{"version":"1.0.0","segments":[{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2.135,"endTime":5.672,"body":"I would say because my formal education is in music, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":5.672,"endTime":5.772,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":5.772,"endTime":9.242,"body":"because the theater, and particularly the theater of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":9.242,"endTime":9.576,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":9.576,"endTime":13.48,"body":"Stephen Sondheim, was my initial love, there's a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":13.48,"endTime":13.513,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":13.513,"endTime":17.217,"body":"very specific narrative. And I think"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":17.217,"endTime":17.35,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":17.35,"endTime":20.82,"body":"in design, there's also a great"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":20.82,"endTime":20.854,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":20.854,"endTime":24.624,"body":"narrative. And I believe firmly in both"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":24.624,"endTime":24.724,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":24.724,"endTime":28.628,"body":"music and in architecture, interior design, decorative"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":28.628,"endTime":28.762,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":28.762,"endTime":32.732,"body":"arts, that there is time and space,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":32.732,"endTime":32.799,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":32.799,"endTime":36.169,"body":"and psychological time and psychological space."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":36.169,"endTime":36.603,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":36.603,"endTime":40.507,"body":"How it is that if you go to a concert, for example,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":40.507,"endTime":41.274,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":41.274,"endTime":45.078,"body":"time stops, and you can be transported by what"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":45.078,"endTime":45.145,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":45.145,"endTime":48.581,"body":"you are hearing. And I think the same thing"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":48.581,"endTime":48.648,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":48.648,"endTime":52.619,"body":"happens in certain circumstances in architecture and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":52.619,"endTime":52.685,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":52.685,"endTime":53.119,"body":"design."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":53.119,"endTime":55.522,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":55.522,"endTime":59.025,"body":"Welcome to \"By Invitation,\" a podcast of the Institute of"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":59.025,"endTime":59.125,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":59.125,"endTime":60.56,"body":"Classical Architecture and Art,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":60.56,"endTime":61.461,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":61.461,"endTime":64.964,"body":"where we're dedicated to advancing the understanding, appreciation, and"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":64.964,"endTime":65.065,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":65.065,"endTime":68.968,"body":"practice of classical design. I'm your host, Caroline"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":68.968,"endTime":69.035,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":69.035,"endTime":72.372,"body":"Slaten, and in each episode we'll explore the people,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":72.372,"endTime":72.705,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":72.705,"endTime":76.643,"body":"places, and ideas shaping the world of classical design."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":76.643,"endTime":78.778,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":78.778,"endTime":82.382,"body":"Today's visit is a study of balance, harmony, and rhythm."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":82.382,"endTime":83.283,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":83.283,"endTime":86.586,"body":"I'm so happy to be joined by Michael Simon, whose design"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":86.586,"endTime":86.619,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":86.619,"endTime":89.856,"body":"philosophy is deeply informed by his musical background."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":89.856,"endTime":90.457,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":90.457,"endTime":93.86,"body":"Trained as a composer under the legendary Stephen Sondheim,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":93.86,"endTime":94.527,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":94.527,"endTime":97.497,"body":"Michael started playing piano at just three years old."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":97.497,"endTime":98.498,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":98.498,"endTime":102.435,"body":"We will be chatting about composing rooms, the allure"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":102.435,"endTime":102.535,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":102.535,"endTime":105.872,"body":"of French antiques, and how Michael found a"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":105.872,"endTime":105.939,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":105.939,"endTime":108.842,"body":"craftsperson in the most unlikely of spots."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":108.842,"endTime":109.843,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":109.843,"endTime":112.412,"body":"And by invitation, here is today's guest,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":112.412,"endTime":115.882,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":115.882,"endTime":116.883,"body":"Michael Simon."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":116.883,"endTime":120.253,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":120.253,"endTime":123.857,"body":"Michael Simon is an acclaimed New York-based interior designer,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":123.857,"endTime":124.457,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":124.457,"endTime":128.461,"body":"furniture creator, and collector who began his career in the world"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":128.461,"endTime":128.495,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":128.495,"endTime":129.028,"body":"of music."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":129.028,"endTime":130.73,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":130.73,"endTime":134.334,"body":"His design philosophy is deeply informed by his"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":134.334,"endTime":134.4,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":134.4,"endTime":138.338,"body":"musical background, emphasizing composition fundamentals"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":138.338,"endTime":138.538,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":138.538,"endTime":141.841,"body":"such as line, balance, harmony,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":141.841,"endTime":142.475,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":142.475,"endTime":142.876,"body":"rhythm,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":142.876,"endTime":143.743,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":143.743,"endTime":147.48,"body":"counterpoint, and orchestration, which he likens"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":147.48,"endTime":147.514,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":147.514,"endTime":149.616,"body":"to composing rooms."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":149.616,"endTime":164.03,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":164.03,"endTime":167.934,"body":"As a youngster, I was very passionate about two"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":167.934,"endTime":167.934,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":167.934,"endTime":171.871,"body":"things. One of them had to do with music for the theater,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":171.871,"endTime":172.739,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":172.739,"endTime":175.808,"body":"and the other had to do with set design for the theater."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":175.808,"endTime":176.309,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":176.309,"endTime":180.18,"body":"I have a sister who is two and a half years older than I am, and my grandparents"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":180.18,"endTime":180.346,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":180.346,"endTime":183.85,"body":"purchased a piano for her. And the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":183.85,"endTime":183.917,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":183.917,"endTime":187.187,"body":"day it was delivered, I was intrigued, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":187.187,"endTime":187.954,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":187.954,"endTime":191.758,"body":"I went, sat down, and started picking out melodies."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":191.758,"endTime":192.392,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":192.392,"endTime":195.028,"body":"And my sister wanted nothing to do with it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":195.028,"endTime":195.728,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":195.728,"endTime":199.399,"body":"My parents hired piano teachers for me, and I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":199.399,"endTime":199.432,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":199.432,"endTime":202.735,"body":"went through them very, very quickly."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":202.735,"endTime":202.802,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":202.802,"endTime":204.304,"body":"And these teachers were"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":204.304,"endTime":205.104,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":205.104,"endTime":208.975,"body":"working with children. And I was just more"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":208.975,"endTime":209.008,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":209.008,"endTime":211.411,"body":"advanced than what they were used to working with."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":211.411,"endTime":211.945,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":211.945,"endTime":214.814,"body":"And I had a very, very good ear, and I could play"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":214.814,"endTime":215.481,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":215.481,"endTime":219.352,"body":"anything that I heard. So I would say to the teacher, \"Well, give me a sense of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":219.352,"endTime":219.419,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":219.419,"endTime":223.256,"body":"what this thing sounds like.\" They would do it, and I would"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":223.256,"endTime":223.289,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":223.289,"endTime":225.391,"body":"sit down and I could just play it in a heartbeat."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":225.391,"endTime":225.825,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":225.825,"endTime":229.462,"body":"And my reading skills actually suffered as a result of that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":229.462,"endTime":229.529,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":229.529,"endTime":233.032,"body":"because I was so adept at imitating what I could hear."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":233.032,"endTime":233.633,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":233.633,"endTime":237.437,"body":"I studied privately with Stephen Sondheim from age 15 to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":237.437,"endTime":237.537,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":237.537,"endTime":241.441,"body":"20. And over the course of five"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":241.441,"endTime":241.541,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":241.541,"endTime":245.178,"body":"years and many visits with him, on one of my"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":245.178,"endTime":245.211,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":245.211,"endTime":248.982,"body":"visits, he had what was called \"Company.\" And there was an opening"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":248.982,"endTime":249.082,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":249.082,"endTime":253.052,"body":"number, and I took the entire thing"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":253.052,"endTime":253.152,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":253.152,"endTime":255.655,"body":"down, and it had the whole cast in it, et cetera."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":255.655,"endTime":256.055,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":256.055,"endTime":259.892,"body":"I wrote all the vocal parts down, and I wrote what you would"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":259.892,"endTime":259.959,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":259.959,"endTime":263.93,"body":"call the piano conductor score. And I brought it to him, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":263.93,"endTime":263.997,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":263.997,"endTime":267.9,"body":"he was somewhat gobsmacked because the score had not been"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":267.9,"endTime":268.001,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":268.001,"endTime":271.971,"body":"published as yet. That would come six months, maybe a year later."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":271.971,"endTime":272.372,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":272.372,"endTime":276.075,"body":"And so I had a good ear, and I was a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":276.075,"endTime":276.342,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":276.342,"endTime":279.345,"body":"passionate and engaged student."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":279.345,"endTime":279.646,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":279.646,"endTime":281.481,"body":"What was that like working under him?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":281.481,"endTime":281.981,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":281.981,"endTime":285.451,"body":"I have to tell you that I think in life,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":285.451,"endTime":286.019,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":286.019,"endTime":286.319,"body":"if"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":286.319,"endTime":287.52,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":287.52,"endTime":290.957,"body":"a person, a youngster, has"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":290.957,"endTime":291.557,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":291.557,"endTime":295.461,"body":"one mentor, one person, whether it's a teacher, whether it"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":295.461,"endTime":295.528,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":295.528,"endTime":299.432,"body":"is like a demi-god as he was to me, or the like,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":299.432,"endTime":300.099,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":300.099,"endTime":304.037,"body":"you're extremely lucky. And I will say"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":304.037,"endTime":304.037,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":304.037,"endTime":307.874,"body":"that if I'm a competent interior designer, it is completely because"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":307.874,"endTime":307.94,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":307.94,"endTime":311.344,"body":"Stephen Sondheim taught me how to write music, taught me how"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":311.344,"endTime":311.411,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":311.411,"endTime":314.714,"body":"to understand something so"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":314.714,"endTime":314.747,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":314.747,"endTime":318.384,"body":"abstract and think of it in a very concrete"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":318.384,"endTime":318.518,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":318.518,"endTime":322.088,"body":"way. And my process as a designer"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":322.088,"endTime":322.221,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":322.221,"endTime":325.892,"body":"is absolutely the process that he taught me as a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":325.892,"endTime":325.925,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":325.925,"endTime":326.492,"body":"composer."