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Women Designers You Should Know
039. Alex Proba on Persistence: From Pools to Posters and More
00:40:46
In this episode, multidisciplinary designer Alex Proba shares how persistence, daily creative rituals, and an unwavering belief in color have shaped her global design career—from posters and murals to pools and product lines.
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- [00:03]
Alex Proba
Hello.
- [00:03]
Amber AIs
Hello. Welcome to Women Designers.
- [00:06]
Amber Ac
You should know the podcast where we highlight the women who didn't quit even when things got hard. I'm your host, Amber AIs, and today's episode is all about color and creativity. You've probably seen her joyful murals splashed across buildings, her color drenched pool designs so iconic floating around your feed, or her collaborations with brands like Nike and Google and Louis Vuitton. But behind the vibrant work of Alex Proba is a very layered story of bold pivots and everyday discipline. She was born in Germany and trained in spatial and contextual design. She moved across countries, disciplines and industries before founding studio proba in 2013. And since then she's become known for her ability to infuse public and private spaces with warmth and energy and a distinctive design language that's rooted in curiosity and play. In this episode, we dive into what it really means to persist as a creative and how Alex has stayed consistent through the highs and lows, and how her personal rituals and experiments, like the now famous Poster A Day series, helped shape her past. But before we dive in, just a quick hello for anyone who's new around here. I'm Amber Ac, the host of the show and the founder of Design Studio Nice People, an award winning design studio based in la. And for nearly eight years I've worked with hundreds of clients on branding, packaging and websites, especially for lifestyle and design driven brands. I live in LA with my husband and our 4 year old son and I started this podcast exactly one year ago today, April 15th, as a passion project to highlight women who've shaped the creative world. I've learned so much about women in history and even women from today and how they've navigated their careers. And I am so happy that this has already gotten as big as it has and that so many of you are listening and have been here since the beginning. And I realize many of you don't know me, so that's why I wanted to do a quick intro about me. Whether you're here for inspiration, insight, or just a good design story, I'm so glad you're listening. So, without further ado, let's get into the episode.
- [02:43]
Alex Proba
Inspired by their legacy, these women pave the way for you and me and her and she breaking boundaries. You should know. You should know.
- [03:30]
Amber AIs
Hi Alex, welcome to the podcast.
- [03:33]
Alex Proba
Hi, thanks for having me really excited about this.
- [03:36]
Amber AIs
I'm so excited to talk all about your career. I mean, you have such an impressive career and so layered and you've done so many things and I'm really excited to chat through it all. And so, I mean, talking about your education, maybe we can start there. You initially studied interior architecture and graphic design in Germany, which is really interesting. And then you worked in architecture in Berlin and New York and then decided to pursue a graduate degree in product design, specifically contextual design at the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands, before the ultimate transition to founding studio Proba. I'm curious to know more about that journey. How did that early training and all of those different, I guess studies helped shape your approach to design?
- [04:35]
Alex Proba
Yeah. It's funny because one thing you don't know is that I actually went to dentistry school before that.
- [04:39]
Amber AIs
Oh wow. Even more layered.
- [04:42]
Alex Proba
Yeah. Very short, very tiny little bit. Just because I come from a family of doctors and they actually originally from Poland and they my parents escaped communism back in the 80s and you know, Wow. I think them having like fought so much for giving my brother and I like a good life and education and so on, I think going into something more creative was the kind of off limits. Your parents, or mostly my dad, were just like, you need something safe. You know, Dentistry felt like more creative. When I was doing it, I was just like, what am I actually doing? Like, I don't want to be doing this. And so I secretly applied for architecture design school in Hamburg without my parents even knowing. Yeah. And I think that was a part why I really like the topic of this episode so too is persistence and like to try to like prove my parents wrong.
- [05:36]
Amber AIs
Oh, wow.
- [05:37]
Alex Proba
And so I think that part of me that having like my dad like, you know, now I understand now with like 39, I'm like, oh, I totally know where he's coming from. Like he worked so hard in his life to like, you know, give us a good life. And then here I am trying to pursue something creative and unsafe. And so now I get it. But back then I was just like, obviously I didn't get it. But that power that he gave me with not being accepting of it, like gave me like all the fire to like go and like prove him wrong. And I think I always wonder if it would have been the same way or my career would have been the same way if he would have been totally accepting to it. It's something I love doing. It's like I do what I love and I'm lucky to be doing this. But I think big part was my dad kind of like putting the fuel under my butt.
