Gentleman On the Go: California Bespoke Exhibition

Recently my studio was engaged to design an exhibition showcasing a variety of artisinal product designed and fabricated in our great state of California. 

This sort of design project always is exciting to me, as it is more conceptual and poses a challenge to the space but allows for great creative freedom, not unlike the Dreamscape installation I wrote about some months back.

As I began developing the concept and how I would showcase the varied products such as furnishings and textiles to stationary and soup bowls....even surfboards designed by the incredible Thomas Meyerhoffer (http://www.meyerhoffer.com/) 

I decided that the answer, at least part of it, was in the beauty of California's natural landscape.  

Half Dome in Winter
Yosemite, CA



Joshua Tree, CA





Big Sur, CA



With the concept set we began developing a space which would simultaneously provide a neutral backdrop being curated by our friends over at The Editor at Large (http://www.editoratlarge.com/), and at the same time force you to engage some aspect of California's beautiful landscape through either imagery, greenery or through the artisinal quality of all the various products.

It was an absolute pleasure collaborating with the producers of the exhibit (Merchandise Mart Properties), as well as the entire team at the Los Angeles Convention Center, not to mention having an opportunity to meet many of the very very talented artisans producing so many beautiful things that have the ability to inspire us in all aspects of our lives.



California Bespoke
Photo: Jim Harris




California Bespoke
Photo: Jim Harris





California Bespoke
Photo: Jim Harris





California Bespoke
Photo: Jim Harris



Bye for now.

CG 





In The Space Where Dreams Meet Design

I love projects like this.  It is design at its best.  A question is posed by a client, a concept is developed, and installed.  The freedom to create without limits or hesitations.

The question posed to each pairing of designer and artist by the LA Mart Design Center for their DreamScape installation was, "What do our personal spaces reveal about the essence of who were are?"

As one of the participating designers I had the good fortune to work with artist Joe Davidson (http://www.joedavidson.com/).  I was not familiar with his work and was incredibly inspired and moved by his talent.  The common thread I found in his work was a great depth in the simplicity and silence of his message.  A stoic elegance evocative of a modern world and a yearning for nature.  His installations sometimes look like cityscapes but could just as easily be a coral reef. 
Here are a few examples of his work:

After meeting several times to get to know each other better and understand our individual points of view, we agreed upon a study of light and dark.  We decided to call it Shadow Garden.  The exploration of what happens in the interplay of the spaces that are not spaces.  His gentle spirit as an artist made the entire process possible as we created a space that brought his work to life in a way that had not been installed before.  We also installed his Scotch tape bottles which are skeletons of actual bottles of various libations. They are as haunting as they are beautiful.  My contribution was to introduce a palette and furnishings with a whimsical touch but not loosing the serious nature of Joe's work and wanting the art to speak volumes while the furnishings anchor the space but receed at the same time.  Lighting played a huge role to guide the guests through the space and gently lead the eye.  A Ruhlman-inspired burlwood coffee table, a driftwood lamp, a danish chair, a black glass table all added to the eclectic message.  Below are the results.  Can you tell which shadows are real and which are painted?

In design you make decisions guided only by your inner compass and your eye.  It is only when the work is done that the design will reveal itself to you, slowly and if you are lucky enough, ever changing.  Hopefully our point of view was clear.   So remember to be daring in your decisions, confident in your eye and most important of all be true to yourself.

Thank you Joe I look foward to our paths crossing again.