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":326.492,"endTime":327.493,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":327.493,"endTime":331.331,"body":"And can you kind of explain how learning music"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":331.331,"endTime":331.464,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":331.464,"endTime":333.966,"body":"translates into design?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":333.966,"endTime":334.467,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":334.467,"endTime":337.77,"body":"So composers are working in a pretty"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":337.77,"endTime":337.97,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":337.97,"endTime":341.841,"body":"abstract realm, and the auditor, the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":341.841,"endTime":341.874,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":341.874,"endTime":345.578,"body":"listener, whether it's something that is concert music or"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":345.578,"endTime":346.379,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":346.379,"endTime":348.614,"body":"popular music or what have you,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":348.614,"endTime":349.515,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":349.515,"endTime":350.883,"body":"they need to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":350.883,"endTime":352.018,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":352.018,"endTime":355.655,"body":"catch on to whatever it is that the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":355.655,"endTime":355.722,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":355.722,"endTime":359.425,"body":"composer is selling. And there are"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":359.425,"endTime":359.492,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":359.492,"endTime":361.961,"body":"touch points that in music would be called"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":361.961,"endTime":362.061,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":362.061,"endTime":364.997,"body":"leitmotifs that are little hooks."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":364.997,"endTime":365.465,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":365.465,"endTime":369.402,"body":"I refer to them as cells in design or markers"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":369.402,"endTime":369.569,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":369.569,"endTime":373.406,"body":"in design. And these are things that the ear"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":373.406,"endTime":373.473,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":373.473,"endTime":377.276,"body":"identifies and the composer manipulates it"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":377.276,"endTime":377.844,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":377.844,"endTime":381.547,"body":"and if the composer, in my view, is a good one, as there have"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":381.547,"endTime":381.581,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":381.581,"endTime":385.485,"body":"been so many genius composers in the concert world"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":385.485,"endTime":386.185,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":386.185,"endTime":390.022,"body":"they are very economic with their material and they"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":390.022,"endTime":390.056,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":390.056,"endTime":393.993,"body":"manipulate these very economically"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":393.993,"endTime":394.127,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":394.127,"endTime":397.63,"body":"conceived cells as in the case of Beethoven's Fifth,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":397.63,"endTime":397.897,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":397.897,"endTime":401.501,"body":"ba, ba, ba, bom. Those four notes inform"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":401.501,"endTime":402.034,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":402.034,"endTime":405.938,"body":"an entire sound universe that he has written over"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":405.938,"endTime":405.972,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":405.972,"endTime":408.474,"body":"the course of four movements."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":408.474,"endTime":409.275,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":409.275,"endTime":412.779,"body":"So in design, what I do"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":412.779,"endTime":413.346,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":413.346,"endTime":417.116,"body":"is I try to limit myself to a handful of ideas"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":417.116,"endTime":417.884,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":417.884,"endTime":421.421,"body":"that I am manipulating. So it's not in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":421.421,"endTime":422.088,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":422.088,"endTime":425.892,"body":"time and notes, it's in space and volume."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":425.892,"endTime":426.692,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":426.692,"endTime":430.663,"body":"If one is careful with it, and it's never obvious, but the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":430.663,"endTime":430.73,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":430.73,"endTime":434.033,"body":"idea is that this very limited group"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":434.033,"endTime":434.7,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":434.7,"endTime":437.837,"body":"of ideas, these cells get"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":437.837,"endTime":437.904,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":437.904,"endTime":441.774,"body":"expressed in various media. So it could be in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":441.774,"endTime":441.841,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":441.841,"endTime":445.611,"body":"a textile, it could be in a piece of furniture, it could be in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":445.611,"endTime":445.812,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":445.812,"endTime":449.282,"body":"passementerie even and I try very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":449.282,"endTime":449.715,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":449.715,"endTime":453.619,"body":"carefully to stick to these handful"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":453.619,"endTime":453.719,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":453.719,"endTime":457.69,"body":"of ideas and the average viewer"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":457.69,"endTime":458.491,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":458.491,"endTime":462.361,"body":"is not at all aware of it, and they shouldn't be, but what"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":462.361,"endTime":462.428,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":462.428,"endTime":465.965,"body":"happens in my view is that it is very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":465.965,"endTime":465.998,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":465.998,"endTime":469.869,"body":"binding, and it's a glue. So if you think, for example, of Robert"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":469.869,"endTime":469.969,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":469.969,"endTime":473.806,"body":"Adam and you look at his carpet designs, and you look at"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":473.806,"endTime":473.84,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":473.84,"endTime":477.743,"body":"his reflected ceilings in plaster, which are"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":477.743,"endTime":477.844,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":477.844,"endTime":481.414,"body":"literally beamed down onto the carpet and the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":481.414,"endTime":481.481,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":481.481,"endTime":485.084,"body":"hardware and details in the furnishings,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":485.084,"endTime":485.585,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":485.585,"endTime":489.222,"body":"that's kind of what this is about. In my work, it's a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":489.222,"endTime":489.422,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":489.422,"endTime":493.259,"body":"little bit more abstract and not quite as literal, but that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":493.259,"endTime":493.292,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":493.292,"endTime":496.462,"body":"gives you an idea how that manifests, at least in my work."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":496.462,"endTime":501.767,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":501.767,"endTime":505.171,"body":"You are just absolutely incredibly detail-oriented."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":505.171,"endTime":505.371,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":505.371,"endTime":508.841,"body":"I've walked through your projects, and if you're really looking out,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":508.841,"endTime":509.375,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":509.375,"endTime":513.312,"body":"every little thing has been carefully thought out, but it"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":513.312,"endTime":513.412,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":513.412,"endTime":515.515,"body":"all works together as a cohesive whole."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":515.515,"endTime":516.148,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":516.148,"endTime":520.052,"body":"So how do you reconcile those little minute details with"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":520.052,"endTime":520.119,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":520.119,"endTime":521.487,"body":"the entire package of a room?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":521.487,"endTime":521.954,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":521.954,"endTime":525.691,"body":"The first thing is that I'm very blessed to have clients that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":525.691,"endTime":525.758,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":525.758,"endTime":529.328,"body":"are willing to go down the rabbit hole with me for their projects"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":529.328,"endTime":529.395,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":529.395,"endTime":533.065,"body":"because almost everything is made for"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":533.065,"endTime":533.165,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":533.165,"endTime":536.636,"body":"us. The textiles are made for us, the carpets are made for us."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":536.636,"endTime":537.136,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":537.136,"endTime":540.973,"body":"I design a lot of the furniture and I engage"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":540.973,"endTime":541.073,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":541.073,"endTime":544.61,"body":"with a handful of extraordinary artisans who"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":544.61,"endTime":544.877,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":544.877,"endTime":548.514,"body":"I rely upon for most of our projects"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":548.514,"endTime":549.215,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":549.215,"endTime":553.152,"body":"to render some of these very complicated ideas"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":553.152,"endTime":553.219,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":553.219,"endTime":557.123,"body":"that will reflect what it is that I'm trying to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":557.123,"endTime":557.189,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":557.189,"endTime":560.993,"body":"execute. And it's been many years with a lot of these people,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":560.993,"endTime":561.627,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":561.627,"endTime":565.431,"body":"some of them are Arthur Ross Award recipients and very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":565.431,"endTime":565.731,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":565.731,"endTime":569.468,"body":"well deserved. So that is sort of key because if"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":569.468,"endTime":569.569,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":569.569,"endTime":573.506,"body":"one were to go out shopping in the market, it would"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":573.506,"endTime":573.539,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":573.539,"endTime":577.443,"body":"be very hard to do what I do, and as I say,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":577.443,"endTime":577.51,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":577.51,"endTime":581.38,"body":"it's an extraordinary privilege to be"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":581.38,"endTime":581.48,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":581.48,"endTime":585.117,"body":"able to create all of this. It takes"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":585.117,"endTime":585.184,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":585.184,"endTime":588.854,"body":"time. I will also say that there is a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":588.854,"endTime":588.921,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":588.921,"endTime":592.291,"body":"marination process. This does not happen"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":592.291,"endTime":592.358,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":592.358,"endTime":595.294,"body":"overnight, and the clients have been"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":595.294,"endTime":595.761,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":595.761,"endTime":599.632,"body":"remarkable in their willingness to wait for a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":599.632,"endTime":599.665,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":599.665,"endTime":603.235,"body":"project to materialize that can take two years or"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":603.235,"endTime":603.469,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":603.469,"endTime":607.373,"body":"more. These are big projects. But what happens"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":607.373,"endTime":607.54,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":607.54,"endTime":611.177,"body":"is like a snowball rolling down a hill,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":611.177,"endTime":611.811,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":611.811,"endTime":615.514,"body":"it starts to accumulate more snow, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":615.514,"endTime":615.982,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":615.982,"endTime":619.652,"body":"it develops a life of its own which is for me, one of the most exciting"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":619.652,"endTime":619.752,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":619.752,"endTime":623.556,"body":"things because it gets to the point where the client might"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":623.556,"endTime":623.689,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":623.689,"endTime":626.559,"body":"make a suggestion. I'll say, \"No, that's too far off base."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":626.559,"endTime":626.659,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":626.659,"endTime":630.396,"body":"We really need to honor this cell, and we need to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":630.396,"endTime":630.463,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":630.463,"endTime":634.266,"body":"express it, in this case, in three dimensions, or we need to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":634.266,"endTime":634.3,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":634.3,"endTime":637.837,"body":"bump up the scale significantly.