- [06:27]
Amber AIs
Yeah. And I mean you're kind of like a multi hyphenate designer. Do you define Yourself by one discipline.
- [06:34]
Alex Proba
At this point in my career, I'm. I never even say designer anymore, which is funny. I just call myself an artist, which is like a big shift in many ways. But I think my studio started as like a super graphic design, but also like furniture and home goods design, product design studio. And then I did a lot of just branding still for clients within my studio. But now when I look at my work and what I do and what I love doing the most, it's all just defined by art. Everything I do is my art. Even if it's like, for clients sometimes or for specific commercial brands, is always my art versus making art for them.
- [07:13]
Amber AIs
In a weird way, yeah, I'm so impressed with the amount of things you do and have done over the years. Like going way back to an earlier point in your career, you had this daily design project, a poster a day. And that became a defining exercise in creative consistency. And I remember that was probably the first time I found out about you or had come across your work.
- [07:36]
Alex Proba
I started a project in 2012. At that point, I was working in house for a brand and, you know, just doing the same thing every day. I was happy to have a job and. And so I kind of wanted to do something else for myself and have like a more creative outlet, and I just didn't have time. So I decided to just do this poster project mostly for myself. I had like 20 or 40 followers on Instagram, all my friends at that time, and I was like, okay. When I post it, you know, I kind of lose, like, the fear of sharing something or being judged by something, because that's like a big thing. Like, sometimes letting go or like being done with a project is actually really hard, especially I think, in graphic design, because you're just like, oh, maybe I can move it to the right or to the left or add this. So I think it was like all of that for me to, like, do something else that's created outside of work, but then also put like a timestamp on it, like 30 minutes and every night. So I started doing that and it evolved into like a little diary almost of my everyday, like, things I saw or things I ate. Like random stuff from my day. I think a day 100, something sight unseen wrote about it where I was just like, that's crazy. Like, why would Sight Unseen even write about this? But yeah, and then once they picked it up, other blogs picked it up and people started writing about it. And I think then when I was doing it with a bigger audience, I was like, damn, I can't stop now. Right. So you kind of had to, like, continue. And then when I finished the first year, I decided to do second year, but I turned it upside down. So instead of being my diary, I actually asked people to submit on my website anything they wanted to tell me. And then I turned those stories into visuals for them. And so that was actually an easier year for me than the first because I had someone waiting on the other side, and I was accountable for something because they spent the time to write me whatever they wanted to tell me. So I didn't put any, like, guidelines around it. So with my work already being happy before that, most of the stories were actually kind of sad and, like, real life, from addiction to cancer to. To rape to everything. And I was just. Yeah. And there's, like, some heavy stories I had. And then I decided pretty quickly that they are not telling me the story to get, like, a black and red bloody poster bag. They are telling me the story because they might want to have something positive back. Because that was always pretty positive, and I think it worked. And most feedback from people that submitted was always pretty positive. And then the last year I did was the fourth year, which I did about women. So people told me stories about any woman in their life that, you know, was important to them or touched them in any way. And that was the last year I was kind of like, okay, how would.
- [10:16]
Amber AIs
You describe these posters to the listener? Like, is there an aesthetic that you would say that these all mirror or not really?
- [10:26]
Alex Proba
Because I didn't know what. I was an artist, too. So I think the big part of finding myself through it in those four years, like, they started very graphic and minimal and turned into, like, kind of more like, you know, an elephant sitting on a corn. Whatever you call it. Like, the. Not the.
- [10:41]
Amber AIs
Oh, yeah. Colonel. Yeah.
- [10:44]
Alex Proba
Thank you. Yeah. And becoming really just, like, surreal, whimsical. Good for, like, kids rooms. Let's say A lot of people buy them still for kids rooms.
