采訪檔案 | Sean Woolsey
美國南加州 | 藝術家、家具設計師、工匠
來自加利福尼亞的肖恩·伍爾西設計的作品激發了我們的興趣，他製作的家具和遊戲桌（推圓盤遊戲桌和乒乓球桌）都是手工製作，而且受到日本侘寂美學（侘寂是日本美學意識的一個組成部分，一般指的是樸素又安靜的事物。）的影響。他的工作室成立於2011年，其產品組合不斷發展，其設計重點是手工製作，經久耐用。在本期采訪中，我們前往加利福尼亞州陽光明媚的科斯塔梅薩，來到肖恩的工作室，探索這個新空間，看看他的工作是如何運行的。
The work of California-born Sean Woolsey has piqued our interest for a few years now with his impeccably crafted furniture and gaming tables (shuffleboard and ping pong) that are handmade and guided by the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi. Founded in 2011, the studio’s portfolio continues to grow with design-focused pieces that are handcrafted and built to last for generations to come. For this month’s Where I Work, we head to sunny Costa Mesa, California to the Sean Woolsey Studio to explore the relatively new space and to see how things work.
首先，你的典型工作風格是怎樣的呢？
First of all, What is your typical work style?
自從有了小孩，我就有了一個相當有條不紊的工作時間表，周一至周五每天朝九晚六，包括午餐時間。有時午餐後也鍛煉。我過去常常工作到深夜，周末也是如此，但現在休息時間與工作時間平衡了很多。擁有更多的正常工作時間是很好的，可以使我生活過得有條理。一般在早上，我完成我所有的電腦工作，然後吃午飯，在下午設計模型，然後晚上在家做更多的電腦工作。
Ever since having a kid, I have had a pretty regimented M-F work schedule of 9-6 with lunch in there somewhere. Sometimes a workout at lunch, too. I used to work super late into the night, and on the weekends, but am more balanced now. Having more normal hours has been good, and pushed me into a consistency. Usually, in the morning I hammer out all my computer work, then have lunch and try and design/prototype in the afternoons, and then more computer work at home for a bit in the evening.
你的工作室環境怎麼樣？
What’s your studio/work environment like?
我喜歡非常幹淨和有條理的工作環境，它可以讓我的思維更有條理，做事更有效率。在工作室，每樣東西都有一個可以放置的地方。我們工作室的自然采光很棒，這邊天氣也很棒。我們離海灘大約一英裏，所以衝浪是優先考慮的。我喜歡在有趣的工作氛圍中工作，可以讓我每天都充滿活力。
I like to have a pretty clean and structured place, it keeps my mind more organized and efficient. There is a place for everything. The natural lighting in our studio is great and the weather is awesome. We are about a mile from the beach, so surfing frequently is a priority. I like to have a fun atmosphere to work in, somewhere that I am pumped to go in every day.
你的空間區域是如何安排的？
How is your space organized/arranged?
我們的工作室分成幾個不同的區域——在前麵有一個展示室，後麵有兩個辦公室和木屋。我把一間辦公室租給一位珠寶設計師。我有一個大辦公室，可以進入展示室，又可以進入木工車間。最初，我的辦公室是由兩間辦公室組成，在建造期間，我們炸掉了中間的牆，在展示室中增加了一個大窗戶和一扇玻璃滑動門。
Our studio is broken up into a few different zones – we have a showroom in the front, two offices and our woodshop in the back. One office I rent out to a jewelry designer/maker. I have a large office that looks both into the showroom and into the woodshop. Originally, my office was two offices, and during construction, we blew out the center wall and added a large window and glass sliding door into the showroom.
我有一張桌子(用於所有模型尺寸的核對)和一張繪圖桌(僅用於模擬繪圖、草圖和設計)。在我的辦公室裏，有幾把椅子，一張睡床和一個書架，書架上擺滿了各種書籍、雜誌、樣品、織物和木材樣品等等。我的桌子後麵有一個很大的磁性白板，那是我的靈感板。我重新設計了一張舊帆來覆蓋天花板，並在上麵留了幾句名言。
I have a desk (used for all things digital), and a drafting table (reserved for only analog drawings, sketches, and designing). Also in my office, there are a couple of our chairs, a daybed (for naps) and a bookshelf filled with all kinds of books, magazines, samples, fabric and wood samples, etc. Also, I have a large magnetic whiteboard behind my desk that is my inspiration board. I repurposed an old sail to cover the ceiling and painted on some quotes.
