A s a creative person myself, I am fascinated with what makes other like-minded types tick. Thanks for joining me today for an interview with local Interior Designer and Co-Owner of RISING Gallery, Bryan Wetz. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Bryan as I have shown at RISING, and am pleased to share that he is just as personable as he is talented and dedicated to being an arts advocate in the local community.
Name/Location Bryan Wetz
Business Name: 1: Studio Wetz (custom furniture)
2: Bryan Wetz Interiors
Inside Rising Gallery
4631 Insurance Lane
Dallas, TX 75205
(just off Knox)
Education
I hold an interior design degree from Oklahoma State University...and I love my Cowboys!
I'm originally from Midwest City, OK (a suburb of Oklahoma City). I moved to Dallas in 2002 and I'm here to stay.
Tell me about your work in one sentence.
My work is modern with a twist and always guaranteed to be original.
Describe your normal day.
Coffee to get me going. I'm an early bird so I like to get the day going and enjoy the sunlite as long as possible. It's off to the gallery for a day of design and project management. Being self-employed it's a constant pursuit of the next job and networking while trying to stay on top of the current job. I usually end the day with a brainstorm session with my brother at our art gallery. Then it's time to wind down....I love to cook and spend the evening with my wife.
The "ideal" day....I'd take my time enjoying my coffee and watching the news. I'd stroll into work and see the orders for my custom designs rolling in and see what needs to be filled that day. I'd sit down and start work on my "magnum opus". I'd be traveling a lot for shows I'm participating in, but when I'm in town, I'd end the day with some drinks with my favorite people. Then home for a good home-cooked meal and time with my wife. Someday soon I hope!!! :)
What are your passions?
Personally...I love my family and friends. They keep me going and push me when I need a push. I love to laugh and have a good time. I love listening to music and seeing good art and design in whatever form it comes. I love a good surprise!
Professionally...design, design, design. It's hard to create something that hasn't been done before. I try to create, not copy! It's a challenge to free my head of all the things I've seen before. I use it for inspiration only and try to come up something original. I want people to appreciate what I do by enjoying what they've purchased from me or enjoy the time they've spent in one of the environments I created. To be honest and original...
What are your goals?
I'm a provider by nature. I want to be remembered someday for the work I've done and know that I did it the best I could and in the process I want the people that work with me to know that they are taken care of and jobs are always secure. My ultimate goal is to know that I've done enough work to secure my future so I can spend more time doing the design I love and taking care of my family.
In some way I want to know that I left my mark on society in my own little way and people everyday will be enjoying it!
Who are your creative influences?
This could get lengthy...I'm inspired by architecture and many early designers. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Frank Lloyd Wright, Gerrit Reitveld, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto,Charles and Ray Eames, Finn Juhl, Eero Saarinen, and Isamu Noguchi...to name a few.
Are there any other relevant experiences that shaped who you are today and what you do?
I have an early memory that I always go back to that seemed to make a lasting impression on me. My church was having an arts and crafts fair when I was maybe a first grader. A church pastor was an artists and had a table set up where he would teach how to draw. I stayed at that booth for the whole fair. I copied a drawing of a windmill he had drawn. That was when I knew art was my future. I wanted to be a career artist, but in college I fell in love with furniture design. I mesh the two by approaching my design work as functional art!
How do you set the table for your muse?
Sitting at my drafting table (yes I design the old school way). Paper in front of me, pen/pencil in hand, good tunes in the background and pix of recent inspirations taped to the wall in front of me alongside my recent new designs that can always use an additional tweak! Now I'm ready!
Is there anyone that you really look up to as an inspiration?
I don't really get star struck or necessarily look up to anyone famous...I look up to people that make me laugh and put a smile on my face. My mom, who I lost in 1999, is a big inspiration to me. She saw my talents, and although she didn't always know what to do to guide me, she always encouraged me to keep pursuing my art and design. The most important life lesson I learned from her was "tomorrow is promised to no one" and b/c of that I try to make the most of each day.
What motivates you on a daily basis?
Good design, "out-of-the-box" thinking and ideas, music, and art! My true guilty pleasure is my Pearl Lite Latte from The Pearl Cup (extra shot of expresso is a must). I have a caffeine addiction I think! I must feed it!
What's your working style?
I like to multi-task. It makes the day go by fast. But when I start on new designs, I like to work on them for hours at a time.
What are your websites/social networking links?
Etsy: Bryan74
Facebook Fan Pages:
Studio Wetz
Bryan Wetz Interiors
-that's where you can find my work....I must let you know that I'm revamping both sites, so expect changes soon!!
I have a love/hate relationship with FB. I enjoy posting my new designs for everyone to see and always love the feedback, good or bad. Become friends with Studio Wetz and/or Bryan Wetz Interiors. I hate FB b/c it can easily suck you in and waste your time.
