Meet Essa Baird

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Essa Baird a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Essa , so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

For me it’s about actively trying to stay curious, create blank space, and opportunities to play. It’s consciously pulling my head out of my phone and staring out the window of the train letting my mind wander and question things. Having empty time to think and make connections that then lead to ideas that turn into projects. But creativity isn’t limited to artwork, it’s learning how plants grow and trying my hand at that, or even cooking in the kitchen and playing around with different spices.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am an interdisciplinary artist whose focus is on abstract weaving, working out of my studio at Side Rail Collective My interest in abstract weaving started during my undergraduate studies at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt. There, I took a class titled Sculptural Weaving, taught by Professor Nathalie Miebach. In that class, I learned traditional basket weaving techniques and how to apply them in nontraditional or sculptural applications. This was the start of my Woven Vessels. The first one was created with unfired clay and fiber rush. Now, I work with a multitude of materials to create variations of that original vessel, exploring how the interplay of lines can define form and function in unexpected ways. My most recent work, and what I’m most excited about, is a series titled “my grandmother grew these gourds.” I had flown home to Upstate New York where my grandmother was selling her home and moving into the downstairs unit of my mother’s apartment. As such, she was getting rid of things… things she liked to pass on to me. I wasn’t planning to bring anything back with me, but then when I saw the gourds, I knew I needed them. Then, I found out that she had grown them. Suddenly, they weren’t just interesting objects; they were tangible pieces of my family history and creativity. Her labor was entangled with its creation, and almost instantly I knew what I wanted to do with them. I took gourds grown by my grandmother and used basket weaving to create sculptural objects that float and move as you walk by them.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

For me, these have been the most impactful aspects of my artistic journey, focusing less on the act of making and more on cultivating the right mindset: knowing yourself, routine, and preparation.
Knowing Yourself: It started in college, feeling overwhelmed and out of balance, which made everything else crumble. I started learning early on that I needed to know myself better. This includes understanding my personal needs, values, and how I interact with the world. How and when I work best, what kinds of breaks and rests do I need, what fills me up. By listening to myself and my intuition, I’ve been able to, for the most part, feel successful in my practice. This isn’t a static process either; it’s something you’re constantly checking in on. For instance, I was finding it very difficult to get into the studio, and by looking inward, I was able to realize that the problem was when I was trying to go. It was hard for me to decide to leave my cozy apartment on a Saturday to go to the studio, but it was much easier to stop by after work before my weekend started. That way, I could stay as late as I wanted and not worry about getting up early the next day, creating a routine that worked for me.
Routine: Developing systems and routines that work for the way I create and think has been super helpful. The routine doesn’t have to be this overly structured, rigid thing. Something as simple as setting aside time every Thursday after work to go to the studio is enough. And then, if something important comes along that requires skipping that scheduled time, that’s okay. Go for it, and next week, simply fall back into the routine.
Preparing: Preparing and prepping things ahead of time has been huge, especially when it comes to applying for gallery shows and different events. I had found I was missing deadlines because I couldn’t get everything done in time. So, I started doing little things like keeping my CV up to date, photos of artwork taken and edited, and multiple versions of artist and artwork statements all at the ready for minor tweaks and edits. This way, I’m mostly prepared for when opportunities become available, and I don’t have to spend as many hours trying to get application materials together for a tight deadline.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

The past year has brought several significant changes, allowing me to further establish my artistic identity and expand my practice. In September, I moved into a larger studio in Side Rail Collective, an artist collective, allowing me more space to display artwork and move all of my art materials into one space. In January, I became a member of our local chapter of the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild. This was my first step in gaining more skills and techniques related to basket weaving. At each member’s meeting, one of the members gives an artist talk on a topic of their choosing, which has been a great source of inspiration. I then learned of a yearly spring retreat they host, signed up to participate, and registered for classes. I’m looking forward to learning more and expanding my knowledge. This February, I had my first solo show, “Linear Movement,” which explored the ideas I’ve been having around sculptural weaving and its connection to my family and the history these crafts have of being linked to women and storytelling. I was also recently appointed as the Curatorial Chair for the Burien Arts Association and oversee their gallery wall programming at The Highline Heritage Museum. I’ve really been enjoying providing other artists with exhibition opportunities and exploring ways to expand our programming with the rest of the board.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Images courtesy of Essa Baird

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