Stories on the Side • 17th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Polina Koval

Conversations on the Side is an interview series exploring the inner lives of artists, writers, and creatives—the quiet rituals, questions, and moments that shape their work long before anyone else sees it.For this conversation, I spoke with interdisciplinary artist Polina Koval, whose delicate drawings feel as though they’ve been pulled from a dream. Originally known for her years-long practice in textiles, embroidery, knitting, and handmade clothing, Polina’s work has expanded into painting, w...

Stories on the Side • 14th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Tien Nguyen

In a world that often feels rushed, Tien Lu creates a corner of the internet built around slowing down. Through comforting meals, home café moments, and glimpses into everyday life, Tien transforms ordinary routines into meaningful rituals. Based in DFW, Texas, Tien’s content explores the connection between food, culture, creativity, and community.Born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and moving to the United States at eight years old, Tien’s relationship with food has always been tied to memory an...

Stories on the Side • 13th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Bella Archer

Conversations on the Side is an interview series exploring the lives, processes, and philosophies of artists, writers, designers, and creatives whose work shapes culture, often in ways we don’t immediately see. Through conversations about craft, ambition, and the realities behind creative careers, the series offers a glimpse into what it actually takes to build a life in the arts.For this installment, I spoke with Bella Archer, a New York City-based Senior Art Director whose work spans branding,...

Stories on the Side • 10th July 2026

Why Your Favorite Influencer Is the Face of Your Least Favorite Brand

Timothée Chalamet got “the bag.” Or he sold out.Depending on who you asked after his recent campaign with Kalshi, the prediction market platform, he either secured another multimillion-dollar endorsement or betrayed the carefully crafted image that made people love him in the first place. The internet spent a few days debating whether one commercial could undo years of indie credibility.@i-d on Instagram asks, “Remember when selling out was embarrassing?”But the argument wasn’t really about Timo...

Stories on the Side • 10th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Silvia

Some creators make content that asks you to scroll. Others make content that asks you to slow down.Silvia belongs to the latter. Through quiet mornings, thoughtful reflections, museums, cafés, and ordinary moments transformed by intention, she invites viewers to see beauty not as something extraordinary, but as something already waiting for us in everyday life. Her work explores identity, creativity, belonging, and the ongoing process of becoming who we are.In this conversation, we discuss what...

Stories on the Side • 9th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Arabella Rice

Every creative has a different way of moving through the world. Some build routines around making art, while others find that creativity slips into every part of their lives without ever needing to be scheduled. For Arabella Rice, creativity isn’t a practice she turns on—it’s simply how she exists.Originally from Venice Beach and now a senior studying Fashion Marketing & Management at SCAD, Arabella’s work spans creative direction, product development, styling, digital design, and sustainability...

Stories on the Side • 8th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Mia Jones

Every artist has a story that exists alongside the finished work, the quiet moments in the studio, the doubts, the obsessions, the unexpected inspirations that never quite make it into the frame.Conversations on the Side is a conversation series exploring those stories. Each interview invites artists, writers, and creatives to reflect on their practice, their process, and the lives they build around making meaningful work.This week, I’m joined by Mia Jones, a 22-year-old oil painter based in Not...

Stories on the Side • 6th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Nitya Dinesh

Welcome to Conversations on the Side, a series on my Substack featuring writers and creatives whose work I admire. This series is a space for conversations that sit beside the work itself, about process, memory, identity, and the quieter stories that shape how we write.For this first conversation, I’m so excited to feature writer Nitya Dinesh.Hi Nitya, thank you so much for being part of Stories on the Side. I’m so excited to feature your work and introduce my readers to your writing.To start, c...

Stories on the Side • 5th July 2026

Conversations on the Side: Annie Craig

Welcome to Conversations on the Side, a new interview series on my Substack featuring artists, writers, and creative thinkers I admire. This series is a space for conversations that sit beside the work itself, about process, influence, identity, and the quieter stories that often don’t make it into traditional features.For the first conversation, I’m so excited to share this interview with painter Annie Hart.Hi Annie! Thank you so much for taking the time to be part of Stories on the Side. I’m s...

Stories on the Side • 18th June 2026

God Made Us Cats

When I go silent, a black bug lands on the white couch.The cats are curled together beneath the window, orange draped over grey. Their bodies rise and fall in a rhythm older than language. Every so often an ear flicks. Even asleep, they reach for each other.To press your whole body against another living thing. To spend an afternoon tangled together in sunlight. To follow someone from room to room simply because their presence makes the world feel safer.Proof that God delights in beauty for its...