Thank you, Columbus Underground

If you live in Columbus and have never been to the Columbus Underground website, then I am wondering what rock you're living under. This is my 'go to' website any time I want to know what is happening at the moment or in the future; it's a great community resource (3 million hits a month!). Columbus Alive has described Walker Evans, the founder, as an up and comer and a person to watch. Walker is that and so much more- part cheerleader, part sleuth, part savvy businessman; his Columbus Underground provides a forum for local businesses, is the place to look for the 'local buzz', and is always up on the latest new dining and shopping entries. We recently had the honor ourselves to be featured on Columbus Underground - Read full article.

Last week Walker, wife (and Columbus Underground photographer), Anne, and their 2 adorable (and I mean adorable) kids visited 'Crimson.' I love what Walker and Anne have done for Columbus and their support of local businesses. Their outpouring of support is just another reason why I am so happy we decided to stay in downtown Columbus. I love the collaboration of the many business owners and the energizing vibe here in the Gay street corridor, and I'm so excited for summer in downtown, Columbus.

Meet our friend: John McNeal of 2Reveal

With a bachelor's degree in Architecture, entrepreneurial spirit, creative mind, and previous work in highly successful design firms, John McNeal is the more than qualified "right brain" of 2Reveal.

2Reveal is an extraordinary animation based company providing designers and architects 3D rendering solutions in order to more accurately convey designs to their clients. As Co-Owner of this company, we wanted to find out how it all began and learn what makes John tick with this recent interesting interview.

Meet John:

Why did you go into Architecture?

Growing up I played a lot with Lego's and Lincoln Logs. I was just thinking about this the other day, because on the CBS Morning Show, there was a segment on Lego's and how they've been around for 20-30 years. I thought about how much I played with Lego's and built stuff; I still have my Lego's collection at my parent's house in a styrofoam treasure chest. I was always building things as a kid - it didn't matter what it was - from empty boxes of soap to shoe boxes, to whatever I could find. I was always trying to put something together. So that's where it kind of all started. I played piano starting with 3rd grade clear through high school. I remember my junior or senior year talking with my piano instructor about potentially majoring in music and she told me not to. It made we wonder if I was good enough. She said that I could minor in music, but not a major because it narrowed you down too much. So then I kind of shifted into architecture or psychology, and I think architecture won out because of the creative side of it. I look at myself now and see a little bit engineer and a little bit artist; architecture is a blend of the two. I don't think there was a moment when God shined his light on me and said, "John, this is what you're supposed to do." I really think a lot of times you take advantage of things that are placed in front of you, so it just seemed like a natural next step.

How did 2Reveal start?

My business partner, Collette, and I worked together previously in an architecture firm. At some point, this firm had a division purely geared toward computer animation. Collette, who had been CFO of the firm, then became the majority owner of the animation division, which is where I was working at the time. I had started in architecture and had worked for maybe 9 months when I realized I didn't want to do the "climb the corporate ladder" thing. What I liked most about school - the creativity, the freedom - was lacking. I didn't want to pay my dues, climb the ladder and eventually 10-20 years down the road get to do my own design. So, several months into it, I decided I had to get out. I ended up putting together a 3D portfolio, got a job doing 3D, and eventually Collette became my boss - although we looked at each other more as partners even back then.

I remember very clearly feeling like God had spoken to me and said at some point, I was going to have my own business and Collette was going to be my partner. It was funny because I could remember my Dad years before telling me that I should start my own business and be my own businessman. I was like, "Why? Why would I want to do that? Why would I want to worry about bills and taxes and employees?" I seriously had no desire to do it. But, here I felt God had spoken to me and said it was going to happen. One day, Collette and ?I were flying back from DC where we had attended a technology exhibit at the Smithsonian. I told her I thought one day I was going to pack up and be gone. She asked why, and I told her about what I thought God was leading me to. The way I thought it was going to happen was that I was going to leave my job, move to New York to work for my dream firm, and then come back and start a business. Those were MY plans. It was about 4 months later that there was a big falling out in the office between Collette and her partner and they parted ways. As soon as the fallout happened, it was a no-brainer. We packed up our things, she found office space, and we moved into the office, took our clients with us and kept working. It wasn't how either of us planned it would happen, and it wasn't exactly how we had wanted it. I had put together my own thoughts and plans on how it was going to be and God said no, it's not going to happen quite that was. That's how we got started - it was in 2002.

