4 Questions for Claire Dederer, Author

What is your passion?
Trying to write something that is true. Also, cheese. And I’m pretty partial to my husband and kids.

Where are you from?
I’m a proud fourth-generation native Seattleite.

What was your favorite job?
Writing my book, Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses. I loved having the chance to write about motherhood and daughterhood and wifehood. But I did have a cool job as a forklift operator when I was a teenager. Though now that I look back on it, what was my boss thinking? Who does that? Who takes a hormone-crazed teenage girl and says, here, drive this forklift.


Tell us something no one knows about you:
I butter my graham crackers.

5 Questions for John Lavin, Artist

Describe your perfect client:
The perfect client has interesting, fun, challenging projects, deep pockets, and a sophisticated aesthetic.

What is your passion?
Dried mangoes, cocktail parties

Where are you from?
Mostly the Northwest (by way of Cleveland, Baltimore, Denver)

What was your favorite job?
Christmas Windows for Barneys New York and Beverly Hills.

Tell us something no one knows about you?
I used to be a political cartoonist.

See John and Carrie's work HERE.
Carrie is John's fabulously talented wife and work partner.

5 Questions for Naomi Evans, Jewelry Designer

Describe your perfect client
Someone with an appreciation for, and an understanding of what goes into producing handmade art work.    


What is your passion?
My passion…my passion is my art. My passion is my family. My passion is working up a sweat. My passion is curling up with a great book.   


Where are you from?
I grew up in Washington, DC, went to school in Philadelphia, PA, Kansas City, MO and Boston, MA. I have lived in Israel off and on, and made Cambridge, MA my home for many years till moving to Vancouver, BC 5 years ago.   


What was your favorite job?
I love what I do right now, but before I started making jewelry, I was a potter. I loved making pottery and at the time I was also teaching aerobics. It was a great combination of time alone in my studio and social time teaching and hanging out at various gyms.  

Tell us something no one knows about you?
I once had an animated dream where all the characters were spoons


View Naomi's work HERE

5 Questions for Tom Maul, Architect

Describe your perfect client:
Knows what they want programmatically and lets us do our stuff formally and volumetrically.

What is your passion?
Being experimental. Being in relationship. But not necessarily experimental relationships.

Where are you from?
Joyzee (Translation—New Jersey)

What was your favorite job?
Catering. There’s something very architectural about cooking and planning for an event.

Tell us something no one knows about you:
hmmmm…

See Tom Maul's work HERE.

Photo: Top row and bottom right--Tom Maul's house. Bottom left: Tom Maul.  Bottom center: Tom Maul Jr. and Michael Drumheller.

5 Questions for Beth Kantrowitz, Art Dealer

Describe your perfect client:
The perfect client would be someone who walks into the gallery or visits the bkartprojects website and wants to look and talk about the work. After looking and talking they fall in love with a piece and decide they want to buy it! There's nothing like watching someone fall in love with a piece. It's so exciting for me and for the artist.

What is your passion?
Talking with and being with people!

Where are you from?
I grew up in the Catskill Mountains in New York and haved lived in Boston for almost 26 years!

What was your favorite job?
Curating and selling art. But, many years ago I was the Director of the Starlight Foundation, a non-profit that granted wishes to sick kids and I really loved that too.

Tell us something no one knows about you:
If and when I have a nightmare, I wake up and spit in the toilet 3 times to insure that the nightmare doesn't come true!!

Michelle Linden--architect. Atelier A+D llc

My perfect client is someone who appreciates good design and is willing to take a chance. Maybe they read Dwell magazine or have their own crafty or artistic hobbies. Budget isn’t a big concern for me, as I feel we all deserve great design, no matter our budget. But, ideally I’d love to work with clients who are willing to take a chance on design. Clients who are willing to embrace new materials or think about spaces in a different way are the most exciting. Involved and excited clients help make the best projects.
I’m passionate about architecture and design. That might sound clichéd, but it’s true. I love my job and feel very lucky to do it every day. I can’t help but walk into a new space and think about what I love, what I hate, and how I’d change it. And I have an unhealthy obsession with modern furniture. I can appreciate a lot of different styles, but whenever I see super modern furniture, I can’t help but want to touch it (and sit on it if appropriate!).
I’ve been living in Seattle for about 6 years now… and I came here by way of Honolulu, a brief stint in the Netherlands, Chicago, and Gloucester Massachusetts. Gloucester is my hometown and I love going back – especially in the summer. I love the beach and that is one thing we really don’t have here in Seattle.
My favorite job or project? My favorite job besides the one I currently have would have to be my time spent as a beer cart girl on a golf course. After graduating from high school I was lucky enough to get a job spending my days outside in the sunshine selling beer and sodas on our local golf course. I got to know all of the members, so my time spent sunning myself was punctuated by great conversation (and tips!).
My favorite project is one I’m currently working on for a family building a home on Lake Chelan. They have great taste and are a lot of fun to be around, so it is a pleasure to work together to build their dream home.
Something we don't know about you: I spent two weeks at an all-girls architecture camp when I was 12. I told you I was passionate about architecture and design… and I have been for a long time!

