Morning Rituals: Theo Martins

MORNING RITUALS: Theo Martins

Theo Martins is a songwriter & artist. A Connecticut native, he splits his time between there and Los Angeles. It’s here in LA that he founded Posture, a design studio through which he’s launched a multitude of projects and collaborations facilitating his various interests; and it’s also here that he launched Cereal & Such, a breakfast cereal line, back in 2017. It’s through Cereal & Such that we first learned about Theo. We love the honesty and warmth of the brand, its original approach to marketing and storytelling, and how it also serves as a vehicle, or channel, for other forms of creativity and art to emerge.

We’ve been excited to have coffee with Theo for years, and while COVID threw a wrench in earlier plans, Ally and our friend & photographer Justin Chung were finally able to catch up with him when he was recently back in LA. We were excited to hear more about his takes on creativity, balancing entrepreneurship with artistry, and living in different places, and excited to share with you here — along with photos from our morning — here. Enjoy.

Theo, how do you like to start each day? Do you have a ritual? And has it changed over time?

I don’t necessarily maintain a ritual, though I enjoy being up early enough to meet the Sun. It’s a wonderful feeling arising with the Sun. I enjoy taking my time with regard to everything I do, for the sake of giving everything it’s own time. I’m quiet in the mornings, but it varies depending on what the day calls.

It seems you have a bi-coastal existence, spending time in your home state of Rhode Island and here in Los Angeles. What do you like about living in each place?

I’m a seasonal kind of cat. Both environments offer a particular element that I enjoy and I hone in on each of them. Because of the life and experience I have had in each place there’s an understanding of how each can serve my needs. I think naturally I like to see things from various angles and my lifestyle reflects that.

How does your environment impact your perspective?

It impacts it greatly. I’m highly aware of that and because of that I am generally always looking at the frame from many angles, so to speak. Always asking myself if what I believe to be true is, in fact, true. I’m aware that what my experience is like in one environment differ in another, hence my constant “movement” if you will.

Did you always imagine a creative life for yourself?

Perhaps. I didn’t view what i did as creative, it was more a desperation of maintaining what I felt was my sanity. As I matured I began to understand my approach and view of things and how that was necessary for me to live within the world. It has always been personal.

As a multi-faceted person, it seems you’ve found a nice balance of artistry and entrepreneurship. How do you manage that? And what does it look like, on the daily or weekly, to engage in these different kinds of pursuits?

My attempts at maintaining that balance were a desperation to protect my Art. The world of business is a very particular machine and it takes a particular understanding of that. Much of what the public sees is an exercise in understanding in real time. In regards to managing it, I don’t do anything else. I have no life outside of my work. It is my sole devotion.

Is there a throughline to your different work and creative pursuits? Or is there something you aim to inspire or share with the world?

I envision being totally immersed and engaged with an object and allowing the world to look over my shoulder. It has all been an exploration into myself and where it comes from. That orientation has taken me many places, namely back to Rhode Island. It wasn’t intentional on my part but as I glance back I can see the weaving of something far deeper than i can comprehend. It’s a story that will perhaps make sense over time.

You have Cereal & Such, your studio, Posture, and have been releasing a steady stream of new musical releases. What are you working on now, and what are you excited about next?

At the moment I have finished a wonderful body of musical work, under the title of a new band, The Walking Band. It’s an extension of my vision for pure and true collaboration. The band allows anyone to join with any level of contribution. Cereal & Such has matured and there are plans to open a space this Fall.

See more of Theo's work on his site or follow allong on Instagram @CerealandSuch.