Jamen is a serious camera geek and has no friends and our rooms are divided by a sliding glass door.  Wait, that was too much information or TMI as the kids call it.

He collects vintage cameras which he finds mostly in thrift stores.  Hes interested in old and junky cameras because of the variation you can achieve with them when using film.

His recent favorite camera is the Lomography Diana+ camera which is a replica of a free giveaway plastic camera from the 1960s.  Its known for the vivid colors, light leaks, and lens distortion.  It has changeable lenses and can even convert to a pinhole camera.  Fun!

Taken with Lomography Diana+

His interest in photography was sparked by going through his grandmothers photo albums from the 1960s.

He has a group photo of the 1988 AARP convention up on the wall in his bedroom.  I have no idea what significance that has on anything but nonetheless were lucky to have Jamen on Team Chaboo.  He offers a unique style and technique through his use of vintage cameras and experimental approach.  By using film, his process requires much more deliberate composition- similar to what the Chaboo artists had to go through.  No photoshop!

Taken with a polaroid colorpack camera

Jamen enjoyed the last photo shoot because he enjoyed working with the other photographers who come from a completely different angle (no pun intended).  He felt that they balanced ideas off each other well and worked very well together.  Agreed!  Project Chaboo is a collaboration and cooperation on so many levels.

Hes looking forward to perhaps busting out his vintage polaroid cameras for the next shoot.  Maybe he will “shake it like a polaroid picture~ heeeey yaaaa”.  Ok never mind.

Thanks for your hard work Jamen!  Your positive enthusiasm for the project is contagious.

See his flickr page here.

I met Karl last weekend at the Chaboo drop off party.  He has a background in industrial design and does some painting as well.  I checked out his website and thought his circular pattern paintings would be sweet on a chaboo.

He emailed me recently with an overlay he did of an existing design over the chaboo.  It works almost perfectly.  It was meant to be! I think the decisions he makes regarding what areas to fill in with paint and what areas to leave bare bamboo will be critical.  Also, I wonder if some graphical patterns can wrap onto multiple planes.

Cant wait to see what you come up with Karl.  Im glad youre on the project!

David Bertman is the second tallest designer in the room.  Thats what his facebook should read.  His work is known for being “tight”- like his jeans.

I met Dave at Show PDX 2006.  His stool for that show I felt was a great design.  Ive been bugging him ever since to trade it to me. The problem is, his mom wants it.  And my best design that I would trade him is in MY mom’s house…. sounds like world war III if we try to trade…

David aka Boom is a designer/builder with mad skills in wood and metal and an admitted obsession with rectangles.  What would happen if David and Buckminster Fuller (obsession with triangles) were in the same room?  Well never know… UNLESS we ask the actor from the show about Bucky at Portland Center Stage to come to the Project Chaboo show.  That would be quite the showdown.

photograph by Joe Mansfield

Notice the slots he cut at the corners of his chaboo.  They mirror the insert I have in my original bamboo chaboo.  Those blocks serve as a spline to hold the piece together- but since his frame is steel he doesnt need it.  Reversing course and removing material instead to pay homage to that little design feature of mine- brilliant!  I also like how the center serves as a handle, reversing direction from the original and having a rail to grab instead of a slot.  His piece is what I was looking for in this project- a good balance between his signature aesthetic and mine.

Hoffman loft, Yakuza interior

Click on the image to go to his portfolio online.  All I can say about his stuff is “SWEET!” and “Fing awesome”.  Sorry I dropped out of grad school before I learned the fancy pants vocab.  Check out his stuff yourself- youll see that my critique is spot on.

photo by Anna Campbell

David has started a new company with his business partner Matt- Bertman/Overkill Design and does mostly project management now.  Check out what hes been up to lately!

Sneakerheads beware.  One-off shoe and shoebox for Ladainian Tomlinson.

Winnebago conference room.  They literally sliced up a winnebago and blinged it out!

In closing I HAVE to squeeze this in and represent.  We both went to Catlin Gabel.  Go eagles!  And kudos to our woodshop teacher, Tom Tucker.

Jess Hirsch works at Pinball Publishing where I got my business cards printed.  Its a really cool little publishing company that really reminds me of my own company in terms of scale and vibe.  They specialize in artists and designer work and do a lot of fun community building projects on the side as well as own a stationary company and record label.  Totally hip.  I recommend them highly simply because they are good people who do good work. Lets support small local businesses!

Jess is a versatile painter/sculptor who also curates a really cool affordable art series called homeschool.  They are having an event saturday dec 20.  I like what these guys are doing- come check it out!

When I saw Jesss’sss watercolors on her website I knew her work would be perfect for Project Chaboo.  She did another similar one of cars that i really liked as well.

Snake!  The level of detail is incredible.  She transitions from color to color with subtle gradients.  I really like how the lines of the snake follow the lines of the Cocabolo insert.  She did a great job of infusing her signature style into my chaboo design with sensitivity.

detail photo by Anna Campbell

Im upset at her though because she wouldn’t tell me what she was drawing until the bitter end.  Cars? Animals?   I wondered and wondered…  She was killing me with the suspense.  Okapis next Jess?

The shoot was so much fun.  Thank you photographers Jamen, Anna, and Joe for your positive energy, teamwork, and creative brilliance.  You guys are amazing!

photos by Joe Mansfield

This must be my evil twin playing XBOX on a chaboo.  It couldnt possibly be me.  I dont have time to play video games with Project Chaboo to feed, nourish, and take on long romantic walks…