Papercity

Some ideas are born of necessity. Others arrive via sudden inspiration. Many are fueled by a primal desire to bring something into being that didn’t exist before. Meet four men who subscribe to the latter sentiment. Question them about the creative aspects of their work, and they’ll mention artistry, integrity, authenticity …  and the importance of being commercially viable. This is self-expression without self-indulgence. Fortunately, that doesn’t keep these guys from acting on an impulse, even if it means getting their hands dirty. Here, they come clean about everything from irrational fears to what’s in their fridge. Just don’t expect any skincare tips.

Steve Brooks [Owner, The Wooden House] 

Following Steve Brooks in conversation is a bit like circumventing the globe on a rocket. By the time you’ve gained equilibrium, he has already referenced surf culture, Popular Science magazine, Jaipur and Hemingway. He’ll pause to order another beer, then segue into a story about the time he got jumped by a gang of street toughs in Spain … then, explain what makes a centuries-old Japanese pagoda withstand a natural disaster. Brooks may be impossible to pin down, but he leaves an impression. His Henderson Avenue store stocks pieces imported from all over the world, but it’s his affordably priced custom designs that resonate with fans of reclaimed American hardwoods. His overall aesthetic favors functionality over frills, but there’s no shortage of interesting details. “I like things with character and history,” he says. “That’s why my custom pieces work so well with my vintage imports. Everything has heart.”

Worst piece of advice I’ve ever taken: “Try the soup — the tomato soup in the front of the train is great!” I heeded this advice while on a buying trip in Northern India and subsequently found myself confined to my hotel room for days.

Best piece of advice I could give: Be able to take rejection, learn from it and move forward. 

Heaven on earth: Traveling with friends, experiencing new cultures and trying new foods. 

Constant crave: I am addicted to swimming.

Not in my abode: Cats. I’m a dog person all the way.

Always in my fridge: Avocados, salsa and chicken salad. While I wish I could, I really can’t cook.

Most underrated skill: Listening. I could do a little more of that. 

Most overrated virtue: Always doing what you’re told.

Adrenaline rush: Free diving for lobster and Hawaiian spearfishing. Nothing is better.

Buzz kill: Arrogance, entitlement and stupidity — which, coincidentally, go hand in hand.

First car: A blue Ford Explorer shared, somewhat begrudgingly, with my twin brother.

Last traffic ticket: Last summer driving along Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, my old stomping grounds. It was worth it.

First thing I bought with my own money: A Land Rover. 

First job: Hobie Sports, a surf shop in Newport Beach, my hometown. 

Hell on earth: Going too long without seeing my vizsla, Cayden.

Tom De Nolf  [Owner, Denolf Films]

For five years post-college, Tom De Nolf explored the rural Southeast, slept in his car and canvassed small towns for local eccentrics. The work may have been demanding, but the result was nine documentaries on folk art for PBS, friendships with some of the country’s best outsider artists and an enviable art collection of his own. After a stint as an assistant on Talking Heads frontman David Byrnes’ True Stories, De Nolf made the transition into commercial directing — the obvious choice for a man who describes himself as having a 30-second attention span. One of his best-known projects is a series of advertisements for the European shoe brand Humanic. Each blended style, humor, sexuality and, in one memorable instance, the kind of bondage most recently associated with Fifty Shades of Grey. In short, De Nolf gravitates toward projects that win awards in Europe but raise eyebrows at the Federal Communications Commission. Most recently, his knowledge of art, movie making and the business of both landed him work on an independent film in Los Angeles starring Ed Harris, Annette Bening and Robin Williams, produced by his friend Bonnie Curtis of Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan fame. All in all, the project boasts more than 20 Academy Award nominations amongst cast and crew, and is considered a top contender at next year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Best piece of advice I could give: Illegitimi non carborundum.
Irrational fear: There’s not another surprise around the next corner.
 

Worst piece of advice I’ve ever taken: Trust me.

 Irrational fear: There’s not another surprise around the next corner.

First car: 1953 Chevy Bel Air.

Last traffic ticket: Five years ago. I was speeding.

First thing I bought with my own money: A multicolored rhinestone sunburst-shaped brooch for my mom from Kresge’s.

Last thing I misplaced: Amex card.

First job: Detroit Free Press morning newspaper route. 

Last vacation: Cape Cod.

Constant crave: Thai food.

Not in my abode: Clutter.

Always in my fridge: Lots of empty space.

Most underrated skill: My simple lifestyle. 

