How has being from Texas influenced the style of your work , or design sensibilities ?
I grew up with a lot of strong , independent Texas women on my mom ’ s side , who were all about the pioneering spirit along with a kind of old-fashioned southern hospitality . Austin is also a very different version of Texas . I grew up with this combination of liberalism with a healthy dose of manners and ethics . Austin is very different now than what I grew up in . It ’ s still an amazing city with great energy , but it was a bit more down to earth and rebellious in my childhood . You could go to a bar , listen to these amazing , seasoned musicians belting out the blues and in the crowd , old cowboys in Wranglers and wide brimmed hats , punk rock kids in grunge and purple hair , colorful flocks of perfectly put together women and small children propped up on their dad ’ s button down shoulders . You can still see some of that original “ Keep Austin Weird ” when you go there , but it was especially colorful in my early memories .
The University of Texas being there has had a lot of influence on city as well . It has provided the city with a lot of cultural opportunities that it would not have otherwise had . I was exposed to the laidback country , rock- ’ n ’ -roll element as well as trips to museums , the ballet , visiting lectures . The lake and beautiful , rolling hills provided a lot of connection to nature as well .
My aesthetic has been influenced in immeasurable ways by the unique environment of my upbringing . I lean more towards a contemporary aesthetic , but it ’ s tempered with softness and comfort and pops of the eccentric and strange . I used to feel like I was all over the place . I still feel that way at times , but I have found more clarity and cohesiveness in my design sensibilities over the years . That is an evolution of self and a continuous process of paring down .
49 THE CONE - ISSUE # 9 - SPRING 2016