ICYMI: Word of Mouth!
On July 26th from 5-10 pm, Wholesome collaborated with Eternal Events to put on Word of Mouth! The event took place at WholesomeHQ and had a turnout of 10 vendors, 3 artists, 3 musicians, and a flash tattoo artist. Collectivenergy Crew & our very own WholesomeRadio DJs provided music for the event! Including all checked-in vendors, artists, attendants, and Wholesome and Eternal staff, Word of Mouth had a turnout of around 70 art-minded people.
Planning for the event was a true team effort, and it would not have been possible without the work put in by Eternal’s event planning team alongside Wholesome staff and interns. As an extra measure, Declan Mangan, a recent Wholesome intern, had an idea to document the big event. To explain his artistic vision and documentarian goals, here’s Declan now:
DECLAN: I wanted to convey the importance of art artistically. There’s a sort of connection to artists where we have an understanding of specific topics when it comes to art. There are just so many artists in the world that can be connected through the most minor things. A simple thread of fabric can spark up a conversation with watercolor pastels. I saw that interconnectivity in this event and wanted that connection to be highlighted, especially at this event. I didn’t really need to plan much. All I had to do was interview the creators, and when the day came, I had to interview several artists and find a commonality between them. This was an easy task as I had done this before in multiple interview settings. All I had to do was show up, get the interviews, turn in the footage, and the rest is history. I do like to go in with at least an idea of what to ask so I don’t panic when I have nothing more to say. Still, it’s just enough for the footage to be sizable, so I can demonstrate interconnectivity, as well as highlighting how artists share similar thoughts and feelings while showcasing their diverse artistic expressions. Another thing I wanted to highlight and implant into certain artists is the fact that this might be an event that comes back every few years. I saw potential in this event not only for WholesomeZine but also for new artists who didn’t have a chance to showcase their work at the first event, to get a chance to shine with their own booths and artistic expression. Additionally, the creatives expressed during the planning and the interview I conducted with two of them that they would like to do this again in the future. So why not express to the creatives of this event what the artists are, so they know they can come back and even invite their artist friends to the next event?
My primary goal with this opportunity was to highlight the interconnectivity between artists, even if their styles differ, and connect with those who share similar ideals and values. And that is precisely what I did when the time came. Every artist at the event had so many different wares, but at the same time, they shared similar answers to the questions I asked. If I had to do this event again, I wouldn’t change what I did, as what was made was very concrete: solid, sturdy, and tough. Perhaps I would change the questions, but that is a question for when this event returns. As for this event, I wouldn’t change anything I did, as I think what I documented was very thorough. Perhaps upgrading to better sound equipment for the future is the only current solution I can think of.
If you want to follow the vendors that were featured at the event/documentary, below are their handles. Please check them out and support them, as an artist's life is funded through the eyes. Stay creative!
Word of Mouth vendors:
- Rogelio Valdes (doodle booth) @roval.art
- Laura George (Paintings, prints, and home decor)@printsbyblaur
- Jamie Hwang-Black- (Gallery artists, and table with prints stickers +more)- @jamiehwangblack
- KaiahBelly/ Soledad Gonzalez(Stickers, Zines, prints +more)- @kaiahbelly
- Void Vendetta/ Tyler Young & Lynell Alexander- (Art, clothing, books, keychains, toys & collectibles) - @void_vendetta
- Luckiest/ Opa Runion (paintings, stickers, jewelry)- @luckiest_ones
- Flores De Luz/ Luz Santamaria (Crochet flowers, real flower bouquets)- @floresdeluzs_
- Haden Does Art/ Haden Miller (large drawings and prints)- @hadendoesart
- Cosmic Charms (Earrings, erasers, stickers + more)- @cosmiccharmsinsta
- Guillermo Murillo (gallery artist)
- Sue Leyva (Gallery Artist)
- Danny Gray Visuals (Pop up photo booth/polaroid prints)- @dannyo2116
- And, last but not least: Eternal Events & Ent @eternal.events.ent