Luke Shoemaker has become one of my biggest inspirations as of late. He inspires me more than a lot of people style wise and is one of those guys that you look @ and know they are one of the coolest people on earth. He’s the lead singer of The Brave Youth and you should get to know him a bit more below.

adeshola: Would you rather have a frost bite or a sunburn?

luke: Sunburn.

adeshola: When you hear ADESHOLA, what do you think?

luke:  I remember the first time we met. You asked me to introduce you to Ben. When you said your name I just pretended to understand you until I asked Troy what your name was.  Ha.  I think Tom from 120-C Cycle Mods said it best: “I’m just Tom.  Boring.  Adeshola, now that’s a beautiful name.”

adeshola: With the name like The Brave Youth, how important is youth to culture?

luke: Youth IS culture. It’s everyone’s culture. Youth is the pattern we use to design new futures. It is the propensity that progresses our ideas and our lifestyles.

adeshola: Your last name is shoemaker. What’s the best pair of shoes you’ve ever worn?

luke: A black pair of Montana cowboy boots with all the trimmings.

adeshola: Your style inspires mine. Whose style inspires you time and time again?

luke:Indiana Jones.

adeshola: Gold or silver?

luke: Leather

adeshola: Who’s the most iconic rock star in your eyes?

luke: Jim Morrison

adeshola: Could we ever catch you in a pair of Oakley sunglasses?

luke: Maybe on my dick doing a Mickey Mouse impression.

adeshola: What’s the first CD you ever bought?

luke: George Gershwin. A double disc of An American in Paris.

adeshola: If you could craft a dream concert, who would be the 2 openers and the headliner?

luke: No openers. Just The Brave Youth headlining at a stadium.

adeshola: Do you have a Pinterest?

luke: Nope.

adeshola: Do you think the number 13 is bad luck?

luke: Nah. I don’t care about numbers like that.

adeshola: If you had to listen to the same song for the rest of your life on repeat, what would it be?

luke: Any song off of Starflyer 59’s Leave Here A Stranger record.

adeshola: Cartoons wear the same thing all the time. If you had to wear the same thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

luke: A pair of Standard Boots.  A pair of Benjamin Edgar jeans (that fit).  My Deus Ex Machina t-shirt.  My leather.  My ring, watch, and pocket knife.

adeshola: What’s the most inspiring city you’ve ever been to?

luke: GR/LA/Lexington, KY

adeshola: Share a drunken story.

luke: Ryan and I drank an entire bottle of Six Grapes port in about 30 minutes. We went down to Bar Divani because Drew’s friend (Caton), whom we didn’t know, was having a birthday celebration.  I remember showing up after walking through the whole city and just yelling and laughing about nothing at all. After that, I drove home (stupid).  Threw up for 3 days straight without eating and drinking much of anything (probably had alcohol poisoning). And have not had a lick of wine since.

adeshola: I think about the future a lot; oh and Miranda Kerr. What do you think about most?

luke: Sex. Songs I’m writing. Dying. Ruby. Shoes. Money. Getting into fights. God’s opinion of me.

adeshola: What was your 25^th birthday like? Did you rent a car?

luke: I jumped off of a 40 foot rope swing into a river with Joey and Brent.

adeshola: Most memorable quote that’s stuck with you up until this day?

luke: Two quotes: first—- Fashion is a poor substitute for style. Second—- There is no emotion; there is peace.  There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.  There is no passion; there is serenity.  There is no death; there is the force.

Website: Date & Time

I’ll never forget when I was randomly watching the news and Rick DeVos was a special guest and he was talking about the new “store front” for his venture capital firm, Start Garden.  What was so unforgettable about the interview was that it was initially supposed to be revolving around his new brainchild in Start Garden, but it then rabbit trailed off to another one of his incredible ideas, ArtPrize. He’s the founder of these 2 very different entities that have changed the culture of a town in Grand Rapids once overlooked and has now been apart of the reason for us showing up on numerous top 10 lists for best cities, etc.. This is why I chose to interview Rick, because he inspires me to just go out and do and stop sitting around just “dreaming”. Learn a bit more about Rick below.

adeshola: Who is your favorite rap artist?

rick: Kanye West. He obviously has great curiosity and hunger, and out of that has this drive to push and experiment. I admire that a lot.

adeshola: What inspires you the most about start up companies?

rick: The possibility. It’s the closest we can get these days to the Age of Exploration. Launching these little ships into the void and seeing if we can find anything. I love the hunger, speed, informality, and playfulness (hopefully—the best ones seem to be) of start ups.

adeshola: What’s a general misconception about you?

rick: Oh man I have no idea. I guess 

adeshola: I hear you love your new Ford Focus, why?

rick: It’s just such a great, efficient little transportation tool. I think Ford has made a ton of great moves in the last few years in their design and upping their quality. The approach of “One Ford,” in terms of creating models for the whole world (instead of Europe getting all the good stuff) is, in my opinion, a very good one. It has great “infotainment” technology, lots of space and practicality for the size, decent handling, and good fuel efficiency.

adeshola: What is your favorite hobby?

rick: Reading. Far too much to read, far too little time.

adeshola: What has becoming a dad taught you?

rick: That it’s hilarious any of us thought our parents knew “what was going on,” or had the foggiest idea what they were doing when they were raising us.

adeshola: What are your thoughts on college?

rick: Oh just a tiny subject. There is value in it, but it’s oversold or at least oversubscribed in our culture as a panacea. I guess it would be better if more people that aren’t sure what they want to do take a year or two working at something or traveling rather than trying to “figure things out” in college and racking up debt in the process. I’m generally not a fan of classrooms and favor tinkering as the best way to learn and find things. A person can do a lot of traveling and tinkering on what even a single year of college can cost these days. The problem, of course, is the credentials higher ed bestows and the filtering mechanism that sets up for employers. It will be interesting to watch alternatives emerge over the coming years.

adeshola: You grew up in Grand Rapids. What changes have you seen in Grand Rapids?

rick: I think in the last few years there has been an increase in the general excitement about and pride in the city. We’re increasingly aware that we can do interesting things here, and they don’t need to just be a hackneyed version of something they’re doing in Chicago. I think that’s exciting, and lays the groundwork for a lot of interesting and exciting stuff in the future.

adeshola: When you hear ADESHOLA, what do you think?

rick: Gentleman photographer. Capturer of scenes.

adeshola: When you hear the term “Hip-Hop Mogul” what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

rick: Jay-Z

adeshola: Reserve looks beautiful inside. What about wine makes you tick?

rick: There’s so much to explore just within that little world. So many different tastes. So many interesting growing and production processes. So much history. The perfect pairing of the taste of a wine with a moment or place is just as satisfying as having the perfect song acting as the soundtrack for a perfect scene that you’re a part of.

adeshola: What piece of art do you own that you’re most proud of?

rick: A Ran Ortner piece that he gave to me as a gift following his winning the first ArtPrize in 2009. It came as a complete surprise. It’s a wonderful reminder of the surprising success of that first year, and how crazy the whole ArtPrize experience has been.

adeshola: In my opinion Germans do cars the best. Do you agree?

rick: Yes. Maybe it’s because their companies are historically closer to curvy, twisty hill and mountain roads while ours are closer to flat prairies? Completely made-up theory right there, but makes some sort of sense as I think about it. If a car doesn’t doesn’t make you feel connected to it through its primary input, the steering, it’s just fundamentally a lesser experience. Who wants to drive a marshmallow?

adeshola: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned since launching Start Garden?

rick: Although ideas are usually the most fun and easiest to get excited about, success is ultimately much more dependent on the entrepreneur. Their ability to hustle, figure things out, and hunger/desire to do things and get out in the marketplace trumps the sexiness and excitement of the idea pretty consistently. That insight has made me even happier with our $5k investment process. We learn much more about entrepreneurs by giving them some resources and watching what they actually do vs. listening to their plans about they want to do.

adeshola: What’s the best fast food chain in your mind? What’s your favorite fast food chain?

