Into the Oso Junglas

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Microdoses of Nature

If you ask some of the original Osos, our Chicago studio hasn’t always been a jungle. Like many passions in life, ours for foliage has grown – and expanded – over time. But now that it’s started, it seems the transformation of our space into a fully formed greenhouse is a near inevitable runaway train – though we really don’t mind.

For many people and in many cultures, nature is a reset and a recalibrating experience. We see this in the Japanese exercise of shrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”, a healing practice intended to offer mental space and clarity through exposure to the outdoors. For some, it’s as simple as a literal walk in the park; for others, more immersive time in nature does the trick. Regardless, allowing the time, energy, and space to exist with nature and to reconnect with the world a large is not only healthy for our beings, but rejuvenating for our creative minds. 



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Among the densely populated and busy streets of Mérida and Chicago, keeping our studios full of plant life provides some of these micro doses of nature. In between busy schedules and work-loaded days, we enjoy  taking a break to water the plants, to check in on our many propagations, or to trim back the ever-expanding philodendrons. The nurturing action of tending to our plants (and witnessing their growth) brings us many joys and a clarifying sense of mental space.


Our plant assemblage has grown much like our collective – slowly over time, and through the people we know and love. "Tito" the fiddle leaf fig has nearly doubled his height since he first moved from Carlos's home to the Chicago studio. He's now in the midst of an air-layering propagation process, growing nearly as tall as our 12-foot ceilings next to a newer resident – a pink Aglaonema, brought in from the of home of Eleanor. The origins of other plants read much the same: a collection of Nina's house plants, who arrived in search of more sunlight; a grouping Katrina took into her care for a neighbor and friend; new propagations birthed from Elaine's collection on the north side of the city. Some still live in their original pots, others have been re-homed as they've grown – some even landing in a few hand- made pieces created by David Kim.


As the spring season arrives, there is sure to be much excitement in the Oso junglas. New growth, plants in repair after a long winter, and hopefully, some bright, warm sunlight for us all.