Meet Chenxi Huang | Object Designer & Yoga Instructor

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

Hi Chenxi, why did you pursue a creative career?
To be quite honest, I didn’t know I would pursue a creative career. Growing up, most people around me are fixated on an antiquated impression of a designer: he (not she) is “gifted”, is good at drawing things, plays some instrument. etc. I remember the 10-year-old me in an after-school painting class, the instructor refused to critique my drawings, diplomatically citing “too creative” . A few years later, I found myself in a small college in the middle of China, majoring in business, and I was bored out of my minds. In a hectic summer desperate for some soul searching, I took a brief trip to the Chicago Art Institute. I was fascinated by the sculptures on display and started to wonder: can I make those? As a kid, I used to play with all kinds of objects – tore them apart and put back together in a bizarre way. “That could have turned into art”, I genuinely thought throughout the museum tour. Then life went back on the right track: got into the art school behind the museum, studied object design, launched my own studio… and to be continued!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Since the foundation of my studio in 2019, my is to create functional objects that evoke senses of beauty and playfulness. The studio has been focusing on 2 product lines:

Home objects. The kitchen has always been a sacred place for me, I’ve been studying various types of utensils, cutting and serving boards, and other tools that prepare or serve food. Well sanded wood with bee wax finishes can set a calming undertone for both the colorful produce and the geometrically sliced cheese or raw fish.

Wood jewelry. My mainly focus right now. Fashion is another passion of mine. I am forever on the lookout for unique and affordable jewelries. There aren’t a lot of well-designed wood jewelries, and it is a polarized market out there: people either look for very expensive signature pieces or get stuck with mass-produced “souvenirs” with little to no design. The initial impression I had for wood jewelries was that they’d be heavy and unwieldy, as wood cracks and hand sand can only go so far. Well, they turned out very light and durable. I then started adding pearls, tainted acrylics and 925 silver to the funky wood shapes that I cut, to give them, well, “more drip”. These jewelry pieces gained instant traction and is the main focus of H.ood LA right now.

It‘s never smooth sailing. For designers starting out, the struggle is forever real. First of all, it’s always about money. I remember the night before each woodshop visit, I would sit down and plan to every minute what needed to be done, as time = money in the shop. Then, the ideas I had didn’t always work. When I took on the project of making 100+ wood spoons, about 200 were tossed either because I didn’t like the product or they simply broke because of one bad cut in the shop. Luckily, people I met in the process didn’t hesitate to share pointers or tips, offer help.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Dear Friend,

Here’s your itinerary. Come hang!

Thursday after you get in, let’s go out to Silver Lake. Get a cup of coffee, walk around the reservoir and turn on Sunset. Grab dinner at Moby’s restaurant. It’s vegan btw. Friday is beach day. Venice beach gets crowded so we should go early. There’s an Italian joint that serves your favorite food. Otherwise, we can try Malibu. Your call. Friday night we need to pack some jackets cuz we’ll spend the weekend in Joshua Tree. I already got us a spot in the camp. We’ll be back Sunday night. Monday and Tuesday mornings I’ll need to take care of a few things at the studio, but I can join you later at LACMA, or the galleries at the art district. Wednesday before you go, let’s have a nice brunch at the Rebublique. Please tell me how you feel about the coffee there, cuz my husband wouldn’t shut up about it.

Excited. k bye.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my family and friends… who have been unconditionally supporting me in this journey. They offer help when I needed it the most but didn’t even know yet. One person, in particular, is Nona, my yoga training instructor, mentor, and friend. She put discipline back into my sometimes beatnik attitude, and taught me to slow down – settle in – enjoy the process. She deserves a medal.

Website: https://www.hoodstudiola.com/

Instagram: h.oodstudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoodstudiola

Image Credits
Photo Credits to: ofstudio