\" So for example,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":637.837,"endTime":638.437,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":638.437,"endTime":641.841,"body":"some of the tricks in the composer's toolkit are"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":641.841,"endTime":641.907,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":641.907,"endTime":645.845,"body":"taking a line, let's say, and they can make"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":645.845,"endTime":645.878,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":645.878,"endTime":648.447,"body":"it vertical, which creates a harmony."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":648.447,"endTime":648.514,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":648.514,"endTime":652.485,"body":"They can change the rhythm, which will change it enormously."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":652.485,"endTime":652.518,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":652.518,"endTime":655.688,"body":"They can run it backwards. They can do it inside out."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":655.688,"endTime":655.755,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":655.755,"endTime":659.592,"body":"They can augment it. They can diminish it. They can run it in counterpoint."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":659.592,"endTime":659.792,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":659.792,"endTime":663.562,"body":"All of these things are what I do with our projects."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":663.562,"endTime":663.963,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":663.963,"endTime":667.733,"body":"And how do clients respond when you say, \"Maybe that's not the right"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":667.733,"endTime":667.8,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":667.8,"endTime":669.602,"body":"direction. Let's reorient\"?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":669.602,"endTime":670.136,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":670.136,"endTime":673.305,"body":"I'm very sensitive to vibrations"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":673.305,"endTime":674.273,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":674.273,"endTime":678.244,"body":"and I'm very sensitive to rapid eye movement, and I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":678.244,"endTime":678.277,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":678.277,"endTime":682.014,"body":"know in a second generally whether what I am"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":682.014,"endTime":682.014,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":682.014,"endTime":684.817,"body":"proposing makes sense to the client or not."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":684.817,"endTime":685.117,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":685.117,"endTime":688.921,"body":"Because in music, in order for something to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":688.921,"endTime":689.055,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":689.055,"endTime":692.391,"body":"sing, the frequency, the vibration, the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":692.391,"endTime":692.458,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":692.458,"endTime":696.328,"body":"friction has to be spot on. And of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":696.328,"endTime":696.395,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":696.395,"endTime":699.799,"body":"course, you have the same theory and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":699.799,"endTime":699.865,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":699.865,"endTime":702.635,"body":"logic in color because"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":702.635,"endTime":703.536,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":703.536,"endTime":707.473,"body":"there isn't one color on its own that isn't magnificent as"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":707.473,"endTime":707.506,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":707.506,"endTime":710.843,"body":"there isn't one note on its own that isn't magnificent."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":710.843,"endTime":710.943,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":710.943,"endTime":714.747,"body":"And notes and color only have meaning when they're"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":714.747,"endTime":714.914,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":714.914,"endTime":718.25,"body":"juxtaposed to another color or another note."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":718.25,"endTime":718.517,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":718.517,"endTime":722.421,"body":"If I am presenting something, I know right away if"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":722.421,"endTime":722.521,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":722.521,"endTime":725.124,"body":"they either don't like it or they don't get it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":725.124,"endTime":725.658,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":725.658,"endTime":729.462,"body":"And if I'm very invested in something, and very often they"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":729.462,"endTime":729.495,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":729.495,"endTime":732.898,"body":"don't get it because it's really hard to express"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":732.898,"endTime":733.399,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":733.399,"endTime":737.303,"body":"so many of these things until you have the entire thing"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":737.303,"endTime":737.403,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":737.403,"endTime":741.34,"body":"together and there is this gestalt where each"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":741.34,"endTime":741.373,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":741.373,"endTime":745.177,"body":"little thing may not have any meaning, but when it is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":745.177,"endTime":745.277,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":745.277,"endTime":747.68,"body":"fully assembled, they understand it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":747.68,"endTime":747.78,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":747.78,"endTime":751.016,"body":"And I have had clients, this sounds crazy, but"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":751.016,"endTime":751.717,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":751.717,"endTime":755.121,"body":"one that I'm thinking of right now who has said to me,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":755.121,"endTime":755.721,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":755.721,"endTime":756.522,"body":"\"Could you"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":756.522,"endTime":757.323,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":757.323,"endTime":761.227,"body":"do a write-up?\" Because when we have guests over, she wants to be like a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":761.227,"endTime":761.26,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":761.26,"endTime":765.064,"body":"docent, and she wants to give the tour, and she wants to point"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":765.064,"endTime":765.231,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":765.231,"endTime":769.135,"body":"out that this particular thing has been augmented to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":769.135,"endTime":769.201,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":769.201,"endTime":771.871,"body":"a point that you don't even see what it is."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":771.871,"endTime":771.971,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":771.971,"endTime":775.374,"body":"But she understands now that it is this"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":775.374,"endTime":775.441,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":775.441,"endTime":779.078,"body":"leitmotif. Or I have a fabric woven that is a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":779.078,"endTime":779.145,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":779.145,"endTime":782.748,"body":"Jacquard, and it has the notion of a thumbprint."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":782.748,"endTime":783.549,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":783.549,"endTime":787.253,"body":"And then I design a commode, and I do that with"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":787.253,"endTime":787.286,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":787.286,"endTime":791.19,"body":"Nancy Lorenz, and it is in mother of pearl and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":791.19,"endTime":791.257,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":791.257,"endTime":795.127,"body":"lacquer and leaf, and that thing gets blown up and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":795.127,"endTime":795.194,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":795.194,"endTime":797.963,"body":"augmented, and now it's in different materials."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":797.963,"endTime":798.03,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":798.03,"endTime":801.967,"body":"So it takes on a whole new life. And I would say because"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":801.967,"endTime":802.067,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":802.067,"endTime":805.004,"body":"my formal education is in music and because"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":805.004,"endTime":805.504,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":805.504,"endTime":809.108,"body":"theater, and particularly the theater of Stephen Sondheim,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":809.108,"endTime":809.608,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":809.608,"endTime":812.945,"body":"was my initial love, there's a very specific"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":812.945,"endTime":813.045,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":813.045,"endTime":816.682,"body":"narrative. And I think in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":816.682,"endTime":816.849,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":816.849,"endTime":820.386,"body":"design, there's also a great narrative."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":820.386,"endTime":820.386,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":820.386,"endTime":823.956,"body":"And I believe firmly in both music"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":823.956,"endTime":824.023,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":824.023,"endTime":827.693,"body":"and in architecture, interior design, decorative arts,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":827.693,"endTime":828.227,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":828.227,"endTime":831.964,"body":"that there is time and space and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":831.964,"endTime":832.231,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":832.231,"endTime":834.967,"body":"psychological time and psychological space."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":834.967,"endTime":835.301,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":835.301,"endTime":839.271,"body":"How it is that if you go to a concert, for example,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":839.271,"endTime":840.406,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":840.406,"endTime":844.21,"body":"time stops, and you can be transported by what"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":844.21,"endTime":844.31,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":844.31,"endTime":847.746,"body":"you are hearing. And I think the same thing"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":847.746,"endTime":847.78,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":847.78,"endTime":851.75,"body":"happens in certain circumstances in architecture and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":851.75,"endTime":851.851,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":851.851,"endTime":854.854,"body":"design. Think, for example, when you go to a church."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":854.854,"endTime":854.954,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":854.954,"endTime":858.924,"body":"You modify your voice, and you"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":858.924,"endTime":858.991,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":858.991,"endTime":862.394,"body":"are in a space that is speaking to you."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":862.394,"endTime":862.928,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":862.928,"endTime":865.898,"body":"And what's going on outside, what's going on in your life,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":865.898,"endTime":866.599,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":866.599,"endTime":870.302,"body":"changes thoroughly. And the same thing happens in a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":870.302,"endTime":870.336,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":870.336,"endTime":873.772,"body":"museum. And I would like to say in our"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":873.772,"endTime":873.839,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":873.839,"endTime":877.743,"body":"projects that though there is so"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":877.743,"endTime":877.776,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":877.776,"endTime":881.38,"body":"much detail, nothing is noisy."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":881.38,"endTime":881.714,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":881.714,"endTime":885.484,"body":"Nothing is in your face. And I like for"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":885.484,"endTime":886.151,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":886.151,"endTime":889.388,"body":"these spaces to appear to be"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":889.388,"endTime":889.455,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":889.455,"endTime":890.289,"body":"inevitable."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":890.289,"endTime":891.156,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":891.156,"endTime":895.027,"body":"And to do that and to make it look inevitable"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":895.027,"endTime":895.06,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":895.06,"endTime":895.961,"body":"is a challenge."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":895.961,"endTime":906.939,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":906.939,"endTime":910.209,"body":"And it's interesting you said every space does tell a story."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":910.209,"endTime":910.609,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":910.609,"endTime":913.946,"body":"What kind of story do you want someone to hear when they walk"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":913.946,"endTime":913.979,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":913.979,"endTime":915.748,"body":"into your project?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":915.748,"endTime":916.382,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":916.382,"endTime":919.585,"body":"Well, I think spaces, there's a procession,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":919.585,"endTime":920.386,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":920.386,"endTime":922.988,"body":"and you have a procession in music also."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":922.988,"endTime":923.555,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":923.555,"endTime":926.892,"body":"If you think of a project as a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":926.892,"endTime":926.959,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":926.959,"endTime":930.863,"body":"perfect flower that has petals, and I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":930.863,"endTime":930.963,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":930.963,"endTime":934.5,"body":"don't like to reveal the whole"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":934.5,"endTime":934.6,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":934.6,"endTime":938.47,"body":"enchilada at the front door. And I believe that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":938.47,"endTime":938.504,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":938.504,"endTime":941.24,"body":"you don't get a second chance to make a first impression."