Exclusive Interview with ConversationStarter Founder - Richard Bravo
Founder, owner and native Angeleno, Richard Bravo, thoughtfully captures elements in his work that are gritty, industrial and unpolished, with injections of gentlemanly, cigar room appeal. His pieces will cause you to pause and ponder the meaning, relevance and process behind their design.
ConversationStarter is an L.A. area designer whose materials include throwaway furniture pieces, scraps of wood from around the city, and a combination of cement and reinvented use of pipes. His work imaginatively and creatively transforms these mediums into handcrafted home decor that is altogether chic and unique.
1.) What is your process in terms of creative output from start to finish?
The creative process always involves a very fluid element to the entire process. For example, when I have a new idea I want to see come to life, I always have a solid concept of what I want that piece to ultimately look like. The achievement of that concept is what often dictates the final outcome. Sometimes a piece may change due to the difficulty or complexity of the design while other times I just get inspired along the way to change things up. In either case, I love that the creative process is always moving and I do my best to always appreciate the learning that comes with it all. Even in moments of great frustration.
2.) What are your sources of inspiration?
Getting caught up in the vibe of some of L.A.'s eclectic and artisan communities is a great source of inspiration. I really appreciate all that L.A. has to offer but I am definitely partial to the East-side, Northeast and DTLA areas. There's a certain raw, grittiness that is real in many of these locations such as Echo Park, Silverlake, Atwater Village and the Art's District. These environments mesh really well with the industrial and repurposed materials and aesthetics I love creating.
3.) What's your favorite item from your collection?
My favorite pieces are the pipe lamps I create. Honestly, I just dig them and think they're really cool. It is often difficult for me to part with most of the things I've built, but the lamps especially. The period of time it takes to create them and the passionate attention and detail I put into each one makes me really feel like an artist. The ambiance they create is chill and they're attractive pieces.
My favorite pieces are the pipe lamps I create. Honestly, I just dig them and think they're really cool. It is often difficult for me to part with most of the things I've built, but the lamps especially. The period of time it takes to create them and the passionate attention and detail I put into each one makes me really feel like an artist. The ambiance they create is chill and they're attractive pieces.
Each pipe sculpture has been thoughtfully designed and the significance they have come to embody for me is that of strength and beauty. In addition, the structure is securely fastened to a box of repurposed/reclaimed wood and is representative of being grounded, hopefully to good values and ethics that produce good and infectious results. Finally, every lamp is crowed with vintage, Edison bulbs. There are thousands of beautiful metaphors regarding light that may open up a much deeper conversation so I will leave it to each person to think upon it for themselves!
As I shared above, I am still very new to this. I do my absolute best to remain as humble as possible as well as thick skinned. Networking and incorporating as much help as possible, is highly recommended. Ask a lot of questions and make no assumptions. I've had several surprises already that I wish I could have foreseen but, you chalk it all up to experience. Do your research. Set goals, both short and long term that are achievable.
Don't forget to take the time to celebrate your victories and make your mind up that if this is something you really want, that you will do what it takes to remain passionate. Speak it into fruition and remain focused. Also, when it may feel that you aren't moving forward as quickly as you like, take a moment to look back to take notice of the things you have accomplished, and that is where you will find a dose of more encouragement!
5.) Where can we see your work?
This is all still very new to me and I am still working on my sales platform, however, I recently partnered with an amazing girl from Chicago who runs www.ShopSoNess.com. At the present, she is featuring one of my favorite lamp designs, a lamp I call the Prohibition Lamp.
For anyone interested in seeing other things I've created, they can find me on Instagram at ConversationStarterLA or on Facebook at ConversationStarter ByBravo. My goal is to first set up an Etsy Shop under the same name, ConversationStarter, and then develop my own personalized online shop. I anticipate having these developed over the next 2 weeks.
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FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008518954098
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ConversationStarterLA
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