Editor’s Roundup: Devon Warren’s Favorite Things

Greetings and salutations, Friends! I’m Devon, the managing editor for the Stampington & Company publications Prims, Take Ten, A Somerset Holiday, Somerset Home, and Art Journaling. Once deemed the quirkiest Stampington & Company editor by a former colleague, I embrace the world of wonder, magic, and extravagance as many artists in our community do. Here is a list of just a few of my favorite things:

 

1.       Clowns

Even though they are one of the number one fears across the country, inspiring nightmares and terror to many, clowns are one of my very favorite collectible items. From porcelain clowns to velvet clown portraits, I find them completely fascinating and am absolutely infatuated with their sweet, happy (possibly eerily happy) appearance! After having an email conversation with one of the artists who regularly submits to Prims, Renee Tousignant, I let it slip that I absolutely love clowns. From there, she created these loveable (and vaguely creepy) primitive clown dolls. I’m not picky when it comes to clowns, being a fan of more contemporary clowns like Bozo (or Stephen King’s Pennywise!), the hobo clowns of the earlier 20^th century, and pantomime clowns like Pierrot equally.

2.     The Wonders of the West Coast

Be it rolling hills, the ocean, the desert, or woods, I love the wild wilderness. I have an especially strong connection with the beaches of Big Sur, which follows a path out of an enchanted forest to spectacular tide pools, and having grown up in Huntington Beach, I spent many days lounging on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. My mother owns a flower shop in Laguna Beach and beautiful air ferns are a small reminder of being out in nature. When my day begins to get stressful, I meditate upon my favorite places, which are usually beaches along the coast of California. Some might not agree, but you know how the saying goes: The West Coast is the best coast!

3.       The Victorian Age

While editing articles for Stampington & Company magazines, I’ve come across several artists who have mentioned feeling like she must have lived a past life as a Victorian — I’m right there with those artists! I have such a fascination with Victorians, from their style of dress and architecture to some of their more perturbing and macabre interests such as oddity shops and séances. Queen Victoria, who I have read countless books about, is one of my favorite historical figures, but I also have a bit of a crush on her royal consort, Prince Albert. I once read a book called “We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals” (Ballantine Books, 2009) suggesting the Victorian Age should have really been called the Albertian Age for all the influence Prince Albert had over Queen Victoria’s reign. After all, he did introduce so many amazing traditions to the Western World: white wedding dresses, Christmas trees, and being present at the birth of your child being just a few! Some of my other favorite Victorians are Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, and Oscar Wilde. In the words of Freddy Mercury, “I want to live the Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter!”

4.       Rainbows

George Gordon, Lord Byron once said, “Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.” Some folks prefer neutral palettes, but I’m all about colors of the rainbow! Some of my favorite artwork is bold and bright, like Dyan Reaveley’s or Dina Wakley’s. Off-white, beige, and other neutrals may be soothing, but at the end of the day I really just long for a world full of vivid Technicolor, unicorn-esque color. Color brings daily reminders that life is full of magic!

5.       The Artist’s Journey

The road to making art can sometimes be a trying one, so I like uplifting articles and stories that reflect the struggle it can take to follow your dreams. There have been countless days where I felt like giving up, similar to many of the artists I read about, but then I encounter an inspirational article that gives me the drive to persevere. Life is not always kind; however, so many artists who contribute to our publications have been influenced by the most difficult times in their lives and have created from it. Some of them even go on to start their own businesses or more.

6.       Halloween

I always love a reason to celebrate or have a party, but Halloween has a special place in my heart. When my sister and I were kids, our dad hand-cut a very wonderful set of tombstones and mummies (my sister and I were the models!) from wood and we spent the afternoon painting it. Dad was an engineer and he had a knack for coming up with amazing projects, but he loved decorating the yard for Halloween most. Of all the holidays, I find it the most exciting because it gives adults an excuse to dress up, eat pillowcases full of candy, and get into the spirit of the season — we definitely see a spirit or two in our publications when we are preparing for the Autumn releases of Stampington & Company magazines.

7.       Retro-Inspired Gadgetry , Whatchamacallits & Decor

As a child of the 80s, I remember the final transition from record players to CD players. My parents played their records until they were out of date and sometime in the late 80s, they packed up their record player and box of records for good. I was so surprised when my sister bought me one of those teal Crowley record players for my past birthday. One of my favorite artist blogs to browse is Ashlee Park’s. She takes the vintage feeling of a freshly baked apple pie handmade by Grandma and repurposes it into a contemporary, cool, functional piece. In Somerset Home, she has shared many of her lovely pieces! GreenCraft Magazine has also always been one of my favorite publications because it focuses on taking old pieces and breathing new life into them.

8.       Stationery & Paper Art

I was lucky enough to have several especially memorable Christmases, but one of the best gifts I ever received was dad’s family bought me a brand new wooden desk and filled it to the brim with pens, notepads, markers, and more. Stationery is so much fun and possibly why Take Ten is so close to my heart — I have spent an arm and a leg purchasing pretty cards from all over, but it’s never as beautiful as the artwork sent in by our artists. Currently, I have boxes of “thank you” cards stored in my room, so now I just need to find a way to use it. Cavillini & Co. is one of my favorite companies for sticky notes, postcards, and other practical pieces.

 

Sincerely,