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":941.24,"endTime":941.84,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":941.84,"endTime":945.11,"body":"I want to be very, very careful about how I stage"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":945.11,"endTime":945.678,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":945.678,"endTime":949.348,"body":"that procession. And it's very funny because in \"The"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":949.348,"endTime":949.448,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":949.448,"endTime":953.152,"body":"Decoration of Houses\" by Edith Wharton, she talks a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":953.152,"endTime":953.252,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":953.252,"endTime":957.189,"body":"lot, this was not her idea, this is an 18th century"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":957.189,"endTime":957.289,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":957.289,"endTime":960.059,"body":"concept, that somebody comes"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":960.059,"endTime":960.559,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":960.559,"endTime":964.296,"body":"to a residence, and there are these"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":964.296,"endTime":964.296,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":964.296,"endTime":967.933,"body":"series of steps that you have to go through before you get"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":967.933,"endTime":968.0,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":968.0,"endTime":971.47,"body":"to the boudoir, for example. So you may be"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":971.47,"endTime":971.603,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":971.603,"endTime":974.974,"body":"in an entry that is limestone and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":974.974,"endTime":975.107,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":975.107,"endTime":978.777,"body":"bronze, and it's very sober. Très"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":978.777,"endTime":978.811,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":978.811,"endTime":982.648,"body":"sobre. It isn't until more is revealed"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":982.648,"endTime":983.115,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":983.115,"endTime":986.952,"body":"as you keep going that the essence of the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":986.952,"endTime":986.986,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":986.986,"endTime":988.687,"body":"project reveals itself."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":988.687,"endTime":989.388,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":989.388,"endTime":992.458,"body":"Now, you just dropped a little French in there, which brings me to a question I"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":992.458,"endTime":992.591,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":992.591,"endTime":996.528,"body":"have. You're a true connoisseur and I believe a collector of French"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":996.528,"endTime":996.562,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":996.562,"endTime":997.629,"body":"antiquities. Is that right?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":997.629,"endTime":998.364,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":998.364,"endTime":1001.767,"body":"Yeah, I'm very invested in the French, and I am"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1001.767,"endTime":1001.867,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1001.867,"endTime":1005.704,"body":"particularly invested in the 18th"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1005.704,"endTime":1005.771,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1005.771,"endTime":1009.274,"body":"century in France, whether it's architecture, whether it's decorative arts,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1009.274,"endTime":1009.908,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1009.908,"endTime":1012.978,"body":"and I'm very invested in France in the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1012.978,"endTime":1013.045,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1013.045,"endTime":1016.682,"body":"1920s and '30s. And what is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1016.682,"endTime":1017.483,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1017.483,"endTime":1020.486,"body":"so interesting to me is that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1020.486,"endTime":1022.121,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1022.121,"endTime":1026.025,"body":"I think of Louis Quatorze, Louis XIV, as the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1026.025,"endTime":1026.058,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1026.058,"endTime":1027.793,"body":"original nouveau riche client,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1027.793,"endTime":1028.627,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1028.627,"endTime":1032.031,"body":"and I think of Versailles as the first decorator show house."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1032.031,"endTime":1032.965,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1032.965,"endTime":1036.535,"body":"He understood on some very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1036.535,"endTime":1036.602,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1036.602,"endTime":1040.572,"body":"intense level that if he presented"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1040.572,"endTime":1040.839,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1040.839,"endTime":1041.607,"body":"a front"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1041.607,"endTime":1042.441,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1042.441,"endTime":1046.278,"body":"that was extraordinary and like nothing else that had"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1046.278,"endTime":1046.378,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1046.378,"endTime":1047.346,"body":"ever been seen,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1047.346,"endTime":1048.213,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1048.213,"endTime":1052.117,"body":"that people would assume that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1052.117,"endTime":1052.184,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1052.184,"endTime":1055.921,"body":"he was a genius and that he was doing something that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1055.921,"endTime":1055.954,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1055.954,"endTime":1059.725,"body":"few others had done. We have Louis XIV to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1059.725,"endTime":1059.792,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1059.792,"endTime":1063.529,"body":"thank in many ways for the extraordinary savoir"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1063.529,"endTime":1063.562,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1063.562,"endTime":1067.166,"body":"faire that so many makers and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1067.166,"endTime":1067.332,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1067.332,"endTime":1069.034,"body":"guild members"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1069.034,"endTime":1070.102,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1070.102,"endTime":1073.505,"body":"worked around the clock, whether it was"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1073.505,"endTime":1074.106,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1074.106,"endTime":1077.042,"body":"sculpting plaster, wood, stone,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1077.042,"endTime":1077.609,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1077.609,"endTime":1081.146,"body":"bronze, Jacquard looms, all of these"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1081.146,"endTime":1081.146,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1081.146,"endTime":1084.85,"body":"things. And interestingly, when you look at the 18th"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1084.85,"endTime":1084.883,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1084.883,"endTime":1087.719,"body":"century, where the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1087.719,"endTime":1087.853,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1087.853,"endTime":1091.356,"body":"output was robust"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1091.356,"endTime":1092.057,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1092.057,"endTime":1095.527,"body":"and at the same time exceptionally"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1095.527,"endTime":1095.561,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1095.561,"endTime":1099.331,"body":"refined and glittering"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1099.331,"endTime":1099.331,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1099.331,"endTime":1103.268,"body":"because they didn't have electric lamps, everything"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1103.268,"endTime":1103.368,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1103.368,"endTime":1106.004,"body":"had to be reflected, whether it was mirror, whether it was gilding."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1106.004,"endTime":1106.472,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1106.472,"endTime":1110.008,"body":"And you fast-forward to the first quarter of the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1110.008,"endTime":1110.209,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1110.209,"endTime":1113.812,"body":"20th century. And when these people"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1113.812,"endTime":1113.912,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1113.912,"endTime":1117.716,"body":"are working, and I'm talking about the Ruhlmanns and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1117.716,"endTime":1118.283,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1118.283,"endTime":1121.92,"body":"that whole group of artisans, this is after World War"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1121.92,"endTime":1122.02,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1122.02,"endTime":1125.424,"body":"I, so now materials are"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1125.424,"endTime":1126.058,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1126.058,"endTime":1129.995,"body":"not in abundance, but they so brilliantly"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1129.995,"endTime":1130.562,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1130.562,"endTime":1134.299,"body":"learned all the lessons from the 18th century but"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1134.299,"endTime":1134.399,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1134.399,"endTime":1138.337,"body":"stripped it down and reduced it, and it's incredibly"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1138.337,"endTime":1138.337,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1138.337,"endTime":1142.04,"body":"refined, but it becomes something different."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1142.04,"endTime":1142.441,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1142.441,"endTime":1146.278,"body":"And in my personal process, I generally am"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1146.278,"endTime":1146.345,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1146.345,"endTime":1149.615,"body":"looking at things through three lenses, the 18th century,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1149.615,"endTime":1150.382,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1150.382,"endTime":1153.886,"body":"the first quarter of the 20th century, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1153.886,"endTime":1154.019,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1154.019,"endTime":1157.456,"body":"my current time. And I am very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1157.456,"endTime":1157.523,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1157.523,"endTime":1161.393,"body":"invested in understanding zeitgeist and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1161.393,"endTime":1161.493,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1161.493,"endTime":1164.997,"body":"understanding what makes something classic and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1164.997,"endTime":1165.297,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1165.297,"endTime":1168.6,"body":"what differentiates that particular"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1168.6,"endTime":1168.7,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1168.7,"endTime":1172.204,"body":"component that it survives, that it"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1172.204,"endTime":1172.337,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1172.337,"endTime":1175.807,"body":"sticks and doesn't go by the wayside in the way that fads"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1175.807,"endTime":1176.275,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1176.275,"endTime":1179.778,"body":"can do. So I try to be very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1179.778,"endTime":1180.879,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1180.879,"endTime":1184.816,"body":"mindful of that and learn as many lessons as I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1184.816,"endTime":1184.85,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1184.85,"endTime":1188.62,"body":"can from the past. And also because"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1188.62,"endTime":1188.72,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1188.72,"endTime":1191.89,"body":"what we work in is so expansive"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1191.89,"endTime":1192.491,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1192.491,"endTime":1196.461,"body":"that I don't want to do anything that isn't"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1196.461,"endTime":1196.495,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1196.495,"endTime":1200.299,"body":"going to be lasting. And in the 18th century, so many of the makers,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1200.299,"endTime":1200.599,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1200.599,"endTime":1204.303,"body":"for purposes of taxation, had to brand their"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1204.303,"endTime":1204.303,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1204.303,"endTime":1208.307,"body":"pieces. I don't do it for that, but I do it because in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1208.307,"endTime":1208.373,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1208.373,"endTime":1212.177,"body":"100 years, if somebody is looking at this and they might say, \"Oh, who was Michael"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1212.177,"endTime":1212.211,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1212.211,"endTime":1215.614,"body":"Simon?\" And it has its own legacy of sorts."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1215.614,"endTime":1220.686,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1220.686,"endTime":1224.356,"body":"And that kind of brings me to my next topic was that you are such a prolific"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1224.356,"endTime":1224.756,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1224.756,"endTime":1226.925,"body":"designer of furniture as well as interiors."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1226.925,"endTime":1227.025,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1227.025,"endTime":1229.561,"body":"So can you talk a little bit about that process?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1229.561,"endTime":1229.595,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1229.595,"endTime":1232.264,"body":"How do you go about developing a new piece?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1232.264,"endTime":1233.398,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1233.398,"endTime":1236.935,"body":"I love technology, and a lot of it has to do with"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1236.935,"endTime":1237.035,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1237.035,"endTime":1240.872,"body":"my understanding of ever-evolving"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1240.872,"endTime":1241.44,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1241.44,"endTime":1245.143,"body":"technology. And I also, as I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1245.143,"endTime":1245.177,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1245.177,"endTime":1249.147,"body":"mentioned earlier, that I work with a handful of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1249.147,"endTime":1249.214,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1249.214,"endTime":1252.851,"body":"artisans and have done for many years."