- [10:53]
Amber AIs
Yeah, it was. I mean, it's kind of fun to see how you put these two unexpected objects together, too. There's maybe, like, a dissonance there or irony or, like, opposites or things that you wouldn't usually put together. Like the end of a fish or like the fin of a fish meeting up with the end of a cucumber. And it looks like the cucumber is the fish's face kind of a thing. Or you have a pinata with an actual donkey combined together. Or there's an egg on the bottom, but then it Turns into pineapple on the top. And so it's really interesting. Or maybe I think there's even like a squid coming out of an ice cream cone.
- [11:38]
Alex Proba
Yep, I have that one. And then I have a funny. Because that one I saw later on. But it's like a little chick next to chicken nuggets, which is a little morbid. But I think now I've been seeing that more. And like also in memes, not necessarily like in design. I had some really, really funny, weird ones and those are still, you know, like pretty popular and mostly for kids or doctor's offices and things like that, like have them, which is really random.
- [12:05]
Amber AIs
Were you really strict to making sure you got one every day?
- [12:10]
Alex Proba
Yeah, I did four years and it. So it was 1460 in total. And it was challenging because like traveling or friends like would get annoyed with me. Right. Because like I would land somewhere on the airport. I was like, I need to do a poster. Or I would be hiking somewhere and would need to find wi fi. Some of them I think I posted even blurry because I had a drink too much in a bar, then did the poster after. So yeah, I was pretty strict with it because I think that's my personality. If I would have failed, I would have not been interested anymore in the project. I think that was another thing that kept me going.
- [12:42]
Amber AIs
That's like major persistence too. And I think it shows a lot about your own character too, of not necessarily needing external sources or it being such a personal thing for you to want to keep doing.
- [12:55]
Alex Proba
Yeah, I mean it helped to have the other people that like part of the project. Like after the first year it definitely helped because it felt like you had. There was a greater reason than yourself.
- [13:06]
Amber AIs
Yeah, like the audience was expecting it.
- [13:08]
Alex Proba
And they did their part. Right. They wrote and the stories weren't necessarily short, some were really long. And that's why when I and I still had my full time jobs next to it. And I think after that I kind of like started collaborating a lot with other designers or artists and so on. I think I really liked. I think there might be a piece about me somewhere. Like the queen of collaboration or something like that. Oh yeah, yeah.
- [13:34]
Amber AIs
In fact, speaking of your collaborations, you've also collaborated with major brands like Google, Louis Vuitton, Samsung, all doing this and so many others. I mean that is like literally the short list. But it's true. I mean the amount of collaborations you've done is so impressive and you still are able to maintain your distinct recognizable style. How did you establish yourself in the Commercial world.
- [14:00]
Alex Proba
Initially, I think it's a little easier when designers or, like, someone. You know, I collaborated really early on with Bower Studios, which do the beautiful mirrors, and. And so we made a furniture collection together. But that one was way easier, right, because we have to, like, we had a similar esthetic. We had, like, agreed on the tastes and color palettes and things like that. And I think with brands, it's a little harder because, you know, the commercial, but then they also have their kind of brand packages and values and color palettes and whatever it might be. And I think for me, when brands started reaching out, it was, like, really trying to make sure that, you know, it aligns with my aesthetic and my values and also, like, keeping the balance between what they need and then trying to keep my work's essence as well. So, like, example is probably Google when they asked me to do the. The basketball court for them. And I think everyone knows Google's colors, right? So very different than my color palette, I would say. So I think that was, like, an interesting one, because I was like, cool. I don't think I can just turn my. My art into your color palette, which I would just not be able to do that. And then they were like, cool, totally get it. Pick two. And I was just like, that. That's easy, right? So I picked, like, the blue and the yellow, because both of those colors I use a lot myself, so it wasn't, like, a crazy thing where people would be like, wow, look at Alex's colors here. They were like, it kind of looks like my color palette anyway, so. And then, obviously, there were brands that reach out that I didn't want to work with for the values or whatever they stand for. But then there were also brands that I would have loved working for, but they wouldn't agree to my terms. Right. So I think having that balance and, like, knowing that, you know, you don't have to take every job that comes your way, but I think that's the hard one when you, like, starting because you kind of, you know, want every job, but you also need every job and knowing what can hurt your brand. I was very conscious always about it, like, to, you know, partner with the right people.