rick: In-N-Out is probably my favorite. I wish they weren’t just in the west/southwest, although it makes it a bit more special to get to one. They’re probably the best. Chipotle is good too…and Chick-fil-a chicken sandwiches are delicious. 

adeshola: What’s a place that you’ve visited that makes you feel super inspired?

rick: I’m inspired by cities countries more than specific places or buildings. For example I love Hong Kong. The density is amazing. Its east-meets-west history makes it both familiar and foreign all at the same time. Its history and success is a testament to what happens when you get out of the way and let people create value. The scale and speed of it is intoxicating. For inspiration from pure romance, lifestyle, and history I think it’s hard to beat Rome. I could spend a lifetime just wandering its streets, with occasional reading at cafes.

adeshola: What famous person can do no wrong in your eyes?

rick: Ha, I’m not sure there is one. He probably doesn’t qualify as famous, but I really admire Terrence Malick. He has stories he wants to tell and things he wants to explore, doesn’t play the typical Hollywood game, just does his thing. People love or hate his films, call them indulgent, etc. but he just keeps making relatively obscure movies every few years. Very admirable.

adeshola: Do you wear contacts?

rick: Nope, the last time I had my eyes checked I had better than 20/20 vision. Hoping that holds up in the coming years!

adeshola: When you hear the lyrics “Maybachs On Bachs On Bachs On Bachs On Bachs”, what does it make you think?

rick: Watch the Throne

adeshola: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

rick: Rushmore

adeshola: Did you ever have a Myspace account? If yes, did you ever officially delete your account or can it still be logged into?

rick: Haha, yes I did. I don’t think I ever officially deleted it.

adeshola: What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

rick: That’s a tough one. Top 3 would be: Sufjan Stevens at Calvin College, Sufjan Stevens at The Kennedy Center, and Nine Inch Nails at the Van Andel Arena. Aerosmith has put on some good shows too.

adeshola: I’m from Chicago and growing up Michael Jordan was almost like god. Your from Michigan, are you a Jordan hater like other “BAD BOYS”(see what I did there?) I know from Michigan?

rick: Ha, no. I was never a Pistons fan. Was never a Jordan super fan or hater. These days I’m, predictably, an Orlando Magic fan and that’s pretty much the extent of my sports fandom.

adeshola: What reality TV show would you be on if you had the choice?

rick: None. Horrible. I am definitely not a TV snob, have no problem watching reality TV, but you couldn’t give me enough to be in one. Even doing an interview like this is mildly uncomfortable for me. Ha. If I was forced to be on one? Probably something like The Amazing Race. I actually haven’t even watched that show, but at least you get to travel instead of being locked in a cheesy house with a bunch of horrible people.

Photo By: Brian Kelly

Website(s): Start Garden  / ArtPrize

LTD is a photographer based out of Chicago, Illinois. He’s quickly become one of my favorite photographers after I was introduced to his work by my good friend Jill DeVries, and I was immediately blown away by his eye for taking such amazing photos. And don’t even get me started on his Instagram account, it inspires me more than some photographers DSLR photos. He’s one of those guys that you gravitate towards because you know he has a creative energy that you’d love to just feed off of. Get to know LTD a little more below.

adeshola: Where does the “LTD” come from?

ltd: Nickname I received at my first graphic design job out of college.

adeshola: Your photography is killer and super inspiring to me. What photographer inspires you?

ltd: My friends inspire me endlessly. I like to keep them close by. I also love Guergui Pinkhassov, Alec Soth and Alex Webb to name a few.

adeshola: You’re based out of Chicago, Illinois. Why do you enjoy calling the Windy City home?

ltd: I love Chicago, but I love the Midwest equally. The Midwest is blue collar, artists here are dedicated to their craft and work with passion, that is probably the reason I love it so much.

adeshola: What’s the first CD you ever bought?

ltd: LL Cool J, Walking With A Panther

adeshola: If you could craft a dream concert, who would be the 2 openers and the headliner?

ltd: This feels impossible. I’m gonna name three bands and they would have to fight over the closing slot: Medicine, My Bloody Valentine, Gang Starr

adeshola: When you hear ADESHOLA, what do you think?

ltd: I saw your face before I knew your name. I think my first reaction was intrigue…

adeshola: Do you know your Instagram photos are crazy and what’s a “Mint Taurus”?

ltd: I deleted my Instagram account on 1/1/13. A “mint taurus” is a 1995 or younger Ford Taurus in mint factory condition - preferably with the SHO performance package.

adeshola: Mammoth Men sounds and looks like a ton of fun. What’s next for you guys?

ltd: I have no idea, it always comes together last minute! I had a great time on this last trip and enjoyed getting to know some new friends and amazingly talented photographers. And are you guys into adding a bit of ethnicity(ME) to the group? Good question :)

adeshola: Your angles are superb to me in your photos. Acute or Obtuse? ltd: Obtuse.

adeshola: Gold or silver?

ltd: Gold.

adeshola: You grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan correct?

ltd: What will you take with you forever from growing up in Grand Rapids? Hmm, casseroles maybe? On a serious note, Grand Rapids has become this amazingly creative little town since I left 10 years ago. I love almost everything about it.

adeshola: Gourmet restaurant burger or burger joint burger?

ltd: Either - But the burger to bun ratio has to be correct.

adeshola: If you were to give advice to someone trying to make photography their profession, what would be the most important thing you tell them?

ltd: Find your own style, look outside of photography for inspiration, make photographs everyday.

adeshola: What’s your favorite number?

ltd: 23

adeshola: If you could wear the same outfit everyday for the rest of your life, what would it be?

ltd: Oh man, maybe a basketball jersey with a flannel, sweatpants, and some high tops.

adeshola: What’s the most inspiring city you’ve ever been to?

ltd: I love New York City. So much culture and inspiration around almost every corner. I look forward to every visit there.

adeshola: In your opinion, what are the pros to shooting photos on film?

ltd: Shooting with film is an exercise in trust. The look is timeless. A great shot on film is something to really be proud of.

adeshola: Have you ever dabbled in shooting video?

ltd: Yes. I love video. I can see myself doing more of it in the future. The combination of movement and sound is a beautiful thing.

adeshola: What’s your favorite movie?

ltd: Fletch

adeshola: Did you skateboard @ all growing up?

ltd: No, just admired from afar.

adeshola: Will there ever be a more legendary basketball player than Michael Jordan?

ltd: Probably not. I can’t imagine it. MJ changed basketball & branding at the same time. Icon.

adeshola: Do you match your socks or are you a mismatcher?

ltd: Matched.

Website: LTD

Susan Alexandra is a stylist and jewelry/accessory designer based out of New York, New York. She’s also a writer over @ The Essaye and just seems like one of those cool chics who can get along with just about anyone; I mean any girl who likes trap music is cool in my book. It was great interviewing her, now learn more about Susan below.

adeshola: You’re iPhone cases that you sell via your website remind me of Troll dolls. What color Troll hair would you have? 

susan: Haha! Troll Dolls, If I had some on hand I would have totally put them on a case. And my troll doll would have sparkly glitter hair, duh. 

adeshola: You’ve styled different photoshoots before. What’s the best editorial you’ve ever seen before? 

susan: My favorite stylist is  Carlyne Cerf De Dudzelee. She does lots of work for V and Paris Vogue…totally brilliant. Everything she does has this hoodrat/90’s/excessive spin. The editorial that made me want to style was from Vogue circa ‘95. Iconic supermodels in pink and purple ballgowns. I was like “they’re like cinderella…but real?”.

adeshola: When you hear ADESHOLA, what do you think? 

susan: Up and coming, Theopolis London hat, friends with Ben. Then I think “what would I nickname him? Probably Sho Sho.”

adeshola: Have you ever been to Michigan? If not, you should come and I’ll show you a great time! 

susan: Dude! I have not been to Michigan! Can you believe it? I grew up in Ohio and lived in Chicago for years and still never made it to your parts. I would love to come to Grand Rapids and go to that swanky soiree that y’all throw, I’ve heard great things.

