Adriean Koleric. Designer.

Adriean Koleric is a designer based out of Edmonton with a background in Interior Design and Architectural Millwork. He heads up a design studio called ITEM and is a contributing writer to online design publication, Land+Living (source). One of his art that I personally like is the AK-AT wearing a gas mask (picture above), a cleaver mix of popular culture and social awareness. Big thank you to Mr Koleric and all the best.

Q. Your art varied from product design, fashion and mash-up of
different art forms. Which one is your favorite art form?
A. I don’t have a real stand-out favorite. At the moment i’m taking a break from product and focusing more on the mash-ups and will see where that leads to next. So that seems to be my flavor of choice right now, though I do have a few products on paper that i’d like to prototype this year.

Q. Where do you get your inspiration from?
A. At the moment i’m drawing alot of inspiration from my childhood days and trying to get back in that mentality of simply ‘playing’. I was a huge fan of superheroes, GI Joe, Star Wars, etc. and could not get enough of hanging out with my action figures. So i’m taking that feeling of freedom and incorporating it into the work before I get too old and lose that connection to the past.

Q. To date, what is the toughest assignment that you have done so far?
A. I can honestly say that i’ve yet to hit that one tough assignment. I like to keep things loose and simple which makes the work enjoyable.

Q. Who are your favorite artists?
A. This list seems to change every day. Right now i’m digging Ron English, Derek Welch, Motomichi Nakamura, Usugrow, Sucklord, Ashley Wood, Brandt Peters, Jim Lee, Chad Kouri and Ryuichi Ogino.

Q. So far, what are the most interesting project that you have been involved in?
A. Definitely the Monster Lamp collaborations with Motomichi Nakamura and Chad Kouri. I specifically designed this lamp to be easily customizable the same as a vinyl toy. We were all located quite far from one another, myself being in Edmonton, Chad in Chicago and Motomichi in New York. But at the end we worked together quite easily and produced some solid and diverse versions of the Monster.

Q. Have you done any collaboration with other artist or company? Who do you want to work with in the future?
A. Apart from Motomichi and Chad the other stand-out collaboration was a set of longboards with Unklbrand. I came up with the decks shape, construction and stain, while Unkl applied a metallic silk screened pattern to them. We rattled off 4 individual versions that all looked insane! I’ve also helped organize a bi-annual exhibit series in Edmonton called Frost / Thaw with a collective called IDEA (Industrial Designers of Edmonton Association). We showcased prototypes from local and international designers every Summer and Winter and helped create a platform for emerging designers trying to get their names out in the community.

As for who i’d like to work with…i’d have to say i’d like to one day do a collaboration with Loyal Loot Collective. They’re from my neck of the woods and they produce some fantastic work. Not sure what or how we’d come together on something or if they’d want to work outside their group, but i’d be up for it. Call me!

Q. What are the thing that you would never leave home without?
A. Wallet, i-pod and my keys. Oh and shoes, definitely shoes.

Q. Do you do an extensive planning before starting on a certain project or you like to just do it, improvise and add on new ideas while doing it?
A. I usually work quite fast and don’t spend alot of time planning which may or may not be a good thing. I’m also abit of an inpatient person, so i’m not one to spend alot of time dwelling over something. As I said earlier, I like to keep things simple which doesn’t always require alot of background work, but that does not mean I don’t seriously think about what i’m producing. It’s just how I work.

Q. What do you think are the most important things one should have to become a successful designer?
A. The million dollar question! As soon as I become successful i’ll let you know how I did it! Seriously though, i’d probably say the main thing is to keep producing on a consistent basis. Whether it’s bad or good, as long as you show your dedication something good is bound to happen. I also try not to care what others think about my work and really create for myself. Not everyone will love you which is life in general, but that should not be a deterrent. Just do your thing and be confident enough to put it out there.

Q. What are your future plans and projects?
A. I have my first solo exhibit called ‘HERD’ that’s happening here in April which has been pretty fun to work on thus far. After that i’m hoping to take it to a few other cities and see where that leads. I’ve also gotten back with an old collaborator on a line of propaganda posters under the name of Enemy Design and are in the beginning stages of planning our first show together. Other than the show’s i’m trying to get some prototypes made this year including a birdhouse idea that’s been on my desk for the past year or so. As well i’ll still be exploring the mash-ups and have plans for a follow-up to HERD.

Website : http://thinkitem.com

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