Interview with our Summer 2020 O.N.S Creative Lab Artist: Leah Goren
Beach culture may never look the same for many reasons, but what’s worse being at a beach where nobody social distances and wear face masks or wearing a mask at the beach while you tan and getting the mask tan-lined to your like a face tattoo? It’s not a bad situation for all of us, now all those Covid-19 skeptics in the world have a good reason to never take that mask off in public again! All jokes aside, yes this Summer will be different in many ways but we can all savor the experience a bit more with the Leah Goren Capsule Collection. Leah Goren is a South-California native who has a lot of fond memories growing up by the beach and has encapsulated those experiences with her time frequenting Rockaway Beach as a young artist in her artwork. It plays a distinguished narrative for those Summer memories of surfing at the beach, people watching energetic crowds and seeing the skaters do their thing. Those memories may look distant and different as we all determine what Summer 2020 looks but we have the opportunity to do it with flair and warmth with the latest Summer collection. Here is an interview with Leah where she tells us about the collection.
Where are you from and what bought you to New York?
I grew up about 2 blocks from the beach in Carlsbad, California which is where I predominately grew up before I moved to New York for college and graduated in 2012 with a BFA in Illustration from Parsons School of Design. I stuck around New York for almost 10 years as an artist and illustrator before coming back to Southern California recently.
What is your favorite beach and why?
If I told you, my friends who surf would be mad… But really, there are so many special spots where I grew up along the north side of San Diego County, from Del Mar up to Oceanside. I love spending time in Encinitas at Grandview or Pipes.
What is your favorite thing to do at the beach?
I like to bring a cheap watercolor set with me and draw in my sketchbook, read, or just talk with friends.
Could you tell us a bit about the illustrations that feature in the collection?
I designed my initial into workable patterns, in layouts and palettes that unified them as a collection. I paint everything by hand in gouache before scanning and assembling the layouts and repeating patterns in Photoshop.
Are there any prominent influences that were applied to the illustrations featured in the collection?
I wanted to show vignettes that evoked a warm summer day. At the time when I was working on the artwork for the Capsule collection, I lived in Brooklyn and went to Rockaway Beach a lot, so I was thinking about the beach scene there, the crowds of people on the beach, the skate park right in front, drawing while watching my friends surf.
Do you have a personal favorite piece in the collection?
Definitely the RIIS Camp Collar shirt. I love an all-over pattern, and it’s fun to pair it with the matching shorts.
What do you have planned for this Summer?
We’re still staying home mostly, so I’m not making any plans quite yet. I’m happy spending my time painting, reading, playing tennis and going for runs, so if I do that for the next few months it’ll be a good summer! I am hoping we’ll be able to go for long road trips and camp soon. The best part of California is it has everywhere you’d ever want to be—beaches, mountains, deserts, and everything in between.
Check out the Leah Goren Capsule Collection – here