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1252.851,"endTime":1252.918,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1252.918,"endTime":1255.52,"body":"So it's a combination of my"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1255.52,"endTime":1256.822,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1256.822,"endTime":1260.325,"body":"coming up to speed on new technology, on new materials,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1260.325,"endTime":1261.093,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1261.093,"endTime":1264.93,"body":"and parsing out whether these artisans with"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1264.93,"endTime":1264.963,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1264.963,"endTime":1268.033,"body":"whom I'm working have the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1268.033,"endTime":1268.1,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1268.1,"endTime":1269.901,"body":"headset to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1269.901,"endTime":1270.802,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1270.802,"endTime":1273.972,"body":"navigate and try these things out with me."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1273.972,"endTime":1274.373,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1274.373,"endTime":1277.943,"body":"And some of them have a greater ability to do that than"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1277.943,"endTime":1278.043,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1278.043,"endTime":1282.014,"body":"others. It's also a question of how much I can"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1282.014,"endTime":1282.047,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1282.047,"endTime":1285.751,"body":"express in a drawing. And for the furniture, we"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1285.751,"endTime":1285.784,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1285.784,"endTime":1289.554,"body":"do full-scale drawings because the details are really"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1289.554,"endTime":1289.588,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1289.588,"endTime":1292.858,"body":"complicated, and the engineering is really complicated."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1292.858,"endTime":1292.891,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1292.891,"endTime":1296.795,"body":"But I have to make sure whatever it is that from an"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1296.795,"endTime":1296.862,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1296.862,"endTime":1299.965,"body":"ergonomic perspective, it makes perfect sense."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1299.965,"endTime":1300.365,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1300.365,"endTime":1303.068,"body":"If it's a chair, is somebody going to be comfortable in it?"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1303.068,"endTime":1303.302,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1303.302,"endTime":1306.938,"body":"And to give you an example, I just did a suite of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1306.938,"endTime":1306.972,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1306.972,"endTime":1310.642,"body":"dining chairs for a client, and I was thinking to myself,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1310.642,"endTime":1310.942,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1310.942,"endTime":1314.613,"body":"\"Why doesn't anybody use bronze mounts on"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1314.613,"endTime":1314.68,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1314.68,"endTime":1317.049,"body":"seating furniture?\" And I wanted to do it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1317.049,"endTime":1317.549,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1317.549,"endTime":1321.42,"body":"And so I designed a chair, and we"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1321.42,"endTime":1321.453,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1321.453,"endTime":1325.09,"body":"did a mock-up of it. We always do mock-ups, particularly where seating is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1325.09,"endTime":1325.157,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1325.157,"endTime":1328.96,"body":"concerned. And if I'm iffy on it, I will make"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1328.96,"endTime":1328.994,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1328.994,"endTime":1332.631,"body":"sure that the client sits in it, because the husband may"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1332.631,"endTime":1332.698,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1332.698,"endTime":1336.568,"body":"be tall, the wife may be petite, and everybody's got to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1336.568,"endTime":1336.601,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1336.601,"endTime":1340.505,"body":"be comfortable in these things. So we want to hash that out, work that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1340.505,"endTime":1340.572,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1340.572,"endTime":1344.376,"body":"out in the very beginning. In this particular case, I went"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1344.376,"endTime":1344.409,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1344.409,"endTime":1348.38,"body":"to a great ceramicist, Eve Kaplan, with whom I've"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1348.38,"endTime":1348.413,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1348.413,"endTime":1351.95,"body":"done business over the years. And I said to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1351.95,"endTime":1352.017,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1352.017,"endTime":1355.42,"body":"her, \"Would you consider making in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1355.42,"endTime":1355.687,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1355.687,"endTime":1359.391,"body":"wax mounts for these dining chairs?\" So there would be"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1359.391,"endTime":1359.491,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1359.491,"endTime":1363.228,"body":"sabots, there would be chutes, and a variety of other little"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1363.228,"endTime":1363.261,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1363.261,"endTime":1367.099,"body":"elements that we used. And she said, \"Well, that kind of sounds"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1367.099,"endTime":1367.232,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1367.232,"endTime":1371.002,"body":"fun. I'm used to working in clay.\" And I said, \"You've got to do it"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1371.002,"endTime":1371.103,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1371.103,"endTime":1374.973,"body":"in wax because I'm going to have to take it to be"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1374.973,"endTime":1375.073,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1375.073,"endTime":1378.477,"body":"cast by a jeweler for the quality that I'm looking for.\""},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1378.477,"endTime":1379.177,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1379.177,"endTime":1381.813,"body":"So she did it, and she did a brilliant"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1381.813,"endTime":1382.781,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1382.781,"endTime":1386.618,"body":"job of it, and it almost feels as if this chair"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1386.618,"endTime":1386.852,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1386.852,"endTime":1390.555,"body":"has met Jean Cocteau. It just has"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1390.555,"endTime":1390.756,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1390.756,"endTime":1393.392,"body":"this movement and life to it that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1393.392,"endTime":1394.292,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1394.292,"endTime":1397.863,"body":"I adore. I'll give you another example, a cocktail"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1397.863,"endTime":1397.929,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1397.929,"endTime":1401.9,"body":"table that I designed in a project where there is the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1401.9,"endTime":1401.967,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1401.967,"endTime":1405.337,"body":"idea it's on the ocean, and there's this sort of wave"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1405.337,"endTime":1405.404,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1405.404,"endTime":1408.774,"body":"motif that permeates through every"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1408.774,"endTime":1408.807,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1408.807,"endTime":1410.108,"body":"conceivable medium"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1410.108,"endTime":1411.042,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1411.042,"endTime":1414.88,"body":"one could imagine. And I went to a motorcycle"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1414.88,"endTime":1414.913,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1414.913,"endTime":1418.717,"body":"shop and I said, \"Is there anybody here who knows how to bend"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1418.717,"endTime":1419.217,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1419.217,"endTime":1423.188,"body":"tubular metal?\" And someone raised his hand, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1423.188,"endTime":1423.255,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1423.255,"endTime":1427.092,"body":"we had a conversation, and I did a little sketch, and the guy"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1427.092,"endTime":1427.159,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1427.159,"endTime":1430.429,"body":"was intrigued. Nine months later, he produced"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1430.429,"endTime":1430.562,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1430.562,"endTime":1434.399,"body":"the most extraordinary thing. And the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1434.399,"endTime":1434.466,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1434.466,"endTime":1438.403,"body":"carpet has this same kind of movement in it, and it almost"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1438.403,"endTime":1438.57,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1438.57,"endTime":1442.14,"body":"looks as if this wave has come out of the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1442.14,"endTime":1442.174,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1442.174,"endTime":1446.111,"body":"carpet and into life on this base for this"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1446.111,"endTime":1446.178,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1446.178,"endTime":1449.915,"body":"cocktail table. I am not lazy, and I will"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1449.915,"endTime":1450.081,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1450.081,"endTime":1453.952,"body":"go to extraordinary means to try and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1453.952,"endTime":1454.019,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1454.019,"endTime":1455.954,"body":"make something happen if I can do that."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1455.954,"endTime":1456.354,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1456.354,"endTime":1459.791,"body":"And what a privilege to meet new people on a regular"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1459.791,"endTime":1459.891,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1459.891,"endTime":1463.495,"body":"basis who themselves have extraordinary voices"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1463.495,"endTime":1464.062,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1464.062,"endTime":1467.132,"body":"and to make music together as it were."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1467.132,"endTime":1467.599,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1467.599,"endTime":1470.502,"body":"You've touched on this, working with craftspeople and artisans."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1470.502,"endTime":1470.735,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1470.735,"endTime":1472.737,"body":"What's the collaboration like there?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1472.737,"endTime":1472.938,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1472.938,"endTime":1475.874,"body":"Who leads with the artistic intent and the design?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1475.874,"endTime":1476.174,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1476.174,"endTime":1480.011,"body":"I'm going to give you an example. I've done work with Miriam Ellner, the great"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1480.011,"endTime":1480.078,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1480.078,"endTime":1482.781,"body":"églomiseuse, for decades."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1482.781,"endTime":1483.415,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1483.415,"endTime":1487.118,"body":"And when I first started working with her,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1487.118,"endTime":1487.853,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1487.853,"endTime":1491.656,"body":"I was a pasticheur. I was a copyist because I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1491.656,"endTime":1491.69,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1491.69,"endTime":1495.36,"body":"didn't have an education in design, and I did"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1495.36,"endTime":1495.427,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1495.427,"endTime":1499.331,"body":"amass a significant library, thousands"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1499.331,"endTime":1499.397,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1499.397,"endTime":1503.168,"body":"of books, and I read them. I looked at the photos, but I read"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1503.168,"endTime":1503.235,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1503.235,"endTime":1506.304,"body":"them. And the library consisted"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1506.304,"endTime":1506.438,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1506.438,"endTime":1509.841,"body":"of books that had to do with architecture"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1509.841,"endTime":1509.875,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1509.875,"endTime":1513.812,"body":"primarily in the decorative arts, focused primarily on the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1513.812,"endTime":1513.879,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1513.879,"endTime":1517.449,"body":"18th century in France, England,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1517.449,"endTime":1517.916,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1517.916,"endTime":1521.82,"body":"Italy, Russia, and Germany. And so when"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1521.82,"endTime":1522.087,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1522.087,"endTime":1523.655,"body":"I started working,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1523.655,"endTime":1524.523,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1524.523,"endTime":1527.692,"body":"I would always refer to my books, and I copied."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1527.692,"endTime":1528.46,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1528.46,"endTime":1532.163,"body":"And it wasn't until I started to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1532.163,"endTime":1532.264,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1532.264,"endTime":1536.201,"body":"feel that I really understood what these great"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1536.201,"endTime":1536.234,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1536.234,"endTime":1540.038,"body":"designers and makers were doing back in the 18th"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1540.038,"endTime":1540.105,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1540.105,"endTime":1544.009,"body":"century that I thought, \"Okay, I have some sense of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1544.009,"endTime":1544.109,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1544.109,"endTime":1548.079,"body":"how this is done and what they were thinking about.