An Interview with Ephemeral Concrete
Every month during the First Friday Art Walk in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe we bring in an artist or maker for a pop-up! Our featured artist for the month of July is Olivia McCann, who repurposes and upcycles clothing under the name Ephemeral Concrete.
Ahead of her pop-up with us, we asked Olivia some questions about herself, her art, and sustainability. Enjoy!
When did you start making and selling art?
I started making art when I was a little girl, my grandma and I would do art projects every Saturday. I also minored in Art in college at DU and have always loved being creative. I started reselling clothing after graduating from DU in 2020 and started upcycling my pieces the following spring.
What inspires your work?
I am inspired by lines, curvy shapes, and checkerboards, and love making a rule for myself and then deviating from it while carving my block prints. I've also always loved clothing with a little bit of edge and personality to them which I love incorporating into my pieces.
What does sustainability mean to you and how does your art reflect that belief?
In my practice and to my brand, sustainability encompasses using pieces that are already in circulation and being resourceful in creating something new. I think the so-called "limitations" of upcycling an item based on what is already there actually helps my creativity by giving me a starting point.
What is your goal as an artist?
My goal as an artist, put simply, is to create. Seeing a person rocking something I've upcycled, and turning it into a business are also really rewarding parts of it, and I can't wait to see where I can take my brand and creative practice but creating for the sake of creating is most important to me.
If you were an animal/breakfast cereal/ice cream flavor/style of architecture what would you be?
If I was a breakfast cereal, I would be Cinnamon Toast Crunch, if I was a style of architecture, I would be Gaudi.
What’s next for you? Are there any projects or goals you are currently working toward that you'd like to share about?
I just worked on a collaboration with My Generation and did a fashion show in RiNo hosted by Beach Haus Swimwear, which were some awesome highlights for Ephemeral Concrete in June. I'm doing my first three pop-up market weekend in July starting with First Friday at Strawberry Mountain, so I'll be gearing up for that and creating some great pieces in the next couple weeks.
Are there any artistic mediums you’d like to explore that you haven’t yet?
I just took an abstract painting class this past weekend which got me really excited to paint more and paint BIG!
Thanks for reading! If you’re interested in being one of our featured artists, send us an email. We’re always looking to expand our community and showcase the talent our city has to offer.
Until next time,
“Be excellent to each other”