adeshola: Your Twitter info says “to a Lex Luger beat.”. What’s your favorite Lex Luger beat? 

susan: Possibly the most difficult question I’ve ever been asked…a tie between “Grove Street” and “Hard in the Paint.”

adeshola: Who was one of your biggest inspirations in wanting to design accessories? 

susan: I’ve always been wild about jewelry-I love wearing it, playing with it, looking at it. I love to create and work with my hands. I’m sick of having all these ideas and not JUST DOING them. So here I am.There’s a quote that has inspired me so much as of late. “The goal is to illuminate the dark.” I just want to make this world a brighter, sweeter more colorful place.

adeshola: What did living in Chicago teach you? 

susan: Chicago really shaped me. The people I met, the friends I made. I grew so much, stood on my own two feet. It was the perfect place to become a grown up. And the scene there was amazing, there was a camaraderie, everyone knew eachother and we were all friends.  The music, the shows, man oh man!!! I remember going to Innjoy in Wicker Park every week when the chicken wings were .25 cents and Mano and Chuck Inglish would be DJing and Mic Terror would perform. There were these crazy nights at Underground when Kid Sister and Flosstradamus played. And of course @superfun, the summer before I moved to NYC. Those were some of the most insane nights of my life. Good ol’ days. 

adeshola: If you could craft a dream concert, who would be the 2 openers and the headliner? 

susan: Well Kanye would have to be involved. Have seen him in concert like 79 times but it never gets old. Umm-how about The Beatles? I do love them and if it’s a dream, why not?…Oh and Beyonce. LOVE Beyonce. She gives me chills.

adeshola: Frank Ocean or The Weeknd and why? 

susan: FRANK. Because I could play to his song “Pilot Jones” on repeat for 3 weeks and still love it. And because I have listened to The Weeknd so much that it’s like nails on a chalkboard at this point. 

adeshola: What’s the first CD you ever bought? 

susan: The Beatles-Revolver

adeshola: What’s it like living in NYC? 

susan: The hardest place in the world. But worth it. 

adeshola: What’s the best party you’ve ever been to and what made it great? 

susan: @superfun August 2009 when the dj dropped anything by Gucci Mane. Parties here when I turned to my left and saw that Kanye was next to me, debuting unheard songs. Dance parties with my friends where we invent interprative dance moves to Juvenile. 

adeshola: Did you attend any of this years fashion week shows in NYC? Which one was your favorite show that you attended? 

susan: I managed my friends show for their glasses brand Illesteva at Milk Studios. It was great. Amazing product, plus I love being in control. 

adeshola: Gold or silver? 

susan: Both at the same time please. 

adeshola: What’s the most inspiring city you’ve ever been to? 

susan: NYC. It pushes me to levels of creativity, happiness, misery and contemplation that I didn’t know were possible. I’m also really inspired by Ohio, where I am from. Some of the most creative people I know hail from there (shouts to my good pal Floyd!).

adeshola: What’s your favorite Crayola crayon color? 

susan: Fuschia!

adeshola: If you could style one musician, who would it be?

susan:  Rita Ora. I actually styled her once, loooong ago when I first moved to NYC before she was famous. She was like (said in British accent) “Oh it’s so cool, I met Jay-Z yesterday and he liked my music!”

adeshola:  The best designer right now, GO! 

susan: KTZ. It’s like WOW AMAZING DUH level. I know you said one but I am sneaking Riccardo Tisci in here too.

adeshola: Gourmet restaurant burger or burger joint burger? 

susan: Gourmet, no bun (I’m gluten free), organic free range beef, medium well with carmelized onions, bleu cheese, heirloom tomatoes, dijon mustard and a never ending supply of ketchup (heinz). 

adeshola: What’s the best magazine cover you’ve ever seen? 

susan: Everyone remembers their first. The first VOGUE I ever received, with Shalom Harlow and Amber Valleta on the cover, wearing Issac Mizrahi. BLEW MY MIND!

adeshola: Was your 21^st birthday a cliché rager? 

susan: I was visiting NYC from Chicago with my two best friends. We went to the epic Misshapes party (google it) at Don Hills and had a perfect dinner at the now shuttered legendary restaurant Florent. It was perfect. I felt so cool being like “ah yes, I’ll take your finest red wine.” God, I was so young. 

adeshola: What makes you get up and get going every morning? 

susan: Coffee. And the pursuit of happiness.

adeshola: The Sartorialist or Jak & Jil and why? 

susan: Jak & Jil. The way he captures colors and textures-my goodness! It’s art! That man can really photograph a girl clutching a Celine bag, am I right?

Photo By: Cydney Wixson

Website: Susan Alexandra

Jeff Kraus is a painter and printmaker based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was introduced to his work by a close friend and I was immediately fascinated by the intricacy of something that came across so abstract at first glance. I really appreciate what Jeff is creating and I only thought it was right I interviewed the man behind the beautiful paintings. Learn more about Jeff below.

adeshola: Layers. Your art seems to involve layers quite a bit. When weather is permitting, do you dress in layers?

jeff: I love to layer up; I usually end up wearing the same setup day in and day out.  Black on Black on Black with a little grey or brown mixed in.

adeshola: Who’s an artist that whenever you see their work you think to yourself, “Man, I wish I made that!”?

jeff: Oh man, there are so many good artist out there, I have been really into the work of Mark Bradford.  The way he composes his large collage paintings really gets me excited about making new work.

adeshola: Gourmet restaurant burger or burger joint burger?

jeff: Have you ever been to Wealthy Street Station?

adeshola: The Met or the MOMA and why?

jeff: MOMA hands down

adeshola: What are your thoughts on studying art in college?

jeff: Love it / Hate it, I really enjoyed my professors but I disliked the way the university under supported the arts program. I learned about my strengths and weaknesses as an artist.  I hit quite a bit of walls creatively but also had some amazing breakthroughs.  I met several professional artists and had the chance to work side by side with them on various print projects.

adeshola: Your work reminds me of Jean-Michel Basquiat quite a bit. Do you enjoy his work?

jeff: Yes of course! So much raw emotion and talent.

adeshola: What do you tend to listen to when you create art?

jeff: It is all over the place.  Lately Death Grips and the new Aesop Rock record.

adeshola: What’s the best hotel you’ve ever stayed in?

jeff: Secret Garden Hostel in Quito, Ecuador.  They have a rooftop kitchen with an amazing view of the city.

adeshola: What’s a dream magazine that you’d love to see your work in one day?

jeff: It would be a dream to see my work in any magazine at all.

adeshola: If you collaborate with a specific brand, who would it be and why?

jeff: I think it would be awesome to work with Filson designing some serious gear.

adeshola: Do you play video games?

jeff: I emerged from that darkness when I was 15.

adeshola: What’s your favorite number?

jeff: I enjoy odd numbers.

adeshola: When you go out, what’s your drink of choice?

jeff: Tequila Sour / Whiskey Ginger

adeshola: What makes Grand Rapids a great place to live?

jeff: Great food, best friends, cheap rent, creative spirit, tight and supportive network.

adeshola: What’s the first CD you ever bought?

jeff: No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom

adeshola: If you could craft a dream concert, who would be the 2 openers and the headliner?

jeff: EverClear circa 1995 would open, and Liars would play their discography.

adeshola: I have a love hate relationships with music festivals. Have you ever been to one and what are your thoughts?

jeff: I’ve attended and played at plenty, I do not enjoy them.

adeshola: What’s the most inspiring city you’ve ever been to?

jeff: Cuenca, Ecuador.  There is so much street art everywhere.

adeshola: What’s your favorite way to travel?

jeff: Light and Loose, with my girl by my side.

adeshola: Coffee or tea and why?

jeff: Only tea, I don’t need to be all jacked up on coffee.