\" And so in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1548.079,"endTime":1548.113,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1548.113,"endTime":1551.983,"body":"the case of Miriam Ellner, because I love working with her and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1551.983,"endTime":1552.117,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1552.117,"endTime":1555.387,"body":"I love what she does, I would say, \"All right."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1555.387,"endTime":1556.154,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1556.154,"endTime":1556.555,"body":"I'm going to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1556.555,"endTime":1557.455,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1557.455,"endTime":1561.159,"body":"propose thus and such.\" And I have a very greedy"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1561.159,"endTime":1561.359,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1561.359,"endTime":1565.263,"body":"eye, as I had a very greedy ear, and I'm very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1565.263,"endTime":1565.297,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1565.297,"endTime":1566.998,"body":"invested in backgrounds."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1566.998,"endTime":1567.332,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1567.332,"endTime":1570.835,"body":"And over time, with Miriam, I started challenging her"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1570.835,"endTime":1571.002,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1571.002,"endTime":1574.773,"body":"about the materials that we were working in, because up"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1574.773,"endTime":1574.806,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1574.806,"endTime":1578.677,"body":"until this particular project that I'm thinking of, she was"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1578.677,"endTime":1578.877,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1578.877,"endTime":1582.781,"body":"working on clear glass and I said, \"Well, what happens if"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1582.781,"endTime":1582.881,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1582.881,"endTime":1586.284,"body":"we get molded glass?\" Because I'm doing something in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1586.284,"endTime":1586.351,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1586.351,"endTime":1590.355,"body":"limestone for this project, and I selected six different types of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1590.355,"endTime":1590.422,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1590.422,"endTime":1593.858,"body":"limestone from different parts of the world that had different"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1593.858,"endTime":1593.992,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1593.992,"endTime":1597.896,"body":"characteristics. Some of them were tessellated, some of them"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1597.896,"endTime":1597.929,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1597.929,"endTime":1599.931,"body":"were fossilized, some of them were pitted."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1599.931,"endTime":1600.332,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1600.332,"endTime":1604.269,"body":"And so I went to a variety of different glass companies, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1604.269,"endTime":1604.269,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1604.269,"endTime":1608.239,"body":"I looked to see if I could find molded glass that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1608.239,"endTime":1608.306,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1608.306,"endTime":1612.21,"body":"had those identical characteristics, and I was successful in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1612.21,"endTime":1612.243,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1612.243,"endTime":1615.48,"body":"finding them. So I said to her, \"Okay,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1615.48,"endTime":1616.081,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1616.081,"endTime":1619.684,"body":"let's run these in the same geometries for a chimney"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1619.684,"endTime":1619.718,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1619.718,"endTime":1623.622,"body":"breast, and that I have on this wall that is outside and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1623.622,"endTime":1623.688,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1623.688,"endTime":1626.091,"body":"inside the property in limestone."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1626.091,"endTime":1626.191,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1626.191,"endTime":1629.828,"body":"And let's do it in leaf and Japan paints and precious"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1629.828,"endTime":1629.961,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1629.961,"endTime":1633.598,"body":"metals, et cetera.\" And she just"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1633.598,"endTime":1633.698,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1633.698,"endTime":1637.569,"body":"was off to the races. And it not only changed the way I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1637.569,"endTime":1637.669,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1637.669,"endTime":1640.839,"body":"thought about things, but it really changed the way she thought about things."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1640.839,"endTime":1641.206,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1641.206,"endTime":1644.275,"body":"And so over and over again in that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1644.275,"endTime":1644.309,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1644.309,"endTime":1645.31,"body":"collaboration,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1645.31,"endTime":1646.211,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1646.211,"endTime":1649.614,"body":"I push her and she pushes me, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1649.614,"endTime":1649.714,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1649.714,"endTime":1653.618,"body":"it's just a ball. And I do that with a lot of the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1653.618,"endTime":1653.652,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1653.652,"endTime":1656.554,"body":"people that I work with. I'll say one other thing."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1656.554,"endTime":1657.722,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1657.722,"endTime":1658.089,"body":"My"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1658.089,"endTime":1658.99,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1658.99,"endTime":1662.694,"body":"favorite activity in composing was orchestrating."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1662.694,"endTime":1663.495,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1663.495,"endTime":1663.862,"body":"And"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1663.862,"endTime":1664.696,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1664.696,"endTime":1668.133,"body":"I was slow at it, but I was good at it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1668.133,"endTime":1668.7,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1668.7,"endTime":1672.237,"body":"And to the point about the 18th"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1672.237,"endTime":1672.27,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1672.27,"endTime":1674.139,"body":"century and the first quarter of the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1674.139,"endTime":1675.407,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1675.407,"endTime":1678.41,"body":"20th century, when you look at an"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1678.41,"endTime":1678.543,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1678.543,"endTime":1682.113,"body":"orchestra in the 18th century, particularly a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1682.113,"endTime":1682.147,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1682.147,"endTime":1685.917,"body":"Germanic, an Austrian orchestra, they are made up"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1685.917,"endTime":1686.117,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1686.117,"endTime":1689.888,"body":"of winds, brass, strings, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1689.888,"endTime":1689.954,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1689.954,"endTime":1691.256,"body":"timpani. That's about it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1691.256,"endTime":1692.09,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1692.09,"endTime":1695.76,"body":"And juxtapose that to what's going on in Versailles,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1695.76,"endTime":1696.594,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1696.594,"endTime":1699.397,"body":"which is as opulent and orchestral."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1699.397,"endTime":1699.998,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1699.998,"endTime":1703.068,"body":"Fast-forward after the First World War"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1703.068,"endTime":1703.368,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1703.368,"endTime":1707.238,"body":"and listen to what the French composers and the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1707.238,"endTime":1707.272,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1707.272,"endTime":1710.709,"body":"Russian composers in particular are doing."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1710.709,"endTime":1711.176,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1711.176,"endTime":1714.612,"body":"So I'm talking about a little bit earlier, but if you listen to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1714.612,"endTime":1714.612,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1714.612,"endTime":1717.982,"body":"Tchaikovsky, if you listen to Prokofiev,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1717.982,"endTime":1718.283,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1718.283,"endTime":1722.087,"body":"Stravinsky, Shostakovich, or in France, if you're listening to"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1722.087,"endTime":1722.153,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1722.153,"endTime":1726.024,"body":"Ravel or Debussy or Poulenc, the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1726.024,"endTime":1726.124,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1726.124,"endTime":1729.961,"body":"color is extraordinary, and they have introduced"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1729.961,"endTime":1730.395,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1730.395,"endTime":1732.33,"body":"new instruments that didn't exist."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1732.33,"endTime":1732.43,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1732.43,"endTime":1736.301,"body":"Mahler wrote a symphony, the so-called Symphony of a Thousand, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1736.301,"endTime":1737.335,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1737.335,"endTime":1740.472,"body":"between the chorus and the orchestra, there are 1,000 people on the stage,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1740.472,"endTime":1740.605,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1740.605,"endTime":1744.042,"body":"including four to six harps. So"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1744.042,"endTime":1744.509,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1744.509,"endTime":1748.446,"body":"that expression of color, which is manifest in all of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1748.446,"endTime":1748.48,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1748.48,"endTime":1752.35,"body":"these different instruments, is something that is ever-present"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1752.35,"endTime":1752.417,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1752.417,"endTime":1756.254,"body":"with me when I'm designing, because I'm looking for depth of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1756.254,"endTime":1756.321,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1756.321,"endTime":1759.958,"body":"color and I'm looking for how does"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1759.958,"endTime":1760.024,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1760.024,"endTime":1763.495,"body":"something reflect, and I have a dressy aesthetic."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1763.495,"endTime":1763.928,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1763.928,"endTime":1766.097,"body":"So how do we put these things together?"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1766.097,"endTime":1766.164,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1766.164,"endTime":1770.001,"body":"How do I take one thing, one design, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1770.001,"endTime":1770.268,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1770.268,"endTime":1774.072,"body":"take the same design but revoice the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1774.072,"endTime":1774.105,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1774.105,"endTime":1777.942,"body":"motif in embroidery, for example, so that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1777.942,"endTime":1777.976,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1777.976,"endTime":1781.98,"body":"what was pale in the Jacquard woven thing is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1781.98,"endTime":1782.013,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1782.013,"endTime":1784.382,"body":"now dark. And it has a completely different life."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1784.382,"endTime":1784.449,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1784.449,"endTime":1787.819,"body":"You can look at it and never know that it's the same thing, but it's identical."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1787.819,"endTime":1798.029,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1798.029,"endTime":1800.965,"body":"Michael, you've been such a great friend to the ICAA."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1800.965,"endTime":1801.099,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1801.099,"endTime":1804.269,"body":"Tell us what about this organization speaks to you."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1804.269,"endTime":1805.036,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1805.036,"endTime":1808.606,"body":"We started this conversation speaking of mentorship,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1808.606,"endTime":1809.407,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1809.407,"endTime":1813.278,"body":"and I think that because the ICAA"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1813.278,"endTime":1814.312,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1814.312,"endTime":1818.316,"body":"is all about classicism, by design, the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1818.316,"endTime":1818.449,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1818.449,"endTime":1821.653,"body":"organization must mentor"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1821.653,"endTime":1822.22,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1822.22,"endTime":1825.924,"body":"younger people and bring them into the fold and expose"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1825.924,"endTime":1825.957,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1825.957,"endTime":1829.194,"body":"them to a subject, a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1829.194,"endTime":1829.427,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1829.427,"endTime":1833.231,"body":"universe, not a subject, a universe that they"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1833.231,"endTime":1833.298,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1833.298,"endTime":1836.768,"body":"might not otherwise be exposed to. And so"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1836.768,"endTime":1837.068,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1837.068,"endTime":1839.704,"body":"what the Institute stands for"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1839.704,"endTime":1840.338,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1840.338,"endTime":1844.075,"body":"resonates in a huge way. And also,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1844.075,"endTime":1844.742,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1844.742,"endTime":1848.046,"body":"it's a lot about beauty and understanding beauty."