Creative Humans - Olivia Rae James

Olivia Rae James. A name that has been constantly on my stalking radar since first being introduced to the creative talent of this country just over a year ago. It was this time last year at the Charleston Kinfolk Dinner that I first got to meet Olivia and be completely swallowed up by her work. Her photographs were hanging on the verandah of the house where the dinner was being held and I remember standing there, for probably far too long, jumping into each one of her images and breathing them in, as though they were the finest breath of fresh air I had felt in a long time. I had just made the decision to become a photographer and I must admit that Olivia’s photographs made me all the more inspired. To take photos like that. Well, I could only dream. Her images provoke a sense of freshness and calm, full of natural colour explosion, playfulness and light. Olivia has the ability to capture seemingly ephemeral moments, preserving them in such a way to show effortless, timeless and real.     

We met South of Broad in downtown Charleston on an early weekday evening. I followed as Olivia and her adorable little pup, Frankie, led the way. I am always in a dreamlike state as I wander the streets of Charleston. If there was one place that I could spend all of my time, it would be there. As I walked with Olivia through the cobble stone streets and out to the Battery, I felt so happy to be in Olivia’s company. Like her work, Olivia is inspired and light. We enjoyed the view by the water, the grand homes lit by afternoon sun and then, hurried back before the storm. We parked up in one of Olivia’s favourite wine bars, Bin 152, enjoying the cozy atmosphere and the sprinkling of rain outside. We spent time chatting over bubbles and rosé, eating stinky cheese and laughing with Olivia’s main man, Blake. It was a special afternoon. One that I feel so lucky to have had. Olivia, you are lovely. And I’m not at all embarrassed to say, that you will be staying, quite unwaveringly, quite rightfully, on the top of my stalking radar. 

What projects are you currently working on? 

Lots of weddings this time of year and a couple personal projects.

Where do you draw your creative inspiration from? 

Light, shadows, food, flowers, people, places. Everything!

Why a Photographer?

I love observing and documenting. Preserving moments feels satisfying and important to me.

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, would you be so kind to share some of your favourite artists? 

I either listen to music, podcasts, or embarrassing TV while I edit photos (hellooo Married at First Sight). My go-to's for music are movie soundtracks (Beginners, Amelie, Marie Antoinette) and oldies (Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers, Beach Boys). I also love both Grace Bonney and Julia Turshen's podcasts and of course This American Life. Although today I'm listening to Jay-Z.

Do you have a morning ritual? 

I go to spin class a few mornings a week, so on those days I wake up and immediately head out the door half asleep. If it's a non-spin morning, my boyfriend and I usually take our pup Frankie for a walk and end up at a coffee shop. When he goes to work at nine is when I start editing photos and answering emails.

What's your idea of a perfect Friday night? 

A homemade meal and a glass of wine in a clean candlelit house. Maybe some Netflix catch-up while snuggling Frankie. That or a long, drawn-out dinner with friends.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Always Paris! Greece in the summertime. And somewhere I've never been -- Bali.

Best piece of advice you've ever given or been given? 

Trust your gut and don't take yourself too seriously.

What's for dinner? 

Take out from Dellz Uptown! We are obsessed and look forward to it every week (because we have to limit ourselves to once a week). Their Mexican pizza is the BEST.

The best part about being a creative? 

Freedom and flexibility. I hate being tied down.

The worst part? 

There's not really a worst part. I'm so happy to be able to do this as "work." Although staying organized and on top of emails/accounting is a constant struggle for me.

Day or night? Sunrise and sunset
Old or new? Old with new
City or Country? Coast
Coffee or Tea? Iced coffee with cream

What do you enjoy most about living in Charleston, SC? 

Being surrounded by water, living three blocks from my sister, walking and biking everywhere, amazing food, wonderful people.

Thoughts for the future:

I’m not much of a planner, I usually just go with the flow and trust that things will work out. But I hope my future includes more of the same -- travels, QT with friends and family, long dinners, maybe a house with a garden and ultimately, health, balance, contentment, and the ability to find joy in the daily grind.

Scalloping | Port St Joe

Never ever have I been so excited about a boat outing. I love boats, I really do. But this time there was food foraging involved. We were going scalloping. 

My dear friend Suzanah had invited us to join her family out on the bay of Port St Joe. We went out on her dad, Danny's, boat. The water was like glass in the early morning and the sun was already beginning to reach the end of its harsh summer glow. Indian summer was upon us and it felt good. Danny, a local fisherman and town resident for the past 30 years had so much to tell us about the water. I listened hard, trying to soak up his generous knowledge and his broad southern accent. 

It was quite a slow season for scallops, he told us. Not quite sure what we were looking for, we snorkeled over the sand and through the sea grass searching for a find.  I became fearful that we wouldn't find any scallops in the bay, but I was terribly excited when, after a quick trawl through the ocean bed floor, Danny came back with four little scallop shells nestled in his hands. Jakob, determined, went out and found one more. Danny then showed us how to shuck the scallops, to remove the guts and to keep the muscle. And then, like sweet raw sushi, we ate them right there on the boat.

The beauty of the bay struck me. How have I lived just a short few hours drive from this place and never been out on this water. We watched as fish skipped across its surface, found sea urchins and in the distance, the sugar sand glowed white. After scalloping we took the boat around the peninsular, walked on a dune island and had a swim in the shallow, warm water of the Gulf. On the way back to shore, my mum and Emily sat and talked, Jakob and Trevor had a nap in the sun, Danny steered the boat and I breathed and took it all in. 