Can you tell us about 2Reveal?

2Reveal offers 3D solutions to communicate a design, concept or message. My partner's favorite phrase is that we take something that is tedious and complex and make it interesting and understandable. We're very passionate about helping someone tell their story - they have a picture in their head, and the architect has a vision and so does the developer - all these people have visions in their minds, but not everyone else can visualize as they see it. We see ourselves as the ones who bring everyone's vision together and actually show them. Someone may describe a paint color to you, and when they later show the sample, it may not be what you envisioned - same if someone described a sketch to you. We realize what we do has the power to bring everyone together on the same page.

What does your clientele look like?

They're actually fairly broad. Early on we worked directly with architects and later broadened it to developers. We just finished a job for a university, we've done work directly for Riverside Hospital, and we've built bridges for engineers. We've also done work with interior designers. It's kind of cool to have an interior designer say, "Here is the fabric that it going to go on this pillow. Here is the fabric that is going on the couch".. etc and we're able to model that and show exactly what they had pictured in their mind. We've also done retail stores and town centers. As long as someone comes in and says they have an idea that they want visualized or animated, we'll take a stab at it. We've recently bagan working with construction litigators. We've actually done work for lawyers where we take a piece of equipment and show how that piece functions, how it failed, and the result of the failing. This is a new avenue for us and one that is a good fit. Lawyer's words are only going to be so convincing. When we can put an actual image or reconstruction in front of the jury, it's a powerful tool to show what really happened. There was a survey done that shows, I believe, a 43% high comprehension when you show some sort of visual than if you just explained it.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by seeing other creative work. Some people see other people's work as better than their own, or more complicated and elaborate. I don't know if it's depressing for them, but for me, it gives me life to see that there's always so much more new - it keeps me pushing forward and thinking. how can we streamline a process to be faster, or increase productivity? I probably spend time everyday on a site called behance.net and stashmedia.tv, a site that puts out DVD's of purely sweet animation. I see those and I feel as if I'm so far from doing something like that, but it's what compels me to keep pushing. I also pull from any resource, even if it's not animation. I look at interior design, I'll look at notcot.org. It's not even 3D, but I'll look. I thoroughly enjoy that side just to see what people are doing. Creativity keeps me sane and fuels my own creative juices.

Brian Coovert, floral designer, Extraordinaire

I am so excited to share with all of you my interview with, Brian Coovert, from Blooms Direct. His work has been seen in Architectural Digest, Martha Stewart Weddings, Traditional Home, and Southern Living.

He has truly given me inspiration and such joy from the beauty of his work. All of his flower arrangements have a personal touch and even an ordinary arrangement has a different twist to it. I always love to see what he creates. I usually just tell him the colors I want to use and let him go to work; we have to let the experts do their job and they will do it magnificently.

CB: How did you start as a floral designer?

BC: I have a visual merchandising background- worked in the south- worked for Belk Department stores as a visual merchandiser. I had 4 stores in Myrtle Beach. Then I moved to Charleston with Saks 5th Avenue. Saks used fresh flowers for everything-everything - and I became good friends with the florist, Zack Hughes. I ended up going to work part time with him on the weekends. I started off washing buckets, cutting flowers- that's what I could do. I wasn't allowed any type of arranging whatsoever. And then slowly, I become like his assistant. And then he let me do a $30 arrangement or two, and it just escalated from there.

CB: So this was your formal education?

BC: Yeah, because I had no formal education- I was fortunate to work with the world's most unbelievably talented people in the industry. Part of it is just my own imagination. I've always been a creative person to some degree, but I think if I was to credit my "talent" if you will, it would be my Mother, because she is a very talented person. And just my love of the product. I literally love what I work with. When I was growing up-single mother, 4 kids, we lived out in the middle of nowhere in Southern Ohio. We didn't go to the movies or eat out. The way I would entertain myself was going to the woods. I was terrible- I was always digging up something and bringing it back to see if I could get it to grow.

CB: And after Saks did you open your own shop in Charleston?

BC: I went into being an event florist and a concierge florist because people entertain differently down there. They have to have fresh flowers for everything, so I was very, very fortunate that I had clientele like that. I didn't have a storefront- I had a warehouse that I basically worked out of.

