What is your favorite thing about working with metal and/or infusing your designs for the home with this tactile medium?
Aram: There is an enduring quality to metal that makes it thrilling as a medium. The fact that the material is so fluid, but then hardens and is basically indestructible once cooled – essentially capturing a moment in time for eternity.
Why do you think people are so drawn to your collections?
Aram: They are drawn to the handmade quality, originality, and functionality of my work.
What’s inspiring you now?
Aram: I would say a lot. I started the company when I was 25 years old and we’re now in our 28th year of business. I always say, jokingly, that every day feels like the first day. For me, making things and creating is in my blood. It fuels me and excites me to move forward. I’m really, truly as excited today as when I started the company. I feel like the longer you do something, the more in your groove you get, and the further you can push it.
When you develop a product line for the home, are you drawn to creating practical items for everyday use or special occasion standouts?
Aram: I think that today, the distinctions between “everyday” and “special occasion” are blurred. We want beautiful, functional pieces that elevate the everyday and can be used and enjoyed always.
What are your golden rules when it comes to entertaining?
Aram: I’m not someone who gets uptight when I entertain. I think the golden rule of having someone in your home is just to be hospitable to them, no matter what. It is important to let go a little. When you decide that you’re going to have fun, then “the more, the merrier” is never going to be a strain. And you’ll open your last bottle of wine, if you have to.
What’s the perfect gift?
Aram: That’s a hard question because there are so many perfect gifts. We encourage symbolic gifting. I’m crazy about my Butterfly Ginkgo Collection right now on a symbolic level as well as on an artistic level. It’s a celebration of nature, which is my biggest muse. But it’s also a reference to a variety of the Ginkgo tree called the Ginkgo Biloba. I amplified the story to be symbolic of metamorphosis from flora to fauna. The butterfly is coming out of the cocoon and landing on the branch. There’s something very poetic about that.
For more information visit: www.michaelaram.com
