Trouvé is a magazine that celebrates creativity.
The pages document stories of found creativity, passion and hard work;
giving tips, inspiration, & thoughts along the way.
Meet Amanda, publisher, editor, and designer of Trouvé, an independent magazine celebrating the creative lifestyle & those who live it. Trouvé is a beautiful online and print magazine that offers stunning, quality pages full of life and inspiration. Based in Washington, D.C. and running with the modern day creative print magazine world, Trouvé offers a beautiful, fresh take on exposing the creativity that lies within individuals nationally and globally.
I first discovered Volume 1 of Trouvé through one of my older brothers Jesse who messaged me as soon as he received his purchased copy in the mail. I remember him texting me a picture, saying that I would love this magazine. Even from the small iphone photo he sent me, I knew he was right… there was something wonderfully different about this publication. There it sat on his counter, wrapped in matte white paper, tied with twine and stamped with a black wax seal. Merely looking at it from afar peeked my interest.
Fast forward to about two months later when I went back home to Montana for Christmas. My mom had just gotten back into town a couple of weeks prior from visiting Jesse in Kansas City and she pulled out the very issue that he had received. I was so excited and surprised! Apparently Jesse had sent it with her for me to enjoy as well.
I instantly opened the pages and reveled at the creative nature it held- the typography, the matte finish, the simplicity…the creativity. I don’t know about you, but something amazing happens when you find an avenue to connect with other people all over the world that share a similar passion as you. Hearing about fellow creatives and their story is liberating.
From that moment I knew I wanted to meet whoever was behind this publication. Weeks later I had the opportunity to connect with Amanda via Instagram which then lead to email conversations.
Each issue in the magazine has a unique theme, but is built around interviews with makers and creators, essays on ingenuity, culture and lifestyle, and dynamic photography.
I’m honored to have Amanda featured on Portland Fresh, not only because of the amazing things she’s doing through Trouvé, but for who she is. She holds a beauty and simplicity that is rare to behold over the internet. She’s been lovely to chat with these past several weeks and we look forward to meeting in the near future. All the more reason to make it out to the east coast!
I hope you enjoy this interview- I’d love to hear from you if you do! Make sure to give Amanda and Trouvé a follow (links below), and pick up your copy of Volume 1 and 2 here to add to your print collection. Volume 3 is also due to release in the near future so keep a look out for the release date and link to pre order.
You can find Trouvé on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & the web
Follow Amanda Marko, publisher, editor, and designer of Trouvé on Twitter & Instagram
All photos by Reema Desai of Reema Desai Photography.
What inspired you to start Trouvé magazine? Was there a specific instance that sparked the idea & concept, or was it a collaboration of a few things over time?
I’ve been an avid collector and reader of magazines even when I was a child…(hey 90’s kids, remember Highlights magazine?) My background and degree is in graphic design and I always had a love for editorial and print. After some time after college at an ad agency and then as a senior in-house designer, I began to long to have my own “brand”.
Someone asked me at a dinner with my husband what I would do if I won the lottery, and I immediately said Oh, I’d start a magazine…the way that idea just rolled off my thoughts got me really considering the possibility of not only making a magazine, but one that I wanted to read cover to cover.
It would be quick to say the rest history, but anyone who has started something knows how annoying and untrue that saying can be! The dinner I just mentioned was in 2011, and in between then and now was a massive amount of saving paychecks, working full-time while growing ideas and designing Trouvé on the side, collaborations with friends, an online flipbook issue, failures and successes, but in all, rewarding lessons that I would not trade for anything.
What is it about creativity that inspires you to capture and then share other people’s creative story and their own journey?
Creating has shaped my life and is part of who I am. I’m not sure I can really figure out where or how to separate the desire with the literal need to do it. I am constantly inspired and captivated by the work of others.
