Today we’d like to introduce you to Wileen Zapotocki.
Hi Wileen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a born creative and was encouraged to pursue art as a child – winning art contests, painting backdrops for school plays, and enjoyed being a maker of things. I went to school for Interior Architectural Design and continued a career in the field until I found that it was not fulfilling enough for me.
I discovered a position as a Display Artist for West Elm in NYC, where I found my calling. I was in a multi-hyphenate role which included painting faux finishes and murals on walls, fabrication of fixtures, and designing and engineering of art installations. During this time, I dabbled in freelance work for exposure – painting faux finishes on accent walls for private spaces, building custom furniture, and art installations.
After ten years in NYC, I decided to move back to LA to do bigger things mainly for growth.
Freelancing full-time opened my eyes and allowed me to have full rein on projects. I operated under FORYOUILLDOTHEWEIRDESTSHIT, which was a perfect name for the kind of work that I designed and fabricated.
The early exposure to the disciplines of my craft has laid the groundwork for my approach to design and fueled my creativity. Questioning the norm and embracing the rawness & imperfections of life encourage me to set a new bar for aesthetics and reach my full potential. The work featured in my portfolio is a testament to fresh design thinking, spontaneous creation, and utilization of pure talent.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was a smooth ride up until COVID-19 hit. When work started to pick up again. I found that lumber and plywood prices fluctuated and were limited availability. This was due to layoffs in the wood milling factories and, therefore caused delays nationwide. Many clients understood and agreed to pay the high costs, while others decided to push projects back.
I constantly checked lumber yards weekly for updates and would do extensive research to find wood alternatives to present to clients.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an artist, designer, and builder of things. In 2013, I started a small business – FORYOUILLDOTHEWEIRDESTSHIT – to focus on creating something for the people! I specialize in a wide range of disciplines, including woodworking, custom furniture and builds, set design, scenic design, interior design, art installations & art direction.
The bulk of my art installations have been produced from scratch and embrace simplicity through the use of a single material, such as new and repurposed wood. The exposure of the elements is what brings the work to life – the intentional play of sunlight and shadows helps create movement and the illusion of another dimension.
My work is a testament to fresh design thinking, spontaneous creation, and utilization of pure talent.
I believe in a zero-waste philosophy! I save (aka hoard) wood/materials from past builds and utilize them for new projects – whether it’s for use for support beams or something as simple as a wooden box.
What matters most to you? Why?
Being inspired at all times is what matters the most to me; without that, I would not be able to fulfill my potential.
When I design & fabricate builds, I push to create wonder. A viewer’s first impression is great, but the afterthought is everything; people who experience an art installation and walk away still thinking about it, is a job well done. Most people are content in their mediocrity, but I always aim to do something unique and challenging.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.you-the-shit.com
- Instagram: @foryouilldotheweirdestshit