- [15:59]
Amber AIs
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And from this side, it looks like every brand comes to you for this very specific aesthetic. And it sounds like there is a little bit of tug and pull to make sure that your brand is consistent, and they need to make sure their brand is consistent, and that it really is kind of, like, a lot of compromise on Both ends to kind of figure out like this Google situation where it's like, okay, it needs to look like Alex Proba, but then it also needs to look like Google. How do we make those two different aesthetics meet? And I mean, it looks great. So is it. It's like half a quart.
- [16:41]
Alex Proba
I mean, there's other instances too. Like, I had a vet, veterinarian brand wanting to do the illustration branding, let's say like the visual brand part. And I was like, sure, I can do that. But then they were all like, no, we want it like that. I was like, no, no, no. That's like actually my art, where you can't use that for your brand. I'm happy to do so, but I'm. I will develop your own abstract pet veterinary brand. And it worked out in the end really well. But sometimes it's really hard for the client to grasp that because, yeah, even with murals, right? Like in restaurants, like, cool, can you send me the art? I'll put it on the food truck and on the menu. I was like, no. Like, I. Right. Because it's the same way as if you would have purchased a painting from someone or in a gallery or wherever. It's not like you take a photo of the painting and then you can use it as your brand. Right? And I think that doesn't happen all the time, but there are some times I just like, okay, let's explain this real quick. Right, yeah.
- [17:37]
Amber AIs
In fact, thinking about that, like, large scale, you do a lot of large scale things too. You have these murals, you do rugs and wallpapers and even pool designs, all infused with your vibrant color and organic forms. And thinking specifically about that Google project too, that probably takes a lot to kind of bring some of these larger scale projects to life. What are the challenges that you face? Or like, what do you have to push through in order to get something massive? Like even thinking about your biggest, largest scale project, what are the challenges that you face?
- [18:21]
Alex Proba
I mean, it's funny because I think that's where my background comes together. Right. Like, and so I think now with like the interior architecture and like having that background plus graphic design, plus the product design that I'm doing, but it wasn't like a planned thing. But I think my architecture background definitely helps me in all the like, larger scale projects and even with my public sculptures and so on. Like, that's like such a big part to have knowing like how cat works and 3D and things like that. So I think I wouldn't call it for me necessarily a Challenge. I think it's not a challenge, like, in a bad way. It's always just, like, something I really want to do because I don't know how to do it, and therefore, it's more fun doing it.
- [19:00]
Amber AIs
Yeah. Like a new opportunity.
- [19:02]
Alex Proba
Yeah. And I. You know, I love evolving, and I'm curious, and I never want to do the same thing over and over, which I said before. And I think if it's like a new material or new scale, whatever it is, like, the pool is kind of a new material plus a different kind of setting, because pool paint doesn't really exist in the colors you wanted. And so when I got my first pool, because I put renders out before that, I was like, kind of like 3D renders of pools that I want to do. And then my first client was like, let's do it. And I was like, really? And they're like, yeah. And I was like, they're like, what paint do you use? I was like, I don't know. So I think it was just, like, once they told me that they wanted, I really had to figure it out, and that's the fun part for me. So I don't know if it's, like, necessarily a challenge. It's kind of more like, you know, figuring out, talking to manufacturers, convincing them of something to do. You know, they ended up making custom colors for me for this pool, and. And just because they don't exist as pool paint. And I think similarly with other projects that are. You know, I love public art because no matter what I do, I kind of want to, like, shape the world around us and, like, spread joy. So I think if it's like a shoe, clothing, sculpture, furniture, like, I think I have the same approach to all of them. And I think why I love public sculptures, like the ones I did in Miami in 2021, is because people actually interact with it, and they actually. They're not polite to it either. Sometimes they're just like, you know, kick it or do whatever they want to it. And I think that I, in a way like that, because, like, going to a museum and do not touch kind of thing is always, like, a hard way to experience art. Personally, I like the way that, you know, they come with a different life outside and weather and people and so on. But then I think that the interaction of people and, like, the random humanness almost that passes by the sculpture is, like, way greater for me than someone that is already an art lover going to a museum. And I think those come with many challenges because I'm Doing actually an install. We've been working on this for two years for Vancouver, Canada. We're doing for public, permanent sculptures and installing them in July. But, yeah, they're. Because it's public and they're permanent, and the kid's head can't be stuck in shape. And, you know, it needs to be fireproof. It needs to have all the distances. Right. It needs to. So I think those are the challenges, obviously, that you face with a lot of those projects, but there's always someone that knows this better than myself. Right. So I feel like, again, collaborating with manufacturers and engineers and all and cities and things like that, that makes it happen. So it's not like I have to figure out the full engineering for everything and all the code for Vancouver's code, but there's, like, people along the way that, you know, make me greater because they helped me make this happen. And I think. Yeah, that's why I kind of don't want to call it a challenge, because there's always, like, a solution, and there's always someone that knows it better.
