the desk | where magic happens
 “if a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”-albert einstein
  the culturally curious + visually inclined answers the questions you wish you would have asked, shares their works in progress and finished works that you will want to collect, while giving you an exclusive peak of their desks—where  magic happens.
  allison watkins | textile artist + closet magician.
home base: san francisco, california
magic trick: redesigning closets, one thread at a time.
  I. on voyeurism: if you could choose anyone from the past or present, without their permission, whose closet would you select to photograph and embroider. why?
 allison watkins: someone with a lot of pattern and color in their closet—maybe cleopatra? is that the obvious answer? i saw that frida kahlo’s closet is open to the public in mexico city—her clothing would definitely be interesting to see in person.Â
   I. is your closet as organized as your beautiful artwork?
 aw: no, not at the moment. it goes through stages of being messy and organized—right now my closet is overflowing with clothing collected over the years—i really need to pare down but it’s difficult because i often place sentimental value on pieces of clothing. at some point, i’ll document the messiness.Â
  I. are you ever surprised, after spending hours embroidering, when a piece turns out better than you ever imagined? if so, how often does the magic happen?
 aw: yes, after working on them for long periods of time, several months at least, they begin to transform in ways i hadn’t expected. the transformation takes a long time, and it’s difficult to visualize how this type of space will turn out; i can do multiple drawings beforehand, but it’s the embedding of the thread and repetitive process that brings them to life.Â
 analogue: needle, thread, fabric, paper maps, medicinal plants
& literature + culture editor
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if you are a peculiar woman and are interested in being profiled in  “the desk” series please contact [email protected] with the subject: “the desk inquiry” please provide a link to your brand and why you are interested in being featured by neonV mag. Â
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