Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett Olivieri.
Hi Brett, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a small town in Connecticut with one quant little gas station and a whole lot of trees and rivers. I spent so many hours in the woods exploring and making things with my brother Brandon. We even found a little quartz quarry not too far from our house and we would go crazy over the fact that they were real and occurred naturally. I mean there were piles of crystals that grew in the sediment in the woods! How wizardly and fantastical. Even as an adult, I look back on that and think how magical it was and I’m very grateful for being able to have those experiences. I always think how these experiences might have developed the way I look at the world around me day to day. I believe the place we feel the most comfortable relates back to where we grew up and where our senses developed. In a way, I haven’t stopped exploring and am still metaphorically looking for crystals even while I have lived in cities for most of my adult life.
I recently moved to Miami from Portland, OR and where I studied Graphic Design, Illustration and played in bands. Now, I work for a experimental bookstore/studio called EXILE books as a designer and often work in a fabrication studio called Miami Design Shop. Moving forward, I’m working on opening a design business/lab called Studio Pal which I’m very excited about sharing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Well, I definitely feel fortunate for a lot of aspects of my life but I think one thing that I and many artists struggle with is self-doubt, overthinking and being our own most intense critic. I think art can be so freeing because you can literally create anything you want, with only the restraints we create for ourselves over time. It takes a lot of focus and dedication to develop a rhythm, voice or style. I like to compare this point in this process to our teenage years or the awkward phase when you’re worried about your zits, the clothes you wear, and you’re trying to fit into what others are doing. Before you fully believe in what you’re doing – there’s a phase at the beginning of your exploration in art where you care too much what others think and when creating becomes more diluted with those paralyzing thoughts of “why am I doing this?” “Why should I be able to make Art while there are so many overwhelming problems in the world.” and “I’m too old, Picasso was a prodigy and Michael Jackson was born into music.” These thoughts take work to get past and over time, they are actually very helpful in directing your energy. I find usually the things you’re most insecure about are the things you are most passionate and care about. Like a zit, you learn to play around it and not cover it up because it’s inevitable and natural. It’s really just the act of growing. I think it’s also very important to be around people and other artists that are supportive and have gone through the same thoughts and challenges.
These thoughts often block us from doing or starting anything and keep us frozen in the “safe-zone.” Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I think everyone has in inner creative ability and the world would be a better place if we were to encourage people from a young age that art can be a way of life and a really fulfilling addition to it. Often, there can be a lot of pushback when you’re trying to do something different than the norm or branch out and some people like to keep you in their “expectation box.” This is actually becomes one of the most powerful and directive tools when making art. I think this elitist mindset in art sometimes makes people feel like creativity is a personality trait and it’s separate from their capabilities as a human. I think design and art should be all-inclusive and it’s really exciting to see that there is a shift nowadays to this idea of “everybody’s artist.” kind of like a folk art revival.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I think my work bridges the gap between art and design. I started my career as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator, and I worked for a few big companies as a full-time employee and as a freelancer. However, after a while I got tired of “marketing” and wanted to start making my own “products.” I put this in quotes because I think what I make is more of art product and a philosophy. Through simple materials and forms, my work portrays philosophy about how I view life and things we consume. I think art is so interesting because it’s like alchemy of material, the things I see people doing with ceramics around me is amazing and it all starts from a delicious buttery block of clay. I keep my materials simple. If I’m working with aluminum, how do I make the thing entirely out of aluminum? If I’m working with wood, how do I make this thing entirely out of wood and not use any screws or fasteners of another material.
I think I had this “AHA” moment when I was working in the footwear industry and I saw how shoes were made out of so many different materials. I thought it was a little unnecessary. When those products and many other products are no longer of use to us, they are almost impossible to recycle. Consequently, I wanted to simplify my work and make it waste manageable.—please try not to throw out my work 🙂
I think what I’m most proud of at the moment are the shelves I’m creating. I am using one piece of bent aluminum to create the entire shelf and they are very sturdy and visually pleasing. I think what gets me the most excited is when philosophy can inform my art. Then it ends up working out magically. I’m also a musician so you can find the energy and rhythm of music in my work as well. Especially in these shelves. Looking at them now, they almost resemble abstract notes.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
When I’m not making things, I love spending time exploring outdoors. Whether that’s on my bike in a city or in nature, it’s kind of the same to me. In every place I’ve lived, I have used my bike as a vessel for exploration and it’s amazing how different it is when you’re not traveling in a car and you can just pull over and check out that weird plant you passed or that chair you saw in the free pile. I love traveling as well, getting lost in a new city and losing your ego/identity. I think overall, freedom and feeling open and unrestrained make me happy. Exploring and being inspired creatively go hand in hand for me.
Contact Info:
- Email: bo@bolivieri.com
- Website: bolivieri.com
- Instagram: @ohhellobo @studiopal_
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/brett-olivieri
Image Credits
Beatriz Chachamovits
