched. It’s a beautiful example of moving from the surface of the piece.

Is there an artwork you made that you are most proud of?
Hard to say, but I think my short films might be what I’m most proud of because they were so difficult and new for me. I co-directed two with The House That Has Been and my friend, co-director and editor Ali Gitlow. We worked through experimental scripting, filming, and months of post-production. One of the films, No Pesticides in Paradise, has had a great run—showing at the Guggenheim and in other art spaces and galleries. It is the most intentional and poetic work I’ve made. It’s about queer utopia and joy and the absence of humans. I made it with no shots on disposable, cheap materials. It’s a dream.

Are there any current projects and collaborations you can tell us about?
Yes! I just finished shooting the second season of the web series Yeah, I Made It with my collaborators The House That Has Been. We created a world and concept together and I worked on puppets, set design, characters, and editing for the show. I’m also making a series of soft sculptures based on fruits and vegetables as part of a larger food-themed collection that should launch later this year! It’s part of Bella Garbaggio and a collaboration with my friend Rachel Ostrow, who is an amazing painter. I’ll be debuting new works, objects, and small editions through the brand.

What place in NYC brings you back to your first memories and experience here?
Gotta be the streets themselves! I’ve lived in New York for over a decade and still love the magic that the city holds when I’m walking around. Those first years here were embedded in seeing the world this way. It’s how I’m forming most of my work. I think there is nothing and no coincidence that I’m more thankful for.

Is there any music that fits into your work routine these days?
Yes! I am always making playlists. Sometimes they’re made for a show, a specific artwork, or just a mood I’m in. These days I’ve been listening to Kacey Musgraves, okay kaya, Chappell Roan, Wet Leg, and a lot of early 2000s songs that share that same certain sentimentality so I can feel a little younger while I work.