artist profile: lance rivers

Born in 1967, artist Lance Rivers is a participating artist at the Creativity Explored studio—a nonprofit visual arts center in his hometown of San Francisco—where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit and sell art.

No aspect of the processes that make a city function has escaped him, and this—the sharing of his attention to the beauty of simple, industrial elements and compositions—is how he shows his love for the city.

Buildings, large-scale construction machinery, street cars, train lines—even the escalators within the MUNI and BART stations fascinate Rivers. He admits his obsession with architecture was first realized as a teenager as he began simply sketching the local bridges and tunnels he saw around him. Not surprising, the bridge architecture and landscape prints reflect a large portion of his work.

Go here to spend a minute with Lance in the Creativity Explored studio as he creates a new piece and reflects briefly on his love of architecture.

artist profile: kevin chu

Through our continuing partnership with the Creativity Explored studio in San Francisco—
a nonprofit visual arts center where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit and sell art—comes the optimistic artwork of Kevin Chu.

In Kevin’s enthusiastic and vibrant world, dragons are not only alive but they’re always smiling—the same for vultures—and penguins happily offer a tired swimmer a lift across the sea.

His calm, sensitive demeanor is earnest and he’s motivated by the need for connection between all life-forms, regardless of species—or breed. For perfect example, a variety of dogs play nice together on the dogs pillow, so much so they
seem to be smiling as well!

To spend one minute with Kevin in the Creativity Explored studio, go here.

designer profile: mermelada estudio

Mermelada Estudio:
Juanmi Júarez, Alex Estévez, and Laura Blasco Where was your favorite place to live?
Barcelona. We love our city, the people, the weather and the food.

What’s your favorite room in your home?
We all have a terrace in our apartments and it is our favourite place. We love host parties there and bring our friends over.

In your opinion, what is the best designed item of all time?
There are many. If we had to choose one, it would be the Eames Fiberglass Chairs because of their importance in the history of design.

How do you get around?
Laura rides a Vespa, Juanmi a Ducati and Alex a bicycle.

What one item do you wish you owned?
Laura wishes she had a greenhouse, while Juanmi´s wish list is too long to put it here. Alex covets a house in Cap de Creus in Northern Catalonia, one of the most beautiful places in the world—Salvador Dalí had a villa there.

What are your interests outside of design?
Laura loves shoes, Juanmi fancies cars and motorcycles and Alex enjoys acting—right now he is working on a play.

Who are you design icons?
We have many, but if we had to name one it would be Tappio Wirkkala.

Form vs. function?
Form together with function. We do not think of these two as opposites.

What is your personal decorating style?
We love to mix contemporary design pieces with vintage furniture and traditional objects from all around the world. We really treasure handmade objects.

What’s your favorite element/possession?
Laura’s favourite possession is a coat hanger from her gran, Juanmi’s a Lladró special edition of a porcelain Ford Fiesta from the seventies and Alex’s a watch from his grandpa.

What’s your biggest indulgence?
It has to be breakfast. Every time we have the chance we have breakfast in the studio with friends, other designers, artists, neighbours, clients… they are always welcome to our table.

What’s the best career advice you ever received? Ever gave?
“There is no place where success comes before work, except in the dictionary.” which is commonly attributed to Donald Kendall, the co-founder of PepsiCo®.

designer profile: ivdesign.it

Francesca Braga Rosa + Ivano Vianello = ivdesign.it Where was your favorite place to live?
In Tramonte, in country house in the hills of Padua, Italy—it’s really an island, far away from everything.

What’s your favorite room in your home?
We prefer the dining room, where we are with all the family and the garden.

In your opinion, what is the best designed item of all time?
Sanluca armchair designed by the Castiglioni Brothers in 1961, produced by Frau.

What are your sources of inspiration?
Observe the daily life that is a great source of inspiration.

What do you drive?
A bicycle—we are living in the city center.

What one item do you wish you owned?
Peace in living every day.

What are your interests outside of design?
Alberto e Ludovico, our children—then the architecture and the cook.

Who are you design icons?
The furniture of Alvar Alto.

What is your signature?
Simplicity and cleanliness in the design.

What’s your favorite element/possession?
Surely our notebooks to sketches: Moleskine.

What was/is your biggest indulgence?
A great passion for the sea.

What’s the best career advice you ever received? Ever gave?
Owning fewer things and taking life easier.

artist profile: karl lohnes

Where was your favorite place to live?
I’ve lived in Toronto for 25 years and spend about one week each month in New York—my brain is in Toronto and my heart is in NYC.

What is your favorite room in your home?
My kitchen is the place I like to spend the most time. I cook and bake a lot—I use it as a form of relaxation and experimentation.

In your opinion, what is the best designed item of all time?
The wing-back chair; modern or traditional it’s cocooning, inviting and shelters us from life’s noises and drafts.

Form vs. function?
Function—without it there’s no need to have a form.

What one item do you wish you owned?
Simple, plastic ice cube trays that make big ice cubes. I drink iced lattes year round and keep running out of ice in the freezer.

What do you drive?
I don’t drive a vehicle; never have, never will.

What are your sources of inspiration?
Watching vintage movies for the exaggerated costumes and sets; famed interior designer Barbara Barry for her utmost restraint and perfection in a room.

What’s your personal decorating style?
Sloppy Parisian Writer and very room I decorate uses the equation: 70% traditional, 30% modern. Everything I bring into my place has a story so every room has far too many stories to tell.

What’s your favorite element/possession?
My collection of silk ties. I haven’t worn one in 15 years; thats the beauty of being a creative type.

Do you have one low budget decorating tip?
When everything is off the floor you will have a tidy, clean and organized space. Picking up newspapers, sweatshirts and shoes costs nothing.

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received/given?
Choose a job that challenges and teaches something everyday—and when that stops, find another.