GB : TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU STARTED AND ABOUT THE ROOTS OF YOUR AESTHETIC . CPC : I grew up in Falls Church , Virginia . My father was an aeronautical engineer and my mother had a deep passion for fine arts and performance . Oftentimes architects are strong in just one way of thinking — either the left-brain or the right . I have some of both . From my father I have a very mathematical , logical and strategic mind ; from my mother I have an appreciation for color , texture , palette and design .
I went to college to study interior design at University of Colorado . I moved into architecture in my Junior year . Even now , I love the analytics , strategy and building process as much as I love design . Moving over was the perfect match for me . I finished at University of Maryland , College Park .
I come from a family with eight children . I have a brother with Downs Syndrome . I was raised in a home with a child with special needs and I adopted a child with multiple special needs . I am particularly driven to use much of what I learned as a sister and mother , a friend and advocate , in my work to improve the lives and opportunities available to people who live and learn and work differently .
GB : TELL US ABOUT THAT UNUSU- AL NAME AND HOW YOU CAME TO ANNAPOLIS . CPC : My maiden name is Purple . I met my husband , Michael Cherry , when I was in college . Even then I knew I would be entrepreneurial and I knew that Purple Cherry was a name people could remember and recognize .
I picked up my future husband in Ellicott City . I walked right up to him . My mother taught me how to do that stuff . She was a bold woman for her time .
Mike wanted to sell boats , so we moved to Eastport . I worked three jobs to make ends meet . I did catering at Palate Pleasers , drew illustrations for agents and builders and was an architect for a local firm making $ 8 per hour . You do what you need to do to make ends meet .
Melvin Road Sun Room
GB : HOW DID YOU WIN THE CON- TRACTS FOR SOME OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE PROJECTS IN AN- NAPOLIS ? CPC : When I decided to go out on my own in business , I was living in a 1000 square foot home in Davidsonville with 10 dogs , 3 cats , 2 children and one in my belly . I was fearless though . It doesn ’ t mean that I didn ’ t have worry or caution . But I didn ’ t let that stop me . My very first project was a porch in Severna Park . My second was a major renovation for a waterfront home . I landed my first commercial project [ Arundel Lodge ] before I had any collateral , print or even Power Point . I was a five-person firm and didn ’ t have any large-scale projects in my portfolio . I had a deep passion for the cause though . I was confident I could create an environment that would support those individuals , and it was that deep passion that helped us get that job .
I was hired to design Yellowfin in Edgewater because I was willing to share everything I knew and to be supportive before the project was even off the ground , without demanding compensation . Ultimately , designing Yellowfin led to several other projects and it all began simply because I was helpful .
It is so important to be open and responsive and supportive to others who are trying to accomplish things . It isn ’ t about good deeds . That ’ s not it . But if you take the path of doing the right thing and working hard and working diligently , in whatever form , things will come back to you , whether that is money , or people , or your spouse .
This faith in doing good and doing right was instilled by my mother , a compassionate person , a loving individual and a loving woman . I always saw in her an openness and willingness to share anything in her own environment . I carry those lessons with me and I know absolutely they have contributed to our success .
GB : DESCRIBE FOR US WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BUILD YOUR COM- PANY FROM THE GROUND UP . CPC : Keep in mind that I am fearless , and I believe in my work ethic . I have the same thing that drives the Emergency Room physician , that thing that allows you to go without stopping . I was banking on myself . I knew that to grow I had to have a level of scale . To be a com-
GREENBOOK | SUMMER 2016 15
GB: TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU
STARTED AND ABOUT THE ROOTS
OF YOUR AESTHETIC.
CPC: I grew up in Falls Church, Virginia. My father was an aeronautical engineer and my mother had a deep passion
for fine arts and performance. Oftentimes architects are strong in just one
way of thinking—either the left-brain or
the right. I have some of both. From my
father I have a very mathematical, logical and strategic mind; from my mother
I have an appreciation for color, texture,
palette and design.
I went to college to study interior design at University of Colorado. I moved
into architecture in my Junior year.
Even now, I love the analytics, strategy
and building process as much as I love
design. Moving over was the perfect
match for me. I finished at University of
Maryland, College Park.
I come from a family with eight
children. I have a brother with Downs
Syndrome. I was raised in a home with
a child with special needs and I adopted
a child with multiple special needs. I am
particularly driven to use much of what
I learned as a sister and mother, a friend
and advocate, in my work to improve
the lives and opportunities available to
people who live and learn and work differently.
GB: TELL US ABOUT THAT UNUSUAL NAME AND HOW YOU CAME TO
ANNAPOLIS.
CPC: My maiden name is Purple. I met
my husband, Michael Cherry, when I
was in college. Even then I knew I would
be entrepreneurial and I knew that Purple Cherry was a name people could remember and recognize.
I picked up my future husband in Ellicott City. I walked right up to him. My
mother taught me how to do that stuff.
She was a bold woman for her time.
Mike wanted to sell boats, so we
moved to Eastport. I worked three jobs
to make ends meet. I did catering at
Palate Pleasers, drew illustrations for
agents and builders and was an architect for a local firm making $8 per hour.
You do what you need to do to make
ends meet.
GB: HOW DID YOU WIN THE CONTRACTS FOR SOME OF THE MOST
RECOGNIZABLE PROJECTS IN ANNAPOLIS?
CPC: When I decided to go out on
my own in business, I was living in a
1000 square foot home in Davidsonville with 10 dogs, 3 cats, 2 children
and one in my belly. I was fearless
though. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t
have worry or caution. But I didn’t let
that stop me.
My very first project was a porch in
Severna Park. My second was a major renovation for a waterfront home.
I landed my first commercial project
[Arundel Lodge] before I had any collateral, print or even Power Point. I
was a five-person firm and didn’t have
any large-scale projects in my portfolio. I had a deep passion for the cause
though. I was confident I could create an environment that would support those individuals, and it was that
deep passion that helped us get that
job.
I was hired to design Yellowfin
in Edgewater because I was willing
to share everything I knew and to
be supportive before the project was
even off the ground, without demanding compensation. Ultimately, de-
signing Yellowfin led to several other
projects and it all began simply because I was helpful.
It is so important to be open and responsive and supportive to others who
are trying to accomplish things. It isn’t
about good deeds. That’s not it. But if
you take the path of doing the right
thing and working hard and working
diligently, in whatever form, things will
come back to you, whether that is money, or people, or your spouse.
This faith in doing good and doing
right was instilled by my mother, a compassionate person, a loving individual
and a loving woman. I always saw in her
an openness and willingness to share
anything in her own environment. I
carry those lessons with me and I know
absolutely they have contributed to our
success.
GB: DESCRIBE FOR US WHAT IT
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