Chores

A celebration of earnest labor

Dear friend,

There was so much I wanted to share in this inaugural email, including everything happening as a part of my artist residency at The W.O.W. Project. But I’ll save some things for the next newsletter, and let today be about celebrating Chores—a tender project I began in summer 2021, now coming to a close.

Last six pieces arriving tomorrow, 4/1 at 12pm EST to joymao.com.

A little background -

In 2020, I purchased a set of vintage chore coats that I wasn’t yet sure what to do with. I was drawn to their versatility and humble charm, and the opportunity to breathe new life into existing garments.

One day whilst tidying my closet, I came across an old garment of mine—a painting smock covered with 10+ years of stains and splatters. I was transported to those moments in front of various paintings, working and dreaming. I felt grateful for the ways in which this garment has protected and supported me, and looked on its scars with respect and appreciation.

I wanted to create a pattern of hand embroidery that would mimic the paint stains on my smock, and apply them to the chore coats in a way that highlighted each coat’s unique features.

From that simple idea, Chores was born—a collection of eighteen hand-embroidered vintage chore coats, each transformed through a unique pattern of embroidery and beading, inspired by the unintentional yet beautiful splatters left on an old painting smock.

The project celebrates the beauty of earnest labor—the everyday actions we take, stitch by stitch, to care for ourselves and our worlds. Though often invisible, uncomfortable, and exhausting, this labor is foundational to maintaining and sustaining life. It deserves recognition and celebration.

Poems

I asked my dear childhood friend, Shaina Yang, if she would write poems to pair with each coat. Perhaps we could work together—me stitching, her writing—to inspire and inform one another?

Shaina’s poems were more beautiful, intimate, and abundant than I could have ever imagined.

Each season, we chose a theme as a starting point, and worked in tandem across a series of collaborative sessions. This process gave us a shared space to reflect, trust, and create together.

The poems currently live in pieces, on my website and Instagram, but I would really like to find a way to properly document them. I’ll have a think, and welcome any ideas you may have.

Spring

The final group of six coats in this collection is launching this Friday, April 1st at 12pm EST on joymao.com. As promised, here is a preview for my dear inaugural newsletter readers:

Pricing

I chose to experiment with a “choose what you pay” pricing model for this collection:

$380 - Covers materials and labor for creating this piece

$480 - Helps sustain my practice by paying for work that happens beyond garment construction alone

$580 - Contributes to the growth of my practice, allowing me to invest in tools, people, and future projects + comes with a surprise bonus item

My aim was to draw attention to the work that goes into creating pieces like these, beyond the time it takes to make the garment itself. Much of the labor happens before and after the piece is created, and a thriving wage for artists not only meets basic needs, but allows for reinvestment into future work.

It’s been a bit of a learning experience, to set up this model in my online store, and to observe how different people respond. It will be interesting to observe for one more season, to determine whether or not to try this again.

Almost all photos by the lovely Echo Chen.

As this project comes to a close, I’m carving out some time and space to reflect, feel, and express.

Special thanks to:

Shaina Yang
Echo Chen
Yalda Zakeri
Justin Mao

Everyone who purchased pieces from this collection and others, and helped to spread to the word -

Your support has directly contributed to my ability to complete this project, and invest in my work to come.

So much love and gratitude,

joy mao