Photo By: Brian Kelly

Website: Jeff Kraus

Floyd runs a clothing company under the name OATW and he seems to be making all the right strides right now. He comes across as one of those kids who knows exactly where he wants to go. I really appreciate his eye for branding and his ability to always be going out and just getting what it is that he wants. This is a kid to pay attention to, so learn a bit more about Floyd below. 

adeshola: What made you want to incorporate the state of Ohio into your clothing company’s name?

floyd: OATW is the Acryonymn for Ohio Against The World. The incorporation of Ohio is essential   because the general idea behind the company is to create goods in Ohio with other Ohioians in and outside of Ohio…for everyone.

adeshola: You wear a flat top fade. Who and/or what inspired that?

floyd: Jemel Shabazz: A time before crack

adeshola: Hermes. What makes them the classy company they are?

floyd: Quality, exclusitivity and branding

adeshola: What’s the most inspiring city you’ve ever been to?

floyd: London, UK and

Hamilton, Ohio… it reminds me of GUMMO

adeshola: When you hear ADESHOLA, what do you think?

Floyd: House of Ladosha

adeshola: Gold or silver?

floyd: GOLD

adeshola: What’s your favorite candy?

floyd: RED NOW AND LATTERS

adeshola: What’s the first CD you ever bought?

floyd: Notorious big ready to die or alanis morsette jagged little pill

adeshola: You’re from Ohio. What were your initial thoughts the moment you found out LeBron James was “Taking His Talents To South Beach”?

floyd: Honestly man… I had none. I live in Cincinnati

adeshola: What pair of shoes could you wear everyday for the rest of your life?

floyd: KTZ Champion Medal Shoes

adeshola: What fashion designer inspired you to want to design clothes?

floyd: Hiroshi Fujiwara and Yohji Yamamoto and Dapper Dan

adeshola: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

floyd: All time, wow… Coming to America / Being John Malkovich

adeshola: When Ben introduced me to your work, he seemed to be mostly impressed with the fact that your work ethic is superb. Where does that drive come from?

floyd: THANKS BEN.I think it stems from a constant need of getting ideas out and creating.  Presentation is everything, branding is something Im looking forward to be experimenting with more next year.

adeshola: I wrestle with this question almost everyday. What’s the best Kanye West album and why?

floyd: So many good ones to choose from… so  all. But College Dropout takes the cake. I related to this album a lot when it came out, especially being a college drop out and all The production / The Lyrics everything is genius. Kanye is definitely genius.

adeshola: What makes you get up in the morning and get your day started?

floyd: Knowing that I have to accomplish something. Goals.

Website: OATW-USA

En Noir is one of those new brands that I’m paying close attention to because quite frankly they design clothes in a way that caters to my aesthetic preference. He seems to be a guy the knows the necessary things to last in an industry(fashion) that can seem so fickle at times. It was fun digging deeper into the creator of En Noir’s mind and I hope you guys enjoy the interview.

adeshola: You’ve mentioned before that fit is the most important thing to you when it comes to fashion. How much can you stress that?

rob: Yeah fit affects everything. It is the sum of the formula that you come up with when figuring out the right fabric, trims, silhouette, etc. The fit is how all those factors come together the right way. So if the smallest thing is off then your fit could be off. And ultimately the fit is going to affect how your customer feels. So its imperative that you get the formula perfected so your fit will be exactly what your customer was hoping for.

adeshola: What’s a dream store that you hope have En Noir in sooner than later?

rob: Maxfields in Los Angeles. Its by far one of the best boutiques in the world. And a personal favorite of mine.

adeshola: Who’s one artist you would love to see wearing your clothes that hasn’t worn it yet?

rob: The XX, Justice, Lenny Kravitz

adeshola: Gourmet restaurant burger or burger joint burger?

rob: Burger Joint. Specifically In-N-Out

adeshola: You have a lot of ancient/baroque (I believe) art implemented in some of the designs for En Noir. Where does that inspiration come from?

rob: Baroque and Renaissance periods are my favorites. So im drawn to those images and it’s a natural thing to implement that into my design aesthetic.

adeshola: What’s a certain piece that you guys haven’t made yet that you’re dying to make?

rob: Some Blazers, Dinner Jackets and a tuxedo done our way…

adeshola: You’ve mentioned that Hedi Slimane is one of your favorite designers. What makes him great in your eyes? And what are your thoughts on the pieces that you’ve seen from his Saint Laurent Paris debut?

rob: Hedi is def the greatest in my eyes. When I really started getting into the details of high fashion and paying attention to things like that, he was the reason at that time. He was building something special and his aesthetic is timeless and is always going to inspire designers forever. What I like about Hedi is that he is fearless. He does what he wants exactly how he wants. He is consistent and you can tell he knows exactly what he wants and he makes sure its executed exactly how he saw it. His attention to detail is second to none. From the smallest of details to huge details like changing the name of a respected fashion house. I thought his debut season for Saint Laurent was great. Just for the simple fact that im sure everyone thought he was going to try and come back with some crazy trying to prove something kind of pieces. And what he did was stay consistent and true to his aesthetic and did it how he wanted to. He comes off like he never tries to hard like some of these other designers do. No one is recreating the wheel here. At the end of the day those garments need to be wearable off the runway. And hedi produces classic pieces that are wearable but have lasting details.

adeshola: You work closely with CurT@!n$ on the En Noir line. I think besides Kanye West and A$AP Rocky he’s the best dressed dude in show business. How stellar is CurT@!n$ eye when it comes to fashion?

rob: Curtains is absolutely one of the best dressed along with Rocky and Kanye. Those 3 can pull off things most people in the industry cannot. Curtains has a very seasoned eye for fashion. He is constantly learning and soaking up knowledge of fashion, so when he speaks on things he speaks from a wealth of knowledge. We have great talks and debates about fashion, and I respect his opinion even though I don’t always agree on everything. And that respect comes from the fact that I know he knows his shit.

adeshola: Why Riri zippers and not YKK?

rob: RiRi zippers are the Rolls Royce of zippers. You have Lampo and Excella zippers which are also great. Its just a matter of opinion between those 3. If you aren’t using one of those 3 then you aren’t using anything really. Since En Noir is minimal branding on the outside we take pride in using the best trims possible. Most brands are trying to find ways to cut a dollar or two off the cost of their garments but right now we are trying to find ways to add a dollar or two or more into our garments. Right now we are setting the foundation to what our customers can expect from EN NOIR every season. You will never see EN NOIR using just some regular zipper or trim just to save us a some money on our margin. What we spend on the cost of our garments will always reflect visually and intrinsically.

adeshola: I dress strictly Monochromatic for numerous reasons. You seem to use the word Monochromatic quite a bit, Why?

rob: Monochromatic applies to my personal style and its only natural the aesthetic of my line also follows suit. I like things minimal and clean with attention to detail. So monochromatic always looks best done minimal .

adeshola: Fashion seems to always come back around or come full circle. What trend in fashion do you wish stopped forever?

rob: I don’t really keep up on too many trends so im not really sure what even came and left really.

adeshola: What’s the best model Air Jordan sneaker?

rob: Jordan 1’s… Nike Air only. I don’t do Jumpman logos on my jordans.

adeshola: You seem to go out quite a bit in terms of frequenting places like Club Liv, etc. Which do you prefer, Ace of Spades or Cristal?

rob: I do enjoy excessiveness in the club with the EN NOIR team… Especially in Miami and NYC… Ace of Spades isn’t that great, its just geniusly marketed. Cristal is good but I really enjoy Perrier Jouet Rose

adeshola: When you launched your first look book I believe for En Noir, you had your model wear Gourmet sneakers. I had time to hangout with Jon Buscemi a bit @ this years Lollapalooza. He’s super funny and seems like a genuinely good guy. How did you guys link up?

rob: Ive been a big fan of Gourmet since they were doing their amazing menswear collection. Til this day they are one of the best brands to ever do menswear, in my opinion. Gourmet is a bigger influence to me than most of the fashion houses. Buscemi and Lucci have supported EN NOIR from the beginning and they have helped out a lot by just taking the time to mentor me with the right words of wisdom. I met them awhile ago just through being in the industry and they are some of the greatest and most respected people I met in the industry.

