10 over 10: May Design Inspiration
I’m married to an artist, and I love it. I love the creativity and the sharing of ideas and the messy studio. I love the encouragement from him when I play with watercolor. He bounces ideas off of me when he’s creating a new series of sculptures.
This week was a particularly interesting time in our shared creative lives. My husband makes his art at home, and is often shooting video in unconventional places. Recently he’s been shooting in our unfinished attic (pssst… don’t tell our landlord). He had to record after the sun set. This time of year in Portland we’re lucky that the sun doesn’t go down until 8:30ish. Unlucky for me as I hit the hay around 9:30. We also had a heat wave of almost 90 degrees on the days he was taping. So at around 1 o’clock in the morning I awake to stomping feet on the joists of our attic while Tim shot his video. Yeah, I was up most of the night. It was, well, not the best night’s sleep I’ve had.
This all could have led to a fight, and easily would have if I wasn’t in partnership with a devoted artist, and the bestest dude ever. I decided that this was the time and space he needed to create. Albeit unconventional, I support and encourage his behavior. In fact, I love it all.
Inspired by our communion of creativity, love, devotion, and awesomeness, this month’s design inspiration is all about creative couples. Check out 10 couples that made the right choice to partner with creatives.
Jason Schulte and Jill Robertson from San Francisco studio Office, and creators of the Wee Society
Architecture and furniture designers Charles and Ray Eames
Rudy VanderLans and Zuzana Licko, co-founders of Emigre Fonts
Melissa and JW Buchanan of The Little Friends of Printmaking
John and Candice McCoy of Love Well Handmade
Graphic designers Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh (photo by John Madere)
Graphic artist Tibor Kalman and illustrator Maira Kalman
Artists and collaborators Tim Noble and Sue Webster
Katie Kirk and Nathan Strandberg, studio owners of Eight Hour Day
Last I share with you musicians and artists Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson. I love Anderson’s reflection on their relationship in a Rolling Stone essay after Reed’s passing. I’m surprised by some of the things Tim and I have in common with them: learning meditation together; making up ridiculous jokes; criticizing each other’s work; getting married on a whim… kinda… ask me about it. We have yet to go to Africa like them, or have experienced the type of success they have, but we’re just getting started. Together, we can make anything happen.
Know of any creative couples? Please share.