Meet Nareh | Artist, Educator, & Coffee Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nareh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nareh, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started Coffee & Creation for me; so cliché, I know. I love coffee, coffee culture, and the creativity that thrives within coffee shops. They have always been a safe space for me, a space I can unwind and create. In college, I spent a lot of time in coffee shops (shocker!). I lived at home with a big loud family so coffee shops became my home away from home.
It wasn’t until I studied abroad in Paris in my junior year that my obsession for them bloomed. I’d dreamed of living in Paris since I was 13 so I found my consuming feelings of being home sick truly surprising. I began to explore the contemporary Parisian coffee scene and found modern coffee shops to be a slice of home like in Los Angeles. I became obsessed with going to as many as I possibly could that semester. I would sit for hours journaling my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. That’s when the idea of Coffee and Creation was born. When I returned back to Los Angeles, I wanted to share my love of coffee culture with anyone who was interested. A home away from home.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
First and foremost, I am an art educator. The joy I feel seeing my students filled with pride when creating a work of art is so fulfilling, I love teaching them about the encompassing world of art, the good, the bad, and the weird. I am also a painter and lover of art history with a focus on 18th Century Western Art and Photography. Finally, I am a creative; thriving in the creation process. Coffee and Creation was born out of my love for creativity. Do what you want to see in the world, do it for you, and do it with passion. If you’re lucky, others will care too.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love this question! This is what I live for! Let’s get into in,,,

Each day would be organized by a neighborhood in or surrounding Los Angeles.

Day 1: Pasadena
Start the day with coffee and brunch at Copa Vida.
Pasadena has great thrift and antique shops on Fair Oaks, my personal favorite is Salvation Army Antiques.
Then we would head to the Norton Simon Museum for some incredible European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century.
For drinks and dinner, it would have to be The Raymond 1886.

Day 2: Atwater Village/Glendale
Proof Bakery is arguably the best bakery in Los Angeles and that’s where our day begins. We will have an impossible time picking what to order because literally everything looks incredible. They have an amazing coffee bar too.
Atwater is a great area to shop small. Some of my favorites are Goodies (homeware), The Attic (thrift/antiques), and The Social Type (stationary). We’ll grab some lunch at Holy Basil before diving up to Glendale.
First stop in Glendale is Forest Lawn. Visiting a cemetery is weird, I know, but hear me out. Not only is the location perched on top of a hill with an amazing view, but Forest Lawn Glendale has beautiful architecture and recreations of famous Renaissance art like the Last Supper stained glass window, The Statue of David, and The Pietà. It also houses the colossal 195-feet-by-45-feet painting “The Crucifixion” by the Polish artist Jan Styka.
Afterwards, we’ll walk around and The Americana at Brand then head to Jin Cook for some Korean food.

Day 3: Highland Park
The day beings with breakfast at Belle’s Bagels and coffee from Kumquat.
Walk around York Blvd which has tons of boutique shops. Must visits is Dotter and my favorite stationary shop in LA, Shorthand.
Drive down to N. Figueroa St to share a sando from Jeff’s Table and a caffeine pick me up from Civil Coffee before more boutique shopping.
Then drinks at Good Housekeeping and dinner at Hippo.

Day 4: Silverlake/ Echo Park
Start the day with coffee and toast at Canyon Coffee. Stroll down Echo Park Ave and explore the shops.
Drive up to Silverlake to visit the infamous Erewhon. Grab a $20 smoothie and some sushi for lunch.
Explore Sunset Blvd in Silverlake. Drinks have to be at Bacari before heading to dinner at Pine and Crane.

Day 5: West Hollywood
The day will begin with coffee and breakfast burritos from Dialog Cafe.
Head to LACMA where there is ALWAYS an interesting exhibition on display.
Stroll around the Original Farmers Market before heading to dinner at République.

Day 6: Malibu/Santa Monica/Venice
Breakfast at Malibu Pier Cafe then stroll on the beach.
Take the PCH down to Venice to stroll through the Venice Canal then Abbot Kinney for ice cream at Salt and Straw.
Dinner has to be my favorite smash burger in LA, The Win-Dow. End the night with drinks at The Lincoln.

Day 7: Arts District DTLA/ Little Tokyo
Breakfast and Coffee at the Verve Coffee Roaster.
Walk through the Arts District to Little Tokyo to explore all the shops and grab some small bites, boba, or matcha soft serve. Walk back to the Arts District for incredible Belgium style fries and sausages from Wurstküche.
Explore the Hauser & Wirth gallery and bookstore before heading to dinner and drinks at Manuela.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents and I immigrated to the U.S when I was seven years old with the goal of pursuing a better, more opportune filled life. So my interest in the arts as a career was not in my parent’s vision for my life. I really struggled in my early 20’s with this burden. Filled with guilt, I tried to convince myself to pursue what makes more money: an impressive title, and a job my parents can boast about to their friends, but I couldn’t do it. A career in the arts was all I was interested in. I found that a lot of the guilt and pressure I felt was self imposed. Although my parents didn’t fully understand and weren’t thrilled by my career choices, they continued to support me. For this, I am eternally grateful.

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

Other: thecoffeeandcreation@gmail.com