{"id":3912,"date":"2024-07-08T16:15:33","date_gmt":"2024-07-08T16:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/?p=3912"},"modified":"2025-10-23T16:58:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T16:58:08","slug":"into-the-mind-of-jared-blake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/into-the-mind-of-jared-blake","title":{"rendered":"Into the mind of Jared Blake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video interviewee-picture\"><video autoplay loop muted src=\"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/frame1-2.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Jared Blake is the co-founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lichennyc.com\/\">Lichen NYC<\/a>, a Brooklyn-based design incubator and studio centered around furniture and spatial design. Blake and his partner have created something unique with Lichen: they design furniture; they sell iconic pieces from Pesce to Eames; they make room for conversation around design and community. After several years appreciating Lichen's excellent taste and intentionality around design, we were eager to know what's been on Blake's mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">What\u2019s the best compliment you received recently?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I try to dodge compliments so as to not get addicted and remain humble. Please forward all compliments to my work or team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">What\u2019s the last thing you read?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/123758.Tribal_Scars\">\"Tribal Scars\"<\/a> by Senegalese film director Semb\u00e8ne Ousmane. I found it at a bookstore called Myopic books in Chicago. It's a great read, a series of chapters which could each be a movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">What do you want to read next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m starting this book called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Gene-Keys-Unlocking-Higher-Purpose\/dp\/1780285426\">\"The Gene Keys\"<\/a> by Richard Rudd. It\u2019s like a culmination of two other books I\u2019ve read to get to this point, that are connected but also really juxtaposed: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ching-Bilingual-English-Chinese-Chinook\/dp\/1533460221\/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BAFx-6shrpvSadPbr0iAvLrDGNsncvAgMTOBOp4z8nQ.G5Uh5oAd1w5up031K0lEnRuha3raCvO6SxhVQ5vASUw&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;qid=1717784704&amp;refinements=p_27%3AFu+Xi&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1\">The iChing by Fu Xi<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.betterworldbooks.com\/product\/detail\/the-archaic-revival-speculations-on-psychedelic-mushrooms-the-amazon-virtual-reality-ufos-evolut-9780062506139?shipto=US&amp;curcode=USD&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw34qzBhBmEiwAOUQcFzO5uTAU3GXVtC1gaCPeiBuzP6ZKLcfM5UYuQRmn8OkHU6M5ucjWRBoCxAIQAvD_BwE\">\"Archaic Revival\"<\/a> by Terrance McKenna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-semplice-img-oversize-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-3.21.50-PM-1024x521.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4014\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-3.21.50-PM-1024x521.png 1024w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-3.21.50-PM-300x153.png 300w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-3.21.50-PM-768x390.png 768w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-3.21.50-PM-1536x781.png 1536w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-15-at-3.21.50-PM-2048x1041.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">A quote that\u2019s meaningful to you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTo be Bobby then, you gotta be Bobby now.\u201d - Jay-Z<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a reference to Bobby Brown's rockstar-like stardom in the '80s and the unfortunate cost that lifestyle lead to. It\u2019s a take on the quote \"'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">Best gift you\u2019ve ever given?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a good question. I wouldn\u2019t say it was the \u201cbest\u201d or a \u201cgift\u201d persay, but I was able to track down and return someone\u2019s wallet who left it on a bench outside of our shop the other day. I\u2019m pretty sure no gift I\u2019ve given anyone felt better than that for both of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">Where do you want to travel to next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still haven\u2019t been to Paris. I\u2019d like to see what the fuss is about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">What would you buy, if money weren\u2019t an issue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A house \/ farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">What hobby would you take up, if you had the time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Homemade small batch Yerba Mate. I\u2019ve been tinkering with my own and it\u2019s cute, nothing serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">What\u2019s an image or piece of art you can\u2019t get out of your head?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have a disdain for 90% of art I see. The pricing structure makes it an elitist construct to me, but that\u2019s a nuanced conversation for another time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">A product of any kind you\u2019ve been appreciating lately?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lichennyc.com\/products\/fragile-glass-rubberized-hake-brush\">The Hake Brush<\/a> [Lichen designer] Eric makes. Dust is a part of life; I live a dusty life so...<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/HAKEBRUSH-1024x1024.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4005\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/HAKEBRUSH-1024x1024.webp 1024w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/HAKEBRUSH-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/HAKEBRUSH-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/HAKEBRUSH-768x768.webp 768w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/HAKEBRUSH-1536x1536.webp 1536w, https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/HAKEBRUSH.webp 1831w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">The funniest thing you\u2019ve seen or heard lately?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@ed1tsbyh3rr\/video\/7366619803072744746?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7221269615887599147\">The \u201cI\u2019ve been a nasty girl\u201d guy with glasses<\/a> brings me joy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m also rewatching <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt7649694\/\">\"Ramy,\"<\/a> that's been really funny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-custom_5dzmfzg0c\">If you could build an extension of your own mind, what would it look like? How would it work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think I\u2019m living in that vision with Lichen? Aren\u2019t we all living in our choices to some degree? Dave Chapelle had this quote he mentioned at one of his stand ups: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re living inside the biggest dream in the room.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said at the moment he\u2019s rich and we are all paying to watch him do something he loves, but then he mentioned being in Saudi Arabia performing for a prince on his birthday, and that at that moment he was living in the prince's dream. The prince was like \u201cLook, I have Dave Chapelle at my birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think if I had some utopian views, money would be obsolete or trade and barter would be more prevalent. Capitalism ain't it, clearly, but we\u2019ll be here for a bit until we figure out a better system. \u2698<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jared Blake is the co-founder of Lichen NYC, a Brooklyn-based design incubator and studio centered around furniture and spatial design. Blake and his partner have created something unique with Lichen: they design furniture; they sell iconic pieces from Pesce to Eames; they make room for conversation around design and community. After several years appreciating Lichen&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-3912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-thoughts","tag-interviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3912"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3912\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5060,"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3912\/revisions\/5060"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mymind.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}