- [21:56]
Amber AIs
Yeah. In fact, I want to talk more about your pools, too, because they're so impressive, and I was seeing them pop up all over the place over the years, and that's how I started following you. And then I didn't realize that the poster a day person is the same person as the pool person. And so, like, all of that came together for me. But how many pools have you done so far?
- [22:19]
Alex Proba
Three only. I mean, three inside pools and then multiple ones that were out, like, the decade.
- [22:26]
Amber AIs
Oh, yeah. Okay.
- [22:28]
Alex Proba
But inside, yeah, I did two painted ones. One in. In Ranchero Mirage in California, and one in Palm Springs. And then the last one that I just launched in December, that one is all made out of handmade tiles, and that was a labor of love for sure for everyone.
- [22:42]
Amber AIs
Yeah, that one is amazing. And, like, would that. Does. Will the tile withstand or won't weather over time as much as the paint?
- [22:51]
Alex Proba
Yeah, no, it's going to just be there. And the glaze is specifically, like, made for that in the UV light and everything, but also the clay itself is made for that. So, like, that was the reason why I wanted to do a tile pool, because paint, no matter what kind of paint it is, even if it's full paint, it's paint. Right. So it's going to weather in time. It's going to lose the vibrancy in time, and there's, like, it's fun, and it's easy to repaint it again. But definitely, like, for this specific client in Miami. I was like, she wanted a painted one. I was like, man, you're building a brand new pool. Don't do that. Like, let's do some cooler. And like. And I was like, it's going to be expensive. But it seemed like that wasn't necessarily the worry part. She really just wanted, like, a vibrant art pool and was hard because I didn't have anything to show. Right. I had painted pools to show and the tile wasn't the thing. Now it's going to be like, cool, you want this for this pool? Because people can now. But at that point, I could just tell her that I can do it and my manufacturers can do it. We're all confident, and she just needs to trust us. And that's a lot of trust for, you know. And she was just like, let's do it. And I was just like, well, oh, God, that's amazing. And then it took almost two years, but they were in no rush either because everything was built new. So when we started, the pool wasn't even there yet. So. Which was good timing. But, yeah, every tile is like, hand glazed and. And then it's like a square, and then later on, it's like hand cut into the shape that we wanted and labeled, and it's like a big crazy puzzle of over 8,000 pieces.
- [24:22]
Amber AIs
Okay, I have to dive into this even more. How did you decide for the tiles themselves to be organic shapes instead of just like a square tile?
- [24:31]
Alex Proba
My work doesn't really do straight lines mostly. So wherever I don't need a straight line, my work won't have straight lines. I do have tech collections with concrete collaborative and stuff. And that's a. We just have to make them straight. Right. But if I have a choice, I don't make it straight. That was like a big piece because I think also for the client, she wanted, like, the organic flow and everything. And I think her imagining the grout and adding like a grid almost to that also wouldn't have been as appealing. And so. So, yeah, she was kind of with me on that, where, you know, it's kind of more like an enlarged mosaic.
- [25:05]
Amber AIs
That's a really good description of it. It's like basically an underwater mosaic. Have you been approached by hotels yet for work like this?
- [25:14]
Alex Proba
Yeah, so hotels. I've got a lot of inquiries from hotels in general, but they always want to be like, paint. And I'm like, I won't do it. Sorry. I just don't want the headache in, like, a commercial setting where chlorine and all this stuff is way higher than like in a private pool. And still probably the wear is probably quicker do. And the hotels were kind of like, well, we can't. You don't even have a pool tile. So like, they weren't even really talking to me about doing tiles. But now of that one, like I have, you know, a couple of resorts, like reaching out and things like that. But I think people think it's cheaper than it actually is.
