Alumni Wakako Takagi (BS 06) and Fridolin “Frido” Beisert (MS 08) say “If you can make it through Art Center together as a couple you are pretty much bonded for the rest of your life.” Photo by Max Wanger.
Art Center’s reputation as a creative proving ground doesn’t exactly evoke images of artistic ardor, sunset strolls or even longing looks among the library stacks. But, as the saying goes: love is stronger than hate, war…or, in this case, work-weary creative determination. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that Art Center’s bridge has also served a figurative function, fostering deep and durable connections among more than a few alumni who have tied the knot.
So, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re taking a closer look at the elements unique to couples who survived three years of Art Center’s intense maker bootcamp of high-standards and brutal crits and successfully applied the iterative process to love.
DRIVEN TOGETHER
Transportation alumna Michelle Christensen (BS 05) designed the new Acura NSX, described by Jerry Hirsch in the Los Angeles Times as “a Ferrari-fighting super car.” Weighing multiple job offers, some from Detroit carmakers, after graduating from Art Center, she admits in the interview “‘There was another powerful reason to stay in California.’ Within days of entering the Art Center’s car design program, Christensen met fellow student Jason Wilbur, now her husband. They started work at Honda on the same day. He heads Honda’s Advanced Design Studio, not far from the couple’s downtown apartment.”
BAUHAUS MEETS WABI-SABI
“Art Center has taught us that just about any dream that you have in life can become a reality,” agree alums Wakako Takagi and Fridolin “Frido” Beisert. Photo by Courtney, erinheartscourt.com
Here’s what Industrial Design alumnus and Art Center instructor Fridolin “Frido” Beisert (MS 08) had to say about his design-centric union with Product Design alumna Wakako Takagi (BS 06):
What did you learn at Art Center that influences your marriage and helps your relationship thrive?
If you can make it through Art Center together as a couple you are pretty much bonded for the rest of your life. Our dinner table discussions usually involve something about design, whether it is about helping our little ones figure out the construction of their lego buildings, or, our next big project together. When working on projects we have learned to give each other mini “crits” throughout the process which help us advance our ideas and visions for the future. Art Center has taught us that just about any dream that you have in life can become a reality.
“Bauhaus meets Wabi-Sabi,” the functional German design aesthetic fused with the time-less principles of Japanese beauty is the philosophy shaping Takagi and Beisert’s brand, Baum-Kuchen.
How does your Art Center education inform your choices as a couple, creating a life together?
We have a lot of common interests and they revolve around all aspects of design. Our home is slowly evolving to be the living reflection of our mutual design and life philosophies. As a family, we seek a community and friendships that inspire us. We love living in Los Angeles because we’re able to have close ties to Art Center as well as being exposed to diverse cultural influences. We also love traveling to near and distant places to discover unique products and share our journeys through Wakako’s online platform, Baum-Kuchen.
Do you share a common design-thinking philosophy? How does that play out in your life?
Frido tends to be a more strategic thinker; whereas, Wakako leans heavily on her intuition when we make decisions. We recognize that our strengths and weaknesses as individuals truly compliment each other. When it comes to our design thinking approach, we are “Bauhaus meets Wabi-Sabi.” It is the functional German design aesthetic that intersects with the timeless principles of Japanese beauty. This philosophy has shaped our brand Baum-Kuchen which was Wakako’s vision of how to bring this concept to life and share it with our community.
REVEALED WITH A KISS
Alums David Goetz (2nd from left) and Gretchen Goldie Goetz (far right) with family. Married 35 years, the couple attended Art Center together, at first, keeping their romance a secret until it was revealed with a kiss during Greg Ascroft’s Fear Project. They tied the knot 5th term.
Illustration alumnus David Goetz (BFA 80) and Gretchen Goldie Goetz (BFA 81), Graphic Designer, knew each other before enrolling at Art Center. Here’s their story as told by Gretchen:
In 1977, Art Center instructor Greg Ascroft gave his introductory design class an assignment he called the Fear Project. It was to design and execute the experience of doing something you fear. When he called on David to present his project, I got up from my seat, walked across the room to sit on David’s lap and kiss him! We had secretly designed our Fear Project together, to finally reveal our romantic relationship to the world of Art Center (initially critiqued as the fear of kissing someone you don’t know!).
We started Art Center together the year the Hillside campus opened in Pasadena. We lived together sharing the joys, fears and endless nights of working until dawn. We were grateful to be doing it all together — and got married 5th term!
After an on campus interview, David started in animation as a background painter at Don Bluth Productions. He is now a Production Designer for Disney Feature Animation, and has worked on The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tangled and is currently in production on Zootopia.
I was hired at design firm, Bright and Associates, and worked on the 1984 Olympics and Holland America Cruises. I have my own business now, designing for local and national nonprofit organizations.
We’ve been married for 35 years. We love our work and still rely on each other for artistic advice, still stay up way too late working and are so happy to be doing it together.
