Olivea Kazumi Shure is a photographer and collage artist based in New York City. Deeply inspired by the City itself, Olivea says that, when she takes photos, it’s like a new portal is uncovered and everything around her comes to life “dancing” through her camera lens.
Through her Etsy shop, she sells her lovely pics and a selection of very beautiful cards, which she happily shares with those who love to exchange words written on paper. Bringin’ mail (not e-mail, but regular and real mail) hip again.
:: Why and when did you started The Happy Avocado? I started The Happy Avocado last fall when I began planning and preparing for my wedding. I love DIY projects, especially when it comes to decorations and thank you cards! I invested in my own thank you card supplies and incorporated some collage work that included pressed flower petals, a little fabric glue and tissue paper. It was around this time my friend told me about Etsy and thought I’d give it a try. I’ve always wanted to have my own online shop to sell wares. I later added photography and more collage work to the shop. My husband and I have a photography business based in NYC called Thank You Carl Studios. As for the name, it was my sister and I who came up with the name The Happy Avocado. We were looking around my apartment one day for ideas and both looked to my baby avocado plant for inspiration—it continues to flourish to this day.
:: Where do you get your inspiration from? New York City! I’m continually inspired by this mysterious place! I’ve heard it called the concrete jungle, with its sidewalks, stairs, massive buildings and structures—everything seems to be built to stay. I love finding the “tender” more delicate spots in the city where people frequently gather to relax and just take a breather. My breather place of choice lately has been the Highline Park in Chelsea. It’s such a beautifully constructed park that overlooks the Hudson River on one side and Manhattan on the other.
:: Who is your ideal buyer? Anyone! I love sharing my photographs with others. My favorite is doing custom orders. If you have an idea or theme for a photo series and or photo/collage, let’s talk!
:: What is your favorite NYC place? My favorite places are actually cute and cozy coffee and tea houses. I’ve always loved coffee/tea culture and love any excuse to take a friend out for a cappuccino and french macaroons.
:: Do you think New York can still be considered the place-to-be for young creatives? Absolutely. New York and young creatives go hand in hand, much like peanut butter and jelly and McDonald’s and French fries! Being young, unless you’re a trust fund baby or something, you HAVE to live creatively to survive here!
:: Where do you shop in NYC? I actually love shopping for food over anything else! My husband and I love to cook and really enjoy coming up with new recipes to cook for each other and friends. Best place to shop for veggies is under the Manhattan Bridge in Chinatown. It’s like a little underground farmer’s market with tons of cheap farm fresh veggies (and in close proximity to some amazing lunch sites!!). I love exploring the city and window-shopping with my husband. No matter how well we think we know an area, there’s always something new to discover. I love going into the vibrant little boutiques in the west village to see what’s new and sometimes score on an awesome sale.
:: If I say Italy, you say…? YEAH! I LOVE ITALIA!! Almost as much as I love NYC! When I think of Italy, I think of three very important things: amazing food, fine shoes and gorgeous people! Italy actually reminds me to enjoy my life and to say THANK YOU daily… Also, fingers are crossed that I’ll get to spend my long awaited honeymoon there!
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