Adrenaline rush: Getting unexpectedly great performances.

Buzz kill: Someone being late and not calling.

Jeremy Ordaz  [Owner, Oak Cliff Bicycle Company]

Like most kids, Jeremy Ordaz’s first bike provided that initial taste of freedom. And, along with the majority of teens, he gave it up for coolness’ sake once high school entered the picture. But after moving to downtown Dallas 10 years ago, he realized that the scarcity of parking made bikes look good all over again. So he bought one. Then another. And yet another. When pressed today, he admits to owning somewhere in the vicinity of 40 bikes, and one gets the impression he’s still not sated. This intense interest, coupled with an aptitude for all things mechanical, resulted in a Bishop Arts–based store offering brands no one else carries, such as Salsa Cycles and Bobbin Bicycles. But what truly sets Oak Cliff Bicycle Company apart is Ordaz’s willingness to modify, customize and repair vintage bikes — a direct response to his affinity for classic design coupled with the disdain he feels for the gimmicks associated with certain mass-produced bikes. Case in point: He recently completed an industrial-looking design that marries machine-age aesthetics with enhancements so subtle that anyone other than a fellow aficionado might be oblivious. While this bike may best represent Ordaz’s personal taste, he’s also responsible for customizing an employee’s set of wheels in a pink-and-purple color combo so vibrant it could sear a person’s eyeballs. And he’s currently working on a sleek custom build that includes wine corks as handle bar stoppers. “You can blame the Italians and the French for that idea,” explains Ordaz. “I always want perfection. That’s the sort of thing that can drive you crazy.”

Best piece of advice I could give: Never cook bacon in the nude.

Heaven on earth: Appreciating all the beauty out there — landscapes, feelings, good deeds, creating 

First car: ‘84 Chrysler LeBaron convertible.

Last traffic ticket: Let me look through this month’s bank statements.

First thing I bought with my own money: Big purchase at age 17: a ‘72 Honda CB450.

Last thing I misplaced: Keys ... do you have them?

First job: Checkers Drive-In.

Last vacation: NYC — friends, bikes and concerts!

Hell on earth: Letting the weight consume you.

Irrational fear: That I won’t get enough done.

Constant crave: Spare time!

Not in my abode: Television.

Always in my fridge: Empty space.

Most underrated skill: I cook meat dishes really well, but I’m vegetarian. Go figure.

Most overrated virtue: Ouch, where would one begin?

Adrenaline rush: Yes, please!

Buzz kill: Judgmental or argumentative conversation.

Greg Hutchison [Owner, Party Maker Catering]

A steady diet of cooking-themed reality television might lead one to believe all chefs are a highly volatile lot. That myth is debunked after five minutes into conversation with Greg Hutchison. This low-key type got started after realizing his ability to enter anyone’s kitchen and make something great with whatever ingredients were available might actually translate into a career. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, he put in time at a resort in Guam, The Manor Inn in Maine and a Costa Rican cruise ship before finding his place at The Food Company, where he remained for eight years. In 2006, he started his own catering company out of the kitchen of Lee Harvey’s, where he served as executive chef. “I loved the idea that Lee Harvey’s attracted the fashion and art worlds, all coming to South Dallas to share a burger,” he says. Since then, he’s moved his base of operations to Deep Ellum but continues to find inspiration in everything from classic French cuisine to self-described boy food, aka “the stuff I ate growing up,” to discoveries made while on vacation. “I like letting food taste the way it should be,” he says. “Too much handling detracts from great ingredients. It’s all about finding that perfect balance of chemistry, science and creativity.”

First car: 1969 Volvo station wagon.

Last traffic ticket: Disregarding a red light. It was yellow.

First thing I bought with my own money: Candy cigarettes.

Last thing I misplaced: Sunglasses.

First job: Texas Plumbing Co. I was 13.

Last vacation: Venice Beach.

Hell on earth: Prison.

Heaven on earth: The beach, dogs, people I love, cocktails, great food, peace.

Irrational fear: Vintage dolls.

Best piece of advice I could give: Never cook bacon in the nude.

Worst piece of advice I've ever taken: Bet it all on number seven.

Constant crave: Adventure, new music, food, art.

Not in my abode: Reality television.

Always in my fridge: Beer, milk, coffee.

Most underrated skill: Folding laundry.

Most overrated virtue: Chastity.

Adrenaline rush: Traveling to faraway lands.

Buzz kill: Complainers.