Meet Kip Glover | Artist | Designer | Realtor | Professional Move Consultant

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

Hi Kip, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
I find passion in designing & producing beautiful one-of-a-kind fine art pieces. Bringing a unique concept to life and then sharing it with others and hearing their kind words in return is always very touching. In all the professions I’ve have had throughout my life, I’ve always looked for ways to apply myself creatively and bringing joy to others. Attention to detail makes me happy. Finding and incorporating unique hardware, glass, acrylic, metal, and found objects into my design is very gratifying. I have enjoyed various forms of art since a young child. Art allows me to be playful and experience the joy in getting lost in the creative process.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My love of art surfaced when I was in grade school, but gained direction when I turned 18 and became immersed in building architectural models at a design firm in Stockholm, Sweden. This two-week apprenticeship was part of a year-long high school exchange program spent in the beautiful architectural landscape of Stockholm and within the rich design culture of Scandinavia. It opened my eyes to an innovative world of architectural materials and design and launched me in my passion to develop skills I have been refining to this day. I can remember the excitement of creating wonderful wooden models in the firm’s design workshop and being captivated by the quality and detail of each piece and by an awakening sense of my own creative potential. Working with my hands to create a finished model, which was both beautiful and precise, has influenced my artistic sensibility ever since.

The idyllic hours I spent wandering the boulevards and looking out from train windows through rural and suburban areas and into the city centers of downtown Stockholm inspired in me a deep appreciation for the Scandinavian aesthetic and lifestyle. My visits to the adjacent archipelago and the village communities where my host family summered, enhanced my admiration for quality, hand-built designs, evident in their homes and way of life, where self-sufficiency was respected and helped to yield an exquisite and unique artistic point of view.

Later, in my 20s, 30s and 40s, I was immersed in professional endeavors and assumed many roles in several related fields, such as hospitality management and development, which included opening and managing Hard Rock Café properties in the United States and Europe; project management, competitive research, and quality assurance services for Ty Warner Hotels and Resorts; and marketing, graphic design and business development services within the architectural and interior design industry. Still the creative muse always drew me back through my desire to create beautiful objects from wood which were architecturally elegant and provocative. In following the impulse to express myself creatively through mediums I am drawn to, I have gained an authentic sense of who I am artistically.

I have had a lifelong love of architecture, design, and art. Having lived throughout the U.S. and abroad in design rich cultures/environments and working directly with prominent architects and interior designers, I have been well exposed to unique architecture & interior design, and subsequently have developed a keen sense of design over the years.

I love to incorporate unique hardware, glass, acrylic, metal, and found objects in my design projects. I am enamored by the sensuality of color and finish and the variation of textures I search out in the materials I choose to work with, and I strive to create refined pieces that express both beauty and grace. The breadth of ideas that can find enhanced expression through wood art is really staggering. The only limit I have is with my own powers of imagination. Connecting attentively to the artistic process is a profound experience, one which opens my mind and my heart.

Additionally, with my novel background having been involved intimately in so many professional fields – such as architecture, interior design, restaurant & hotel design, spa design & development, themed and fine dining restaurant management, model making, marketing, graphic design, floor planning, event planning, baking, merchandising, product design, customer service, move management services, and luxury real estate services – allows me to apply myself creatively in unique ways.

Shortly after my completion of the Krenov School of Fine Woodworking/Furniture program my path took a turn to assisting my elderly father with his transition from his home to a senior living property. Having moved professionally a couple dozen times over my life I knew I could soften the process for my father in this overwhelming time. After his successful move I decided to start a relocation business from scratch with the focus on the senior community. The business would also serve to provide the financial base to continue my artistic endeavors while helping others through a stressful and particularly challenging time with dignity and patience. Senior Relocation Services is a comprehensive move management business dedicated to seniors and other in transition – from customized floor planning for my client’s new residence, to organizing/downsizing services, liquidation services, new residence preparation services, professional packing, move day coordination, full move-in and setup services, procurement services for home items a client might need, home closure services, to handyman services. My motto has always been about delivering peace of mind to one client at a time!

A few years ago I expanded my professional services to include Real Estate services. Recognizing that having a proven, effective team on your side is the key to delivering great client service, I partnered with Douglas Elliman. As a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES®), and a Senior Move Manager, I thoroughly understand the sensitivities and overwhelm that can be present in a lifestyle transition. I pride myself with a broad network of accomplished professionals to support my clients as needed, in addition I am well versed in the myriad of senior living alternatives available. Understanding that buying and selling can be a stressful event, I pride myself in guiding my clients respectfully and seamlessly through their real estate transaction, thus ultimately providing security and peace of mind to my clients and their loved ones.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a best friend visiting, especially one that hadn’t ever been to Santa Barbara, I would take them on a cruise throughout Santa Barbara, Montecito, and certainly the Santa Ynez Valley. I might start off at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse clock tower to offer them the breathtaking 360º view of greater Santa Barbara and the city’s signature red-tile Spanish Mediterranean architecture. Then continue our drive through town and on to the Funk Zone which is a unique arts, culture, business, and industrial district full of great wineries, restaurants, art galleries, and shops. Then continue our drive along Cabrillo Boulevard, adjacent the local beaches, driving by the Zoo, then on to Coast Village Road in Montecito – full of restaurants and shops. We’d stop for a tasty lunch at the Honor Bar and then off to the iconic Four Season Biltmore Resort and the adjacent shoreline views on Channel Drive. Then a meandering drive through residential Montecito viewing some of the prized architectural estates and gardens and taking a break at the famous neighborhood Pierre La Fond deli & market with a quick visit to the wonderful Upstairs gift shop.

As time permits….a visit to the 37 acre botanical nirvana – Ganna Walska Lotusland, one of the world’s best gardens. The journey would continue with a drive to the historic Old Mission Santa Barbara. Perhaps a quick drive through the hillside Riviera residential neighborhood which is known for its priceless panoramic views and classic estates. Then off on a 30+ mile excursion to the Santa Ynez Valley to experience valley life in the various small rural communities – Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Ballard, and Buellton. The “Valley” offers over 150 wineries, 250 shops and over 60 restaurants. While in Los Olivos, check out the destination Home & Garden store – J. Woeste, and also the Auberge Mattei’s Tavern legendary resort (originally an old stagecoach stop). A perfect end to the day would be a healthy meal at Industrial Eats in Buellton.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife Cheryl, a fellow artist (a watercolor painter), is certainly my biggest fan and I’m grateful for her resolute support. Additionally various friends, architects and designers have been an inspiration to me over the years. In 2010 I was fortunate to be accepted into the The Krenov School Fine Woodworking/Furniture Program in Mendocino County, California, which is widely regarded as one of the premier woodworking schools in the United States. This intensive 9-month program was really the start of my more serious and passionate design interests.

Website: https://www.kipglover.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glover_kip/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kip.glover

Other: Douglas Elliman Agent Site: https://kipglover.elliman.com

Santa Barbara Relocation Services Site:  https://www.santabarbararelocationservices.com/