CREATIVE WELLNESS

Wellness, spoken about with authority by so many, should be one of our most personal practices and biggest gifts to ourselves. Developing a wellness routine that works well for your personal mind and body can elevate your everyday and change your life. Every mind and body is completely unique, however, what works for one person could have an opposite effect on another. Getting to know your body and its needs is an integral first step in any wellness journey.

For creatives, ensuring one's mind and body are operating well is paramount to a sustained artistic practice. As we know at LES, a functional wellness routine makes all the difference in our work. We spoke to some of our LES Artists and other creative friends about their personal wellness routines - how they've identified health issues and implemented changes within their lives, and what products they can't live without.

Lauren Sands, Founder of LES Collection and Painter

For me, wellness encompasses many things: mental, physical, and beauty. As I have gotten older, it has become a huge focus because I literally cannot function if I don't tend to my wellness. However, my current life right now is CHAOTIC. Between running a new business and having two young children, my time is VERY limited. So recently, my main focus has been finding the things that make the most impact.

I find that my morning and night routines significantly impact my days. In the mornings, I try not to jump right onto my phone. Instead, I wake up, do my skincare routine, spend some time with my kids, and try to get at least 10 minutes of natural daylight in my eyes (this means being outside, not looking through a window). If I have time to walk my daughter to school or go on a hike with my dog in the summer, that's a major plus. I drink Athletic Greens, which fills me up, so I am usually not hungry for breakfast. Occasionally I will journal in the morning, setting my goals for how I want to feel and show up that day and jotting down tools to help me achieve those goals. I notice a difference when I do this, but I don't always have time. I was very skeptical about journaling and did not think it would be for me, but my life coach (more on her later) pushed me to do it, and I reluctantly relented my skepticism.

My night routine makes the most impact. Most importantly, I am off my computer and phone between 7:30-8pm - we have a no phone in the bedroom rule - I put mine in the bathroom to charge and don't look at it again until the morning. I notice a massive difference if I break my rule and look at my phone later at night.

Before bed, I like to ensure that all the lights in the house have been dimmed - ours are set on a timer, so everything dims at 5:30. I often play 578H frequency music as I prepare for bed (there are playlists on Spotify). I always have my Canopy humidifier, and because my bedroom is on the larger side, I use two (overkill? Probably). I am trying to give up falling asleep to the TV but have not been successful - one day. I'm a work in progress.

Another thing I do that makes a huge impact is life coaching sessions with Masha Kay. It is an hour and a half (sometimes two hours) every other week. It's a big-time commitment but has made a massive difference in how I show up as a mother, boss, partner, friend, daughter, etc.

I truly believe that a regular exercise and a meditation routine would make a huge impact, but the reality is there are only so many hours in the day, and I just have not been able to make this a priority. As I said, my wellness journey is a work in progress. I can't do everything (which frustrates me to no end). But within the next year, I am trying to make these things a bigger priority.

Textured Walnut Vessel

Selene Wine Glass

KALYA O'DONOGHUE, Ceramicist

I have a few wellness practices that I do consistently because they are vital to maintaining my health and making me feel good. Nothing is better for the soul than the outdoors, so I love to go on a walk and sit by the water whenever I can. I love to get in a little movement as often as I can, and I found that jump roping is a great workout for me. I love to talk to my friends as much as I can for the best social interaction to laugh and chat about life. I find fueling my body with my homemade kombucha and coconut yogurt always makes me feel good. I also take Gut supplements every day to make me feel amazing from the inside-out. Lastly, I keep gut-healthy instant Mac and cheese in my studio as my cheap and fast studio meal rather than the classic cup of noodles!

Esme Vase in Pearl Froth

By Kalya O'Donoghue

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Cindy Dish in Lava

by Kalya O'Donoghue

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MICHELLE PELLETIER, Founder of Love Me Not Floral

Things completely changed for me wellness-wise during the pandemic. After getting furloughed from my job in model casting pretty early on, I found myself super lethargic while processing everything that was going on around me. I started going to my local bodega to buy myself flowers as a pick-me-up. That became making dinners accompanied by a beautiful arraingement I had put together. When I thought about life and what I wanted out of it, I knew that if money weren't an issue, flowers would be my thing. I didn't know the route there though and it felt like an impractical fairytale. I decided to take a leap anyway and I started Love Me Not in August 2020. I couldn't be happier with my decision.

