Lisa Hopey
Lisa Hopey is a creative director and designer currently living and working in Portland, OR. To see more of her work visit @workhopeywork and www.lisahopey.com
Lisa Hopey is a multi-hyphenate designer working across different media and one of our very first collectors. Over the years, we’ve collaborated on pieces for her projects and her beautiful home in Portland, Oregon. It brings us so much joy to see Lisa and her young family living with a caramel Donut, Elio lamps and Gola candles <3. In our interview below, Lisa shares her thoughts on treating home as a project, choosing meaningful objects, protecting the earth, and softness.
Utharaa: Tell us about your creative practice, do you have one great passion or many?
Lisa: I love anything to do within the world of art, design, and storytelling. From screen printing and ceramics, to branding, and art direction, to photography, and spatial design - my brain is happiest when I am thinking of projects across many different mediums - whether that is in my personal work, or in my professional life.
Utharaa: How would you describe your home?
Lisa: Our home is definitely a project. We bought a 1972 fixer about 3 years ago, and we have been slowly making it into our home.
We try to be very intentional about what we bring into our home, focusing on vintage, artist and locally made pieces, or smaller design-lead brands when buying something new. It’s a slow process, and the interiors are ever evolving, but it feels intentional and I love the process.
Utharaa: Do you think about 'softness' at all?
Lisa: As a mother of two small children, I think about softness constantly. Meeting your children and partner with love and empathy even when things are at their absolute craziest is the ultimate exercise in empathy and softness. I think this carries into my professional life, as I try to lead with empathy, authenticity, and curiosity. There is a constant push/pull in the design world of creating perfection while embracing the organic nature of what makes people human, and I think that connection has a lovely softness to it.
“There is a constant push/pull in the design world of creating perfection while embracing the organic nature of what makes people human, and I think that connection has a lovely softness to it. ”
Utharaa: What do you most look for in an object?
Lisa: I am drawn to objects that feel both playful, modern, and warm. Unique shapes, and pieces appeal to me. Natural materials are also a big point of consideration for me, as I am constantly thinking about the life cycle of objects within one’s home and beyond.
Utharaa: What do you wish was different?
Lisa: I wish that there was more urgency about protecting our earth's future.
