Jason Phillips is VP/Creative Director for the Phillips Collection, a well-known wholesaler of high-end home furnishings. He’s also founder of Jason Phillips Design, a brand that serves as a conduit for his out-of-the box design concepts and freelance work.
Jason was recently recognized before a rapt audience at the Boston Design Center where he was the recipient of Veranda’s The Art of Design Award. The award’s theme, Redefining Luxury, is intended to illuminate those characteristics that contribute to today’s definition of luxury, including craft, innovation, authenticity, value and social responsibility. Veranda editors and a select committee nominated individuals or companies whose work is redefining luxury and consequently, the art of design. Jason’s award was in Veranda’s Trade Secrets category.
Subsequent to the Veranda Award, GettingHome Design interviewed Jason. The interview highlights some of the topics which Jason touched on during the award event.
GHD
It’s gratifying to know that you’re the youngest ever recipient of the prized Pinnacle award, given by the American Society of Furniture Designers, for your River Stone Planters. I’ve seen these pieces, and they’re truly wonderful. Where did the inspiration for this design come from?
JP
Inspiration for this particular collection came from a visit to the Ayung River in Indonesia. We found the rounded stones of the riverbed were dressed in gorgeous hues of gray/blue and wanted to use this as the basis for a line of products. You’ll notice the river stone in a lot of my work, as I’ve probably exploited all of its forms and applications! For the planters, I wanted a clean taper on the trapezoidal forms and a soft bulge on the rounded ones. Each is a different height to allow for unique configurations.
GHD
Once an inspiration comes to you, how do you follow it through? How do you explore the idea? In other words, what’s the design process for you?
JP
For me, over-exploration in my sculptural process is a real no-no. My inspiration comes to me as a mental snapshot of some balanced form, with attention to any materials and finishes I want to use. From there I need to get it onto paper, and fast—before I lose the idea. That can be a sketch or even a note about the design. From there I move to my 3D suite of programs to model and render the piece. The entire process is very fluid, very intuitive, and most importantly, very fast. The result is a level of realism that rivals the real world! For all those naysayers who tout the virtues of the drawn line and that the computer loses all of that magic, I respectfully suggest that they are looking at bad computer renderings. Most 3D furniture designers—including myself—came from fine arts backgrounds and have all come to a consensus that this is the way of the future. I guarantee that every one of us still sketches on a pad because it is fun, therapeutic, and a worthwhile skill to maintain.
GHD
Can you talk about some other pieces where you pursued the idea to its blossoming?
JP
Sure. I got on a pasta kick earlier this year. It took a spaghetti-like approach to CONTINUUM, a dining table that interprets the folds in space in curving chromed tubes with a floating glass top. AL DENTE is a stiffer concept of space-density as hundreds of tightly-packed chromed rods quickly disperse to from one end to the other as they support a glass for a series of tables.
GHD
You mentioned in your talk at the Veranda Award that you look at all sorts of web based information sources: design and art blogs, travel blogs, as well as other resources. What on the web do you find most useful and exciting and compelling? How are these things helpful to you in your creative process or in other ways?
JP
I frequent design blogs for visual cues that will stimulate some tangent idea that may become a design. It’s difficult for any creative person to describe how an idea comes to them but visual stimulus—in my case looking at beautiful objects, cars, jewelry, architecture, interiors—is the pool that I tap into.
GHD
In what directions are you taking your business (as in new products, or anything else new?)
JP
I have a lot of work to do on the fabrication end of things. I have a great resource in my family business, The Phillips Collection (www.phillipscollection.com), where I am able to work with existing manufacturer relations to cultivate my designs. After a very successful furniture exhibition in High Point we are working on extensive collections for private label, as well as some new hotel projects on the interior design side of our business. Marrying Jason Phillips Design seamlessly into Phillips Collection is one of my main priorities for 2010.
GHD
Are there designs on the table that you’re particularly excited about?
JP
The ones I have yet to conceive. I am confident in my creative process so I know my best work is still ahead of me. That being said, I look forward to introducing CONTINUUM and AL DENTE later this year for immediate sale and distribution, as well as some others that I’ll give you a sneak peek at; MAP, COBALT, PENDING, and my 2010 Accessory Collection, GENIE, BUBBLE, and BANDITS.
GHD
Where would you like to see the Phillips Collection and Jason Phillips Design a few years from now?
JP
As a more recognizable brand to the public. I would love to be involved in projects that are both significant from a design and an environmental standpoint. We have long been leaders in sustainable practices, but to work towards even greater strides forward on that front needs to be a priority for all companies in our industry. ♦
Visit Jason Phillips’ web site at www.jasonphillipsdesign.com