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1848.046,"endTime":1848.78,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1848.78,"endTime":1851.983,"body":"And I believe that beauty is a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1851.983,"endTime":1852.116,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1852.116,"endTime":1855.353,"body":"balm and that beauty is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1855.353,"endTime":1855.587,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1855.587,"endTime":1859.524,"body":"not insignificant. And I think that we"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1859.524,"endTime":1860.225,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1860.225,"endTime":1863.928,"body":"live in a world and in a culture where"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1863.928,"endTime":1863.995,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1863.995,"endTime":1867.966,"body":"beauty is minimized. And if you just think about"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1867.966,"endTime":1868.032,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1868.032,"endTime":1871.836,"body":"the National Endowment for the Arts and you think about funding"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1871.836,"endTime":1871.936,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1871.936,"endTime":1875.874,"body":"for so many things that make us better"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1875.874,"endTime":1875.907,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1875.907,"endTime":1879.644,"body":"people and contribute enormously"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1879.644,"endTime":1879.844,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1879.844,"endTime":1883.381,"body":"to culture at large, anything that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1883.381,"endTime":1883.514,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1883.514,"endTime":1887.452,"body":"is invested in the best of the past and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1887.452,"endTime":1887.919,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1887.919,"endTime":1891.623,"body":"exposing the youngest and the brightest of our time"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1891.623,"endTime":1891.923,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1891.923,"endTime":1892.19,"body":"is,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1892.19,"endTime":1893.157,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1893.157,"endTime":1895.693,"body":"I think, critical and not incidental."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1895.693,"endTime":1895.76,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1895.76,"endTime":1898.529,"body":"And I think by dint of the fact that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1898.529,"endTime":1899.364,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1899.364,"endTime":1902.867,"body":"the Institute has such a vast"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1902.867,"endTime":1903.001,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1903.001,"endTime":1906.004,"body":"array of programs and chapters"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1906.004,"endTime":1906.504,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1906.504,"endTime":1909.908,"body":"and great designers and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1909.908,"endTime":1910.008,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1910.008,"endTime":1913.211,"body":"architects and landscape people and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1913.211,"endTime":1913.745,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1913.745,"endTime":1917.649,"body":"also those people who support it and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1917.649,"endTime":1917.682,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1917.682,"endTime":1918.483,"body":"write about it,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1918.483,"endTime":1919.284,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1919.284,"endTime":1921.786,"body":"I think it's critical. I'm very invested in it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1921.786,"endTime":1922.053,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1922.053,"endTime":1925.924,"body":"And you work with so many other ICAA members, and as you spoke"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1925.924,"endTime":1925.99,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1925.99,"endTime":1929.694,"body":"about with people that have won the Arthur Ross Award and other awards,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1929.694,"endTime":1930.361,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1930.361,"endTime":1931.896,"body":"how would you describe the community?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":1931.896,"endTime":1932.697,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1932.697,"endTime":1935.199,"body":"It is a community that is very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1935.199,"endTime":1935.266,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1935.266,"endTime":1938.202,"body":"responsible for maintaining"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1938.202,"endTime":1938.67,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1938.67,"endTime":1942.307,"body":"standards and exposing great"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1942.307,"endTime":1942.507,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1942.507,"endTime":1945.443,"body":"thinking from the past and the present"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1945.443,"endTime":1945.977,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1945.977,"endTime":1949.948,"body":"to a wide audience. I think it's a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1949.948,"endTime":1949.981,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1949.981,"endTime":1953.718,"body":"very generous group of people. I think"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1953.718,"endTime":1953.818,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1953.818,"endTime":1957.555,"body":"that the organization itself, yourself"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1957.555,"endTime":1957.588,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1957.588,"endTime":1961.492,"body":"included, are very generous people who"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1961.492,"endTime":1961.626,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1961.626,"endTime":1965.563,"body":"stay awake at all hours trying to think of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1965.563,"endTime":1965.63,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1965.63,"endTime":1969.6,"body":"ways to reach farther afield to get a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1969.6,"endTime":1969.667,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1969.667,"endTime":1973.304,"body":"new audience and to engage those"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1973.304,"endTime":1973.338,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1973.338,"endTime":1976.774,"body":"people who are members and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1976.774,"endTime":1976.841,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1976.841,"endTime":1980.678,"body":"invested here and exposing them, whether it's through trips, whether"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1980.678,"endTime":1980.712,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1980.712,"endTime":1983.247,"body":"it's through lectures, whether it's through classes."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1983.247,"endTime":1983.481,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1983.481,"endTime":1987.051,"body":"I think that the members are"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1987.051,"endTime":1987.118,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1987.118,"endTime":1990.989,"body":"extremely generous, and I think the staff is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1990.989,"endTime":1991.122,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1991.122,"endTime":1994.258,"body":"very generous, and there"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1994.258,"endTime":1994.359,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1994.359,"endTime":1997.261,"body":"is an underlying need."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1997.261,"endTime":1998.096,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":1998.096,"endTime":2001.899,"body":"I think everybody understands that on a very visceral"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2001.899,"endTime":2002.633,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2002.633,"endTime":2003.101,"body":"level."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2003.101,"endTime":2003.968,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2003.968,"endTime":2007.405,"body":"I think that the Institute is a great"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2007.405,"endTime":2007.505,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2007.505,"endTime":2009.874,"body":"example for other arts"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2009.874,"endTime":2010.108,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2010.108,"endTime":2013.578,"body":"organizations on how to build an audience"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2013.578,"endTime":2014.479,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2014.479,"endTime":2018.416,"body":"and how to expose them to the best of"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2018.416,"endTime":2018.483,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2018.483,"endTime":2021.619,"body":"the best and encourage them in their own"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2021.619,"endTime":2021.686,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2021.686,"endTime":2025.056,"body":"practices to stretch and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2025.056,"endTime":2025.189,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2025.189,"endTime":2028.693,"body":"reach and be the new guard"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2028.693,"endTime":2029.293,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2029.293,"endTime":2029.627,"body":"for"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2029.627,"endTime":2030.461,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2030.461,"endTime":2033.765,"body":"the great classic work that we all admire so."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2033.765,"endTime":2034.032,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2034.032,"endTime":2037.769,"body":"And you've had a very interesting client recently, which"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2037.769,"endTime":2037.802,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2037.802,"endTime":2041.739,"body":"was yourself. So what was it like designing your own"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2041.739,"endTime":2041.839,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2041.839,"endTime":2043.307,"body":"project, and how do you"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2043.307,"endTime":2044.208,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2044.208,"endTime":2045.977,"body":"navigate having your own self as a client?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2045.977,"endTime":2046.277,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2046.277,"endTime":2050.248,"body":"Caroline, that's a great question, and I can tell"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2050.248,"endTime":2050.381,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2050.381,"endTime":2054.285,"body":"you unequivocally that the project that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2054.285,"endTime":2054.485,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2054.485,"endTime":2058.256,"body":"I completed was the most joyous thing that I have ever done in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2058.256,"endTime":2058.322,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2058.322,"endTime":2062.026,"body":"my life. Because I'm intuitive and because I'm"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2062.026,"endTime":2062.126,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2062.126,"endTime":2065.797,"body":"sensitive, rather, to the environment, I had an idea"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2065.797,"endTime":2065.897,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2065.897,"endTime":2069.7,"body":"early on what I wanted to do, and I wanted to do something that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2069.7,"endTime":2069.734,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2069.734,"endTime":2073.371,"body":"the shell was somewhat modern,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2073.371,"endTime":2073.938,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2073.938,"endTime":2077.442,"body":"but everything in it, sort of the spring"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2077.442,"endTime":2077.675,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2077.675,"endTime":2081.479,"body":"point, is 1920s to today. All the"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2081.479,"endTime":2081.612,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2081.612,"endTime":2085.349,"body":"great people with whom I work twisted themselves into"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2085.349,"endTime":2085.383,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2085.383,"endTime":2089.053,"body":"pretzels to try to participate"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2089.053,"endTime":2089.554,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2089.554,"endTime":2093.524,"body":"and deliver for me, and to do it, I'm sure, at a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2093.524,"endTime":2093.558,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2093.558,"endTime":2097.261,"body":"great loss for themselves. But they did, and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2097.261,"endTime":2097.462,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2097.462,"endTime":2101.232,"body":"still it was a fortune for me. But it's really the most"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2101.232,"endTime":2101.265,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2101.265,"endTime":2104.769,"body":"enjoyable thing that I've ever done in my life, and I'm very proud of it."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2104.769,"endTime":2104.836,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2104.836,"endTime":2108.606,"body":"And when I look at it next to some of my"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2108.606,"endTime":2108.673,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2108.673,"endTime":2112.477,"body":"projects, my client projects, I think it stands"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2112.477,"endTime":2112.577,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2112.577,"endTime":2116.481,"body":"up in a very nice way. I think"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2116.481,"endTime":2116.547,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2116.547,"endTime":2120.251,"body":"that in some respect, it's some of my,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2120.251,"endTime":2121.119,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2121.119,"endTime":2124.789,"body":"dare I say, best work. It's been a thrill."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2124.789,"endTime":2124.956,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2124.956,"endTime":2128.059,"body":"There are many designers who say, \"Well,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2128.059,"endTime":2129.227,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2129.227,"endTime":2133.097,"body":"the project takes on a life of its own.\" Mario Buatta used"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2133.097,"endTime":2133.164,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2133.164,"endTime":2136.868,"body":"to speak famously about a project being like a garden."