Chiquita’s Favorites (in no particular order)

Although most of us are ready to forget last year as soon as our clocks change. I think it’s important to say goodbye to the last 365 (or 66) days that we were subjected to.  To help me with my annual shake down, I asked a few of my friends if they would tell a story for CAMOUFLAGE about their 2024. The only parameter was that there were none… So I hope you enjoy seeing, reading about, and listening to, some of my super talented friend’s favorite things from last year :)

Denim, denim, denim.

This year I found my new favorite pair of jeans—a pair of pristine Wranglers found in Philly. What sets these jeans apart is their measurements, 26x37in!!!! Spider legs rejoice, dunno whose jeans these were before but they’re mine now :-)

Besides finding the perfect jeans, I’ve finally exited my blue period (not really) and I’m in my denim period. Denim is one of my most prolific materials for what I’ve dubbed my Franken’s (read more about my Franken’s in the section about Dress Up).

Beyond wearing lots of denim, I’ve also been using denim to augment or even create garments. I know denim may seem annoying to work with because it’s so thick, but I find the sturdiness to lend to the integrity of my garments.

Denim keeps the score. The wash, the fraying, the wear—it all tells a story and I love working with a material that has it’s own history separate from me. One that I can incorporate into a new narrative and give new life.

Fish, duh!

Hello good vitamins yummy. Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and B2, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, potassium! Use every part of your fish too. Head, shell, and bones for soup! Eat those cheeks! Pick it clean! Just like my Mama taught me.

Friends at the Greenmarket

Sharing food with friends is 50% of my whole personality. Historically that’s meant sharing meals together which I’ve certainly done lots of this year. What became an unexpected favorite of this year was bringing my dear pals to the greenmarket with me.

I love the NYC Greenmarket, there is one every day of the week all across the five boroughs--year round! It’s my happy place, I usually go solo and a listen to a full album as I comb through the vittles. Recently pals have been joining me! Some like Esther have never been to the Greenmarket despite being a foodie cutie and magical wellness angel. Others like Lizzy live nearby and our visit may have reignited a routine. Even Leslie (one of my co-collaborators for my project Produce Section) helped me look at produce in a different way as we shopped for a solstice table installation for our end of summer dinner. 

I probably won’t always bring someone along but sharing the magic of produce? Ambling through the rainbow of fruits and veggies? With a good pal by your side, priceless. Not to mention supporting farmers, shopping locally, and organically

Deep French

(Even though my nails are on hiatus currently, come on.

Wow. Timeless, gorgeous, c*nt)

Dress Up

Playing dress up in my own closet has been the absolute best this year. I went from feeling so uninspired to creating the freakiest Franken’s!

Pictured here is a skirt I made last year during Halloween for my mummy costume that I have worn multiple different ways this year hehe. Some of my most notable Franken’s from this year have to be a sweater mini skirt I made out of a Sorbonne sweatshirt and a backless denim top. Upcycling your own clothes is such a rewarding way to breathe new life into garments that feel tired. Even if you can’t sew, a few safety pins can completely transform an outfit and they hold my life together

My brother thinks I should share my Franken’s with the wider world. Maybe we can start with a tour of what I’ve created so far and we can take it from there...

Titebond Multi-Surface glue

My art practice heavily involves found materials. For that reason, Titebond multi-surface glue is my evergreen <3333 Besides my Kum magnesium pencil sharpener, this is my most used art material. 

Quick n Thick