Xav Studio Notes
Issue 2. Feb/Mar 2026.
Gaining momentum…
Hello everyone,
I’ve been thinking a lot about momentum lately and how small, consistent decisions quietly form into stronger, more meaningful work over time. Between deadlines, inbox noise, and the constant pressure to produce and be present online, it’s easy to lose sight of why we started making things in the first place. That’s not just distracting, it slowly fades momentum.
And yes, this year has started painfully slow. There’s no denying that the current financial climate is putting real pressure on small, independent businesses, the very backbone of the creative work I care about and contribute to. It’s a challenging moment, but also one that asks for resilience, and smarter ways of moving forward.
So rather than opening this newsletter with fear, I want to start with intention. Because momentum doesn’t come from panic, it comes from connection, care, and belief in what we’re building. To borrow from one of the greatest songwriters of our time: all you need is love.
…and maybe a bit of stubborn optimism, too.
Is food critique dead?
A few weeks ago, I was having out for dinner with friends and we found ourselves talking about where we get our food recommendations from. Years ago, we followed a wide range of exceptional food writers, people who understood the context of food culture, and knew how to articulate it. Today, food criticism as journalism feels… wounded. Not dead, but certainly compromised.
Open any device and you’ll see fifteen foodies recommending the same place in the same week. That doesn’t feel like critique, it feels like a campaign. Many accept invitations without an editorial stance, offer opinions disguised as neutrality, and rarely engage deeply with the full experience of eating out. The result? Criticism blurred into advertising. Engagement replaces insight.
I still believe we need more critique than ads. That’s where understanding lives. A small number of voices are still trying to remain journalistic within the noise, and that’s where I look for recommendations. I’m old school, I’ll own that!
Institutions and AI.
The British Museum attempted to jump on the AI trend not long ago, and it went spectacularly wrong on social media as you can imagine. Several respected archaeologists called out the museum for doing so and the posts had to be taken down. Similarly, earlier in January, Brighton Museums tried a similar approach, with equally explosive results. Both moments were fascinating to watch.
The intention, I’m sure, was right. But intention isn’t the same as perception. The message landed as desperation rather than dialogue, a push to sell tickets to an exhibition nearing its end. Personally, I think the opportunity was missed and instead they could: acknowledge the awkwardness of trend-chasing first, leaning into what these two institutions represent, then encouraging artists to keep making work the traditional way. This way, they could have built trust first, and promotion second.
As creatives, strategy and narrative are everything when we put messages into the world, especially on social media. I reached out privately to open a conversation about the use of AI, but it quickly turned defensive. A useful reminder for me to work on refining the art of persuasion.
That said, I’m always open to conversation. If you want to talk about AI, how to use it thoughtfully, strategically, and without damaging your credibility, give me a shout.
A little confidence…
Earlier this month, I gave a talk at the BIPC in the Library, where I regularly support small business owners with their creative direction. I run these sessions regularly, so keep an eye on their website for future talks if you’re interested. Or, if you’re reading this and want to go straight to the source, you can always buy me a coffee and we’ll talk it through.
Subjects I talk about at the BIPC:
Brand identity and personal branding for business leaders.
Storytelling through images for businesses.
Editing and curating images for your business.
This time, one case stood out. Not because of a creative problem, but because of an identity block.
The business owner felt their digital assets (website, the imagery, the social presence…) weren’t communicating the right message. From my perspective, they were beautifully made and remarkably strong. What we uncovered, together with the group, wasn’t a branding issue at all, but a confidence gap. The language kept returning to “I have to be a business owner” rather than “this is what I do.”
I recognised it immediately. I’ve been there myself. Early in my career, it took me years to let go of my sommelier identity and fully step into being a creative problem-solver. Our brains are wired for comfort, not for change. Growth begins when we override that comfort bias and allow identity to take over. Saying “this is what I do” reduces internal conflict. And that’s not a motivational slogan, it’s a proven psychological fact.
…my god, I sound like a motivational speaker, don’t worry I’m not gonna sell you a self-help book or a 12 week leadership programme!
I’m an artist!
Since work is quiet at the moment, I’ve been focusing on my art and I released my first collaboration with my framer Alex Benigno at Otto Framing in London. We launched 3 exclusively unique pieces from my project on Baroque Art in Rome, check out the project HERE and the story behind this collaboration HERE or just message me if you love them and can’t wait to have them in your walls!
What’s happening?
I am away from March 13th until the 2nd of April.
I now have two spaces available for yearly content creation retainers: one for a shop, design or architecture studio, and one for a food business. Prices start at £400 p/m on a 12-month contract.
I’m having a lot of interest in the Camera Confidence programme that I launched in the new year. It is designed for business owners and solopreneurs to support them with portrait photography and creative direction for their brands. Don’t feel like missing out, check it out on my website HERE
The next TACO COOKING CLASSES at Brighton Community Kitchen are on March 13th and April 24th. Get tickets HERE
oh, and I’m always up for Mexican cooking collaborations for a good cause, so give me a shout if you’d like to organise a pop-up collaboration.
This newsletter will remain exclusively aimed at my professional contacts. I’m planning to send one every 6 weeks or so.
You can also keep up with ongoing projects on Instagram @xavogram or via the blog on my website.