Creative Q&A: Cassie Pyle
Name, Location, Occupation
Cassie Pyle
St. Louis, Missouri (soon to be Denver)
Graphic Designer & Photo Stylist, Owner of Veda House
Please describe your workspace:
My workspace is all over the place. The days when I'm at my computer designing, photo editing or doing admin work, I'm in my little office nook that's in my living room. It's a tiny 300 sq. foot space filled with lots of personality and a big window. On the days when I'm doing photo styling, I'll all over the house. I actually photograph things in my guest bedroom because it has the best light in the house. I'll be moving to Denver, Colorado this summer and I'll be gaining a dedicated space to call my "studio". It comes complete with a really great mid-century vibe and an amazing outdoor space/patio. Can't wait to get settled in.
What are you working on right now?
Honestly, right now my schedule is out of this world crazy. I'm currently finalizing all the details for my wedding in may as well as trying to wrap up a few really big client projects and product launches. Since the start of the new year I've been lucky enough to work with The Savvy Home (website just launched), Commodity Goods, and The Citizenry (which I'm most excited about). For these brands I'm doing everything from full brand build outs to website design, to photography & product styling. It's been a great mix!
What has been your most rewarding project to date?
The most rewarding projects seem to be the ones that include a lot of "firsts" and take me down unexpected routes. They are usually a bit more fly-by-the-seat of your pants and that is what makes everything so exciting. Right now, I'm working with a brand that is filled with passion and that burning desire to get their company up and running so they can spread the word. Again, it's that mix of all media's that make this particular project rewarding; branding work, web design, marketing strategies, product development, photography and styling.
Which designers and artists inspire you?
I think I've realized that I'm most inspired by creatives in different fields than my own. I have also found it hard to get fully inspired by those doing the same kind of work without jealously slipping in from time to time. I'm really inspired by small business owners who sell handmade art or products, as well as photographers, fine artists, and people who make things with their hands (textiles, pottery, etc.).
Has there been a defining moment or turning point when you realized what you wanted to do for a living?
I'm not sure I'll ever know what I want to do for a living. All I DO know is that I can craft my professional career into whatever I want it to be. There was a time about a year and a half ago where I firmly decided that I would no longer work full time for someone else and that I most likely will never hold a desk job again. I hope my career, passions and skill sets are ever-changing and evolving as time goes on. Right now, I'm in a place where I know that getting my "one-man-band" design studio up and running successfully is taking most of my time. I just passed my one year mark as a freelance business owner and spent most of my days working on branding, photography and styling. I'm definitely enjoying this sense of freedom to keep exploring.
What do you think is the most difficult aspect of working in design?
This is a great question and I'm sure everyone answers this question differently depending on where they are in their career. For me I think the most difficult aspect is keeping a balanced mindset; one that isn't driven by envy of other's successes. It's really easy to be sucked into the world of pinterest (and other blogs/inspiration sites) and NOT feel like you're falling behind or producing inferior work. Its easy to forget that there is beauty in imperfection and most things on the internet are not as glamourous as they appear.
I recently heard Gabrielle Bernstein quote "Live your most authentic life and the universe will conspire with you". That quote really struck a cord with me.
What are you reading at the moment?
This is going to sound a bit silly but I don't do a lot of reading because it makes me tired. Haha. I do however read MANY blogs and enjoy reading blogs unrelated to design. A few of my favorites are Elephantine (Fiction Friday), And Kathleen, and Ohdeardrea. Also, this Must vs. Should post was genius!
What websites do you visit for inspiration?
Inspiration is everywhere on the internet and can be a time consuming adventure to soak it all in. I believe I follow some 500 blogs and get daily updates to all of them...I know....geez. I do however sift through them as quickly as possible, choosing the most fitting inspiration for the day. These past couple months I've been visiting Miss Moss daily, the lovely blog of photographer Olivia Rae James, blog by Dabito (photographer & vintage curator) called Old Brand New, and of course, Pinterest.
What are your simplest daily pleasures?
My simplest daily pleasures are watering my plants during the day, an afternoon sweet tooth snack, walking the pup with my fiancé in the evenings and then watching a guilty pleasure television series before heading to bed. Was, rinse, and repeat.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
It’s hard to predict the future and I usually get laughed at when I try to plan too far in advance, but I envision being a working mom who pursues any creative endeavor that sparks something in me. I can’t say I’ll be doing the same thing I am today, because I know I’ll constantly be evolving over the next 10 years. That’s what I love about a where my career is now…if it changes, its usually for the better.
an afternoon with state of the heart
Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with my dear friend Melissa McFarland of State of the Heart, a new lifestyle blog launching this Spring. After designing the branding for State of the Heart, we decided to organize a styled shoot to take place over lunch with friends. Melissa went above and beyond, preparing grilled skirt steak with a Chimichurri sauce, a crispy potato skillet, green bean salad with mustard seeds and tarragon, as well as a rhubarb and rose tart. Sipping prosecco and breaking warm braided bread, the lunch was a complete success. The photographs taken by Amie Enns look beautiful. With only one month remaining before her sweet baby is due, I'm so excited to see how Melissa's new project unfolds. Check back from my full feature with State of the Heart.
