We had the good fortune of connecting with Attic Portrait, the artist collaborative of Sea Zeda and Michelle Lea Tift, and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Attic Portrait, what are you inspired by?
MLT: Reading. Relationships in the natural world. Adaptability & transformation. The intangible mind.

SZ: Sociopolitical, scientific, literary, and historical studies. Couturiers, mushroom trips, and human anatomy.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about?
SZ: We met through our careers, which, although varied, have informed us about textiles, the art world, interiors, materials, and techniques

MLT: Pretty early in our friendship, it became clear that we were both craving a creative outlet, and we could be each other’s safe space to explore. Attic Portrait was born in response to our mutual desire to build a community based on radical vulnerability, concerns regarding personal overconsumption versus creation, and reclaiming agency as women.

SZ: Working together is a great motivator. We’ve been challenged to put aside ego and learn from each other, compromise, brainstorm, and – in the end – the final product is much better than what one of us could imagine on our own. At this stage of our creative process, we are still learning about ourselves and experimenting. The greatest challenge is to carve out time to create. One of the best catalysts for the creation of new works has been signing ourselves up for a show, an open studio, or an art submission deadline. Nothing like a deadline to impart motivation. At least some of us work like that.

MLT: Our strengths complement each other well, often leading us to naturally assume different roles throughout a project. It’s freeing to have a shared goal and to not do it all alone. We’re eager to embrace collaboration with others in the future. The opportunity to learn and broaden our perspectives is truly exhilarating. Our works are primarily textile-based and range from sculpture to digital media. We are in the beginning stages of developing a performance and would love to work with dancers and musicians.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
MLT: No visit to LA is complete until you get to the beach. My go-to is walking by the water from the Venice pier south to the Marina. A drive-up PCH to take in the iconic coastline vista is a no-brainer.

SZ: While in MDR/Venice, take a class at Yoga Nest and have lunch at Mercedes or Hinano. On your PCH Drive, have lunch at Reel Inn.

MLT: A visit to Griffith Park is a must. Here, solace is found, and energy is rejuvenated. I suggest going first thing in the morning when the air is crisp or catching the sunset at Mount Hollywood Peak.

SZ: If nightlife is more your thing – Little Joy and Cara Hotel. Those are two spots where my friends DJ. You can enjoy a nice drink and dance a little, but not clubby.

MLT: The next morning, hit my go-to LA coffee shop, Go Get Em Tiger, for lattes with housemade almond macadamia nut milk and vegan strawberry muffins. Then, I visited Sycamore District and Melrose Hill. These walkable areas, in addition to galleries, have design shops like Just One Eye and Pop Up Home.

SZ: Tonya Bonakdar Gallery in the Sycamore District is not to be missed, as is Sightglass for a snack. That’s one of the locations Meesh (Michelle) and I like to brainstorm at.

MLT: Well, there’s so much more we could share. Follow us on Instagram and DM us at @atticportrait for more LA spots.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to Inglewood Open Studio, a private nonprofit arts organization founded and led by artists to support Inglewood artists and communities. Our studio is located there, and we participate in their annual open studio. These weekends of opening our space to the community have been pivotal to the growth of Attic Portrait. It is encouraging to be able to talk about the work and showcase it to a wide audience. A particularly poignant moment was the screening of two of our digital works at the Miracle Theater during IOS 2022.

Website: https://www.seazeda.com/attic-portrait

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atticportrait/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seazeda/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleleatift/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCppZ6E6ee2YlAVwT-yM8jug

Image Credits
Sea Zeda, Michelle Tift

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