Here’s an example by Frank Tjepkema, owner of a Dutch design studio.  It reminds me of the classic ‘Kabientjes’ found on the Dutch and Belgian coast (white wooden beach cabins for storing your beach chairs and umbrellas, kids toys etc).

This, however, is a retreat designed to be lived in.  Isolée, as it is christened, relies on intelligent technology and clever design (the heating system, the solar energy system, the way huge shutters that span the length of the building can open and close) to integrate harmoniously with its environment.  But it clearly isn’t camouflaged as nature either – it’s making a statement, one that reminds me of a childhood spent on a northern beach.

“I seek to create a body of work that reflects contemporary society, the times we live in. These pieces can have a certain irony yet are created with love for the subject.”

“A road movie directed by Swedish based directors Teddy Goitom and Benjamin Taft, Stocktown X South Africa takes viewers beyond the stereotypical stories coming out of South Africa.

The documentary introduces heavy metal band Ree-Burth, Soweto style-setters Smarteez and Gazelle, the inventor of the Limpop music genre, capturing the creative energy and street vibes of Johannesburg and Capetown.”

The Halo light, for example, is a project about fellowship. Basically they gave a straight brass bar to a few friends and connections, and asked them to try bend it into a perfect circle. That’s almost impossible to do without creating a lot of distortions and imperfections, but most succeeded in creating something circular. They then hung the distorted circles around a simple light fitting to ‘hold space’ as it were.  A simple object, but it clearly expresses something interesting and very human. I like it. And I certainly agree with their observation (below) that people are engaged in ever stranger vocations. Liberating thought that.

How did the two of you meet and figure out you could work together?

We met while studying and got along reasonably well but only thought to start something many years later

What’s Cape Town like as a place to live & work?

Right now its very hot. We need better blinds. It sort of feels like the quality of the work that we do has a lot to do with the quality of the relationships that you have with everyone around you. Contrary to popular opinion, we find it fast paced.

Any tips/advice for other creatives who want to start out on their own?

The first thing that springs to mind is that people seem to be engaged in stranger and stranger vocations. Having predetermined ideas about what it means to be a designer could be very limiting.

Where do you find inspiration? Any guiding principles for your work?

I think that we set an initial course and then rethink things as we go. We aim to ultimately make decisions based on finding meaning but do sometime get swept up in the pace of things.

Group photos below by Paul Ward.

Why did you start in furniture design? And why the interest in rattan material?

Furniture design and especially working with rattan material has always been my passion. Rattan is a typically Indonesian material but unfortunately the industry is struggling lately.  Many rattan furniture manufacturers have had to close. I’m trying to show the potential of the material by focusing on really striking design. I think I’m really blessed to live in an emerging design country that has an abundance of great materials.

Can you tell us a little about your work process and method?

I usually start out by exploring the character of the material that I am going to use, and the possible techniques that can be applied.  Also it is important to understand the design objective, especially in terms of the target market.  Once settled on that I start to do  and also the possible technique to explore the materials. It is really important as well to sketches and 3D visualizations before taking further step on manufacturing the prototype.

What is a typical day like for you? How do you organise your days?

In my workspace, I mostly do designing and all the necessary preparations for the prototype productions (technical drawing, 1 to 1 scale drawing, etc.). And when all of these are set, then I am off to the manufacturing company to produce my designs.

“Design is always about creating a bond between aesthetic value, work process, craftsmanship and the material itself.”

Do you enjoy your work? Why? What exactly makes it all worth it?

Totally! All of the processes are totally worthwhile! It is a non-stop learning process each time I create something. From learning the characteristics of a material, learning the production techniques from craftsmen, and the most important thing is receiving feedback from consumers. It is satisfying to know that someone really appreciates my work.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Everything around me. For me, design is always about creating a bond between aesthetic value, work process, craftsmanship and the material itself. By combining these aspects, I believe a designer can add value to their designs, but also create a story for each product that they created.

Can you tell us a little about your workspace – how have your organised your workspace to create a stimulating work environment?

A table with sketchbook, pen, computer, a cup of coffee and music from Pure Saturday, The Temper Trap, Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead and Muse.

What sort of skills do you need to do your work?

Non-stop imagination!

Do you have one tip for other aspirant creatives?

Realize your ideas! Don’t stop only in your mind. Take further steps to make it real.

Hi Tim, what is New Zealand like as a place to do your work?

NZ is a great place to work. The architecture is unique and world class, the sites are terrific and the people engaged and relaxed all at the same time.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

The start of all projects are influenced by the individual site, client, brief and budget. Personally I’ve always had a love of mid-century modernist architects such as Craig Elwood, Marcel Bruer, Pierre Koenig, Richard Nuetra etc.

