Working in a fashion journalism has brought me face-to-face with cultural tastemakers in design, photography, theatre and art – to name a few. And yet no matter the scope of the final product, my favourite question to ask of its creator during an interview is always "what was your inspiration?" Simple, yes, but think about it: how does one go from staring at a taunting blank white canvas or mood board (or white screen, with which I’m infinitely more acquainted) to a work of art that shares a likeness with the person who brought it to life? I’m always surprised by the intricate and personal response to such a basic question. On that note, I’m keeping things simple this summer, from a pared-down list of beauty basics to a minimalist design for my bedroom (yeah, that’s what I’ll call it) so that trivial, beautiful moments in life – a great conversation, a shared laugh – will stand out that much more – much like this print from London-based artist and poet Fréya Eté. When I contacted Eté via email to ask what inspires her to write and illustrate those simple, snapshot moments in life, here’s what she sent me: "I am inspired to create simple pieces that I hope will have a positive effect on people. I just try to spread a little happiness and joy in my own small way. We live in such a busy, complicated time and sometimes it’s the smallest gesture or the simplest word that can remind us for a moment to stop and appreciate all we have and just ‘be’. I am admittedly an eternal optimist and have a deep love of this wonderful, complicated world we live in. And we are only lucky enough to enjoy it for such a short time, so it makes sense to cherish it and the people who enjoy it with us while we can." Does it get any better than that?
Artwork by Fréya Eté is available at on Etsy under Freya Art and Design.