Check out Michelle's blog and website.

Teresa Howard. Chef and Owner of Celestial Catering

Describe your perfect client? 
A person who knows 1/2 of what they want and wants the other 1/2 to be what I think is best. They have some money to spend, but not too much. I like them to love what I do. If they have a lot of money, they are used to and expecting perfection.
 
What is your passion?
Laughing.
 
Where are you from? 
Here. The void between Mukilteo, Edmonds and Lynnwood
 
What was your favorite job? 
I try to forget my jobs as soon as they happen to keep my sanity. But I do remember fondly the catering for our nanny's wedding. At her parents orchard and house, rustic, simple, fun, elegant and very sweet.
 
 Tell us something no one knows about you? 
I'm a big crier. Commercials, TV comedies, birthday cards, someone saying they like me.

5 Questions for Gail Dupar, Designer. Decatur Island, WA.

Describe your perfect client:
One who's not afraid to use color. Please don't hire me to help you pick out the color 'tan'...

What is your passion?

Food, cooking, gardening, art, design. (not necessarily in that order)

Where are you from?

Born and raised in the greater Seattle area. Spent summers in the Juan Islands at grandma & grandpa's farm.


What was your favorite job?

Spent 80 hours working on a mosaic for a fireplace hearth once, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Tell us something no one knows about you:

I like cats more than dogs...Yikes! OK, I finally said it! No offense to all my friends with dogs!( I guess that means I am a cat person!)

5 Questions for Leah Martin, Architect. Seattle, WA.

Describe your perfect client:
Someone who's excited about learning and is willing to

think outside of any pre-conceptions they may have had

about their home. Someone who has enthusiasm for design.

And someone who’s willing to go to a place that may have

intimidated them before the design process began.

What is your passion?
Design in all forms; built, natural, graphic, you name it.

Where are you from?
The boondocks - Canton, CT

What was your favorite job?
A new home on the east side; amazing client, rock star contractor,

complicated site, really satisfying outcome.

Tell us something no one knows about you:
I used to wear a Boston Red Sox batters helmet all day, around town

when I was little. I wanted to be the first professional chick baseball

player. Still have the helmet!

5 Questions for Rob Lloyd, Landscape Architect

Describe your perfect client?

Easy. Perfect client would be financially savvy, design literate, socially responsible, and politically gutsy. Any great development project will propose ideas and ways of living that seem politically untenable and financially risky, but might become the new standard.

What is your passion?

Making new pieces of cities. Cities are the most incredible things, constantly changing, and the best new parts are adventurous, but painstakingly woven in to the old fabric.

Where are you from?

New York? Maine? St. Louis? Seattle? Miami?

What was your favorite job?

Working on a big old wooden sailboat, although right now I am really enjoying working on a new district of Shanghai.

Tell us something no one knows about you?

My greatest accomplishment this week was making the perfect peach pie.

5 questions for Sara Tro.

Who is your perfect client?
My perfect client is pretty much anyone looking for something a little different in a photo session, or photographs of their family. I aim to produce artistic, emotional and honest portraits, and so I love working with people who crave a little more beneath the surface of the picture. I am drawn to beautiful things, but also the odd, quirky, unique qualities that make all of us special. I also love people and animals in general, so I really enjoy getting to photograph a family or a subject more than once.. It's so great to get to know someone so well through my lens.
What is your passion?
I have many passions, but here are some of my favorites :) I love laughing, so I'm passionate about anything that makes me laugh. I love art and all things aesthetic, and so I'm passionate about things that inspire me visually.. it could be a rusty shovel, a special quality of light, a painting or a person/animal.. so many things catch my attention and beg to be photographed or just remembered. I am passionate about music, food, animals, nature and weather.
I would say that my main passion in life is connection, and creating.. I love sharing both with friends, family, clients and just about anyone I share this planet with!
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in New York State, near NYC, in a town called Hastings-on-Hudson near the Hudson River. It was a great place to grow up! Being surrounded by safety and a small town vibe, and also the culture and pace of Manhattan, gave me a sense of two worlds, both of which I love.
What was your favorite job?
It may sound crazy, but I worked at a great restaurant in high school and college and that was my favorite job. The people I worked with were great, we spent many of the hours at work laughing and having fun, and I learned so much about myself, people, and wine :) It was also my first real job that I got on my own, and it gave me a real sense of Independence. During college summers, i also worked for my father at his textile design firm, and I really enjoyed that too. Working with him, and working on colors all day, really taught me alot and I loved being in NYC. The energy and pace was inspiring.
Tell us something no one knows about you?
Hmmm.. Since I was little, I have always loved things that are old or vintage. While my brother was asking for RayBan's for Christmas, I wanted rusty train track ties or old wall paper scraps to make art with. I have several small collections of odd, interesting things.