Interview with 2009 AIGA Fellow Clive Piercy

Clive Piercy is the founder and Principal of the Santa Monica-based design studio air-conditioned. For the previous 20 years he was a partner and Creative Director of Ph.D, a studio recognized internationally for work that was characterized by its appropriateness, character, wit and style. His work for clients such as Nike, Peerless Lighting, Chronicle Books and Roxy/Quiksilver has won awards from most of the major national and international design competitions. He graduated from Brighton College of Art, in England, and began his career as a designer in the prestigious BBC Television Design Department, before moving to Los Angeles to be Creative Director of the Rod Dyer Group. He serves on the faculty of Art Center College of Design, California, is married to the illustrious illustrator Ann Field, and is a lifelong supporter of Tottenham Hotspur FC.

SA: Clive, If you don't mind, I'm going to ask you some of the same questions I asked Louise and Margo. I'm too lazy and stupid to think of others. Is that OK? So what does it mean for you to be awarded the AIGA Fellow Award?

CP: Once I got over the realization that this is some kind of Old Codgers Award, I tried to look at what it means to me. As I've always had an on/off relationship with AIGA, I can only assume that this is being given in recognition of the body of my work, and also of my dedication to teaching at Art Center. And for those reasons I'm VERY gratified to receive it. These types of honors often coincide with the twilight of a career. I am here to say that I have no intention of retiring just yet.

SA: Whenever I see you I get a little dizzy and tongue-tied. What's it like being a famous designer?

CP: Facetious, Sean, is one of only two words in English that have each of the five vowels occurring in their correct sequence. Madonna is famous. Having said that, the nicest thing for me is when someone whose work I love tells me they like something I've done. I know, it's rather shallow, and I should be focusing more on global warming and the plight of the downtrodden and Ponzi schemes and the like... but I can't help it. It's who I am.

SA: It doesn't seem shallow to me. This is a hard profession, and we get knocked around daily. So I think it's great to allow yourself some satisfaction from the rare good feedback. Southern California has always been at the forefront of design. You came here from the UK and stayed, what is it, for you, that makes Southern California special, does it impact your work?

CP: Tony Duchette, Irving Gill, Raymond Chandler, Ed Ruscha, Steve Martin, Magic, The Strick House, Peggy Sirota, Saul Bass, Nancy Silverton, Welton Beckett, The Apple Pan, Charles and Ray Eames, Julius Schulman, etc...

SA: Good answer. These are all remarkable individuals who made an impact on how we work. What advice would you give to a designer out there right now who might be worried?

CP: I was hoping that someone rich and successful like YOU, Sean, might be able to help ME with that question. It's difficult, all of this gloom and doom talk seems to only further the feeling of panic that has set in. I'm intentionally small, so a job or two lost means I could be dangerously slow, and a job or two gained means we are swamped. I get the feeling that this time it might not have much to do with how much talent you have, how well you interact with clients. Even though I'm still optimistic that the best talents will continue to thrive... and let's face it, things really DID need to change after the last 10 years in this country... I know I could be proved horribly wrong. There's a guy at the restaurant Comme Ca, whose only job is to prepare sumptuous artisan cheese plates for customers. I think I could be happy focusing on ONE thing and doing it well. My big worry would be that over time I would come to hate and resent the cheese. I didn't answer that question, did I?

SA: No, you did. And I'll pass the question on to someone who is actually rich and successful like Michael Vanderbyl. Saul Bass once told me to focus on what you love to do. So it makes sense to do only the cheese if you really don't like the turkey carving station. What is your obsession? You know, what gets you up on the morning excited to do it?

CP: I make no distinction between who I am and what I do. My life and work are inextricably linked, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I never turn off being a designer and I never turn off my character when I work. I always ask myself "Would I like this?" when I'm working. This kind of devotion is no guarantee of success, but I would conversely say that if you do NOT commit yourself totally to doing it, you'd never be great. All of the Giants of our profession are connected by a common thread.... their dedication to the work.

SA: I'm printing that answer out and taping it to my screen. Thank you. So, these next questions can be one-word answers:

Name your:

1. Favorite LA restaurant:
CP: Toscana (Don't go there, it's hard enough to get in...)

2. Best place to get inspired:
CP: My Office, my garden and over dinner with Annie

3. Book on your nightstand right now:
CP: Hilary Sperling's Matisse the Master, Angels and Ages by Adam Gopnik, and Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby

4. Car:
CP: 1971 Porsche 911T

5. How do you spend a typical Wednesday night:
CP: My favorite midweek night: grilled salmon with pesto, an English Premier League soccer match, followed by Project Runway. (I judge people these days by whether or not they like Project Runway)

6. Favorite place to buy clothes:
CP: London; Comme des Garcons, Margaret Howell, Trickers, Rapha. Los Angeles; Turpan, Paul Smith