Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Age: 32
Occupation: Artist, designer, set decorator.
Instagram: @c.k_reed
Hometown: Palm Beach, Florida
Studio location: Los Angeles, CA
Describe what you make: Large colorful paintings and necklaces, influenced by my studies in landscape architecture and textile design. But currently, I am focused on painting furniture.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: Probably my garage studio where I spend most of my time. It gives me an infinite source of creativity.
Describe the problem your work solves: My work gives my life meaning. Creating something from nothing.
Describe the project you’re working on now: I’m focused on thriving as an artist during a pandemic, which really means remaining disciplined to avoid an existential meltdown. I’ve also been finding free furniture and transforming them into new pieces with paint.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: A mural for the City of West Hollywood. It’s for a public arts initiative called Artful Distancing and the goal is to inspire neighbors to foster safe, creative ways to reconnect, recover, and realign to the new normal of our separated existence. It will be up Oct 1, 2020, on Sunset Blvd across from Chateau Marmont. For readers who are not movie stars, I’ll be sure to post photos on my Instagram.
What you absolutely must have in your studio: Lemon water, bug spray, and habanero infused mezcal (after 5pm).
What you do when you’re not working: Playing with my house, another creative outlet. Rearranging furniture and redesigning keeps it energized. We are both constantly evolving.
Sources of creative envy: Roberto Burle Marx, the ultimate multidisciplinary designer. Henry Miller, I actually underline sentences from his books, I think he’s brilliant. David Hockney, the apple of my eye. Tony Duquete, home goals. Medinilla Magnifica, wild ass looking plant that I would like to have.
The distraction you want to eliminate: The Illusion of success.
Concrete or marble? Both make me think of cracking my head open.
High-rise or townhouse? I’m more of a “hut on a beach” type, but with central air.
Remember or forget? That’s a deep question… forget everything you think you know is real. Also, I’m a nostalgic person, so I don’t want to forget anything but I’m a big fan of letting go of things.
Aliens or ghosts? Aliens seem more appealing these days.
Dark or light? Dark, but with colorful lights.
