On wabi-sabi: A conversation with Julie Pointer Adams
Julie Pointer Adams © 2019
“Nothing can be too planned, curated or orchestrated when it comes to picnics, since you generally tend to have to make do with a variety of elements—the location, the weather, the food...”
Julie Pointer Adams is the author of Wabi-Sabi Welcome, a book that celebrates coming together, in our homes and in our lives, perfectly imperfect as we are. Its beautiful imagery and words capture the elusive wabi-sabi way, teaching us how to live simply, and warmly welcome friends and family into our homes.
Julie has worked as a writer, stylist and producer for Kinfolk Magazine. She holds a BA in Studio Arts and an MFA in Environment/Experience Design. She is currently a freelance creative consultant and runs her own floral design studio in Santa Barbara, California, where she lives with her husband, Ryan, and her son.
Through her work, Julie so eloquently reminds us that beauty can be found in many unexpected and unsuspecting places, and enjoyed in our everyday lives.
A lot of people are unfamiliar with the term ‘wabi-sabi’. How do you define it?
Wabi-sabi is an elusive concept so it’s difficult to define in a few words. However, most simply put, it’s a beauty that celebrates the impermanent, imperfect, and incomplete. Wabi refers to living simply and in tune with nature, to paring things down to the essentials so you can appreciate them even more; sabi, to transience and the passage of time. In essence, it’s a Japanese concept that’s all about embracing the beauty of the perfectly imperfect—something we can strive for everyday in each one of our homes, our lives and in the natural world around us.
Your book celebrates togetherness and community as part of the wabi-sabi way. What are some ways people can create a warm and welcoming home and setting?
My advice for making a welcoming home is really quite simple—make it personal! Fill it with the things that remind you of people and places and memories you love; then your home becomes an extension of you and a way for others to get to know you when they’re there. Hang out with friends in the kitchen; make cozy spaces and nooks to gather in. Make a home that feels healing and nourishing to you and chances are that other people will want to be there too.
You refer to 'seeking out the handmade' in your book. What qualities do you look for and value in handmade objects?
Timelessness, longevity, materials, and utility. I think all of these should be taken into consideration when selecting anything for the home. Choose timeless pieces so that they won’t need to be replaced every few years by new trendsetting items. Select things for the home that are built to last so that they can (hopefully) last a lifetime—at least in the case of furniture. Purchase things that are made from natural materials versus synthetic ones; they wear more beautifully and ground your home (and you) to the earth more fully. And finally, in every selection try to marry beauty with utility. Buy things that are useful but also bring you joy when you look at them.
How is picnicking wabi-sabi and what are some of your favourite things about it?
I think the fact that picnicking is virtually always perfectly imperfect makes it a great wabi-sabi activity! Nothing can be too planned, curated or orchestrated when it comes to picnics, since you generally tend to have to make do with a variety of elements—the location, the weather, the food, and so on. More often than not sand ends up in my glass or on my food (at least on windy evening beach picnics!) and I’m just fine with that. I love that picnics are a low-key way to enjoy the outdoors with friends and that they usually consist of lots of snacky foods to graze on…my favorite way to eat! Best yet is when you make it potluck picnic and get to enjoy everyone’s goodies.
What is typically in your picnic basket?
I love a picnic feast made up of a variety of cheeses, crackers, fresh baguette, salami, nuts, jams, fresh fruit and veggies, a salad (if I’ve really planned ahead), a sweet treat like chocolate, and a special drink, like a kombucha or a rosé. You really can’t go wrong with inspiration from the French!
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All photos kindly supplied by Julie Pointer Adams © 2019.
“Make a home that feels healing and nourishing to you and chances are that other people will want to be there too.
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