你在這裏工作了多久？在那之前你在哪裏工作？
How long have you been in this space? Where did you work before that?
我們在2017年10月搬進了這個地方，我們在街對麵一家隻有工作室一半大小的商店裏待了將近6年。我們把所有的重型工具都推到街對麵，這是迄今為止最容易的行動。這個空間的建造花了大約一個月的時間。這個新空間在科斯塔梅薩有一段很酷的曆史。幾年前，整棟樓都是搞現代娛樂工作的(我曾經做過服裝品牌工作這個自由職業)，然後是在藝術家安迪•戴維斯的藝術工作室工作，最後幾年是在一個朋友的廣告公司。我一直很喜歡這棟樓，並告訴他，如果讓我知道他想搬出去，我就抓住這個機會到這裏工作。
We moved into this space Oct. of 2017 and we were directly across the street for almost 6 years in a shop half the size. It was the easiest move ever, we literally pushed all our heavy tools across the street. Construction in the space took about a month. This new space has a cool history in Costa Mesa. Years ago, the whole building housed Modern Amusement (a clothing brand that I once freelanced for), then there was surfer/artist Andy Davis’ art studio and then for the last few years a friend’s ad agency. I had always loved the building and told him that if he ever wanted to move out to let me know, so we jumped at the chance to take over the space.
你如何記錄想法?
How do you record ideas?
是的，我最近買了一個Rocketbook筆記本（一種智能筆記本），我很喜歡它。現在整個團隊都有了，這很可能是我買的最後一本。我喜歡在紙上寫字的感覺，喜歡所有東西都可以擦除的感覺，喜歡用他們的應用程序存儲頁麵的數字文件的感覺。
Yes, I recently bought a Rocketbook Notebook and am obsessed. Now the whole team has them, and it will most likely be the last notebook I ever buy. I love how it feels to write on the paper, that everything is erasable, and how you can use their app to store a digital file of the pages.
你有靈感板嗎？現在上麵有什麼？
Do you have an inspiration board? What’s on it right now?
有的，上麵是我們正在製作的產品圖片。
Yes, many inspirations, quotes, images and products that we have in the works.
你的創作過程和創作流程是什麼樣的？它是否改變了每一個項目，還是保持不變？
What is your creative process and/or creative workflow like? Does it change every project or do you keep it the same?
一般開始是先從我的筆記本上快速的畫出我的想法。然後挑選我最喜歡的造型，並找出設計得不夠精致的細節。然後我會在紙上畫出完整的尺寸，並在需要時修改。下一步是用廉價木材建造一個全尺寸的模型。然後在修改一下。最後，我們在最終決定的材料中進行完整設計，再進行攝影，並推出產品。在有些時候，我們也會製作一個Sketchup模型。
It usually starts by drawing quick ideas in my notebook. Then picking what I like best, and figuring out the rough details of the design. Then I move to full scale on paper and will revise when needed. Next is to build a full-size prototype in cheap wood. Then rework the kinks. Lastly, we build the design in the final material, do a photoshoot, and launch the product. At some point, in there we also make a Sketchup model.
什麼樣的藝術/設計/物品可能散落在空間裏？
What kind of art/design/objects might you have scattered about the space?
在展示室裏，有我們的作品，還有我的一些藝術品。在木作坊裏，幾乎所有地方都有工具，但都擺放得沒有條理。
In the showroom, obviously our pieces, and some of my art. In the woodshop, mostly tools everywhere, but in semi-organized sort of way, haha.
你的空間裏有工具和機器嗎？
Are there tools and/or machinery in your space?
嗯，有很多。典型的木工工具，如木工刨床、台鋸、台鋸工作台、手工工具、鑽床、等。我最喜歡的是兩台1940年代的鑽床，是我妻子爺爺的，然後傳到我手裏。
Yes, lots. Typical woodworking tools like a bandsaw, jointer/planer, table saw, routers, router table, workbenches, hand tools, drill press, table saw etc. A couple of my favorites are the 1940’s drill press from my wife’s grandpa and my hand tools.
在設計過程中你最喜歡使用什麼工具？
What tool(s) do you most enjoy using in the design process?
我很喜歡自動鉛筆，並收藏了很多。對於設計，我喜歡使用我的Rocketbook, Sketchup，最重要的是可以在店裏自己親自動手設計。
I am obsessed and have quite a collection of mechanical pencils. As for designing, I enjoy using my Rocketbook, Sketchup and most of all being in the shop getting my hands dirty.