adeshola: Where did Blackberry go wrong as a company?

rob: They didn’t progress and innovate enough. When there is no progression your days are numbered.

adeshola: What’s the first CD you ever purchased?

rob: Def cant remember the first cd. But I remember the first and only cd I ever missed school to buy was Wu Tang Forever.

adeshola: If you could craft a dream concert, who would be the 2 openers and the headliner?

rob: Radiohead, Nirvana and Guns & Roses. In that order from open to close.

adeshola: You seem to be very into the method of selling your clothes online. How important do you think online sales to clothing companies?

rob:  I think it is becoming more and more important. And its important to build that aspect of your business from the start. The margin from cost to retail is much better than cost to wholesale. Cut out the middle man is always good in business.

adeshola: If money wasn’t a factor, what is a piece of art you would give anything to own?

rob: Ive always been a huge fan of the Robert Longo “Men in the Cities” series.

adeshola: I think Purple Fashion Magazine has some of the best editorials when it comes to fashion hands down. Which magazine do you think has the best editorials?

rob: Purple Mag, Love mag, Vogue Homme, Sense mag

adeshola: I hate dress codes, mostly because of when I try going out I’m the kid who can’t get into the “club” because I’m wearing a t-shirt and my motorcycle jacket. What are your thoughts on dress codes?

rob: Dress Codes are horrible. They are for clubs that have the wrong crowd coming to their clubs anyways. I try to stay away from club nights that have dress codes. Some door guy in a cheap horribly tailored suit cant tell me about dressing when I have EN NOIR and Balmain on… lol

adeshola: It’s a love/hate thing for me when it comes to streetwear. Which streetwear company are you always appreciative of?

rob: Black Scale, Hall of Fame, Diamond, 5^th Column and Deadline…

adeshola: Gold or silver and why?

rob: Only yellow gold for me. I think it looks best on the all black outfit I usually have on.

adeshola: Do you think there will ever be another basketball shoe like Air Jordan’s that can be worn on and off the court?

rob: No. Jordans are the greatest basketball sneaker ever.

adeshola: I think different leathers are best according to the situation they’re being used in. What’s the best leather for most situations?

rob: My favorites are Lambskin and calf skin.

adeshola: You have a lot of tattoos. I think David Beckham has the most well orchestrated tattooed sleeves I’ve ever seen. Who has the best tattoos you’ve ever seen?

rob: Beckham has some great work. But some of the best work ive ever seen has been on Jun Cha clients. He is one of the best in the world.

adeshola: Bape and Supreme both offer different things to fashion that I think are very unique. What do you think they do well as companies?

rob: I think they have both done a amazing job and staying relevant. Its hard to stay consistent for so many years for most brands. And they have built a great foundation and business model for others to follow.

adeshola: My favorite artist at the moment might have to be George Condo. His concepts seems so playful yet very thought provoking. Who’s your favorite artist of the moment?

rob: Tom Sachs

Website: Vive En Noir

The first time I met David I knew immediately that he would not only be someone I wanted to pick their brain, but also someone that I knew would be a good friend. He is one of those people that after talking to them for more than 5 minutes you know they are full of shear brilliance and wisdom. He runs a company called RobinHood Ink. that basically brings peoples dreams to life by creating the blueprint to whatever it is they want to do in order to make that dream a reality. He may be straight out of GQ magazine, eh scratch that, he’s straight out of Monocle or Port magazine; his style of dress seems impeccable sometimes. He has a lot to say and I think you guys should learn a little bit more about David below.

adeshola: What’s your favorite color?

david: Right now? Red.

adeshola: I’ll never forget meeting you and noticing the super cool rosary print pocket square you had on. What’s your favorite pocket square that you own?

david: Thanks. Lately I’ve been going back to a pocket square that was originally a cloth napkin I grew up using at my grandmother’s table. When she died a few years ago, my mom brought it home and helped me modify it into a pocket square.  Now it’s a nice little reminder of my amazing grandmother, not to mention a great pocket square full of vintage tans, navy and faded reds. It’s lovely.

adeshola: My favorite bible verse that I always see myself going back and reading or even just thinking about when times are tough is Proverbs 4:23. What is your favorite bible verse?

david: Due to my upbringing, I’m continually struggling with the fact that I’m unconditionally loved by God. It’s far too easy for us (or at least me) to think we must perform well in order to obtain love. So, I would have to say the verse I keep leaning on is Romans 5:8: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Essentially, I know I’m messed up. But when I accept that fact that Jesus loves me despite my screw ups, that continual struggle to perform starts to weaken. Understanding this basic concept of true grace and unconditional love has been hard for me, but it’s becoming easier to accept and settle down it into. That general concept, in and of itself, is worth having cancer to figure out.

adeshola: What’s your favorite piece of furniture that you don’t (yet) own?

david: Rosewood / Black Leather Eames Lounger and Ottoman. Can’t beat it. It’s art you get to sit on. You can’t buy the Rosewood anymore, so I’ve always got my eyes open for a nice used one. 

adeshola: Gourmet restaurant burger or burger joint burger?

david: Gotta go with Gourmet.

adeshola: When you hear ADESHOLA, what do you think?

david: Ha! Truly one of a kind. Especially here in GR…

adeshola: I’m obsessed with the beauty of Miranda Kerr. Which celebrity is beautiful to you?

david: Hmm. Lots of pretty celebrities out there. But the idea of beauty is becoming much different as I get older, so I’ll blindly say the “Unnamed Tumblr girl”. She, the unnamed tumblr girl, deals with life similar to you and I. She’s real. She pays taxes, occasionally complains about her job, visits her family on Thanksgiving, walks her dog. She’s real. Celebrities aren’t real. I always think about what John Cusack said in High Fidelity when he talks about fantasy girls, “All fantasy’s end in cotton underwear”. It’s so true and it’s actually a really wonderful thing. The other day I saw a quote reminding me of this concept. It said, “No matter how beautiful she is, some dude, somewhere, is sick and tired of putting up with her shit.” There’s a guy, right now, sick and tired of dealing with Miranda’s shit. I think I wondered off topic. Apologies.

adeshola: You seem to be very in tune with the book world. What’s your favorite coffee table book?

david: I have a Rodin sculpture book that I’m in love with. Usually I’ll open it to a random page and place it on the coffee table to catch glimpses of it each time I walk by. It usually ends up on Rodin’s Danaid, which is one of my favorite sculptures.

adeshola: What’s the first CD you ever bought?

david: I grew up on cassettes that were handed down to me by my sisters. I do remember the first CD I ever actually placed into a CD player was at a friend’s house - it was the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. But the first CD I really wanted and bought with my own money (and subsequently felt the need to hide from my parents) was Cake’s Fashion Nugget.

adeshola: If you could craft a dream concert, who would be the 2 openers and the headliner?

david: Johnny Cash opens for Bob Dylan and headlined by The Beatles.

adeshola: What happened to Eric Crouch, ha?

david: Ha! Who knows?! Nebraska has a history of finding amazing quarterbacks (Gill, Frazier, Taylor, & Frost) with absolutely no NFL potential. He’s probably playing indoor football somewhere in Eastern Europe right now, or he’s back on pappy’s farm husking corn.

adeshola: If I was to go on a trip to Omaha, Nebraska with you, where would be the first place you’d take me and why?

david: La Buvette. It’s the perfect illegitimate child of Reserve and Meanwhile. Wine, bread, charcuterie, rillette, and perfect French service, meaning, they barely pay any attention to you.

adeshola: When you went to the Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, what was the most memorable thing about it?

david: Well, I almost knocked over Tinker Hatfield’s bike. Prefontaine’s gear was pretty great. But the most memorable thing were the stories I heard. My favorite story was listening to when Phil Knight challenged Tiger Woods to a trick shot across campus. Standing on a replica of the 18th tee at Pebble Beach, Tiger drove the ball, splitting the narrowest of gaps between two buildings covered in glass, and landed on the Lance Armstrong Fitness Center putting green. It soared 315 yards in the air, hit the green and rolled to 334 yards just over the green into the rough. When they told Tiger he missed the buildings, cleared the green and landed in the bushes, Tiger responded, “Damn Bushes”.

