Studio Diary: June 2025
On lineage, growth, stormy seas, and the quiet rebellion of touching grass.
Every month, I share a behind-the-scenes look at what I’ve been working on, what’s been on my mind, and what’s ahead. This one includes ancestral dances, stormy seas, and a couple of unexpected wins. :)
Wage Love: Ancestral Dance
This month began and ended with Wage Love: Ancestral Dance, a project created for the MIT + Snap Spectacles Community Hack at AWE. I worked alongside an incredible team: Lafiya Watson and Dulce Baerga. Together, we created a shared Spectacles experience that explores lineage, resistance, and healing through dance—a kind of embodied memory passed through time.
AWE: People, Tech, Magic
AWE happened—and as always, it delivered. I got to reconnect with some of my favorite people and see the latest advancements in immersive tech. If you’d like to hear more of my take-aways, I made a full post about it.
Biophonic Gets a Nod
A sweet surprise: Biophonic won runner-up in the Snap Spectacles Community Challenge! I’m so excited that the piece seems to be resonating with people.
Tractor Beverage Booth Wins Best Booth Experience
In other good news: the Tractor Beverage booth at the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show won Best Booth Experience! I led the creative direction and design for this one, in collaboration with the talented team at 9iFX. The booth featured an immersive green space, moss wall drink station, AR mirror, and a 'Promise Tree' where people could share their commitments to the planet. It was designed to feel alive, grounded, and full of purpose—and I’m proud of what we created.
A Rainy Solstice Birthday
To celebrate my birthday, we went to the Pacific Ocean and got a room overlooking the water. The weekend included a bit of sun and a lot of rain, so we stayed inside, playing synthesizers and watching the storm roll across the sea. It felt like a fitting way to mark the solstice—cozy, creative, and full of sound.
Slow and Steady (Literally Touching Grass)
Lately, I’ve been taking a slower, more intentional approach to life—stepping away from hustle culture and reconnecting with the world outside my inbox. Summer in the Pacific Northwest makes it easy. I’ve been literally touching grass, watching things grow, and soaking in the beauty of the season, including a massive blueberry haul! It took about 6 years for these bushes to produce a real harvest. It took a little patience and faith, but it was so worth it. Apparently, “Slow and steady” wins the blueberry race, as well.
More soon. Thanks for following along,
Heather
P.S. Beefcake, my dog, says ‘HI!’
Aww, Beef! I say "hi" back:)
Congrats on the award, and on the completion of all these awesome projects! The blueberries look delicious, and your birthday/Solstice sky is stunning. Thanks for the peek behind the curtain.