- [25:50]
Amber AIs
Oh yeah, it's.
- [25:51]
Alex Proba
It's all handmade. You know, even the pool is handmade. If you think about it, there's no like, yeah, look straight. They're not fully straight lines because it's just mud dug out by someone and it's like all very organic. And the tiles are just so much work that people I think don't expect what it costs. And also the timelines often don't work because they either way too big, like already have the pool ready, you know, and it's not like a off the shelf product that you can just buy. And even if I have off the shelf products for pool tiles, that just wouldn't work because every pool is so different. And so I think we do have a way that we made it a little more affordable in ways that we have like a set color palette of like 15 colors, I think. And, and instead of just making always like a tiny bit of each color, that's where the costs come in. Right. Where it's really hard. So we kind of have like whatever 500 square foot of red, 500 square foot of pink and having them in all squares just ready to go because then you can just cut them to the size or art you need. But that's like one way to make it a little bit more affordable. Just because the tough part comes. Yeah. When you have like just a little bit of green and a little bit of, you know, that's.
- [27:00]
Amber AIs
Yeah. So is this tile pool that you finished, is it 15 colors?
- [27:04]
Alex Proba
No, I think it's less.
- [27:05]
Amber AIs
Okay.
- [27:06]
Alex Proba
They're usually around like 10 or something colors. So that's why 15 is a good mix because you can still like make it super unique and very different. And you know, there's one client that is I'm speaking to right now that I actually think for her house and setting, she should not do crazy colors. She should actually keep it in like the earth tones and everything, which I think is going to look amazing like in her setting of like mid century and everything. And for that, for example, you would have to do a couple new custom colors, but maybe not all of them. Right. And I think that could probably save it a little bit. But it's just like such a handcraft. It's just really hard. Yeah. And then even the install is just like a giant puzzle, so.
- [27:48]
Amber AIs
Oh, what a project. And it is so impressive. Like it looks like kind of these abstract, organic looking like plant like shapes. And then there's like a really fun polka dot thing in there. And I bet that the water creates all sorts of movement with it too and is probably different under different lighting moments. And I imagine that it's one of those art pieces. This is what's so impressive about your work is you can really just stare at it and like see new things come out of it or come back to it again and it looks different or feels different or there's just something about it that's so layered and so abstract that like you can really pull different things from it.
- [28:33]
Alex Proba
Yeah, I love that part of pools. It's just like that it has two lives or three lives almost. It's like without the water and then once you put the water in, but then the under underwater, the whole idea of like with the pools is kind of like, obviously it's like my work is nature inspired, but having them be like little coral leaves almost like in your, your backyard. And I think especially coral reefy, it looks when you actually underwater and because everything like moves and then the polka dots kind of move too and everything is like analog animation, you know, like. And I think that's like part of the reason I love it so much too. And then funny with the tile one though, because of the paint and you put the water in, some of the colors change. Like for example, like yellow turns green and so on. Right. Because you see it as blue, obviously the water. And so I expected it to happen here too, but it didn't. So it's really weird where I was just like, wait. Something about the pigment of the tile is just like way more intense as well because it doesn't really look that much different in color. The yellow is still yellow. And so yeah, that was also a big one where I was just like, oh, interesting. Like the tile is definitely the way to go for that if you really want the real vibrancy, like crazy vibrancy. Like, I mean I think I have a top down view, like drone photo of it. It just looks of water and looks the same. Like there's like no color change other than like the white turned a little bit of turquoise. But yeah, that was a big shocker for me just because I Didn't see that coming.
- [30:01]
Amber AIs
Yeah. In fact, I mean, just thinking about how much persistence and also patience it takes for a lot of your projects too. There's all the manufacturing and, like, attention to detail and material and making sure that it's exactly what you want it to be. And I like, I love all of the work that comes out of, like, all the things that you're doing and all the bold colorfuls. And I like how you mentioned it's kind of joyful or optimistic a lot of your work too. And I think that's why people go back to it again and again. And, like, the colors, like, you're not afraid of color, but you also really think through color in different ways than other people do. So I think that's really obvious in your work too. But I'm curious to know, with all of this work and running the studio, I imagine there's inevitable setbacks. Like, what other ways throughout your career have you had to persist?