I am so grateful to the Raffield family for showing us a morning out on the bay. Foraging for food is my ultimate idea of heaven - and to learn the bays culture of harvesting scallops and to be shown a little of the lifestyle of the area put us all in a very happy, grateful place. Those five little scallops were the most delicious pieces of Florida that I have tasted.

It really, honestly, was the best boat trip. Ever. 

Creative Humans - Brooks Reitz | Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.

Brooks Reitz is a fine man. A man that I completely underestimated at the time of setting up our creative humans interivew. A clever chap, I thought. I was impressed at his gig of being the curator of Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. - makers of small batch, American made and very delicious cocktail syrups. However, what I soon realised upon setting foot into the charming community that is Charleston, was that Brooks was far more than a syrup maker. Brooks, it seemed, was a household Charleston name. People wanted to talk about him, spoke very highly of him, and seemed to be overly excited and supportive of his role in the current local food scene. I very quickly learnt that not only does this guy own a cocktail syrup company, but he has also just opened a new chicken and oyster joint by the name of Leon's in downtown Charleston, plus he's got another cafe and many more brilliant ideas on the way.  

Chatting with Brooks over breakfast at The Park Cafe and then on a stroll through Hampton Park was an absolute pleasure. Such a lovely guy. Friendly, interested, and happy to chat. Brooks told me that he was a drama and english major and a once hopeful playwright. There was a moment right then that I wondered if Brooks was still able to continue his creative interests in his found profession of owning restaurants and embarking on entrepreneurship. "It's the theatrics of a restaurant that I love the most" he said. "The lights, the music, the set design the atmosphere. Restaurants are like theater, like stepping onto a stage. And I get to create that". Clearly still a creative and clearly a much more clever chap than I ever gave him credit for. This man is unstoppable. And very nice company at breakfast, to boot. 

What projects are you currently working on?

We are in the final stages of construction on our all-day cafe/coffeeshop called St. Alban, which should open late October/November. I'm in the midst of launching all of our new Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. products before the holiday season, which includes our Elderflower Tonic and Bourbon Cocktail Cherries, as well as some of our bar tools: muddler, jigger, copper cocktail cup, and bar tool roll-up.Finally, I am working on a new packaged food project, and considering a small design job with a restaurant in Maryland.

Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?

It comes from so many sources: travels, magazines, newspapers, friends, hotels, music, art, restaurants - the list is endless. The world offers up so many opportunities for inspiration and ideas, all you have to do is open your eyes.

Why a cocktail crafter/mixologist and restaurant owner/entrepreneur?

There was a time when my major focus was on drinks/spirits and cocktails. I was drawn to it because it was new to me, provided a huge opportunity to learn, and there was room for innovation. Over time, I've found that I don't drink as much, mostly because I feel like hell in the morning, so I've made a natural transition away from that and on to other focuses. My interests now are in restaurants, design and entrepreneurship. 

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, would you be so kind to share some of your favourite artists?

Typically I find that music pulls me from what I'm working on - I end up focusing more on the lyrics than on what's in front of me. If I am playing something, I favor slower, quieter music: Bahamas, Jus Post Bellum, or Phosphorescent, for example.

Do you have a morning ritual?

Always coffee, and always breakfast. A little stretch is nice, and typically checking and returning emails once I'm fully caffeinated.

What's your idea of a perfect Friday night?

Cleaning the house, setting a soundtrack and having a glass of wine with my girlfriend before welcoming friends over for a long, leisurely dinner where we sit around the table telling stories, hatching plans and getting buzzed. Evening winds down with a pour of Bourbon as we clean up and move to the living room to unwind and digest.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I'm looking forward to going to Tokyo for the activity, the energy and the pace, and then exploring the surrounding cities and towns for the serenity that I understand exists in the quieter places.

Best piece of advice you've ever given or been given?

Never explain, never complain.

What's for dinner?

Tonight will probably be a big salad - we refer to it as garbage salad because we put so much stuff in it - accompanied by the leftover takeout from Leyla, a Lebanese restaurant in town. The place is always quiet and not necessarily the most comfortable, but it's always so tasty.

The best part about being a creative?

Not having to follow a script that dictates what you do for a living, or how you do it.

The worst part?

When you are self employed, there is always the nagging feeling that it will all fall out from under you at any given moment.

Day or night?

Day

Old or new?

Old

City or Country?

An equal mix of both - best illustrated by a recent trip to NY - we spent three days in the city, and then travelled upstate to the Hudson Valley for the weekend. The most inspiring, relaxing, wonderful trip.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee

 Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. 

Leon's. (above and below)

What do you enjoy most about living in Charleston, SC?

The size and proximity to the places I spend my time. You can ride your bike across the city in minutes, and my home is close to my work, my office, friends houses, etc. It feels like a town at times, rather than a city.

Thoughts for the future:

Balance, health, friends, family, and continued pursuit of rewarding creative endeavors.

Kingsley Plantation

It was a moody, rainy September day. Kingsley Plantation drew us in with its white, tabby slave hut walls, leading us to it's grander wooden beams and out to the low country water ways, beyond the oak and palm swept property. In the distance, a heavy growth of ferns, palms and Spanish moss covered land once ladened with indigo fields. As the oldest plantation house in Flordia, years of history, turmoil, sadness, family and wealth breathes here. Stories of Zephaniah and Anna Kingsley, indigo, slavery, wars and freedom beckon to ears that will listen. We wandered the property, toured through the plantation home, saw flamingos in the distance and hid from a rain storm. We did our best to soak up the history there and left wanting more. It felt like a different time and a hidden, secret place. A place so worthy of time - to be beckoned by its history, to be surrounded by its beauty and to listen to its many weathered stories of the past.

Visiting Kingsley Plantation