Homebodies explores the personal spaces of community members, the artworks and interesting objects they’ve collected through the years, and how those pieces live with them every day. This issue shows you the incredible interior space of artist Nathaniel Benjamin and woman-of-all-trades (and owner of Bad Apple Vntg and Tooti Frooti) Francesca Martinez. Their home is colorful, eclectic, bright, and a perfect reflection of both their personalities and tastes. It also is chock-full of local art and objects. Enjoy <3 <3
Above the dolphin table on the right, there’s Tom Wixo. Above that on the shelf is Vivian Magana. On the other side of the red doorframe are two pieces by Summer Orr.
“My wall of trinkets is a compilation of sentimental gifts from friends, things I’ve collected while traveling to keep as physical reminders, & items I think embody bits of myself. The things that hold the most value include the “Franny” plushie my mom made and had hanging in my old room for the first time I came home from college. A button of my grandparents that my mom made for our family during a reunion after year after they passed. And recently, I’ve been collecting more photo strips of my friends; those remind me that I have people who care about me even when I get too into my work.” -F
“There are also some special art pieces that I’ve been gifted that are forever part of my collection. Nathaniel had commissioned Michelle Laseline for the Pekingese version of myself (watercolor.) Kai Morikawa made that ceramic dog that holds my crochet needles, as well as the pill bug ceramic on the desk, and a little ceramic dog chair that a kewpie in a mochi is sitting on. Bijou Bell painted the knight working in Bad Apple print that says, “When are you getting more Sonny Angels?” Alberto painted the Keropi in the corner and the chrome spike on the desk. Paige Gomez had painted yellow candle in the corner of the desk, as well as embroidered the little “Bad Apple” heart on the wall. There may be too many for me to mention but other artists I have pieces up include : Taka Cooper, Lia Kantro, M, DenQ, Kenzi Murabayashi, Monyochita Pomichi, and Summer Orr.
An honorable mention is the ice cream Betty Boop that I picked up from a toy store in Japan. She is weird, doesn’t have an backstory to why she’s like that, but there is no one else like her. Everything I have up has a story but I’m just a sentimental person and love being surrounded by things that bring me joy.” – F
“In the pic of my desk, there’s also a lot (sorry). From top left to top right, a print by Hannah Eddy (@hannaheddyart), Summer’s print for Rad Cat (@summer.eorr), Summer’s print for her show many years ago, Omar’s (@deepdownpress) poster for the closing of Bibo Record St. In the center, the photo of earth is from Nick Minor’s BFA thesis ephemera, to the right of that is an etching by Maeve Muller @mortuaryprincessss, directly underneath that is a linocut by Francesca @princess.lycheee, right of that is a print by @elevatorteeth. All the way on the bottom right is a showprint by Francesca, all the way on the bottom left is a print by @arwen_amie. On the shelf, the photo of Tetsuo (dog) was taken by Alisha <3 and the valentine in front of that is by @chris_dogt.” – N
“In the next pic with the wall-mounted TV, starting in bottom left and going clockwise we’ve got prints by Carson Burchfield @caedrohedron_, Angie Terrell @fish_flower_press, then Erin Wohletz @erinwohletz, 2 prints by Eunkang Koh @eunkangkohart, then a print by Megan Kay @hellameg.” – N
“In the pic with the Kikkoman soy sauce container above, there’s a ceramic cat by Summer Orr and a lil cowboy guy by a ceramicist at the Wedge. In the pic below with the tube TV, we’ve got a poster print of the hand-painted artwork for the Fly’s release in Ghana, and on the right a black light screen print of The Tower of Babel by MC Escher (picked up from Kilroy VTG, @kilroyvtg).” – N
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