A downside of my new lifestyle - one that I'm simultaneously very grateful for - is that I have been so incredibly BUSY. Things have been nonstop recently, and unfortunately, the wellness routine I had developed during my slower days in the pandemic has been whittled down to what I can squeeze in. What's interesting is while I've had to give up some of the practices I love and know keep me feeling mentally and physically my best, the quality of life I now have due to being my own boss, getting to be creative daily, and being able to work within multiple industries that I love almost evens everything out. I do wish I got more sleep though.

I had a lot of routines in the pandemic - doing yoga, getting a ton of sleep, doing morning pages (from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way) in the morning, cooking for myself, taking a bath every night, doing gratitude pages, and going to bed early. I also re-evaluated my habits with drinking and realized it was causing anxiety. I miss the morning pages the most - writing is such an important thing to do, every time I feel a little lost it brings me back to center. But it's hard to do morning pages when you wake up at 4am to go to the flower market. Rest is wellness too though, and sometimes sleep is more important than doing morning pages.

I also love doing tarot card readings for myself to help with intuition. I don't need to as much now since I'm more in touch with myself in general, but during the uncertainty of everything in my life during the pandemic the cards really helped me find myself and work through so many changing feelings.

Coral Vase

Beau Rush

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Kapok Vessel

Tania Whalen

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DORIS JOSOVITZ, Ceramicist

My health and wellness routine begins right when I wake up in the morning and I splash my face with cold water and put on everyday oil, mainstay blend, and fresh sugar lip. My care route is much more robust and interesting. Recently, I have been trying to have a big cup of water before coffee in the morning to take care of my gut health. I keep getting Instagram ads for mushroom coffee with all of the anti-inflammatory benefits and keep thinking I should add this to my mid day routine. After I drop the kids at school, I take a walk to make sure I am centered before I begin my day in the studio. A new routine. I want to start in 2024 is monthly visits to the Russian baths. I have not gone since before Covid and think it is a perfect way to center myself and clear my skin. I love to grab a friend and get 2-3 hours of time to reconnect without phones.

Mirage No. 4

Doris Josovitz

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Melody Sculptural Vessel

Doris Josovitz

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RACHEL MILLER, Founder of Layered Logan

If you've been bitten by the wellness bug, I'm sure you're just like me in your desire to discover fun new practices and products that make you feel that much more centered, healthy, and alive. One of the biggest reasons I've chosen a creative path is because I'm able to tailor my days and schedule to my physical and mental needs. The following things I implement in almost daily practice but especially on those off days when you're feeling like an unhealthy slug with no hope - these bring me back! All of these things are geared towards fighting inflammation in order to combat my endometriosis but are also for peak mental clarity so I can keep doing what I love.

Infrared sauna is #1 for me. I use a Higher Dose sauna blanket at home a few times a week to sweat out toxins and reduce inflammation.

I go to the chiropractor once a week. This is a non-negotiable for me - Once you find a good one, you'll know what I mean. Your spine is the gateway to good blood flow and brain function. He even adjusts my jaw!

Acupuncture has been in my wellness routine since high school. It's a chance to meditate, re-center, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion and sleep. Since acupuncturists use Chinese medicine, they can help create a supplement regime for you.

Consuming adaptogens is big for me. They are linked to fighting cancer and disease and assisting brain function.

All of the things I've mentioned are great for brain fog as well but if I'm feeling really down and need a rush of endorphins, nothing beats a hike or walk on the beach to clear my mind. If you can't get out to do that, a bit of journaling can really clear the cobwebs, too.

Visage Glass Set

Evil Eye Brass Lamp

TINA SCEPANOVIC, Artist

Drinking raw green juice upon waking is a routine I picked up a few years ago when I faced a health issue that conventional medicine could not address. With the help of a functional nutritionist, I reversed my chronic hives and fatigue with diet modifications and lifestyle changes. My favorite juice is straight-up celery, and I can’t go a few days without it! I use a low-speed Omega juicer that is super quiet because the last thing I want first thing in the morning is to be jolted by harsh noises. I’m actually very thankful for the whole experience because it led me into the arts. While trying to regain my physical health, I had to re-evaluate my priorities and give myself permission to rest, play, and be a kid again. It was at this juncture that I discovered historical painted finishes, and I haven’t looked back since!

The other ritual I swear by is stream-of-consciousness journaling, or “morning pages” coined by Julia Cameron in The Artists Way. Right after my green juice, I write anything that comes to mind in script for three pages straight. It can be filled with affirmations or complete nonsense, but it does wonders to quiet my inner critic and pave the path for uninhibited creativity. I have packs of Pilot pens lying around because I love a smooth velvety flow for my scribbles and get mad at poor writing implements!