讓我們談談你有哪些技術裝備，還有你是如何使用它們的？
Let’s talk about how you’re wired. Tell us about your tech arsenal/devices.
有蘋果筆記本和一台iPhone。還有我們店裏做的一套以MasterDynamic耳機設備為主的揚聲器。
MacBook Pro and monitor plus an iPhone. And a good set of speakers that we made in the shop. MasterDynamic headphones for full focus.
你使用什麼設計軟件？
What design software do you use, if any, and for what?
Sketchup, Adobe Suite，和Ommwriter。
Sketchup, Adobe Suite, and Ommwriter
你桌子上現在有什麼？
What’s on your desk right now?
筆記本電腦，揚聲器，鉛筆，水，筆記本電腦，手機。
Laptop, speakers, pencils, water, notebook, phone.
你有最喜歡的項目或作品嗎?
Is there a favorite project/piece you’ve worked on?
我通常更喜歡過程而不是結果。這在某種意義上是好事，因為我一直在尋找下一個挑戰。然而，我卻很容易感到無聊，厭倦了一遍又一遍地做同樣的事情。我最近最喜歡的一件作品是我們的台球桌，它是花很多時間設計出來的。幾年前，當我第一次接觸木工時，我還做了一把圓錐形的椅子(由George Nakashima設計)，我真的很喜歡這把椅子，因為它代表了我製作過程中的很多東西，教會了我很多關於木工的知識。它作為一個項目，在設計和建造我們的新空間時真的很有趣。我們在一個月內就完成了，這簡直是很不可思議，所有的事情都是我們自己做的。我喜歡和空間打交道，決定如何使用它，決定如何讓它變得有趣，並使其功能最大化。
Hmmm. I usually enjoy the process more than the outcome. Which in a sense is good, because I am always looking for the next challenge. However, I get bored easily and tired of making the same thing over and over. My favorite piece recently would be our pool table, which took a lot of head-scratching and engineering. I also made a Conoid chair (designed by George Nakashima) when I first got into woodworking years ago, and really like that piece, as it represents a lot in my journey. That was the piece that taught me the most about woodworking. As a project, designing and building out our new space has been really fun. We did it in a month which was nuts, and we did everything ourselves. I love to work with space and decide how it should be used, how to make it fun to work in, and maximize its functionality.
你覺得自己成功了嗎？是什麼讓你覺得自己已經成功了？是在什麼時刻/環境下？或者需要做什麼才能到達那種成就？
Do you feel like you’ve made it? What has made you feel like you’ve become successful? At what moment/circumstances? Or what will it take to get there?
隻有告訴自己你是成功的，你才算成功。我喜歡向成功邁進，不想半途而廢。安逸是偉大的敵人。我喜歡挑戰失敗，努力工作，永不厭倦。我試著慶祝生活中的小勝利，每天的成功都讓我的心情更加開朗。
You are only as successful as you tell yourself you are. I like to ride the fence of success, halfway there and halfway not. Comfort is the enemy of greatness. I like the challenge of being the underdog, and working hard to get there, and never being bored. I do try and celebrate the small victories of life, the everyday successes as that brightens my mood and the atmosphere in general.
告訴我們你正在做的一個項目吧。它背後的靈感是什麼？
Tell us about a current project you’re working on. What was the inspiration behind it?
我們下一步要設計的是在一個適用於在小空間的落葉式餐桌。它很容易裝運，也可以放在一個小空間，當有兩個以上的人用餐時，它可以活動轉換大小。幾個月前，我在Craigslist上買了一輛古董車，我喜歡它的可塑性，我相信我們能做出一輛許多人都會喜歡的新車。
We are next working on a drop leaf dining table for small spaces. It will be easy to ship, and easy to have in a small space, yet easily convert when there are more than two of you at the table. I bought a vintage one a few months ago on Craigslist and I love the adaptability of it and am confident that we can make a fresh one that many people will enjoy.
你家裏有什麼東西是你設計的嗎？
Do you have anything in your home that you’ve designed/created?
目前不多。我們有一張餐桌，但我把它送給了一個朋友。我為我們的房子做了很多定製的東西（比如酒吧、架子和一個放在洗碗機上的胡桃木大台麵）。櫥櫃是我在一年前製作的。
Not much at the moment. We had a dining table, but I gave it to a friend. I did a lot of custom pieces for our house (like a bar, shelving, and a large walnut countertop that goes over our dishwasher). And I made our credenza as a one-off years ago.
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Interview © designmilk
Photos © Lonnie Webb & Scott Snyder