Trouvé literally means to find or found (French). The goal for Trouvé is to be a positive source of inspiration and encouragement, telling honest stories of creativity and sometimes the challenges involved. I look for a common thread of that in not only each submission and potential feature, but also in photographers and writers who help shape the stories.
How do you source your content?
The current Volume of Trouvé is made up of 30% submitted material that fits into the theme I’m molding for that issue and 70% features/essays that I have personally orchestrated. The features and essays of each issue all speak to the theme of Trouvé and “creativity found”, but also revolve around the theme of that particular volume, which is more specific. The theme of Volume 02 was “Creating With Intention” with Volume 01 as “Beginnings”.
I look for content that not only fits the themes, but stories that will really engage and inspire readers. Whether it’s a face that’s already well-known in our online/social media world, or a feature on someone from a small town who does not even have a website yet. Many of the features are artists I personally follow and admire, and I am currently allocating for travel to the photos shoots for two features per volume. Meeting and learning from the features is the best part of production.
What does your creative community look like and how did you get it to where it is today?
A little known fact that I am going to start being much more open about it journal posts and social media is that I am the only person behind Trouvé. Every facet of the magazine and business from email, social media, design and production—I do. I’m thrilled that Trouvé resonates with so many creatives, which truly helps build a unique and special community for each issue.
Without a doubt, the readers are the community as well. It’s great to see what Trouvé means to them and their desire to share it.
Where do you personally pull your creative inspiration from?
are there any people you admire because of where they’ve gone in their own creative journey?
Sometimes I feel like I completely live on my computer (since most of Trouvé’s tasks besides packaging are done online), but that is surely a creative blessing in disguise. Every day is a new day to find some of the best design work, feeds, layouts and photos.
Writing is extremely important to me. I read the New York Times every day not just for the news, but to better hone my personal writing skills as well as the ability to recognize quality editorial. Pinterest is always a great source to find styling and photographic trends, and I read and subscribe to countless publication to stay both in touch and unique from other magazines. As far as people I admire, the pages of Trouvé are a great place to start that huge list!
If you could go anywhere in the world and explore one creative “avenue” in that culture, where would it be and why?
I love this question. Travel feeds my soul.
My husband and I have been able to travel though quite a bit of Europe and the US the last few years, and I find each place equally inspiring and special. From food, to architecture, décor, and personality, each place we visit has so many unique and wonderful treasures to find creativity in.
We also travel for my husband’s job and have lived in a few different states. Not staying too comfortable and always cultivating new friendships and relationships has been a creative avenue in and of itself.
I’d love to go to Australia in 2015 as I have connected with so many people there and have had tremendous support for Trouvé from both distribution and contributors from around the continent. Look for me there soon I hope.
How do you structure your daily creative process, allowing you to produce the content you dream of sharing with the world through your publication?
My days are actually spent answering quite a bit of email—it’s like an espresso shot to get me started each morning. After shipping orders and taking care of packaging, marketing, budgeting, and other daily business tasks, I try to make time to read; staying abreast of some of my favorite blogs and feeds, and also interacting with Trouvé’s readers.
Now that two volumes have published, it’s extremely important to make sure that I am shaping future issues around not only what I find inspiring and feel a need for, but what readers are feeling and needing as well.
Where would we find you on your day off? Are there any local shops or attractions you’re in love with?
I am still somewhat new to the DC/MD area and have enjoyed slowly exploring the Smithsonian, and the food scene in both DC and Annapolis. My day off usually consists of a grocery store visit since I love to cook, and this area has an abundance of local markets with fresh produce, cheese, and dairy…I’m obsessed.
Eastern Market DC in Capitol Hill is a fantastic source of both food and arts/crafts inspiration, and of course no day off would be complete without a visit to an antique or thrift store, and two cups of coffee over conversation with my husband.
You can find Trouvé on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & the web
Follow Amanda Marko, publisher, editor, and designer of Trouvé on Twitter & Instagram
All photos by Reema Desai of Reema Desai Photography .You can also find her on Instagram.
