{"id":49723,"date":"2016-08-08T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-08T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uncommongoods.com\/?p=49723"},"modified":"2016-08-08T09:06:18","modified_gmt":"2016-08-08T13:06:18","slug":"this-just-inspiration-meet-avik-maitra-and-rich-moore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/2016\/this-just-inspiration-meet-avik-maitra-and-rich-moore\/","title":{"rendered":"This Just In-spiration: Meet Avik Maitra and Rich Moore"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Avik<\/a><\/p>\n

Our makers never fail to motivate us, encourage our creativity, and fill us with inspiration. So, when a new design<\/a> enters our assortment, we\u2019re always excited to learn more about the people behind the product.<\/p>\n

What gets an artist going and keeps them creating is certainly worth sharing, and every great connection starts with a simple introduction. Meet Rich Moore and Avik Maitra<\/a>, creators of\u00a0our new Free Form Bulletin Board<\/a> and\u00a0Magnetic Cutting Boards and Knife Rack<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Magnetic<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?<\/strong>
\nAvik<\/em>: I got my first job at Mattel at age sixteen, painting prototypes of the toys for the Pixar movie “A Bug’s Life.” Soon after spending that summer with toy designers, I decided to major in Product Design at Stanford, a combination of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design.<\/p>\n

Rich<\/em>: When I was in junior high, I saw a skate \u2018zine called \u201cLurch\u201d that made me realize that I want to design and make things. It was a revelation that people \u2014 young kids \u2014 could make their own thing. I made \u2018zines for a long time, which translated nicely into graphic design, which then translated nicely into architecture, which then translated somewhat nicely into product design.<\/p>\n

What was the most exciting thing about becoming a professional artist?<\/strong>
\nRich<\/em>: The ideas are always the most exciting part. The moment when you are pretty sure you have something that is smart, beautiful, useful \u2014 and that has never been done before\u2026the moment before the hard work begins.<\/p>\n

\"Avik<\/a><\/p>\n

What does your typical day in the studio look like?<\/strong>
\nAvik<\/em>: Most of my day is spent standing at the computer, designing and redesigning new products, communicating with our manufacturing partners in China, and the everyday nonsense that comes with being a small-business entrepreneur.<\/p>\n

Rich<\/em>: We have to schedule time to be creative; otherwise, every day would be consumed with email and crap work. We have regular times scheduled when we can\u2019t talk about housekeeping and talk only about new ideas.<\/p>\n

\"Avik<\/a><\/p>\n

Is there a trinket, talisman, or other inspirational object you keep near? If so, what is it and what does it mean to you?<\/strong>
\nAvik<\/em>: I have a good number of Lego Minifigures on my desk at home, and there’s always one on my keychain. It inspires me how they relate to each other in scale and with their blockish details, yet each one individually takes on a unique personality and identity.
\nRich<\/em>: No trinkets. I don\u2019t like anything on my desk or other horizontal surfaces, with the exception of a photo of my family. Other than that, I like art on the walls and clear surfaces everywhere else.<\/p>\n

Imagine you just showed your work to a kindergartner for the first time. What do you think they would say?<\/strong>
\nAvik<\/em>: They’d probably ignore everything I said and start swapping out body parts on Chimeras, our mix-and-match plush animals.<\/p>\n

What quote or mantra keeps you motivated?<\/strong>
\nRich<\/em>: A friend was looking at something and just telling me what she liked about it. I could sense there was something she wasn\u2019t telling me, so I said, \u201cIf you don\u2019t have anything negative to say, don\u2019t say anything at all.\u201d Since then, it has been a useful way to invite, and therefore, not be offended by criticism when creating something new.<\/p>\n

\"See<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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