What sort of skills do you need to do your work?

The main skill is seeing a project in its entirety, from the concept design stage. The concept informs all other decisions to be made on a project. Often we refer back to little scribbles in notebooks to confirm materials etc.

How do you keep focused on doing something unique, creative & true to yourself?

By having as much fun as possible and not taking yourself too seriously. Keeping an open mind and embracing new ideas.

Why did you make the leap to independent entrepreneurship? 

It was always my aim to set up my own shop so that I could work on my own designs and see them become reality when built.

What is a typical day like for you?

Morning at home with the family, drop my son at his primary school, get to work and have coffee, catch up with the team and get cracking with some work! Home in the evening, hopefully in time to see the kids, then dinner with my wife and some relaxing time.

“Have as much fun as possible and don’t take yourself too seriously”

Do you enjoy your work? Why?

Love my work. I love setting (theoretically!) my own timeframes, and having control (theoretically!) of my time. I love seeing the designs we come up with getting built and forming relationships with our clients.

Do you have one tip for other aspirant creatives & entrepreneurs?

Enjoy what you do first and foremost. Life is too short to spend time doing things you don’t like doing.

All photography by Emma-Jane Hetherington

Quite a career switch Nils, is this what you really wanted in your career? Is this what you’re passionate about?
When I opened up Parlour Coffee, I didn’t care if I was going to take a pay cut from my prior career – the sole reason for running my shop is not necessarily to make money, so I feel a certain freedom to stay true to myself because I’m not that worried about the bottom line – I think passion is contagious, if I keep my passion alive we should stay in business.

So how did you become an entrepreneur? 

From a young age I’ve had an entrepreneurial spirit, whether it was making and selling toys in elementary school, or collecting empty beer bottles. I tend to enjoy being busy and my interests would often turn into small businesses. Graphic design and photography began as a hobby and turned into freelance work for me. My only formal training is from the faculty of architecture at the university of Manitoba which helped me get a job doing product design and development.

Do you enjoy your work? Why? What exactly makes it all worth it?

I enjoy my work. I enjoy it because I get to live out a plan and vision that has been in my head for years. Seeing people enjoy and interact with this idea makes it all worth it.

Can you tell us a little about the space – how have your organised it to create a stimulating environment?

Parlour occupies 420 square feet on Main Street in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District. Large windows facing Main Street fill the space with natural daylight all day long and the space is organized according to the flow of a customer. Take in the space, proceed to order, follow your drink as it’s being made, pick up, leave. We work in a line from left to right and we enjoy our tools.

“Good enough is never good enough”

What is a typical day like for you? How do you organise your days?

A typical day for me now that I run my own coffee shop starts with sipping multiple espressos and calibrating our grinders / machines to ensure we are making delicious drinks. I don’t feel like I organize my days anymore, the business dictates what my days are like.

Can you tell us a little about your work process and method?

I’m highly organized, and enjoy research. I catalog my research for potential future reference but I find that my creativity is born out of passion / necessity.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Inspiration for me is found in problem solving / necessity, as well as traveling and encountering new environments / people

What sort of skills do you need to do your work?

Social skills, organizational skills, stamina, patience, and an open mind.

Do you have one tip for other aspirant creative entrepreneurs?

Do your best in every single area of your project / business. A prof of mine had a saying that really stuck with me – “Good enough is never good enough.”

Photo credits Matthew Sawatzky / http://www.mzsphoto.ca

How did you start out on your own? My side work grew to the point where I didn’t have a choice but to leave the full-time job.

What is a typical day like for you?  A typical day will consist of around 60% programming, 40% responding to emails. phone calls, meetings, proposals, etc. I tend to focus much better at night, so I’ll sleep in and work through the night at least a couple days a week. I realized very quickly that I get a lot more done at 2am than 2pm!

Do you enjoy your work? I enjoy my work because I love creating products. I also enjoy using technology to address inefficiencies in all sorts of other industries.

Where do you find inspiration for your work? I read a lot of different tech articles and blogs from companies that I admire. 37signals is definitely on the top of that list – I’ve read ‘Rework’ multiple times and look to them for guidance on how to run my business.

What sort of skills do you need to do your work? Aside from the technical skills, communication skills are a must. Diligence is also very important; it’s very easy to get lazy with nobody constantly looking over your shoulder.

“Look for an inefficiency that clever software could fix”

Do you have one tip for other aspirant entrepreneurs? Spend your time on the projects you enjoy doing, and don’t be afraid to say no to (or outsource) a project that you won’t enjoy.

Hello Mike, tell us how you became an artist?

