Family Ties
Thursday, December 3, 2009 Meet Jen (middle), May and Finley.
;)
Jen O'Neill is the designer and founder of My Tree & Me, a cool company that designs and customizes modern genealogy charts. She and her husband (not pictured) are both artists and when they had their first child, Jen felt compelled to apply her aesthetic to interpret the family's history. Launching the website and online store this past April and with two kidlets both under the age of 5 to add to the craziness, I was very excited to catch up with Jen over a few post bedtime e-mails and get a brief lesson on the roots of My Tree & Me and some recommends for nurturing one's inner artist.
Such. a. great. idea. When did you launch and what did you do prior to My Tree & Me?
I guess the site launched in April of this year but I've been working on it for at least a year prior to that during naptimes and after bedtimes. oy. Prior to this I was working full time raising my babies, prior to that I worked in the fashion industry in L.A.
What kind(s) of design and/or designers influence you the most?
I'm pretty influenced by textile design because of my fashion background. I really love flat, bright prints - Vera, Marimekko, I have a huge collection of vintage scarves, clothing and fabric scraps that I'm always drawing inspiration from in some way.
My favorite design is the Slice of Life, is there a 'most popular' design?
It's a tie between the Proud as a Peacock group and Birds of a Feather.
Is My Tree & Me available in stores?
Right now we are in Wing & Clover in Rhinebeck NY. They are being so amazing and supportive as we figure out this wholesale thing. I'm hoping to develop more DIY designs to wholesale in the New Year and expand to more stores. My husband is an artist too and we have all sorts of big plans to silkscreen them. You know, after the kids are in bed - ha!
I feel you would like this blog http://myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com/ , what do you feel is important about learning one's heritage/lineage?
Wow that blog is great - thanks for passing it on.
I think it's important to learn about because it's a way of honoring all the individual's lives who came before you. Sort of like the aim of that site - to show how awesome all those people were who had a hand in creating you. Each had a story just like we all have a story that we are creating now. I look at my chart all the time and think stuff like "what did great great great grandma do when her kids were squabbling?" or "damn, life must have been even more exhausting than I am now when you had to work on the farm and raise 5 kids without a dishwasher". For me, taking a moment to consider this keeps your heritage alive a little bit.
How far back have you been able to date your family history? Was anyone else an artist?
I have one line on my dad's side that goes back to 1657 even listing the ship my ancestor came over on. I sort of got lucky there in that I have a woman in my family who was a certified genealogy researcher.
Can you recommend ....
a neighborhood - The Mission in San Francisco
a coffee shop - On the Rise Bakery in Richmond, VT - It has a has a huge garden out front, locally produced food, great coffee and a playground across the lawn. Kid/Mommy paradise.
a grocery store and/or farmers market - It's kind of a zoo but I love the Santa Monica Farmer's Market in CA. My sister knew an avocado farmer there who would make us fresh avocado diced in the skin with salt and fresh lime juice. Then we'd walk around and shop eating them. Heaven!
music you might not listen to around the kids - Bright Eyes, Wilco, Feist, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, M. Ward, Flaming Lips.
music you listen to around the kids - I actually listen to the classical radio station all day. It gives me something calming to focus on when the kids are going berserk!
a website - I just learned about Kideos.com which I think is genius and I love Pandora so much I should work in their PR department.
a book/ mag publication - Domino may it rest in peace. I'm a fan of the first issue of Lonny too - seems like it's going to be full of similarly amazing content.
a recreational activity - Biking with the kids in the Burley to the beach. We have great bike trails here in Burlington right along Lake Champlain [VT]. I go at least once a week in the summer hauling lunch, towels, sand toys, etc. I think pro bikers should borrow our overstuffed beach bound bike trailer to train with.
a toy - the dress up box. Our kids are something new every 10 minutes I swear. Right now my son is a pirate and my daughter is a ballerina pirate.
something that every parent should own - a phone with the pizza delivery place programmed in.
Reader Comments (2)
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