Paul Revie : paulofnavarone Interview

I'm on my home territory this week with fellow 'Weegie' Paul Revie, who's shop comes under the title of 'paulofnavarone'.  A great big thank you Paul for giving me the opportunity to interview you and allow me to show some examples of your work! Many thanks Paul! So here are the questions:-

Ah a fellow weegie - what's life in Glasgow like for a maker/designer like yourself

Glasgow is a great city for designer/makers because it has a good mix of cultures, building styles and people. Diversity is the perfect environment for thinking up ideas.
Just now it’s great to be coming out of winter. Every year I forget just how cold and dark and miserable the winter can be. This year I’m going to make the most of the summer and try and appreciate the long days more.

How would you describe yourself in five words and how would you like people to describe you

I’m probably ‘very, lazy, unambitious, content, daydreamer’  But I wish people saw me as ‘Dependable weird rich talented cagefighter’

Give me the names of 3 objects or things you dislike most and why

I don’t like hoovers. You know how a dog will immediately get up and leave the room? I feel the same way.I don’t like Watership Down. Creeps me out. I don’t like fireworks. They are basically little artillery and in Glasgow bonfire night really lasts 2 months. If they were silent I would go for it. Someone should invent a silent firework. This makes me sound like a grumpy old man but it took me a long time to think of 3 things I don’t like.

Tell me about something you've achieved?

I got to level 12 of the old Prince of Persia on the commodore Amiga. In those days there was no save game on my copy so you couldn’t turn the machine off or you’d go back to the very start. Had to keep the machine on for days. Seriously that’s quite an achievement - It was a hard game. It has lovely blocky pixelated graphics and looks and sounds really nice and retro 20yrs on.

What materials do you most enjoy working with and what gives you the most pleasure

I normally work with micro thin vinyl, it’s similar to a papercut style. I was a signwriter and engraver for 7 years and now I use those skills to make little things. There’s nothing nicer than when you get a delivery of vinyl or a new batch of glass to work on and you can experiment and just play around with your new stuff, try things out that you’ve been thinking about and see what works, confident in the knowledge that when it all goes wrong you’ve still got lots of stock left.

Where or what in the world would give you inspiration

mmm. Japan. Paris. French films. Internet. Really good libraries, children, Jack Lemmon, I should analyse when I’m inspired actually and record what I’ve been doing or what I’ve eaten, because I think I eat certain foods and it’s like brain food. Stuff just starts firing right - Don’t you find?

Are you usually late, early or right on time?

Usually early but sometimes I can be all three. It’s good to keep people guessing. A good cowboy never goes the same way twice.

Did you ever have a plan B

I read recently you shouldn’t have a plan B, it subconsciously promotes the failure of plan A. But yes. I wouldn’t mind working for the forestry - being outside on my own, in the drizzle, away from the computer.

Any advice for Ziggy

Ziggy, try and buy property while you’re young and don’t ever watch Watership Down.


Paul's links:

www.etsy.com/shop/paulofnavarone

twitter.com/paulofnavarone

http://paulofnavarone.tumblr.com/