THIS WEEK WE INTERVIEWED TGS MEMBER & MODEL/BOSS BABE

ARYANA GATHINGS

CONTINUE SCROLLING TO LEARN A LITTLE ABOUT ARYANA, AND HER CREATIVE JOURNEY/MISSION SO FAR!

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

My creative journey started back when I was in college and studied apparel design at Iowa State University. I am originally from Minnesota. I moved out to California four years ago when I got an internship with Obey Clothing. From there, I got a job as an accessories designer. I've pursued lots of creative endeavors from freelance design to modeling to the creative direction of starting my own magazine. It took some trial and error for me to figure out where I wanted my journey to land and am still figuring it out but my current passion is my side business West Coast Witches. I have a brand under my company called Plant Bitch LA, for bitches that like plants. My mission is to delegitimize derogatory language by reclaiming it. This business started off really organically, I just started planing succulents in jars and teacups and people started buying them. From there, people started placing custom orders and it has been growing into something I never imagined. Now I'm in retail and hosting events.

What inspired you to pursue your current creative path?

I think my biggest inspiration is my independence. I have never been one for being told what to do and I am not a huge fan of the 9-5 structure of offices. When I started my business I realized it was because I wanted more than just a paycheck from my career path. I began to strategize from there and think of all of the things I loved that I had tried and wanted to integrate. I love to model and provide creative direction and wanted to incorporate it in my life in a way that it could boost my businesses so I started shooting more with TGS. I knew my plant business was something I definitely wanted to pursue and got to work on building the brand from the ground up using my design background. I also teach yoga and am a very spiritual person so I created a branch of my business that is launching by the end of 2019 that will be holding yoga retreats, events and workshops, and merchandise. I also have an apparel brand on the back burner, set to launch in a few years. It's all a process and I take it day by day, especially with trying to balance my full time day job. My ultimate goal is to move on from the corporate structure and work for myself full time within the next few years.

How did you find out about TGS?
Social media! I follow a couple girls who were a part of the collective and saw their content was really beautiful and high quality, when there was a open call for members I signed up!

Why did you decide to join TGS?

I wanted to connect with a community of creatives in LA that had similar missions to mine. A lot of the members of TGS are trying to pursue their own creative projects and I wanted to connect with them so we could grow with each other and build each other up by collaborating.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I draw my inspiration from everywhere. Mostly from the people in my everyday life. Ideas are a dime a dozen for me but I think what is most important in the creative process is the follow through. Finding a concept and turning it into a creation is not an easy thing to do. I think the most valuable thing about drawing inspiration from the life you've created and the environment around you is a delicate process that requires your attention before it loses direction. Seize the moment on the ideas that you actually believe in!

Fave aesthetic, look or theme when shooting?
I love a really soft and clean boho vibe. Soft greens and blues, very organic shapes with soft fabrics and natural elements.

Do you have creative friends you like to meetup and brainstorm with?

Yes! I have a few close friends that have their own startups and they are my favorite people to collaborate, talk business and brainstorm with. They understand my challenges and bring things to light that I haven't quite experienced yet but need to be aware of and I am so appreciate of the network and support I have created around me.

Most interesting story revolving around your creative medium?

When we were working on my first magazine, The Indigo Collective, we did a lot of random shoots in random places and sometimes we would just show up to a location ready to shoot. During the making of issue 2 we kept having issues with the police coming onto our set asking what we were doing and once the fire department showed up to run some drills where our set was taking place, it was a hectic issue to say the least.

Random stuff about you

I moved out to the LA area four years ago but almost all of my friends are from the midwest! Long Beach is the first place that has felt like home to me since moving across the country. I'm super obsessed with my cats, cold brew coffee, and witchcraft. I'm constantly making endless lists of ideas and things I need to do on post-it notes. I am constantly doing yoga/cannot sit still. Oh! and I have an event on March 23rd at EnergyHaus in Long Beach at 1:30pm with my brand Plant Bitch LA. Check out my bio for more info and the ticket link!