When I moved back to Montreal, Mitz constantly popped up in conversations in various occasions and circles. Every response I got to my interjected inquiries about him was a glowing review that pretty much went like this: "Oh man, Mitz is like, just the coolest."

While cool, vague of a term that it is, assumes different values in individuals, the unanimous acknowledgement of Mitz using that very word was intriguing. I soon found out how when I eventually crossed paths with him at Casa. In a matter of minutes, he elicited howls of laughter in our table starting with playful puns to timely light, self-deprecating quips, like he was a natural born comedian.

Except he wasn't. He was just in cabinetry school at the time, a band called Mavo and DJ'd some good rock every once in awhile. Ever since that Casa night, I've been looking forward to the time he'd be ready to show work, along with about 99.98% of the creative Mile-End community.  So, with the arrival of an array of work which truly is an extension of him –modern, insightful, respectful, environmentally concerned, timeless, playfully wry and a little scifi–  also comes that of a Q&A, an opportunity for you, dear reader, to get to know Mitz Takahashi in earnest.

Mercedes: Who are you and what do you do?
Mitz: My name is Mitz. I'm a furniture designer/maker. I also do random other things like djing, play music and make guitar pedals/amp and eat free samples at Jean Talon market on my free time.

Mercedes: When I first met you a couple of years ago, you mentioned you were in cabinetry school. I forget the answer now, because what I remember more is of you making me cry of laughter, but refresh my memory: what made you decide to get into it?
Mitz: I always loved furniture designs and making stuff. One day I was cooking unagi (eel) and it was actually an electric one and I was electrocuted and next thing I know, I was in school. It was kinda like Mel Gibson in What Women Want, when he slips into bathtub with hair dryer and gets shocked.

http://youtu.be/99-8-9az2To?t=13s

Mercedes: When people see work by Mitz Takahashi, they should think...
Mitz: It would be a real honor to inspire other artists to create more. I mean, I'm just starting up, so I'm not really someone big to say that kind of stuff but that would be my goal eventually to inspire others who inspired me to do things

Mercedes: Lewd-sounding questions but: what are the aspects you like best about working with wood? Is there a particular kind of wood you prefer working with?
Mitz: Wood grains remind me of a galaxy, and each wood is different from another, each wood species are different from another, its almost like humans, each country/culture is different from another and each person is different from another, everyone is beautiful and we are the world, we are the children

Mercedes: What's life like for a wood worker like yourself? What are the biggest challenges you face as a wood worker now?
Mitz: I work seven days a week most of the time, but i love it. Sometimes, I just eat soft serve ice cream for dinner because I don't have time for cooking. One time, I ate four servings of ice cream as well as two hot dogs and fries for $3.75 at Elegant Hot Dog at Beaubien. I didn't feel good...wait, what am i talking about?

Oh ya, Ikea and its 2-years lifespan furniture is tough to compete with, as well as its meatballs at its food court.

Another thing is I easily get bored doing one thing, I love making furniture, but I need to take a break and make some other things like podcasts or music, etc., I guess I'm an art slut. Oh I love sports too! And I even love sleeping too! Oh man, I wish there was more time in the world.

Mercedes: Any upcoming cabinetry projects you're working on now?
Mitz: I'm building bookcase, guitar amp cabinet, picture frames and a wall mounted shelving unit right now. I'm also planning to make more of sculptures. I want to make this Montreal city landscape made by offcuts and I'm working on some small planetarium lamp.

Mercedes: What are the top 5 pieces that you're proud of?
Mitz: Not sure, i just started so hopefully more in future. They are like my children, I'm proud of all the stuff I've made. But secretly, it's usually the latest piece is that I'm proud of, but I tell other pieces, I love them equally. I'm sure your parents told you and your siblings that they love the same but they usually baby the youngest, it's like that...

[portfolio_slideshow exclude="945"]

Mercedes: What kind of designs (or designers) inspire your work?
Mitz: Usually mid century modern from 1940s to late 60s, Scandinavian as well as Japanese and I like most things simple and clean and often round edge. My favorite furniture designers are Finn Juhl, Hans Wegner and Isamu Noguchi.

Also, I get inspiration from other art forms/movements/music etc., Bauhaus, Dadaism, Outsider artists, some writers like Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Yukio Mishima, even Jurassic Park and Twin Peaks, and X-Files theme songs. These are not direct inspirations but they make me want create stuff.
http://youtu.be/DPAZQ6mhRcU

Mercedes: What are a few (like 3 to 5 or more if you like) of the trends / things / events / people that interest you right now?
Mitz: Modern eco/recycling. I'd like to recycle as much as I can. I use mostly recycled materials and reclaimed wood.

(See a clip of Mitz in the news talking about it here.)

Mercedes: Which designer/s or companies would you love to do collaborations with?
Mitz: I would be so nervous to work and collaborate with them, so I just wanna have a tea with Henry Darger and talk about random stuff sitting in this huge UFO looking tree house I'm going to build in the forest.

http://youtu.be/MSzzirIP0No

Mercedes: What's your favourite colour combination?
Mitz: Tough question. I don't really have preference in colour but I tend to wear clothes that are navy, black, white.

Fin.

See Mitz' work at www.mitztakahashi.com

To get more Mitz in your life, follow him at: www.twitter.com/mitztakahashi