We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hector Bernal (BLAKDES.S) a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hector, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

Part of me sometimes wishes I could have started my creative career sooner. But I am beginning to see that I started just in time. If I would have stated sooner, I would have not been able to experience the creative awakening during those years where I was trying to figure it all out.

I had just graduated into a recession in 2009 and I had no clue how to make furniture other than I knew I wanted to make furniture. I was too worried trying to find a job and start my career in design. No stable employment, all the time in the world, and with enough youth and adrenaline for life my creativity escalated.

If I had started out “sooner” I would perhaps have ended up being a boring, predictable designer, because I followed the rules. If I would have started out later than I did, I could have become somewhat of an exciting designer but with no spark to keep me going. I would have played it too safe. I started out during a time when everything was exciting for me, where breaking the rules drove me to a vast amount of creativity, where I was young enough to stay up so late exploring the city and navigate it with a lot of curiosity. It was just a different energy.

Hector, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I graduated from San Diego State University with an Interior Design Degree. I wanted to design nigh clubs, restaurants, you know; all the fun stuff. I did not end up in the design program by accident. I am naturally a very technical person. My father is an engineer, so I inherited that part. I have always been great with my hands and working with tools and machinery. Of course, I always found a way to make fun creative things. Interior Design was great, but I had a need for instant gratification – Furniture provided that for me. It was creative, almost instantaneous, and not a whole lot of restrictions.

As I got older, I decided to embark on this entrepreneurial road. Working for some of the best commercial furniture companies in San Diego, gave me enough courage to try this on my own. I am glad I took a risk because I find myself enjoying this a lot. From furniture, it became retrofits, then odd one of a kind applications, pretty soon I was offering more than a place to sit, I was offering a selection of solution base options for just about anything having to do with fixtures, furniture, and purpose driven applications. This allowed to my raise my hand for any problems anyone needed solved and in turn has helped me become successful. I believe this sets me apart from other makers, because I am more than just “cool furniture” I can fabricate the solution as well.

I am proud of a lot of things, but I am most proud that I know the majority of the time I am going to be the person to figure it out. I owe this to my lineage of makers, fabricators, engineers, and masterminds. I simply owe this to my family. If there is anything I want my clients and fans to know is that I am driven to fix it, I am determine to design the next hit, and when it comes making it your own, I am the man to do it.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

When I started out, I simply wanted to be well known and even kind of famous. But this changed as I got older. What I really wanted was to be able to be a name brand that is known for a good quality product. I want to be known as a person that provides great insight into the needs and wants of my clients, and as the person who can get it done no matter the challenge.

My goal has changed a bit recently soon after I got married to my wife Angie. We are hoping to have a baby this year and it got me thinking: “which one of my kids will take after me? Which one will be the creative one?” My ultimate goal besides becoming a successful designer, a profitable business owner, or even famous (whatever that means these days) is to leave behind a legacy, to lead the next generation of creatives into the right direction, and to possibly one day train one my own children to become notable designer. Whatever they chose to do, I hope it is because I inspired them and I hope to have the opportunity to nurture that talent within them.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

From the many rewarding aspects there is to being a creative artist/ designer, I think the most rewarding is being the owner of my own mind and ideas. The fact I can produce hundreds of ideas, sketches, designs etc, and the excitement that comes with not knowing exactly what you will come up with next, but you know it is going to be very good.

Every day, week, month, and year is the same process – what will I produce this time? The process to get there is arduous, fulfilling, contradicting, but so deeply satisfying when you do finally reach your destination. This is the only time I chose to suffer voluntarily. The reward is simply great.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.blakdess.com
• Instagram: blakdess

Image Credits
Henry Arroyo