Not really sure, I used to teach elementary art 1-6 for a few years. Somewhere around my fourth year I seemed to want to spend more time in the studio, and that is when I applied to UW Madison for graduate school. Since then I guess I have been working non-stop on art projects.

Do you enjoy your work? Why?

I do, I worry it is because it is all I know how to do at this point. I think the majority of my enjoyment comes from the fact that most days are different and I am always working on something new.

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

The majority of my inspiration come from pop culture (tv and films) , literature, and art history.

How do you keep focused on doing something unique, creative & true to yourself?

Like I said earlier, I am not sure there is anything else I know how to do at this point. I am sort of stuck making odd sculptures.

What sort of skills do you need to do your work?

Basic woodworking skills/carpentry, probably the equivalent of woodshop two in high school would get you to where I am at.

“Work as much as you can, read as much as you can, see as much as you can, and try to have fun while doing it.”

What is a typical day like for you?

It is more of a typical week. On Monday and Tuesday I usually work at my studio from 9-1, and then I work from 2-10 at NU’s department of Art Theory and Practice as a lab technician/instructor. Wednesday and Thursday are 9-5 at NU, and I usually try to catch up on art paperwork/emails and housework in the evening. Friday and Saturday are 9-5 studio days. Friday nights are usually spent going to gallery openings, and Saturday night is usually date night. Sunday I work 12-6 at NU, and usually spend the evening watching tv.

Do you have one tip for other aspirant creatives?

Work as much as you can, read as much as you can, see as much as you can, and try to have fun while doing it.

Hello Emily, can you tell us how you made the leap to independent entrepreneurship? 

I worked in art museums before stumbling upon and falling in love with Industrial Design.  Design offered the perfect way to combine my background of research and writing and experience in the art world with my love for getting my hands dirty.  Like exhibitions, design is a means of telling stories visually – stories of individuals and communities, materials and processes. After finishing graduate school, I had a few opportunities to work on my own as well as with a small team and decided to take the leap.  These combined experiences provided the means to explore research projects as well as art-based work.

What is a typical day like for you?

On a typical day I get up early and get to work – mornings are a productive time.  My studio is in my basement so it’s easy to get a jumpstart on the day.  Every day is different which I love.  I’m always working on a few different projects at once, self-generated and team-based.  Most days are a mix of making, research (on-line or in person), administration, shipping, and a Skype chat with the team.  There’s usually also some running around involved to pick up supplies and inventory.  It’s always a good blend of computer and hands-on work, reaching out to clients and customers, and also my own time to produce.

Do you enjoy your work? Why?

I love all things art and design.  Industrial Design provides the opportunity to learn about different materials, processes, areas of interest, and people.  I’m always learning and always striving to make something that makes a difference and/or makes people smile.  I feel very fortunate to be doing what I love and to be working with people who inspire me and teach me daily.  The only trouble with working on your own is learning how to stop working.  It’s both a blessing and a curse: to be doing what you love, but never knowing quite how to turn it off.

 ”Design is a means of telling stories visually”

Where do you find inspiration for your work?

I find inspiration from design collaborators and friends, clients, found materials, walking my dogs… anywhere really.  I had a professor in graduate school who told our sleepless class to pick our heads up and take a walk.  It is often hard to remember to step away and create some distance, but it’s necessary see things from all angles: sometimes you need to step back in order to get closer to a solution.  I also find inspiration from the people around me.  My mother is an anthropologist and archaeologist and my father was a doctor and tinkerer, their interests framed the groundwork for my curiosity about people and my perspective on design.  And my husband is a great source for ideas, he loves brainstorming and dreaming up crazy undertakings as much as I do.

How do you keep focused on doing something unique, creative and true to yourself?

I keep focused by working on a diverse range of projects at a variety of scales – both client-based and self-generated.  This combination of experiences and opportunities makes for a well balanced and never boring workweek.  I find that I need to push myself beyond my comfort zone and know that I can seek advice when needed and find solutions in a variety of ways.  I have the support of an excellent team and strong community and access to any number of makers and contractors.  Having questions gives me the chance to reach out to others and learn about new areas of interest.

What sort of skills do you need to do your work?

I’m not exactly sure where it came from or when it started but I find I have the willingness to jump in and take risks.  I enjoy learning to work with different materials and getting lost in the process.  I also work with a small team of designers (helloweare.com) and have access to a network of collaborators; I find it is impossible to design alone.  And I have the willingness to work around the clock.  I’m getting better at setting hours, but I do love working so nights and weekends are fair game.

Do you have one tip for other aspirant creative entrepreneurs?

Love what you do.  And find a community of people with similar interests and goals whom you can share ideas (and gripes) with.  Community is key.