We were lucky to catch up with Preston Gaines recently and have shared our conversation below.

Preston, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Le Fleur Lounge Chair, I would say, has definitely held influence throughout my work thus far. The first iteration of the lounge chair was completed while I was still in college, but it continues to serve as a source of inspiration even to this day. With both depth and simplicity, the design reinforces the connection between man-made and natural elements through deconstructive, interactive, and innovative processes. I have continued to reuse the original floral pattern of the vinyl chair, and it has become my artistic signature!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am an artist, architect, biophilic/industrial designer, who is deeply invested in the legacy of Houston’s built environment and its inhabitants’ connection to the Earth and nature. My work raises questions about our collective experience and imagines radical possibilities for the future of design. I seek to manifest the hidden properties of nature through technology, with the intention of learning and re-establishing our connection to the archetypes of nature, art, and science. I have designed immersive light experiences, minimalist flat-pack furniture, Houston skyscrapers, multi-sensory botanical installations, and have also hosted a number of community activations. I have felt a deep, personal affinity for geometry, plants, and the concept of harmonic resonance, which led me to begin my practice in pursuit of a better understanding of nature.

Inanimate Nature began out of an interest in understanding human perception; how our mind interprets the world. It could be said that all visual artworks create illusion. Paintings, drawings, and photographs attempt to present a visually identifiable reality, relying on light to perceive that reality. I wanted the viewers to be able to not only perceive the mass and physicality of the elements that make up the illusion, but also interact with them.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Grants and Community Art Organizations have definitely been the biggest resource in me obtaining my current level of success.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Many struggle in finding ways to cope with the “new normal.” My work allows visitors to slow down and become conscious of the things around them. As a result of simply observing this “contemplative space or works”, one is able to enter into a meditative state. While also creating a space for the community to actively learn and engage with the site specific programming. Art’s transformative power serves in protecting our legacy, preserving our past, educating our city and engaging our world by healing through a connection to nature. These interventions are not only important, but also necessary for recovery, healing, and development in our community, especially at a time where many of us feel a sense of disconnect from one another.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inanimatenature/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/