Muse Series ~ Ericka Leighton
For our Muse series we'll be taking time to catch up with women who inspire us daily through their artwork, music, entrepreneurship, activism, design, etc. They are the movers and shakers of our time and are setting the bar high with their unique voices and visions.
To begin this series it seemed only natural to start in Cincinnati, OH. This is where myself and the new addition to the team, Jia Yee, both attended design school. The city itself is brimming with innovative talent, cool new businesses and seriously amazing food. Ericka Leighton is one of these visionaries and owner of Continuum, a concept shop that features a curated selection of work from a wide array of independent designers, artists, and makers. Continuum feels like a modern oasis, with giant palms lit by a soft pink glow, and an edited curation of all of the beautiful art objects and clothing you suddenly realized you need. We asked Ericka to catch us up on life lately, what she's been reading and what she finds the most interesting about our world, this and more in our conversation below!
How would you describe your work/practice/ideologies?
I would say that I work very organically and honor my own pace, I am not one to force things. My first internship I did in college I received the feedback “quality work, works at own pace” something that’s been pretty consistent throughout my life so far. Which also reflects my interest in all things slow and steady, which to me, is a big part of sustainability.
What artist(s) have you been really into lately?
Bari Ziperstein and Henri Rousseau.
What are your main drivers and tenets?
Authenticity and consciousness. On so many different levels. Which I feel is pretty synonymous with passion and awareness. I think that is where the strongest concepts and ideas exist for me, things that truly create that internal “spark" that enables me to channel energy to manifest. That and conviction.
What is the most interesting aspect about the world we live in?
Oh wow… I guess the fact that we live and exist in a world is pretty interesting in and of itself to me. To see how things have been built up in this constructed reality that we “share."
What aspect(s) of nature are currently intriguing you?
The moon and the sun, which might sound strange. I feel at some point in my life I kind of started taking them for granted, because they’re always there... Lately I have been pausing with them more, acknowledging them more and sitting with them more. It’s been pretty magical.
What current global issue matters most?
Again, so many. However, with the current rate of consumption in a society that is seemingly and sadly dependent and based on it, I feel that it is paramount to start to educate ourselves and wholly connect to our impact from the decisions we make, especially in the realm of consuming.
How would you describe Continuum's aesthetic?
I feel like Continuum is a culmination of a variety of interests. I never had one specific aesthetic in mind while creating Continuum, other than knowing I wanted a sort of oasis/happy place. I’m constantly taking things that inspire me and slowly regurgitating them in the space in some way or another, inevitably.
What have you been researching lately?
I’ve been obsessed with cults and communes lately. I think I’ve watched all of the documentaries available and inevitably end up spending hours after hours down the rabbit hole of wikipedia.
What current global issue matters most?
Again, so many. However, with the current rate of consumption in a society that is seemingly and sadly dependent and based on it, I feel that it is paramount to start to educate ourselves and wholly connect to our impact from the decisions we make, especially in the realm of consuming.
What is your current fashion?
Comfort. I want to feel comfortable and feel the most confident when I am. Oversized sweaters are my go to currently with this sporadic, cold and grey weather.
What recent life event has had the most profound impact on you?
Starting Transcendental Meditation!
What books are you currently reading?
Currently reading: 1984 and The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera (The Unbearable Lightness of Being is one of my favorites) Recently finished Reincarnation Blues and definitely recommend!
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Also in Journal
Lived In Series ~ Ilana Glazer
Like many of us, I was introduced to Ilana Glazer through the genius of Broad City, a show that she and pal Abbi Jacobson created and starred in. So when Ilana came to our Fort Greene shop last fall, we just about lost it! We shared that this year is Kordal's ten year anniversary and it would be such an honor to feature her in our Lived in Series to mark the occasion. Fast forward a few months later and Ilana is rolling up to set in Crown Heights on her bike, and yes, she's just as cool and kind as you'd expect. She's generous with her time, has everyone cracking up and looks incredible in our knits - even on a humid 90 degree day. We got a chance to talk about pregnancy and healthcare, how styling informs her characters, and finding levity amidst existential challenges.
Lived In Series ~ Re Jin Lee
