INTERVIEW: NICK ADELMAN

Today, I am very excited to share on my blog, an interview of my friend, Nick Adelman, who at only 17 years old, is an exceptionally talented footwear designer! I believe that he deserves to have much more people know about his work and accomplishments so without further ado, please read on and enjoy!

To start, please tell us a little about yourself and your work! 

Hello Jennifer! My name is Nick Adelman. I’m a 17 year old high school student living in Salt Lake City, UT. My main field of work thus far is fairly limited, but I have done a fair amount of graphic design work for the local art walk as well as some commissioned paintings. I was actually offered a job in footwear rendering, but my school schedule was too tight to allow it. My accomplishments are mostly academic, but I have had a few editorials and some artwork published in print. At this point, my aspirations are all over the board: I’d really just love to be successful and happy in whatever profession I choose!

When did you first start designing shoes and what inspired you to start?

I first started designing shoes back in 9th grade (I’m currently in 11th grade) after seeing a stunning shoe from Alexander McQueen’s collection, Plato’s Atlantis. If I remember correctly, the precise shoe was The Titanic. The form of the shoe spoke to me in a way that no other canvas had ever done.

Your skill at rendering details and use of color is very developed! How long have you been studying art and how did you build your abilities up to this level?

My interest in art turned in a more serious direction in the summer of 2009 after attending Interlochen Arts Camp for visual arts. I have taken classes in color theory, drawing, painting, and what not, but my skills in footwear rendering have been entirely self-taught. If I were to show you my first sketches it would become clear that I’ve only gotten to this level of detail through practice!

What is your favorite medium to work with?

When it comes to shoes, I am truly a sucker for design markers like Prismacolors and Copics combined with a good Micron pen. They allow me to execute my designs with great detail and speed. 

What inspires your designs?

Up until recently, most of my designs were done on a whim without any solid source of inspiration. My most recent shoes for my AP concentration are representations of art styles/movements in a shoe. Honestly, art history has been the greatest source of inspiration for me.

What are your goals, career wise?

As far as education goes, I’m hoping on attending Vassar College to double major in Art history and Africana Studies. I’d really like to get the foundation of liberal arts education before I delve into any field of art. There are many careers I’d like to realize such as being an African History professor, a museum curator, and a shoe designer. The thing is that I plan on doing all three, and establishing a footwear line of my own will happen at some point in the future. 

Who are your favorite designers and artists?

 I have far too many to list, but in fashion I adore Nicholas Kirkwood, McQueen, Rodarte, Lanvin, Balenciaga, and Givenchy. While I enjoy fashion, I am more engaged in notable artists in the past. My favorites include Greek art, Islamic art, Dali, Picasso, Klimt, Gaudi, and many more. 

If you could have anyone you want, wear one of your designs, who would you design a shoe for?

This is really tough one, but I would feel beyond honored if were able to design for Michelle Obama and Victoria Legrand of Beach House, my absolute favorite band. 

What is your favorite style of shoe to wear?

I really enjoy wearing a clean pair of Oxfords or Chelsea boots.

What are your other hobbies besides footwear design?

Basically all of my hobbies fall under the umbrella of art, but quite enjoy ceramics, film/digital photography (I have a small darkroom in my basement), painting, reading history books, collecting vinyl records, and riding my bike around town.

I also noticed that you have a great love of pugs. What is your favorite thing about them?

Don’t even get me started on pugs, honestly! I think that my deep love for pugs is rooted in their carefree disposition and unconditional love. Pugs live for the good things in life.

More of Nick's artwork!

What advice would you give to anyone who wants to go into the design field or wishes to improve their art abilities?

Well, I don’t really feel like I’m in the position to be giving advice on how to go about art because it is very personal. The only advice that seems universal is to always practice. You’ll never improve if you aren’t working. 

And lastly, do you have a favorite quote?

“Never trust a woman who wears mauve,” from The Picture of Dorian Gray.

I'm sure that all of you guys have probably fallen in love with his designs and artwork by now, am I right? Thank you so much, Nick, for letting me interview you for my blog! I am confident that you will go far in life and your abilities will take you wherever you wish to go! Make sure to support Nick and keep up with his work by following his tumblr at spikedteacup.tumblr.com and you can also reach him at nadelman95@gmail.com

• Update as of December 12, 2012: There has been a recent situation in which Nick's images had been stolen and were being claimed as the designs and drawings of someone else. Please be aware that anyone who attempts to steal these images/designs WILL be found and legal action will be taken. Thank you for respecting the creative work of other individuals!