- [30:59]
Alex Proba
It's funny, like, you know, a lot of people always ask me, like, what if I fail? What if I fail? What is, like, failing is such a big scare for everyone. And I think failure is, like, the best part of it because you rethink it, but then also, you shouldn't stop. You should just keep going, make it better. And I think that a lot of the setbacks, you know, like. Like rejection and everything is, like, part of the journey. And I think it's part of the journey in life in general. Like, you just can't have everything you want. And I think if you had everything you want, life would be kind of boring. Which, you know, like, public art mostly is RFP based. Right. So there's like 700 people applying for the same kind of RFP online, which is mostly from cities or developers. And, you know, and every day you get an email like, hey, we appreciate your interest, but we had 800 submissions and we didn't choose you or whatever. Last year alone, I did over 100 submissions for RFPs. And, you know, I got one, and I think, like, Ian is like my partner. He's always just like, you know, but without the hundred, you wouldn't have one, right? So, like, having an email almost every week frequently saying, like, nope. And, you know, I could be like, ah, damn it, like, no one's gonna and stop doing it. But I just don't, you know. And the other problem with public art is too, like, the one I'm installing in Vancouver this year, it's three of them I'm installing this year. And then one of the fourth one I'm installing 2028. And so this project already started like two years ago. And then I just won one for outside of San Francisco. And we kind of like doing the contracts at the moment, but that's for 2027. So like I'm spending all this time and design and energy and to like those proposals. And they also not really easy because once they select you, you like mostly selected with multiple artists that then have to do a real proposal with architectural drawings and renders and everything. And then they choose, maybe you are not. And then you have to go to the city panel and they have to approve. Like it's like a long process. And you know, sometimes I'm just like, what am I? What is this what I want to be doing? Right. Like, because I'm back my day one in architecture. Kind of like, it's funny, it's like I left architecture because of spending so much time and waiting, but I'm kind of back in it. But I think that's just the process. And I think just, you know, out of those hundred fails or rejections that say at least I got 99 no's and then one yes. Right. Which. Which is more than I had before that. And I think that is just, you know, just like an opportunity. And hopefully once I have more of them, I have more like a portfolio than.
- [33:38]
Amber AIs
So like, I'm curious then it kind of sounds like in order to have a good level of persistence, it probably requires some level of being okay with rejection and. Or not fearing failure.
- [33:54]
Alex Proba
Yeah. Because without that, you where are you going to get to? Nowhere. Right. Because you stop doing anything. And then I think sometimes it's actually really interesting because some of the depends on the RFP and who is running it. But some cities offer like a feedback thing where they just like, hey, if you want to know feedback, why we didn't pick you kind of thing, schedule it here. And sometimes I actually do it because it's kind of interesting to hear because I can think about many things if I look at public sculpture. Public sculptures, rarely. Very colorful. Right. There's like the Kusama. Sure. Right. But she's like so, so, so prolific and famous. A very different story. But most of public art is not right. It's also very, very, very man heavy territory. And it's very colorless often. And either it's like out of bronze or it's out of metal or just white fiberglass or whatever it is. And I think that's one of the reason. Right. That a lot of people are scared of color or don't know what to do with color. And then my work is in a way like very naive and abstract. So I think I can see some people don't see my butterfly in it, but they want a real butterfly. Right. So I think knowing that about myself and what people also might not choose me has nothing really to do with me. You know, it's like their preference or their taste or whatever. And I can't expect everyone to like my work, right. So I think as long as I know that I love doing what I'm doing and I love my work and I am happy creating because there's this one person that likes it that's like worth it for me to like keep creating because this one person is still there. And I think Kusama said something like that too. I think she is one of my favorite quotes, she was like, if someone guarantees her then that in a hundred years there will be one person that will like her work, she will keep creating. Right? So I think that's similar to me, right? Like, I'm not offended if people don't like my work. Like, there's no offense for me to that. I think it's very personal and I think as long as I am confident in it and I think, you know, love doing it, I will just keep doing it until I can't, I guess. But yeah, I actually really think failure is often also meant to be and will lead you to something better and greater in the end.