adeshola: What has being diagnosed with brain cancer taught you about life?

david: Wow. It’ll take an entire book to weed through that question. Short version = No ‘deathbed experience’ has the capacity, in and of itself, to change you. At the end of the day you have to make that decision for yourself. Each day, I wake up knowing I don’t have the power to survive certain aspects of my life. So, I have to ask God (like, verbally, as I lay in bed) to help me figure out today. Just one day at a time. I’d say I succeed at living this way about two days a week… tops.

adeshola: Who was more revolutionary in your eyes, Malcolm X or Martin Luther King Jr.?

david: MLK.

adeshola: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

david: Adaptation

adeshola: I’ll forever think Dave Chappelle is the funniest person in the world. Which comedian makes you laugh the most?

david: Louie CK. He has the ability to mix comedy and tragedy so unbelievably well. And in the end, that’s life, isn’t it? We have to know how to experience both and at the right times, learn to poke fun at ourselves.

adeshola: What’s your favorite thing about living in Grand Rapids?

david: I recently sold my car which taught me that I can walk anywhere I need to go about 90% of the time. I love that. Oh, and Duck Nachos at Vivant…

adeshola: What’s the most inspiring city you’ve ever been to?

david: I think cities are inspiring because of what’s happening, who you are with, and what’s going on. It’s hard to narrow these moments/experiences down, so I’ll say…

- Barcelona, Spain with Seth Martin. We were broke, living in hostels, eternally lost and always in the middle of the best conversations. Plus the churros…

- Queenstown, New Zealand. Spent time there with my Amy and two dear friends, including an epic New Year’s dinner. We were the first time zone to welcome 2010.

- Vancouver, BC with Santino Stoner. A best friend during an amazing life-altering moment, in an incredible city.

adeshola: You ghost write a book every now and then. If you could ghost write for a rapper, who would it be?

david: You boys and your rappers. Man, I have to say, rappers are some of the most mind-blowing lyricists. I’m continually in shock at how they see, manipulate and stretch words. So, I humbly admit I don’t have what it takes…

But if I HAD to answer, I’d say DC Talk in their “Nu Thang / Free At Last” days. Gotta write what you know…

adeshola: What’s your favorite candy?

david: My parents got super religious one year and determined we couldn’t go trick-or-treating. So my mom quietly slipped me $5 and sat in the parking lot after sending me into Walgreens. While standing in front of this treasure trove of candy, I decided I actually really don’t care for it. HOWEVER, when it comes to chocolate, I’m like a 42-year old sexually frustrated woman. I’ll take super dark chocolate (80%+) every time I can.

adeshola: What were your thoughts on the new Robin Hood movie that stared Russell Crowe?

david: It was pretty good. I liked how they put the story in context of the bigger historical picture, other that the typical Crusade adventures. This time it was the signing of the Magna Carta. But as far as my favorite RH movie? It’s no stretch to say the best Robin Hood movie was Disney’s. I still have the biggest crush on Maid Marian. Such a fox. But then again, it was a Disney movie so she actually was a fox.

adeshola: Regardless of their political party association, who do you think was the coolest president America’s had?

david: Teddy Roosevelt. Hands down. I’ll never forgot this story my 10th grade history teacher told me. Back in the day, the “Rough Rider” was giving a campaign speech for the Bull Moose Party in Milwaukee. He was shot in the heart, point blank, and went down. After the shooter was arrested, he got back up to his feet and said to the crowd, “You see, it takes more than one bullet to kill a Bull Moose!” He spoke for the next hour, blood staining his shirt, and after nearly passing out, was rushed off to the hospital to remove the bullet. He was a boxer, dug the Panama Canal, won the Nobel Peace Prize and, after serving as president, he led expeditions to the Amazon. Considering the fact he routinely rode a horse, it’s fair to call him America’s last true cowboy.

adeshola: I think the most unflattering thing a girl can wear are flare jeans. What’s the most unflattering thing a girl can wear to you?

david: Ha! Newsie Caps, Jeans with rhinestones anywhere on them. Anything that says “Pink” across the butt.

adeshola: My favorite magazine is Purple Fashion Magazine for a ton of reasons. What’s your favorite magazine and why?

david: The Lab Magazine. The mag truly understands appropriate uses of space. Really great interviews, typically celebrity-on-celebrity which changes the nature of the questions. Perfect Layout. Great overall design. Beautiful photos on nice thick paper. It’s also very accessible - not too artsy-fartsy which annoys the crap out of me.

Website: RobinHood Ink.

Chuck Anderson is an artist that goes by the name NoPattern who designs so many things I honestly can’t even keep track anymore. His clientele list runs from Microsoft to ESPN to Mountain Dew to Lupe Fiasco and the list goes on and on. My favorite work of his is his though is the stuff that he does for fun; i.e. all of the amazing skull iterations that I’d love to own one day. Oh and if you weren’t aware, he is also one of the founders of my favorite websites The Brilliance, in which he worked closely with Benjamin Edgar and Virgil Abloh on so many posts and interviews that was part of the inspiration for me to start this website. It’s an honor for him to take time out to even do this interview and I hope you guys enjoy it. Learn more about Chuck below!

adeshola: Where did the NoPattern name come from?

chuck: I picked the name NoPattern while I was still in high school and needed a name for the portfolio site I was working on putting up for myself. It was really the same sort of process as picking a band name — I came up with a slew of different options, some good, some bad, some really horrible that I’m really happy I didn’t stick with (don’t ask), and ultimately narrowed it down to NoPattern. It was short, sweet, 2 common words, and just stuck with me. The actual meaning of it is very reflective of my personality and work: inconsistent and always in flux, although I realized that about the name and how fitting it was years later.

adeshola: When I look @ your art I think of a galaxy. What do you think about that?

chuck: Sounds good to me. There’s fascination with space - it’s so central to the imagination because it’s so far from what we can ever truly understand and has no end. All the traits of a galaxy, of space, both its character and aesthetic are really inspiring concepts to me. Total compliment.

adeshola: What artist makes you want to create a legacy with your own art?

chuck: Prolific artists who do a lot of work and do it well. Mark Romanek, KAWS, Jim Phillips…those are some people who have really inspired me over the years and have such enormous bodies of work that never really trailed off or became irrelevant. I love that.

adeshola: Ben introduced me to Neckface, and he said you introduced Neckface to him. What about him as an artist intrigues you?

chuck: I identify with him to a degree on a musical level because he seems to be a big fan of heavy/death/black metal which influences his work and aesthetic a lot so that to me personally is one thing…but just really the creepiness, the weirdness of it all, the taboo subject matters he hits on…it’s all so campy and horror-movie bizarre and I always just had a soft spot for that stuff.

adeshola: Your collection of KAWS stuff that I’ve seen @ your office is always jaw dropping to me because I grew up wanting that stuff so bad. I hear you have much more than that. What makes KAWS so great in your eyes?

chuck: Man, just his use of color alone could be my answer here, especially in his large paintings. But his personality too really fascinates me. He strikes me in interviews as this really humble dude just making awesome stuff because he loves to…no deep explanations of his work, his characters, he really leaves a lot to your imagination and just does whatever he wants. His work ethic too, to me, is really on another level. The OriginalFake brand, gallery shows around the world, vinyl toys, and that’s just a fraction of what he creates.

adeshola: You seem to use the skull a lot when you do non-commercial work. What draws you toward the skull as an object?

chuck: It’s just that half-smile a skull always has, yet it’s so representative of death…it’s a timeless muse for countless artists. Creepy, mysterious, really beautiful, and as purely human an element as you could work with.

adeshola: What musician embodies a skull the most in your eyes?

