since all i seem good for lately are reposts, quotes, Yelp reviews and one-liners, i thought i'd post Yokoo's interview as a featured seller on Etsy.


Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.

I don’t mean to scare anyone here, but, to be honest, I spent a larger part of my childhood preparing for this question. I used to dream of being on Nighttime Talk Shows and having a host lean in and say, “tell everybody about yourself.” My father said that it was the type of question that meant you had finally become someone of note.

Ingrid Bergman was someone of note and would always poise when answering this question. I would poise, too. I would try, but I probably wouldn’t make it far. I would end up jack-laughing throughout the entire first segment. Catching the Giggles. I’d try focusing on the bridge of my nose to keep from laughing. My father said all Nighttime talk show hosts have miniature buttons in their desk to cue commercials when guests weren’t working out so well. I imagine my persona being very button friendly. And it would be pushed.

And there I’d sit. I would have blown it. Now the entire world would join me in knowing that I was not the type of person that entertains such questions. I wasn’t Ingrid Bergman, or Simone De Beauvoir. And I was in nobody’s note. I was Yokoo, and I made scarves, some of which were chunky.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?

Oh, I imagine I’m just like everyone else. I check pockets. I roll socks . I give tips. I skip pages. I fall asleep. I turn it off. I give directions. I scroll down. I make sure its even. I leave it out. I lock eyes. I write it down. I say thank you. I walk away. I pretend laugh. I for real cry. I say I voted. I wonder if he really loves me.

What first made you want to become an artist?

Strangely enough, artists don’t become. They either are or are something different. I imagine there are people somewhere in the world that see something extraordinary then shrug their shoulders and continue eating or whatever it is that they’re doing.

Sometimes I wish I was capable of being more like this. But artists are jealous enthusiasts. We are privately vain depressants. If we see something admirable, we feel rather overwhelmed to take some sort of action against it. Be it productive or barren.

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.

Well, Im not going to lie to you. A healthy dose of plagiarism never hurt anybody. When that falls flat, I find that taking my consciousness off of the process altogether really allows the problem to figure itself out.

Opening refrigerator doors does wonders for the dormant mind. I would bet that there must be a sort of creative composite in coolant. I find that staring blankly into the back of the refrigerator wall usually releases a couple of pinned ideas to rub softly on the forefront of my head.

What handmade possession do you most cherish?

Eating-out is one experience I have to be duped into to doing. Not only do I usually find the food less than appetizing, but it lacks intimacy and space. Making supper from scratch for the Mr. and I will forever be some of the fondest memories of being young, creative, and full of love/hope.


What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy?

If you don’t take yourself seriously, then neither will I.