Everything she did was gorgeous, to the eye and to the touch, there is a certain backpack, shown in this post, with my name on it…
You can see and touch Mimi and Zach’s work this weekend, at Bim.
Soft Boiled
Tell us a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.The name Softboiled came about after making the “Revolver” pillow. It was my first inspiration to do a line of fun home accessories. I loved the contrast of a hard image on a soft object, and tried to play with that concept through out. Softboiled is a contrast in words: soft + boiled.
I live in Jersey City, with my boyfriend Zach (who made the lamps), and we are planning to move back to Brooklyn in October. We miss it there! We were both living in Brooklyn when we met a few years ago. He had just moved there from Michicagn, and I had moved from Los Angeles, with the company I was working for. I am origianlly from Denver, CO and had moved to Chicago for college and later to Los Angeles.
Apart from creating things, what do you do?Right now I am creating things full time. Softboiled is a very new endeavor. Previously, I worked for a clothing company designing sweaters and handling graphic and web design. This is where I found my interest in web design. I taught myself the web software programs and a little bit of HTML and CSS, which is immensely useful now. I hope to expand in this area more.
Zach currently works as a building facade consultant, and likes to build things from found objects on his free time. When he’s not doing that, he’s riding his bike or working on his music.
What first made you want to become an artist?I’ve made clothes as long as I can remember. I also used to make my 3 Siblings participate in my elaborate photo shoots. I still have pictures of my brothers in dresses 
! In my high school, the art department was a bit lacking, so I asked to take my extra curricular credits elsewhere. There was a career center where fashion design was taught in Denver. I learned to draft patterns and the proper way to finish garments. Later I attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for college. I guess I don’t recall actually choosing to be an artist or a designer at any point… it just sort of happened. I just knew I liked to create imagery in various forms, and it wasn’t always traditional drawing and painting.
Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
I usually start with a simple concept, a general feel for what I want. For summer, I knew that I wanted light fabrics and fun bright colors. Then I think of function. I am more interested in the function of objects and making them interesting like art. But I wouldn’t call the things I make art. They are fun useful things. The materials I use are very simple. I like basic natural materials and print, dye, or embellish them. Using reclaimed materials is something I would like to do more and more. The pillows I make are all from reclaimed and eco materials, as well as the backpacks.
What handmade possession do you most cherish?
I would have to say the ring I purchased from a designer in Los Angeles.
What advice would you give to artists new to BIM?I’m not sure if I’m in a place to give advice! It’s new to me too!
I was a bit nervous doing my first craft show, but everyone was so nice and very helpful. It was refreshing to me how sharing the artists were with information and experiences. Sometimes working on your own thing can get daunting, and it’s very nice be around people in the same boat helping each other out.
How do you promote your work?
I try to promote as much as possible. It really helps to wear my clothes out and talk to people about the line. I always try to carry cards with my Etsy info and contact just in case. I also post things to my friends on Facebook, Twitter, and my (very new) blog mimshi.com/whatido. Another thing I suggest is contacting other bloggers who specialize in what you make. I got one of the lamps featured this way.
In ten years I’d like to be…
Completely self sustainable.