chuck: The band Converge. One of my favorites, although I attribute that answer almost more to their singer and graphic designer/artist Jacob Bannon’s work than their music maybe. I don’t know. MF Doom…

adeshola: What’s the biggest thing you learned from writing on The Brilliance?

chuck: When it comes to writing about things you love and interviewing people who do work you love, do it because it’s fun and not forced. Ben, Virgil, and I ended The Brilliance when we felt it just wasn’t a priority for us anymore and I think we made the right decision to end it when we did. You owe it to your readers and the people you interact with on a site like that to give it your utmost attention. We did that really well for several years and I’m really proud of that.

adeshola: Your sleeve is pretty amazing to me. Who did the sleeve and whats the inspiration behind it? Is it more visual than meaning? Do tell.

chuck: It’s way more visual to me than having some deep meaning. There’ s a lot of flowers, clouds, mountains, birds…all in black and gray. It’s really an aesthetic thing for me and I really am not ashamed to admit that. I love how they look on me, bottom line honest answer. The work has been done by a few artists over the years..primarily David Allen in Chicago and Kore Flatmo in Cincinnati. I like to think of it as collecting art in a way.

adeshola: Chicago deep dish pizza or hot dogs?

chuck: I love a good hot dog don’t get me wrong but give me Chicago deep dish pizza over anything else in the world any day.

adeshola: What are your thoughts on the brand of Crayola and what they’ve done for the art community?

chuck: Ah man where to even start. From creative names for colors (macaroni and cheese!) to sparkly crayons and all that stuff, Crayola is just a natural part of every kids life and especially every creative kids life. I still have Crayola crayons sitting around my office and use them from time to time…just timeles!

adeshola: When you hear the name “Lisa Frank”, what comes to mind?

chuck: Dolphins jumping over crystal pyramids into an ocean of rainbows. My greatest inspiration. Ha.

adeshola: Growing up in the Jordan era, what was the most memorable thing about him?

chuck: Especially growing up in Chicago in the 90’s…he was all any of us wanted to be when we grow up. “Be Like Mike” was no joke, that’s what you wanted to be when you were a kid: Michael Jordan. Not yourself as a grown-up basketball player…no. You wanted to actually be him. I had (still have) so many Jordan cards…just watching him win for your city, feeling a sense of ‘this is MY dude in MY town!’ was just crazy as a kid. Doing dunk contests with friends on our lowered basketball hoops in the driveway…memories.

adeshola: You still follow basketball fairly closely. What are your thoughts on the whole Dream Team Vs. Generation Now, in terms of who would win?

chuck: It’s a futile argument. Who knows?! I don’t know who would win, both teams were incredible in their own way. But you can’t speak of the present without honoring the past and nobody ever wants to admit that the “now” is better than the past. I just feel like it’s best to just watch and enjoy. The ‘who would win’ argument has no answer. Nobody on the old team could have truly stopped LeBron when he’s “on” though if you ask me. There’s never been a player like him. But one guy does not equal a whole team.

adeshola: In your mind when it comes to design, why is Apple lightyear’s ahead of Microsoft? 

chuck: The simple answer is Steve Jobs. If Jobs had been at Microsoft in the same position, we might just be talking about this the other way around. To Microsoft’s credit though, they have served a very different kind of customer over the years and only in the last 5 years or so has the mainstream really started to pick up on why spending more for an Apple product is worth it. It’s a changing of the times that Apple has been on the better side of to this point.

adeshola: Do you know any designers who prefer Microsoft?

chuck: I believe Scott Hansen of ISO50 has used a PC for a while, although I can’t speak for him or know what he uses currently. Honestly though - no, I don’t. Not off the top of my head!

adeshola: What attracted you to a city like Grand Rapids?

chuck: At first it was about a place for my wife Holly and I to move because she needed a job in the interior design/furniture industry and GR seemed very central to all that with Herman Miller, Haworth, Steelcase, etc. I also knew Ben (Boxed Water, The Brilliance) for years and had visited him in Grand Rapids and just thought it was a really cool small city we might enjoy living in. It’s really come a long way in the last 4 years since we’ve been here. Great food, shops, art, etc.

adeshola: In my eyes Western Michigan is the capital of furniture design and it took me living here for 4 years to eventually find that out. What makes this such a hub for great furniture design to you?

chuck: Seems that’s really about it’s history…I honestly don’t know enough about it to speak to that but it’s a town with a really hard work ethic that also cares about design that keeps that aspect going.

adeshola: When you hear ADESHOLA, what do you think?

chuck: You remind me a lot of me and Ben when we started The Brilliance. Super eager to learn, meet creative people doing cool things, and share what you find with the world. It’s really fun to see. Also, I’ve never met someone with your name and I like when someone “owns” a name and also I wish I could pull off a bandana under a hat like that dude can.

adeshola: I met you officially when we went to the Watch The Throne concert in Detroit last year. What blew your mind the most about that show?

chuck: My goodness…where to even start. Probably where we got to watch it from! (Thanks Virgil!) Being that close to an energized Jay and Kanye just…wow. The light show!! And 7 encores of course….

adeshola: You decided to draw on Altoids earlier this year, why Altoids and not a Snickers?

chuck: I don’t even know why I started doing that to be honest. It’s my ‘doodling on everything’ nature…but dude…on a Snickers!? Gonna use a white out pen for that? Get all melty? Nahhhhhh.

adeshola: What’s your favorite candy that you could never say no to?

chuck: Haribo gummy bears #1. Then Sour Patch Kids.

adeshola: I hear you’re a Photoshop wiz, what makes you love that program over other Adobe programs?

chuck: Just a different tool than other Adobe programs. Just feels the most organic to me…the most natural to still use my hands to create with since I use a Wacom for 99% of what I do. Other programs have their place for different uses, for me Photoshop was just what I fell in love with creating in nearly 13 years ago.

adeshola: I follow you on Twitter and you always retweet parody Twitter accounts. What do you find to be so funny about those?

chuck: Twitter is a great place to goof off…I don’t know, it’s less parody accounts that I retweet though and more just funny people who have really got Twitter ‘figured out’ in terms of being creative and comedic in such a succinct way. Some of the best are @conortripler, @famouscrab, @actualperson084…all the people that I invite to Imaginary Image Blog, really.

adeshola: You started the “Imaginary Image Blog”. Did the over-saturation of JJJJound-esque blogs inspire you to leave the imagination to the reader?

chuck: Absolutely, although more a response to Tumblrs in general than JJJJound, because I actually love JJJJ and how well thought out Justin does it. It’s not just a big vomited endless scroll of pointless eye candy for the sake of eye candy, it’s really well put together visuals with a fashionable and artistic purpose. But yeah, as for Imaginary Image Blog, it was really a way to promote using your brain and leaving the visuals entirely up to the reader. If I just write, for example, “An NFL game being played with a paper airplane”, you’re going to imagine your favorite team or player doing that and it will be different in everyone’s mind. The internet spoonfeeds us visuals and IIB lives to leave that part up to the reader.

adeshola: You have been designing quite a bit for ESPN Magazine, what do you love so much about that working relationship?

chuck: Believe it or not I love the quick turnarounds. Artists always whine and bitch about fast turnarounds but I like them. It puts the pressure on and I like working fast and seeing results immediately. I love sports and ESPN is a super creative company with really open minds so I just mesh really well with what they ask of me and have a ton of fun doing it.

adeshola: What music tends to give you that creative edge when you are designing?

chuck: Should I just say Radiohead now to get that out of the way since that’s the easy canned designer answer? Ok so Radiohead…but it also depends on my mood. I can throw on something really loud and heavy like Converge, Gojira, or Pig Destroyer when I really need to work quick but if I have a late night project that’s going to keep me up a while I can chill and work to easier stuff like Grizzly Bear or Father John Misty…but hip-hop is also something I always default to. Loved the new Killer Mike this year, and of course old Jay-Z and Wu-Tang never gets old.

