"An artist is not special. An artist is an ordinary person who can take ordinary things and make them special.”
- Ruth Asawa
Art in the everyday.
Often photographed in denim aprons, Asawa lived with a deep devotion to craft. Her work was not separate from daily life, but woven through it: cooking for her family, tending her garden, teaching children, supporting artists, and helping shape the creative life of San Francisco.
A plant has its own rhythm.
Her garden was another studio, and a way of teaching patience, observation, and care. Growth could not be forced. It had to be tended, cared for, and waited for.
Asawa’s Ethos
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Process
Both Ruth Asawa and Mi Cocina begin with material, repetition, and touch. The work reveals itself through making: slowly, attentively, and by hand.
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Daily Use
Asawa did not separate art from living. Cooking, gardening, teaching, and working were part of the same creative practice.
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Community
Her legacy is rooted in San Francisco, in education, public art, and the belief that creativity belongs in shared spaces.
Mi Cocina presents: The BMC Collection
The BMC Collection translates Ruth Asawa’s Untitled (SF.091), 1952 into three useful forms: a compact tote, a generous carryall, and a limited frame bag.
Each piece is crafted by hand in California, hand stitched, hammered, and made from raw denim that will soften, fade, and become more personal with use. The repetition of the BMC motif echoes Asawa’s own practice: returning to a form again and again, refining through patience, touch, and care.
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BMC Frame Bag
The BMC Frame Bag takes inspiration from Ruth Asawa's repeating "BMC" print. Our frame bag is crafted by hand in California, hand stitched, and hammered with the same deliberate care that defined Asawa's work.
Compact by design: precise, elegant, and built without compromise.
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BMC Mini Tote
Small, structured, and effortless. The Mini Tote carries the BMC motif on a compact frame, with raw denim, contrast base, and vachetta leather handles that will age beautifully over time.
Lightweight and compact: just enough room for the essentials
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BMC Carryall Tote
The Carryall Tote is the biggest piece in the collection — built tough, sized generously, and made to keep up with real life. Whether it's a market run, or a full day at the studio, it carries it all without missing a beat.
Made for more: more to carry, more to do, more to create.
Limited Edition BMC Frame Bag Sign-up
We created a special version of our BMC Frame Bag reserved for 25 people who sign up to join the project at the McAteer Campus Community Farm on Sept 26th. If you are selected and the three hours of service are complete, there will be the opportunity to purchase and leave with one of the limited edition pieces. These bags can only be earned this way: by showing up and contributing to the community.