Creative Q&A: Kelly DeWitt
Name, Location, Occupation
Kelly DeWitt
Just east of Austin, Texas
Furniture designer & builder, owner of KKDW
Please describe your workspace:
My workspace takes on a few forms, depending on what projects are going on at the time. Most days I work out of my home studio, a glorified portion of my living room outfitted with worktables and large windows that let in beautiful natural light. My boyfriend Travis and I share a home about 15 miles east of Austin, TX, on a perfect little three-acre lot atop a hill. Because of the way the house is set up, I’m able to take advantage of our space to hoard tools and have ample room for working on projects. Our front porch is a sight to behold because it includes two in-progress motorcycles, Travis’s welding table and his welding supplies, and my table saw and other tools too big for the house. If there’s an especially huge project that’s in progress, I move production into Austin at the workshop that I share with Travis. But when all is said and done, I prefer to work at my home studio because you just can’t beat the view.
What are you working on right now?
I just finished up a major goal of mine, a Spring/Summer collection of furniture and small designs called Throwing the Wild. Now that the heavy lifting, so to speak, of designing and executing the new collection is done, I’m following that through with order fulfillment and such. I’m also in the beginning stages of wrangling ideas for a Fall/Winter furniture and small designs collection.
What has been your most rewarding project to date?
The Throwing the Wild collection, with all its components from design and build of the pieces themselves to directing a look book for the collection, has left me feeling quite proud. It’s gratifying to be able to take a step back from months of work and see pieces that work together cooperatively. It’s rewarding on a basic level to cross a big bullet point off of my list, but even more so, the collection propelled me to think about my work in a new way, about the relationship my work has to other folks, and about intentionality in my designs.
Which designers and artists inspire you?
I’m surrounded by some mighty hardworking creative people here in Austin—folks who are positive, mutually encouraging of each other, and of whom I’m constantly proud. I also draw quite a bit of my drive and momentum from books and music. In particular is a small book my brother gave me for Christmas years and years ago: Desiderata, a timeless vestibule of philosophical truths to aspire to, such as, “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.” The copy I have has especially precious line illustrations. It’s a five-minute read that I try to turn through regularly. And sometimes, watching Beyoncé Live at Roseland: Elements of 4 and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream is just the best thing to remind you what hard work means when you’re achieving your dreams.
Has there been a defining moment or turning point when you realized what you wanted to do for a living?
Growing up, my creative outlets were always music and writing, but even with those two ways to express myself, I constantly had designs floating around in my head—cold, hard designs not necessarily communicable through words or melody. But at the same time, I also grew up using my hands and being fascinated with the engineering and craftsmanship behind everything from tables to bridges. Once I learned how to use the tools in a woodshop, in my case a cabinet shop, those earlier creative outlets sort of melded and evolved into a means for me to turn the designs floating around in my head into physical, useful, purposeful objects. I always knew I couldn’t be doing anything unless there were creative elements involved, but as I got older, and especially right after college, I also knew that working for myself to create something meaningful had to be part of the plan, too.
What do you think is the most difficult aspect of working in design?
Having patience with and respecting my own creative process can be a struggle with myself at times. Being conscious of my own ideas, snippets of designs and thoughts, and when they ebb and flow is something I’m still figuring out. I’ve learned to just jot down all my ideas, no matter how partially formed, as they pop up. I have a huge book of large newsprint, and on that I’m able to map out ideas like a pirate’s treasure map, even if I don’t get to the “x” for days, weeks, or months.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m currently in the throes of Wild by Cheryl Strayed; laughing and/or crying every page of the way. I also keep a short list of magazines like Elle Décor (UK), Garden & Gun, and The New Yorker around.
What websites do you visit for inspiration?
The internet certainly doesn’t run the way it used to now that we’re out in the sticks, but a few sites that I can spend hours on (and not just because sometimes because that’s how long it takes for a page to load) are Miss Moss, Big Bang Studio, The Selvedge Yard, Smitten Kitchen, and http://www.bikeexif.com/.
What are your simplest daily pleasures?
Taking after my dad (one of the most productive and truly happy people I know), I’ve begun waking up before the sun. I tip-toe downstairs to brew up coffee with lots of milk, sit at my window, and make my list of goals for the day. Sometimes I’ll listen to music, other times I’ll just let the crazy cacophony of roosters, wild dogs, grackles, and sparrows outside filter in. It’s a new treasured time of the day when I’m able to wrap my head around the hours ahead of me. I also look forward to the point of the day when I can take a walk down our hill with Ellie, our dog, or go for a run with her along the Lower Colorado River near our house. It’s a time when I can step away from work and reevaluate any obstacles I’ve encountered that day, or just daydream about new designs and approaches. Plus, Ellie loves to chase the birds down at the river, which I get a kick out of.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Down the road, I’d like to own acreage somewhere—maybe near where we are currently, but I’m not ruling out other parts of the county/state/country/world. I want to build a house and a big workshop with lots of windows on the land, have a few cows and chickens, and plant thousands of wildflowers. I’d like to have a few more collections under my belt, a collaboration or two, and start teaching some classes out at my magic, window-filled, home workshop.
Photographs by Nicole Mlakar