CB: I love that about Southerners. Their love for flowers and great hospitality. They take it over the top. I would love for us Northerners to be a little more like that. What brought you to Columbus from Charleston?

BC: I sold my share of the business to my business partner and went into the event/concierge business which was great for me. Then on a personal note, my mother who lived in Southern Ohio became ill, so I left Charleston to come back to Southern Ohio to take care of her. I had lived in Columbus probably 25 years ago. I felt that I needed to be in a big city but one that was close in case I had to go home quickly to her, so I came to Columbus. It was going to be a part time thing and thankfully she became much better. I loved Columbus, I was waiting tables at Barcelona Restaurant, and a friend told me about Blooms, so I applied to them and here I am.

CB: Did you start designing immediately?

BC: I started off as basically a designer- doing the daily work; hospitals, birthdays, anniversaries, whatever. And then with the economy being the way it is, we had to do some restructuring. At this point I moved into management. My really strong points are the events, the special customer- the special event. And that's what I wanted to play. In order to grow and get the business to where we needed to be, someone needed to grab those reins, and that person was me.

CB: What is your inspiration?

BC: My mother, and I get my inspiration from nature, like a branch or a blade of grass. When a brand new product comes in I like to see how it moves, how does it bend, how can I manipulate it. I love manipulation. My two strong points- things that I really love are color and texture. Texture can be foliage, greenery or a plant material, berries. I love strong, vibrant colors- nothing washed out.

CB: Other than your mother, is there a designer who inspires you?

BC: Mr. Joe Smith- that's a very common name. He was an older gentlemen who took me under his wing. In the floral industry there's an accreditation called AIFD American Institute of Floral Design- its huge. I met Joe at one of the exams. He is a true Southern gentleman from Tennessee, and he was just remarkable. I was living in Charleston at the time. On at least a half dozen occasions, Joe would fly me up to Tennessee to work with him on a project, a huge wedding or something like that and it really showed me what horticulture could be. It was on a much larger scale than I had ever seen -very high end- like a $150,000 budget for a wedding. So, I would credit him, and also going to the AIFD symposiums and seeing all of the incredible talents- true artistry- just like painting a picture or seeing a clay sculpture.

CB: What is your favorite flower?

BC: I love so many. Probably one of my very favorite is the Gloriosa Lily or Rothschild Lily. I used to grow it in my yard in Charleston. It doesn't grow well here. It's a vine, and a star shaped lily that is probably 4" in diameter- it's yellow on the inside and red on the tips and the petals fold completely back. I don't get to use it too often, because it's so expensive.

CB: Do you have any color combinations that you have been using together?

BC: Any color of pinks, like hot vibrant pinks and oranges, mango's, papaya colors; I love those together.

CB: If you could travel anywhere in the world to buy your flowers where would you go?

BC: Gosh, I would love to visit the farms in California- buy American and at least see what the American farms are doing, but the largest floral suppliers are in South America- like Columbia. And of course, there is the Holland Flower Market. But to go to see how the flowers exist, I would think maybe Africa, because I love greens and foliage, or a rain forest type like, Costa Rica, lush and green.

CB: I have noticed that flowers I get from Blooms Direct last so much longer than flowers I buy at Kroger or any large store, why is that?

BC: A lot of times when you buy from a larger place, like Kroger, or corporately, God only knows how old those flowers are. When we order flowers, they are ordered directly from the farm, and they have literally been cut for a day- two days tops and then they are shipped to us.

CB: What are your favorite projects to work on?

BC: Anything that the client gives me free rein on!! I love weddings, I really do, the whole planning part from the beginning of that little seed to watching it grow to a finished project.

CB: Three things in life you can't live without?

BC: My dog, my family, but I obviously know that you can't keep them with you forever, and my passion.

Thank you so much Brian, for the time you took to sit down with me and give us a glimpse into your work and creativity. Columbus, is very fortunate to have such talent here. All of you call Brian and his team for the next floral arrangement you need. Whether it is a gift, for an event or just for your sheer pleasure!!! I believe you can never have too many flowers around yourself!

http://bloomsdirect.com/

I am going to start a series of interviews that will be posted here on the blog. I am doing this out of the selfish ambition of wanting to know more about the people who influence our surroundings. I am so excited for this part of the blog. Tomorrow, I am sitting down with an amazing and talented floral designer. You will have to come back and find out who I am talking about.