Meet Tristan Hess | Designer & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tristan Hess and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tristan, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
A few years ago I became very invested in trail running. I would go out almost every day, running anywhere between 4-10 miles. Everytime I went out, it was this race in my head. How fast can I go? Will I be faster than yesterday? If I take the day off, am I lazy? I felt like I had to rush through the run and always get faster. I remember running the trails and getting to the sections that were very scenic. Instead of stopping to enjoy the moment to take in the view, I would let the race against time and progression win. This was my constant battle. It stopped being about the joy of running and more of a competition. Though I did value my progression, I didn’t want every run to be conditioned to the tune of time. It dawned on me this past year that in some ways, I was taking the same approach with my work. I would get these ideas for furniture in my head, and would get excited about the end result. I would think, if I rush this process and work only on this “thing”, I could get it done, moving on to the next “thing”. Now, I’m trying to slow down and take my time. I’m trying to enjoy the balance of working on these projects while also taking breaks.
My way of thinking used to be, “how many things can I possibly make”? Now I believe that if I only ever make a few things, all well designed and thought out down to the last detail, then I would be content. I’m not interested in making crap. I’m interested in making something that works and is well designed.
What I really like, and am gaining an appreciation for is the idea of balance itself. I’m trying to slow down in my work and enjoy making something that is good. Even though the process is messy and there is uncertainty causing frustration, I’m trying to embrace that. I’m trying to enjoy my time on this planet. What my short time here has taught me is this, breaks are good, and you don’t need to work everyday. Making something isn’t everything, which is a hard pill for me to swallow, but there’s a lot more important stuff out there.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m pretty happy with where I am today. I definitely still have ideas and goals about where I would like to get, but I’m trying to just enjoy the ride as well. I think something I am content with is that I get to split my time teaching and designing for Shelfage. The split isn’t always 50/50, but I am happy that I get to do both things. I feel really fortunate to work in a studio and design shop that has a lot of different capabilities. Everything from CNC machining, 3D printing, bandsaws, table saws, laser cutters, and many other tools. This makes it extremely easy to hop back and forth between teaching design classes and working on prototyping furniture for Shelfage. This past year I have been thinking a lot about what teaching design at a college position would look like. What would I want to do at the college level with my skill set? What could I accomplish? I decided to see what was out there and I’m super excited to say that I was able to get an adjunct position teaching sustainable design. I will still be teaching at the high school where I currently am, and working on Shelfage, but once a week I will get to teach sustainable design at the college level.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Morrisons slide rock trail for a hike. You get a great view of the mountains and of red rocks. I would also take them to the Denver Art Museum and the Kirkland Museum. Kirkland has a lot of great furniture design and Denver Art Museum has a great exhibit on the architect and designer Gio Ponti. After that I would take them up to Boulder and get coffee at Ozo. To drink, I could take them to Denver Beer Co. They have a big patio and there are usually lots of dogs. And if it’s summer time I would take them to the saturday market in Denver on Pearl St. to get food. I think the last stop would have to be the Denver Botanical Gardens.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be anywhere without my parents and my friends. They have all helped me in their own way. Even if my friends or family don’t all realize it, they have all had an impact on what I am doing. When I was in grad school I read two books that I learned a lot from. One was a book called “MC24”, by Bruce Mau. That book definitely had a big impact on me and I would recommend it to anyone seeking change in their life. It’s a big book!
The other book is called “An Eames Primer”. It’s about two of my favorite designers Charles & Ray Eames. I learned a lot about the design process in that book and about lessons in design.

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