I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a very special episode. Part of a new series of the show and something that I have been considering for quite some time but I specifically wanted to complete year 10 of the show before I rolled this out.
Do you know that in the 11+ years of Convo By Design, I have published over 450 episodes, spoken with over 600 creatives, produced over 5 dozen panel conversations for design events across the country. From all of these amazing conversations with the worlds greatest creative talent, I wanted. to start enshrining some of these individuals into the Convo By Design Icon Registry, a hall of fame if you will.
I don’t do contests and I most certainly don’t do lists. Lists are gimmicks designed to capture clicks. They are, click bait pure and simple. You cannot tell me that a list of 50, 75 or 100 designers and architects are the absolute best at what they do without providing context. Lists are created in the hopes that those who are being listed will promote the accolades and that attention will be driven back to the author of the list. And contests where creatives have to reach out to their base to get them to vote for them is just wrong in my opinion. Because, if someone is amazing at what they do… Celebrate that, no strings attached. And that is what we are going to do here.
Now, the criteria… Each inductee has been a guest on Convo By Design. They have a body of work that is exceptional in their various disciplines and there is no justification required for their world class status. They give back to the industry, they are innovators, givers and make our industry better than they found it. This project is called the Convo By Design Icon Registry, because that is what this is, tantamount to a hall of fame, but more. What is an ICON? Described as an icon; A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration. A registry is a well curated list. You can consider this a venerable who’s who in our industry with gifts to offer and a willingness to share. Pablo Picasso is credited with saying, “the meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away”. Now, I am not suggesting that those enshrined in the Icon Registry have all just been giving away their gifts. These are professionals of the highest order and part of being a professional is knowing your worth and understanding your value. Each of these individuals have appeared on Convo By Design, shared what they know for the betterment of others, and I am deeply appreciative for that. This is the most authentic way that I can express my gratitude for that. As deeply appreciative as I am for their sharing, I am equally grateful for your taking the time to share a few moments, an hour out of your busy schedule each week to listen to the show. Again, the most authentic way that I can express that gratitude is to give you an opportunity to hear them again. Every month, the last Thursday of the month, unless it’s a holiday week, in which case I will publish a week sooner, I will share a new inductee with you.
This creative is, to me an extraordinary example of what it means to be a modern designer. Not as in her aesthetic or style is purely modern but instead, her understanding of the design universe and being universally adroit at presenting traditional materials in new ways, expertly navigating space gracefully, seamlessly and yet sparking emotion in, again unique and different ways. Cara Woodhouse is crafty, creative and her work begins and ends with a full understanding of what she is working with in terms of space, desires, needs and materiality. Woodhouse isn’t a joanna come lately, she isn’t a reality TV star designer. She’s paid her dues. Ive not just covered her professionally for the podcast, but I have been the beneficiary of her work. When I was the general manager and program director for Playboy Radio, I spent time at the Beverly Hills Playboy offices, that she designed. Her work is imaginative. It’s exciting. It makes the brain pop and wiggle. Woodhouse is a curator of color, shape and space, mixing and blending all to please the senses and make you wonder, “what if”.
Thank you Cara, for your skill, talent, art willingness to share. It was my honor speaking with you and congratulations. Thank you to my partners and sponsors ThermaSol and Design Hardware for making the show possible. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the show and the feedback I receive. Thanks you for your guest and topic suggestions. If not already, please subscribe to the podcast so you receive every episode automatically to your feed.
If you are so inclined, please consider following us on Instagram. Convo X Design with an “X” and we can further the conversation. Thank you for listening and until next week, be well, and take today first. -Convo By Design
Susan Ferrier | 509 | Our May 2024 Design Icon Registry Inductee
Harmony From Chaos and Curated Style | 508 | Staci Munic
No Rules in the Universal Application of Design Products | 507 | Erin Minckley of Relativity Textiles
Burnishing A Reputation in Experimental Ceramics, Lighting & Art Design | 506 | Ethan Streicher on Design and the Journey
New & Now featuring SheSpoke and ASID-Los Angeles | 505 | A Day of Dropping Design Knowledge LIVE from Los Angeles
Daniel Ian Smith of Village West Design | 504 | Innate Design and That Which Makes Us Human
The Design Messengers | 503 | An Extraordinary New Design Book from KAA Design Group, The PIRCH Saga Continues, An Architectural Pratt Fall and More!
Alex Papachristidis | 502 | Our April 2024 Design Icon Registry Inductee
Design Destinations and America’s Favorite Design Events | 501 | 2024 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show Review with Angeline Guido Hall, John Weinstein and Kevie Murphy
Lessons Learned After 11 Years and Five Hundred Episodes | 500 | Storytellers, Best Practices and Ideas to Make the Design and Architecture Industry Stronger
Vision, Leadership & Creative Functionality, Every Element for A Successful Firm | 499 | Katie McCaffrey
Incredible Brands Changing the Way we Design | 498 | TimberTech featuring Amanda Cimaglia and Designer Olga Naiman
CXD Design Icon Series for March 2024 | 497 | Jean Brownhill
High Point Market and All of the Questions You Were Afraid to Ask | 496 | Tammy Nagem, CEO of High Point Market Authority
Imbued Values and the Hand of the Architect: Thee Multicultural Approach to Modern Architecture | 494 | Mathew Chaney, FAIA and Bryn Garrett, AIA of EYRC Architects
The Design Messengers: Credit, Attribution and Media Standards | 494 | The Sofia Vergara Project in AD
The Immutable Laws of Design, Why Do Some Former Lawyers Make Such Great Designers | 493 | Katie Davis
WestEdge Wednesday No. Ten | 492 | All Roads Lead to Southern California; Long Live the Creative Experiment
Exploring the Architectural Identity of Los Angeles: Do Cities Define the Types of Architecture or is it the Other Way Around | 491 | KFA Architecture
The Design Messengers: Set Decoration as Functional Art | 490 | Don Diers, Jan Pascale, David Smith, Claire Kaufman & Julie Drach
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