Real design stars and a concrete counter guy
During my travels final fall, I had a few awesome possibilities to satisfy some human beings whose paintings inside the design global I recognize substantially.
Everything started at Cersaie in Bologna last September. Endless thanks to Chris Abbate, Novita Public Relations and Tile of Italy for making it possible for me to meet and talk with some people whose work I've long admired.
In order of appearance, I met Patricia Uriquiola ,
Philippe Grohe
and the Bouroullec brothers, Ronan and Erwan , all in the same day.
I've written about these peoples' paintings quite a chunk over the years. I shower with a shower that Ms. Uriquiola designed and Mr. Grohe introduced to the marketplace. It turned into brilliant to have the ability to inform them how much I respect their imaginative and prescient and hard work in person.
Later in London for BlogTour 2011, I met such notables as Nicky Haslam ,
Barbara Barry
and Lee Broom .
There were more people whose work I admire during those weeks on the road but I don't want to be too much of a name dropper. BlogTour 2011 dropped me into the middle of the London Design Festival and were it not for BlogTour I'd have never been there otherwise. So thank you.
But out of the complete who's who of the world design scene I met, none can evaluate to a man I had the pride to fulfill in San Francisco ultimate month.
I'd been brought to San Francisco by Zephyr to attend a design event at their spectacular showroom in San Francisco's Design District. One of the night's speakers was Fu-Tung Cheng, the man who brought the decorative and functional possibilities of concrete to the world's attention.
There were at most 30 human beings in attendance at Zephyr's occasion and most people knew each other. It felt extra like a night meal than it did a proper characteristic.
After Fu-Tung spoke, he mingled with the anybody as though he have been just some other guest at a celebration. Never thoughts that there has been a stack of his books with the aid of the door.
Here's a little back story. In 2002, Fu-Tung Cheng published his first book, Concrete Countertops; Design, Form and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath . I was a relative newbie to the kitchen and bath industry then and his book was nothing short of a revelation. It gave rise to a new aesthetic in my work but far more than that, his first book showed me that I could forge my own way and that I could create a career for myself. All I needed to do was channel my passion and my energy as tirelessly as I was able.
Concrete Countertops was far more than a book about a new idea in surfaces, it was a wake up call for me and it challenged me to strike out and make a place for myself in the world. Fu-Tung Cheng's generous spirit jumped off the page as I read his words and I realized that my making a place for myself wasn't a matter of my ambition. A career of my own making could only happen if I could be of service and use to other people.
Part of me knew that already, however Cheng's ebook about concrete drove home that factor and sent me on my way. I'm no longer kidding when I say that his first ebook changed the trajectory of my life.
Fast ahead to October, 2011 and I determined myself within the equal room with the man who'd had such an effect on me. I walked as much as him and instructed him basically what I just wrote in the last few paragraphs. He become as gracious as he changed into thankful to hear that he'd impacted me so undoubtedly.
We ended up having a longer conversation and later, exchanging business cards when the event was breaking up for the night. And in a final gesture, he inscribed his latest book, Concrete at Home for me.
I'm a fortunate, fortunate man. I say that all the time and I mean it. I have opportunities extended to me on a regular basis that make my head spin, not the least of which are numerous opportunities to meet some of the people I admire. So thanks Zephyr for a great event and thanks for allowing me to complete another circle.