Website: NoPattern

Kevin is in charge of artist relations for an organization called ArtPrize. They are doing some pretty stellar things for the city of Grand Rapids by not only bringing a ton of people into the city, but also opening peoples minds to new and refreshing things that they may not have chosen to see if it wasn’t for ArtPrize. Kevin’s one of those guys that when you talk to him you just know he knows so much more about art and makes your art knowledge seem very amateur. I was inspired to interview Kevin, because I truthfully wanted to pick his brain about different art topics that I have been pondering as of late. Learn more abut Kevin below!

adeshola: You seem to retweet a lot of parody accounts. What inspires you the most about those accounts?

kevin: I’ve been using Twitter for a long time, but I only recently discovered this community of hilarious and weird people that are doing really incredible things with it. Some of them are parody accounts, but a lot are just twisted anonymous accounts playing somewhere between poetry, jokes, and nonsense. It’s not just parody accounts, it’s anyone using the form to do things that can’t be done in any other form of writing. I think it took a while for people to realize how powerful the constraint of 140 characters can be. It’s the 21^st century haiku. Here’s a tweet that sums it up pretty well: “@rev_revolver every tweet is encased in its own little bubble world where the rules can be anything they need to be and that’s what i love most about this”

adeshola: What makes you get up in the morning?

kevin: The chance to try to do good work. Family.

adeshola: I think Kidult has something interesting going on, but I can’t quite figure out if I like it or not. Are you familiar with his work? What are your thoughts?

kevin: I’ll admit that I had to google him. But it looked familiar once I saw his stuff again. So he does huge tags on the front of retail spaces, but he also works with Yves St. Laurent? I don’t have strong feelings. I’m never quite sure what to make of artists working closely with high fashion brands. There’s this tension where you’re not sure who is using who. Is the brand just co-opting the artist to gain a marketing edge, or is the artist co-opting the brand to prove they can dance with the devil of commercialism and retain their credibility? In the end the whole idea of co-opting is probably not the right way to think of it at all. Both the artist and the brand know exactly what they’re doing.

adeshola: If you could create a dream concert, who would be the 2 openers and the headliner?

kevin: I’m not very tuned into what’s new with music. I tend to still listen to what I got into in college. I would probably have Wolf Parade and Wilco open for Yo La Tengo.

adeshola: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned since ArtPrize started?

kevin: Action matters more than theory. Theory is important, but action comes first. You have to be willing to do things before you know that they mean.

adeshola: Gourmet restaurant cheeseburger or burger joint burger?

kevin: Gourmet.

adeshola: What are your thoughts on going to college to study art?

kevin: Ha, double edged sword. I think it’s really important, but it can turn out badly. Art history and the practice of creating art in different ways are both incredibly important to understand, and they are things that you need to learn from people who know more than you. I think it’s important to have an understanding of the canon of art history, but the process of canonization has a way a neutralizing what was really interesting and revolutionary about the art to begin with. It’s difficult to comprehend how those artworks functioned in their own time, and how challenging they were to people once they’ve been included in the official story. People often learn a lot about art, but they rarely take the ideas seriously.

            One quick story to illustrate this. I was taking a contemporary art history class in college, and the professor was talking about Duchamp’s Fountain. It’s a readymade, it’s just a store-bought urinal laid on its back and signed with a pseudonym. The professor was going on and on about the sculptural form of the toilet. How it sat there in a stout and pleasing way, almost like a Buddha. I had already taken a contemporary art history course at another school, so I knew that Duchamp explicitly said he did not select readymades based on aesthetics. They are conceptual gestures, not aesthetic ones. So the next day I brought in a book and showed the professor a quote where Duchamp says they’re not aesthetic objects, and they professor said, “He’s lying.” It blew my mind. Here’s a guy with a PhD, but he didn’t have the courage to take Duchamp seriously.

adeshola: I’m sure Campbell’s Soup caught a bunch of heat for releasing those commemorative Andy Warhol tomato soup cans just to make money. Do you think they actually care about the art?

kevin: Sure they do. And Andy really cared about soup. I think what’s so great about Andy is that he was genuine in a way that made people think he must be kidding. But I don’t think he was kidding. When asked why he made images of soup and Marilyn, he said it was because he liked soup and Marilyn. When asked why some of the screen prints are really dark, he would say it was because he was bad at making screen prints. It’s we who have a problem taking him seriously, because we assume that there must be some subversive element we’re missing. But the subversive element is actually just his sincerity and his delight with the world around him. The work is difficult because we have a difficult time seeing the world that clearly. Soup is good. People should sell it and make money.

adeshola: Rap is my favorite genre for numerous reasons, some more obvious than others ha. Do you listen to rap? And if so, who’s your favorite rap artist?

kevin: I don’t listen to a lot of rap. I like some Ludacris and Jay-Z and a few other things.

adeshola: You’re in charge or Artist Relations for ArtPrize. What’s your favorite piece that you’ve ever seen entered into ArtPrize and why?

kevin: That’s really tough. If I kept thinking about it I might come up with something else, but I’ll say Luke Jerram’s “Play Me, I’m Yours” in 2010. It’s the project where the artist placed pianos on street corners all over the city. It’s such a simple intervention that relies on the city and the people in it for the work to come alive. People were having impromptu concerts and sing-alongs all over. The work creates beautiful experiences rather than beautiful images, I like that.

adeshola: Between all social media platforms(Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Etc.), which one do you enjoy using the most?

kevin: You can’t say Facebook. I think you’d look really lame if you said Facebook, even though I might spend the most time there. I like Twitter the best. For the reasons I listed above about weird accounts and humor and poetry. Twitter has renewed my faith in poetry, no joke. Check out @TriciaLockwood

adeshola: Every time I enter the GRAM(Grand Rapids Art Museum) I’m reminded @ how beautiful it is. What makes the GRAM beautiful to you?

kevin: I love the building. It’s hard and clean without feeling cold. I also really love the Ellsworth Kelly in the lobby, which I think gets overlooked. It’s a fantastic piece, and should be as iconic as the Calder, but I suppose that takes time.

adeshola: The Met or the MOMA and why?

kevin: I’ll say MoMA, but I do love looking at ancient artifacts at the Met. I’ll go with MoMA because that’s one of the first places I was really blown away by modern art. I remember going there for the first time and seeing a huge Cy Twombly and thinking, “I didn’t know you could make a painting like that!” It felt like he got away with something, like the cheated and the result was incredible.

adeshola: Where did you grow up?

kevin: Grand Rapids.

adeshola: What is a common misconception about you?

kevin: I’m not sure. I imagine some people have misconceptions about my politics, but so do I. I reject easy answers.

Adeshola: What makes Apple so great of a company?

kevin: You’re assuming that I think it is a great company. I suppose it is. They have a clear vision for what they want to make. People see that, and they want the things that are created based on that vision. The opposite approach is to do a bunch of focus groups and design things by committee. The result always sucks. Sometimes Apple products suck too, but they’re always making a bet that people will believe in their vision for the future, rather than attempting to make things for the recent past. Sometimes the vision is just wrong, like Ping, but failure is part of the game.

adeshola: I noticed on your website you did some art referencing presidents, but I recently saw via Twitter that you have a bad taste in your mouth because of the current election. What about politics is absurd to you?

kevin: Haha, all of it. I’m fascinated and frustrated by politics. I think that politics is the process of reducing complex systems and beliefs to such an extreme that they become something else entirely. The result is people using broken tools in a dysfunctional system to attempt to create a vision of the world that is probably not possible even in the best circumstances. That sounds bleak, but really it’s not. I’m a pretty pragmatic person, and I think good things can come from flawed systems. The trick is to figure out how to squeeze the best stuff from the systems we can’t replace, and dismantle and rebuild the ones we can.

adeshola: What’s the best cereal of all time?

kevin: My opinion on this changes. Currently, I’m a fan of a granola they have at Costco called Ancient Grains. It is excellent.

adeshola: What made Steve Jobs such a visionary?

kevin: Again, you’re assuming I think so! What I like about him is that he believed in reductive design. Things get better when they’re only what they need to be, nothing more.

Website: Kevin Buist