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2136.868,"endTime":2137.001,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2137.001,"endTime":2140.805,"body":"That's not the way I do it. Everything is very intentional,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2140.805,"endTime":2141.105,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2141.105,"endTime":2144.842,"body":"very specific. The fiber optic lighting in the ceiling is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2144.842,"endTime":2144.942,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2144.942,"endTime":2148.779,"body":"never moving because I care so much about"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2148.779,"endTime":2148.846,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2148.846,"endTime":2151.816,"body":"enfilade and vistas, and I don't want"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2151.816,"endTime":2151.916,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2151.916,"endTime":2155.686,"body":"anyone who is a visitor to not always be looking at"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2155.686,"endTime":2155.753,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2155.753,"endTime":2159.624,"body":"something beautiful. And I made the contractors,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2159.624,"endTime":2159.69,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2159.69,"endTime":2163.561,"body":"who in upstate New York are not used to doing the kind of work"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2163.561,"endTime":2163.661,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2163.661,"endTime":2167.298,"body":"that the contractors here and in other parts of the world and this"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2167.298,"endTime":2167.365,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2167.365,"endTime":2171.169,"body":"country are used to be doing, and they did a pretty good job, I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2171.169,"endTime":2171.202,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2171.202,"endTime":2175.173,"body":"will say. But they came to understand over time that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2175.173,"endTime":2175.239,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2175.239,"endTime":2178.943,"body":"if you are in the dining room and you are seated with your"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2178.943,"endTime":2179.043,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2179.043,"endTime":2182.513,"body":"back to this very lovely view, you're going to be looking at"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2182.513,"endTime":2182.58,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2182.58,"endTime":2185.95,"body":"something that is exceptional and exceptional by"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2185.95,"endTime":2186.017,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2186.017,"endTime":2186.684,"body":"intention."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2186.684,"endTime":2191.956,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2191.956,"endTime":2193.357,"body":"Tell us what's next for you."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2193.357,"endTime":2194.325,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2194.325,"endTime":2194.892,"body":"I think"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2194.892,"endTime":2196.127,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2196.127,"endTime":2199.931,"body":"all the time about writing a book because"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2199.931,"endTime":2200.498,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2200.498,"endTime":2204.302,"body":"my book would be very different, and while it would have photographs,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2204.302,"endTime":2204.569,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2204.569,"endTime":2208.072,"body":"I think the content could be very strong."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2208.072,"endTime":2208.172,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2208.172,"endTime":2211.943,"body":"My idea is that each chapter would have a"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2211.943,"endTime":2212.009,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2212.009,"endTime":2215.813,"body":"heading that is something that's in a composer's toolkit."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2215.813,"endTime":2216.514,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2216.514,"endTime":2219.85,"body":"So you would have line, melody,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2219.85,"endTime":2220.151,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2220.151,"endTime":2223.955,"body":"rhythm, harmony, counterpoint, orchestration,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2223.955,"endTime":2224.355,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2224.355,"endTime":2227.625,"body":"and so on and so forth. There would be a very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2227.625,"endTime":2227.725,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2227.725,"endTime":2231.629,"body":"quick example in music of what that"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2231.629,"endTime":2231.696,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2231.696,"endTime":2235.633,"body":"means to a composer, and then the chapter"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2235.633,"endTime":2235.7,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2235.7,"endTime":2239.604,"body":"would show and describe how that gets"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2239.604,"endTime":2239.704,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2239.704,"endTime":2243.507,"body":"executed in my work. I have a particular book on"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2243.507,"endTime":2243.574,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2243.574,"endTime":2247.278,"body":"interior design that is by far my favorite, and it is by"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2247.278,"endTime":2247.411,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2247.411,"endTime":2250.915,"body":"the late, great Renzo Mongiardino, who"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2250.915,"endTime":2251.015,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2251.015,"endTime":2254.719,"body":"himself started life out as a theater and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2254.719,"endTime":2254.819,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2254.819,"endTime":2256.087,"body":"opera set designer."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2256.087,"endTime":2257.121,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2257.121,"endTime":2260.992,"body":"His approach was, as"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2260.992,"endTime":2261.025,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2261.025,"endTime":2265.029,"body":"far as I'm concerned, fairly unique, and he would"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2265.029,"endTime":2265.096,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2265.096,"endTime":2269.066,"body":"get into the universe, for example, of an object."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2269.066,"endTime":2269.433,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2269.433,"endTime":2272.136,"body":"It could be a porcelain teapot,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2272.136,"endTime":2272.837,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2272.837,"endTime":2276.374,"body":"and it might be from the early 19th"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2276.374,"endTime":2276.407,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2276.407,"endTime":2279.777,"body":"century, and there might be a motif on it"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2279.777,"endTime":2280.344,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2280.344,"endTime":2284.081,"body":"that informs many of the decisions"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2284.081,"endTime":2284.615,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2284.615,"endTime":2288.586,"body":"that he made. And the taste was"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2288.586,"endTime":2289.42,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2289.42,"endTime":2292.89,"body":"quite Italian and stunning."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2292.89,"endTime":2293.124,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2293.124,"endTime":2296.627,"body":"My taste leans much more to the French, and it is"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2296.627,"endTime":2297.428,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2297.428,"endTime":2301.432,"body":"a little bit lighter. But his process could not"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2301.432,"endTime":2301.465,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2301.465,"endTime":2305.202,"body":"have been - or I should say, my process, I have a feeling,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2305.202,"endTime":2305.97,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2305.97,"endTime":2309.173,"body":"has similarities to Mongiardino's process."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2309.173,"endTime":2309.307,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2309.307,"endTime":2313.144,"body":"Very intellectual perspective, so much"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2313.144,"endTime":2313.21,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2313.21,"endTime":2316.147,"body":"about craft, so much about"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2316.147,"endTime":2316.213,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2316.213,"endTime":2319.85,"body":"manipulation of material and"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2319.85,"endTime":2319.984,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2319.984,"endTime":2323.321,"body":"objects, and he had a remarkable"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2323.321,"endTime":2323.421,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2323.421,"endTime":2326.991,"body":"clientele. It was a who's who of great clients"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2326.991,"endTime":2327.525,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2327.525,"endTime":2331.429,"body":"who were highly invested in Mongiardino"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2331.429,"endTime":2331.495,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2331.495,"endTime":2335.199,"body":"himself. I always believe that the best"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2335.199,"endTime":2335.232,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2335.232,"endTime":2338.436,"body":"clients are those who do not micromanage but"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2338.436,"endTime":2338.502,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2338.502,"endTime":2342.073,"body":"express what it is that they want"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2342.073,"endTime":2342.54,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2342.54,"endTime":2346.51,"body":"out of a residence. And I'm thinking right now about a beloved client"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2346.51,"endTime":2346.61,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2346.61,"endTime":2350.481,"body":"for whom I worked several times in Minneapolis and then in"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2350.481,"endTime":2350.581,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2350.581,"endTime":2353.617,"body":"Arizona, and we would"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2353.617,"endTime":2353.751,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2353.751,"endTime":2357.588,"body":"speak almost completely about"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2357.588,"endTime":2357.655,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2357.655,"endTime":2361.425,"body":"how they were going to live, how they would entertain, how their guests"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2361.425,"endTime":2361.892,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2361.892,"endTime":2365.629,"body":"would feel in the space. And there was never any conversation"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2365.629,"endTime":2365.696,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2365.696,"endTime":2369.533,"body":"about, \"I don't like this color,\" or, \"This doesn't"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2369.533,"endTime":2369.667,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2369.667,"endTime":2373.07,"body":"appeal to me.\" And they understood"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2373.07,"endTime":2373.804,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2373.804,"endTime":2377.475,"body":"that if they wound me up and let me"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2377.475,"endTime":2377.608,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2377.608,"endTime":2381.579,"body":"go, and I respected thoroughly what it"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2381.579,"endTime":2381.645,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2381.645,"endTime":2385.416,"body":"was that they wanted from an experiential perspective,"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2385.416,"endTime":2386.05,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2386.05,"endTime":2389.653,"body":"that they would be the winners. And thank goodness they were very, very"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2389.653,"endTime":2389.754,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2389.754,"endTime":2393.624,"body":"pleased. But for me, too, I can look at those projects and I"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2393.624,"endTime":2393.624,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2393.624,"endTime":2397.027,"body":"can say, \"Yes, this is really successful.\" And the more"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2397.027,"endTime":2397.094,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2397.094,"endTime":2401.031,"body":"controlling a client may be, it's very hard"},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2401.031,"endTime":2401.098,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2401.098,"endTime":2403.067,"body":"to pull these kinds of things off."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2403.067,"endTime":2403.567,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2403.567,"endTime":2406.771,"body":"Thank you, Michael. It's been such a delight speaking with you and hearing more"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2406.771,"endTime":2406.804,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2406.804,"endTime":2410.775,"body":"about your process. Is there anything else you'd like to say before we close up?"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2410.775,"endTime":2411.041,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2411.041,"endTime":2413.577,"body":"Just what a delight, Caroline, it is chatting with you."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2413.577,"endTime":2413.644,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2413.644,"endTime":2416.747,"body":"You make it very easy to have this conversation."},{"speaker":"Michael Simon","startTime":2416.747,"endTime":2416.847,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2416.847,"endTime":2417.348,"body":"Thank you."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2417.348,"endTime":2423.687,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2423.687,"endTime":2423.687,"body":"\n"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2423.687,"endTime":2427.324,"body":"Thank you for tuning in to \"By Invitation,\" presented by the Institute of"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2427.324,"endTime":2427.358,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2427.358,"endTime":2431.228,"body":"Classical Architecture and Art, an educational non-profit"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2431.228,"endTime":2431.695,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2431.695,"endTime":2434.965,"body":"dedicated to advancing the practice, understanding, and"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2434.965,"endTime":2434.999,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2434.999,"endTime":2438.969,"body":"appreciation of classical and traditional architecture, art, and design."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2438.969,"endTime":2440.037,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2440.037,"endTime":2443.607,"body":"With 15 chapters across the United States, the"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2443.607,"endTime":2443.707,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2443.707,"endTime":2446.377,"body":"ICAA offers programs for students,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2446.377,"endTime":2446.977,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2446.977,"endTime":2450.815,"body":"professionals, and enthusiasts around the world, including"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2450.815,"endTime":2450.848,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2450.848,"endTime":2454.718,"body":"continuing education courses, public programs and lectures,"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2454.718,"endTime":2455.252,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2455.252,"endTime":2458.255,"body":"travel programs, documentary films, and more."},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2458.255,"endTime":2459.156,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2459.156,"endTime":2462.226,"body":"To learn more or to support the ICAA, please"},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2462.226,"endTime":2462.326,"body":" "},{"speaker":"Caroline Slaten","startTime":2462.326,"endTime":2464.595,"body":"visit classicist.org."}]}