Sitting Here Listening to Bottoms Edge.
Posted on 29. Aug, 2009 by Yokoo in News
As I sit here at bottoms edge, I struggle simply to find where to begin. The winter now begins to bleed into my desk window’s leer and the Pendleton that once draped my sofa finds itself once again covering my bed. I am comforted only by the bale of warm unraveled wool that now seems to shadow me wherever I may want roam-like a halo. Or my very own self-willed shackles. Who is to say?
It unnerves me sometimes to ask myself just how all this has happened. Two Years is a long way from what was once so familiar. I have followed my noses edge. But only because it is right there, in front of my own face.
Life for me has always felt intensely unnatural and foreign. I had never had what most kids had, and never wanting what most kids wanted was my own personal way of dealing.
I was dealt some rather strange cards. Bouncing from home to home and then later from city to city, had become an art form that I honed with such skill, that I began noting it on the bottom of job applications.
My life’s callings were all so vast and separate that it was all so puzzling distinguishing one ‘callings’ voice from the next.
Spending so many of my years as a jazz dancer, a writer, a photographer, and then finally a musician, I had become so immersed and so grieved by them all that it had many times felt I was the one being picked up to be practiced upon while my talents had so separately began living a life all their own. A very painful time, that I may never choose to delve too deeply into.
It was by the summer of two thousand and one that I had seem to have found something. A very special person had fallen into my life and began to uncover what it was that had been so brilliantly holding me in place. Unlike so many prior, he stirred me to run towards my talents instead of so habitually shying away. Still without a plan foreseeable, I began swallowing myself ever so deep into all of what made me whole. Replacing a full time job for part time, I began seeing myself for what nature had intended me, and regarding myself to what I was least comfortable as- an artist.
Then,as life would have it, the inevitable would happen. I decided to take a leap of faith.
Ironically, my financial straits had been painted ever so close to life’s corner, that it surely seemed the only way out was putting down the brush, and praying the tile was now dry enough to walk across.
Selling my scarves as product had never been a nuisance. Faithfully, the task of trying to merchandise ones own music through the previous years had dutifully served as its very own baccalaureate. What was surprising, however, was the deep emotion that I began to attach against the success or the failure of each handmade article. An experience that many nights had me questioning my own maternal forethoughts.
The more I opened myself to the world around me, the more the world began to answer.
The continuos success had been so momentous and emotional, that I never really took the time to properly reflect. It all reached a furious pitch when requested from etsy.com to finally sit down to tell my story – the story of Yokoo – and all of my quirks, oddities, and sentiments began bleeding well beyond the questions on the page into uncharted territory. I was overwhelmed.
The reaction since then has been surprising, and many times shocking. From being ‘noticed’ in New York, to landing a full page spread in ‘Vice’ and on and on. Yet nothing has been so rewarding as all the wonderful bloggers, Flickr Friends, and talented Designers that I have met and have supported me all along the way. It have been all worth it, if only for you.
If this is beginning to sound like an acceptance speech, it may be because perhaps it is. And their is no greater acceptance than that of an international retail outlet deciding to distribute your product as a collaborative line.
As of November 2009 Urban Outfitters and Yokoo Scarves & Accessories will be releasing a line of accessories under its own name and label, ‘Ann Schatz.’ To say it is overwhelming would be an understatement. And to say I never expected it, would be cliche. Through all of this I am learning that there are somethings beautifully unsaid, somethings beautifully unwritten, somethings only worth listening to.
Yokoo.
Nice Post
another random test post
This is Incredible Yokoo! Your hard work is paying off! Don’t stop now keep going chica! : )
Congratulations….both your work and your photos are amazing art…enjoy the ride!!
Well done !!!! Your fellow artist’s are so very proud of you. You give us all hope that this kind of success is possible…if you really want and work for it. Good luck.
your friend,
Janet
As I said earlier, HURRAY FOR YOKOOWOOD!!
xoxoxoxo
a very big congrats to you! I love your vision and style, and your interviews as well!
I got so excited when I read this on your twitter! You were one of the first etsy “personalities” I ever encountered. I have loved your scarves and accessories since the first day I saw them. It’s so awesome to see you doing so well, and getting the exposure you deserve! Congrats!
i love the new blog. i am SO adding you to my blog roll
i love your new blog, as i love your story. i guess you’ve been working so hard you that now you deserve this and more!! you are a big inspiration when i doubt if i should keep with my fashion label. thank you!!!
beautifully written and well deserved…such talent never goes unnoticed…it certainly is no surprise you would be asked to work on a collaboration like this! congratulations, yokoo/annschatz, you’ve earned it!
Congratulations on such an achievement! Good luck!
>something like a phenomenon< this is wonderful!!! I had a vision the other day of you knitting 24/7 in a huge cocoon of wool.. I guess I can say my clairvoyant aspirations goodbuy;) my joie de vivre cant impossible be as much as yours right now but at fair distance. I see endless possibilities, rock on yokoo! xo
oh, Yokoo. You so deserve all of this. i’m very happy to see You bloom like a flower:) hugs!
You are the most amazing person Such an inspiration on so many levels. Your words, your spirit, your kindness, your talent. You deserve all the goodness that is coming to you, and more. Go go go!!
your wisdom and insights fall nothing short of stunning. your story and the way you share it just made my day. Congratulations on all of this love coming your way; it’s all because of what YOU put out there. beautiful.
dear yoko
i am very overwelmed sitting here in full make up-thats the only thing that keeps me away froum crying-no girl you wont ruin my makeup. :-)
all i can say is YES and again YES i knew from the beginning (my beginning to see your stuff) heres something happening-that creative minds cant ignore-your blessed and you have a come a long way and you know what theres a longer infront of you, isnt that great!! feel huged and be sure someone in germany//hamburg is very proud of you and damn girl now u ruined my makeup ;-)))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cTR6fk8frs
Congratulations, I think that when I saw your presentations it was like you were already there. I’m not surprised at all that they asked you to collaborate.
First of all a huge congratulations on your range for UO. Thats so exciting and you totally deserve it for all your hard work and you general wonderfulness! Your new blog is great – I really wanted to comeent on todays podcast (sunday on) but I couldn’t figure out how! Your writing is beautiful and inspiring. I’m glad that you have found what nature intended you to do/be. It is encouraging for me, who is still searching! I also loved the idea of your long solitary walk. I can’t take long walks now because I’m ill but it has reminded me that if I am to find what nature intends for me I need to take time out alone just to think and let my thoughts wander. I haven’t done that in a while. Thanks for the great writing, I’ll definitely be following you and adding you to my blogroll. Keep up the good work! :)
Hey missmilki,
Im sorry, but the comment section is after
the front page. Clicking the front page Image will get you there. Anyway thanks for the post. Im gonna copy and paste it to the right page.
Don’t worry this is all new to me too!
Hi! Abject klooper in F7*&%^! responsibility of my english jer, buti all out charming re application .
Yokoo, I have not been online in a while and I am so happy to see you ae doing so well! Congrat on all the new ventures and You are getting to do what so many of us artist wish we could.
Cheers and Luck!
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