- [36:04]
Amber AIs
Yeah. I'm so excited about all these upcoming projects for you and like, I love your work so much and I'm excited to see it just like coming to life in new ways and new forms and new collaborations and all of that. I also, I mean, I love your home too. I didn't even touch on that, but your home is so impressive. Did you design all the interiors?
- [36:28]
Alex Proba
The interiors? Yeah. I mean, we bought the house itself and it was kind of like a perfect one because it's a black box and the inside was all white. So it was like kind of the perfect canvas.
- [36:40]
Amber AIs
It's very. It's kind of like the Eames house. Have you ever thought of it like that?
- [36:44]
Alex Proba
No, I haven't.
- [36:45]
Amber AIs
I see it as the Eames house for some reason or at least like some of the window crossings and stuff.
- [36:51]
Alex Proba
Big windows. And I think that was a big part because I actually just. I didn't move to Portland full time at all. It was just a split time thing with New York and that was November 2019. So then you can imagine what happened after, you know, like, with COVID everything was so unknown was going to happen. And. And one big thing for me was like, when we were looking for. For a house is like, it's gray important and half of the rear. Right. And I'm just such a sunny person. And I think that was a big one where I was like, I just want big windows because then it's even light in the winter because, yeah, if it's dark out. And I think, yeah, so now we have that place. But I have a. One of my main assistants, she's based in New York still. She's a New Yorker. She has like, big space and that's like our outpost now too. So, like, I have a lot of my work there and it's kind of worked out because I had to give up my studio during COVID Now again, I have one again with her.
- [37:49]
Amber AIs
Yeah, that's good. How long did it take you to work on your house?
- [37:53]
Alex Proba
It was like kind of like step by step. I didn't like, really renovate. I. I was like really just step by step. Kind of like we moved in and then I did one part and then I did the other part, and then later I did the things, you know, like, it was like a very. It wasn't like a big Renault. It was kind of like a step by step thing while living in it.
- [38:12]
Amber AIs
Yeah, it's so colorful, but it's like tastefully applied color and it's in really fun ways. Like, you have that one. Is it Mudo chair, but in different colors at the dining table. And I'm like, why isn't. I feel like nobody's done that before or. That's just like such a unique take on applying color throughout the house too.
- [38:36]
Alex Proba
Yeah. Like, the bedroom is crazy in the bathroom because I painted like all the walls. Hand painted murals. Oh, wow.
- [38:43]
Amber AIs
Okay.
- [38:43]
Alex Proba
But I think that was a concert choice because I don't spend that much time in the bathroom and bedroom. Like, you go to bed in there. It's like kind of like deep reds and browns and like very like maroony kind of like warm tones. And then you step down into the living room where we actually spent most time in the kitchen. And that's kind of. I left all the walls white, but the chairs fill the color, the rug fills the color, or, you know, the elves are all colorful. And I think. So I kind of on purpose added color because I think I would go crazy if my living room will be completely just murals. And so I think it was like a very conscious choice where to add color. How?
- [39:21]
Amber AIs
Yeah, I mean, I love it. It's such, it's such a creative home and like one of the most unique homes I've ever seen. But otherwise, I mean, thank you so much for joining me. I'm just like even a bigger fan now having spoken to you and really hearing your process and. Yeah. So thank you so much for joining me.
- [39:41]
Alex Proba
Yeah, of course. Thank you so much for having me. That was fun.
- [39:44]
Amber Ac
That's it for today's episode. What I love about Alex's story is that it reminds us persistent isn't always loud. Sometimes it's showing up to your studio each day. Sometimes it's making one small decision that adds up over time. And sometimes it's about pushing past the doubt and putting color back into the world that just feels dull and gray. If Alex's journey resonated with you, or if you're in a season where persistence feels especially tough, I hope her words offered some fuel. You can check out more of Alex's work@studioproba.com or follow her latest projects on Instagram lexproba. If you loved this episode considering consider leaving a 5 star review or sharing it with a friend who might need a creative boost. Thanks for listening. And as always, let's redesign history by celebrating women.