Triple Bolt Gazette

I know you both were involved in the cannabis industry at one point, is that where the Harvest Is Life moniker comes from, or is it from something else?

We certainly came up with the name while working in the industry. Not only harvesting cannabis, but all the things the earth gives us. Nature has provided and it’s important for us to take care of what we’re given.

What is it about Tie Dye that connects with you or provides that satisfaction that you can only find in creating? Is it the process? The aesthetic of the finished result? That each pieces is one of a kind?

I love that you never really know what you’re going to get. It’s so fun to open a garment after waiting and watching the ice melt. It’s kind of like organized abstract. I love that I get to create my own process. This is so important to me – having complete control of what I’m doing and following my instincts.

I’ve been working on sewing a lot lately and that’s been really fun too. It’s great to continually be creating new designs or products. I’ve been working on making bucket hats and tapestries lately.

Is there any challenge to your creative process that you face by working in this medium?

Rinsing. It makes my hands hurt lol. I also don’t want to do the same color schemes or designs over and over again so it’s important to me to keep things fresh.

And time. Time is very restricting and I need more of it.

Did you have any type of mentor or are you self taught?

I’m pretty much self taught. There’s some really great YouTube videos that have certainly guided me in the right direction and I follow some groups of like minded people that share great ideas. It’s a fun community.

What has been your favorite thing you created / tie dyed?

I say every week that something in that batch is my new favorite.

But I really love the curtains I made for my work space, they have a great mandala on one side and a country floral theme on the other. And it looks like they are glowing when the light hits them. They make me happy.

What is the craziest thing you have dyed, and why did you do it?

We just did a huge tapestry, and did it pretty quickly, because we knew we needed a shade wall for an upcoming event. We made it work and had it ready. It’s really beautiful too, and we’ve since even made another one.

Explain to us who exactly Harv is, and where did he come from?

Tony and I always hang out in the garage. About the same time every year, early to mid June, a frog shows up. Tony name him JuPer and he’d hang out with us nightly while we jammed and hung out. The next year he brought his family and every year they’ve come back. Our cat doesn’t mess with him. Lucy tries to play with them. The coolest frogs you’d ever like to see. They are the inspiration for Harv.

Has there been one design / style / production run that caught you off guard that it took off so fast?

Just recently it’s been the alien shirts. They have an alien head in the front and a UFO with a beam on the back. It was the perfect time to drop them with the confirmation that we are most certainly not alone.

What goes into deciding what you will produce next?

We try to come up with a plan in advance. I’ll work around the season. It’s time to start Halloween shirts like right now. I also base it on what festivals I’ll be attending. Sometimes I dream designs. It really just depends on what I’m feeling.

Where you both always creative people? If so, how did that lead to creating an apparel company?

Yes, we’ve both always been creative. Tony is also a tattooer so he’s always creating art. I think we feel trapped if we’re not able to have an artistic release. It’s a perfect match because Jess has some design ideas that Tony can just bring to life.

I spent years as a photographer and was always crafting something. Tie dye just feels right though. We always did tie dyes with the family over summer breaks. We have so many family outing pics with everyone in tie dyes. One year it turned into an obsession and hasn’t stopped.

What do you know now that you wish you knew about tye dying or being a creative person in business when you were first starting?

Just to learn to trust yourself and what you like and what your process is. It’s fun to experiment and it’s ok to make mistakes. Learning is a huge part of the process.

Website: www.harvestislife.com

Instagram: @harvestislife

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Facebook: @harvestislife