The Tastemakers Society

 

Designers aren’t so much of a rare bread as they used to be, now the hard part is finding the really creative ones and the ones that fit best for you. It’s like cars there’s such a huge selection to choice from but does anyone really want to drive a Geo? Portia Vania Wells (you gotta say her middle name it has that ring to it) is more like BMW and her designs showoff that talent. But it’s no wonder she’s turned out so gifted anyone part of a club called the  ’Crafty Critters’ and surviving Lake Sharks has got to have something just a little special about them.

Name, age, location

Portia Vania Wells, 27, Brooklyn

Just for a little miss direction before we get into the serious stuff what was the last movie you saw, magazine and book you read, and last asian inspired dish you ate?

Movie: There Will Be Blood, Magazine: Frame and Harper’s, Book: too sappy and embarrassing to tell you the last book I read, but I’ll share what I just borrowed from my boyfriend: Happiness: The science behind your smile. I also ordered a book called Essence and Alchemy: A Natural History of Perfume for my roommate’s christmas present, then I discovered she already owned a copy, so I’ll be reading that soon too. Last asian dish: I don’t remember –I should go eat some sag paneer soon though.

Know jumping into ‘who’ Portia Vania Wells is can you talk a little about your childhood, parents, school days, and life afterwards, but try your hardest to leave out all the details pertaining to design, just keep it ‘you’.

Oakville. The summer of my 9th birthday my family moved from a large suburb of Seattle to a tiny logging community in Southwest Washington, named Oakville. Instead of cruising the city streets on bicycles with my gang of friends I dogged cow patties on farmland frontier with my younger brothers. I think my mother grew tired of hearing how my brothers and I were “bored” and had “nothing to do.” She also seemed a bit concerned about the blister that started to develop on our thumbs from too much time spent with the Mario Brothers. So she sought out what little extra curricular activities were available for us in our new backwoods town: We joined the local soccer league. My team, Rochester Hardware, was sponsored by the community store of the same name. My brothers’ team was sponsored by the local candy shop. We were duped into the Sunshine Generation — a singing and dancing group that performed at senior citizen homes and county fairs — in sequin jumpers. I played flag football and basketball with boys. I also took horseback riding lessons (only twice). But none of these camps, clubs, or sports compared to the 4-H Arts and Crafts Club.

4-H. My club, endearingly coined ‘Crafty Critters,” was comprised of five to seven young girls, the occasional curious brother, and our team leader, Sylvia. We met in my grade school’s cafeteria every Tuesday evening after school. Sylvia began the class with a pledge of allegiance to the American Flag, afterwards we dutifully avowed out 4-H pledge in unison:

I pledge, My head to clear thinking, My heart to greater loyalty, My hands to larger service and My health to better living, For my club, My community, My country, and My world.

Then we joined in a circle to perform a modified version of a sign language and recited what the four “H’s” in 4-H were all about:

Head: thinking critically, solving problems

Heart: respecting self, others, and the environment, communicating

Hands: preparing for a career, serving others

Health: choosing healthy lifestyles, managing change and challenges

Our Motto: To make the best better.

After our opening ceremonies we would hot glue mop dolls together or construct art bins from old laundry detergent boxes… sometimes we would draw faces on toast with food dyed corn syrup. I looked forward to, and cherished those activities every week. My closet quickly filled with Styrofoam balls, glitter glue, stickers, crayons and construction paper. I crafted many, many, projects to enter in the Southwest Washington County Fair for a chance at a ribbon.

Can you tell in depth you design background, what got you into it, what kept you sticking with it, why you love it, and where you want it to go?

As I grew, my tastes changed from crafts to photography to woodworking and design. I chose to attend the California College of the Arts (CAA). For some reason I was really drawn to the idea of becoming a furniture designer. It seemed difficult enough –something that required skill, craft, patience… I enrolled in the wood/furniture program. I found that the part I liked best about working with wood was the quiet time I spent in the bench room. I’m naturally a very anxious person. I think I like to have something to worry about. That’s what makes me stick to thinking about designing and making. I think it’s better for my brain to run in circles over how something is going to be sewn or printed or cut or glued, rather than obsess over something like — my health, or if I turned the coffee pot off, of if I made the right impression. Lately, I’ve been working on some exciting project with SVSV. They’re hush-hush for now, but will be debuting at Bread and Butter in Spain, January.

I heard you found a lake shark in Nevada, could you shed some light on if this carries any truth to it?

Indeed, there are lake sharks — in Lake Mead. That whole damned lake was infested. Fortunately I got out unscathed.

What’s your definition of good design and bad design, and what out right gets your blood boiling when it comes to design?

My thoughts on what defines good or bad design expands and changes daily. I like original stuff, things that are well-balanced… work that makes me feel good to look at it. I think that stuff that probably gets my blood boiling as far as design — is design that feels unnecessary. I know that is a rather vague answer… my opinions have become fluid since moving to New York and becoming exposed to so many different styles and experiences.

So why go to NY instead of staying in California?

Well, I felt that New York was really where it was all happening… that there was more opportunity there (er, here). Living here its perks — there are so many driven, talent people — most times I do like the fast pace of it all.  Though there are also things I miss about California — Like my car, the weather, my studio space, the food, my family…

Lake sharks aside what things drive your interest and do those coincide with your inspirations towards your design work or do your interests and inspirations vary on separate levels?

Interests: mania mounds, old things, mysteries, why people act the way I suppose about half of my interests turn into inspirations toward design work. For instance, I can’t imagine really doing a piece about the mima mounds in washington state. Though, I do a lot of work based around perceptions and old things.

I’m sure you can’t divulge too much about your SVSV project you’re debuting at Bread and Butter, but just in case you feel like talking, I’ll let you feel to do so…

So at Bread and Butter we will be debuting  new footwear with Otabo shoes — as well as new Futurecraft designs. There are a lot of copycat brands popping up lately, but only one Futurecraft SVSV.

Besides the SVSV project what else do you have going on for 2008?

2008 will be a good year. I plan on taking in information, classes, travel (international and a good old fashioned cross country road trip to California) I want more substantial food for thought… developing a line of product/services that will grow and snowball into bigger opportunities.

What are your views on the design culture in NY?

It’s easy to become overloaded with design in New York, sometimes it all feels the same — though, I suppose that is most any place. New York does not have a particular style — it’s a design melting pot.

Any presidential favorites for the upcoming election?

Ha — hmmm. I’m still undecided. The nice part about a lot of my work is that I usually sit quietly and listen to NPR all day — so I do get a fair share of information about the campaigns.

portiawells.com