CELEBRATING 15
DESIGNER JILLIAN STRAKY SITS
DOWN WITH CELEBRITY DESIGNER
JONATHAN ADLER
LOOKING BACK AT THE
LAST 15 YEARS In the
last 15 years, I’ve had
an explosion of access
to different materials,
and traveled around the
world. I began as a potter,
and have been given the
opportunity to work with so
many artisans and incredible
materials. My biggest
accomplishment over the
past 15 years has been
maintaining my creativity
and hunger to create!
THE NEXT 15 YEARS If I
could have a 15 year supply
of any one thing, I would
pick a 15 year supply of
weather that would allow me
to go paddle boarding more
often. Another thing I’d love
to do more of in the next 15
years would be large-scale
public sculptures. I’ve had
the opportunity to do large
scale work and I think that
would be exciting. I would
love to design a car as well!
LOW DOWN ON TRENDS
When looking at the best
and worst trends of the
past 15 years, the maker’s
movement is really exciting
to me. I am a maker, and
I really love that this is
so prevalent now. I don’t
like taxidermy, it really
makes me sad. I don’t
like smartphones as they
have ruined my life! I don’t
like things in moderation.
Instagram has made
everything “extra.” It has
made everyone an art
director and I think that’s
great! I really feel I am
a maximal minimalist.
In product design, I’m a
minimalist. I create simple
clean lines that are paired
down. But in design I like
things “extra.” I can’t help
but put layers and layers of
great stuff together!
BEIGE OR NO BEIGE?
Beige was the go-to neutral
in 2005. I like neutrals!
People think I’m all about
zany color, but I actually
use color sparingly. As far
as color goes, I’m having a
lavender moment right now,
but I would have to say that
my favorite go-to color is
turquoise.
MY FAVORITE JONATHAN
ADLER PRODUCT
I really like my Atlas
vase. Another favorite of
mine is my gilded Muse
pottery. - Jonathan Adler, www.
jonathanadler.com, Jillian Straky,
www.housewears.ca