Creativity is a paradoxical pursuit: The craft of making requires vulnerability and a certain kind of tenderness or openness to the world around us. At the same time, putting our work out in the world today can take a shit ton of courage and tenacity. This is a space to shine a light on the folks who are straddling these tensions and making us all a little better with their art. —Brené
Partners in work and life, visual-effects artists Katie Menzies and Abel Reverter bring whimsical and beautifully imperfect characters to life, mixing techniques, both traditional and modern, to tell powerful stories that are full of fun and positive energy. Using murals, textiles, and drawings to build 3D models, the Barcelona-based pair has created conceptual projects for the likes of Apple, Google, and the New York Times, to name a few, treating each endeavor somewhat like a film production, custom-building stylish sets, detailed costumes, and on-the-mark accessories for a totally unique array of colorful characters whose heads often bear a slight likeness to . . . potatoes. Perhaps not so coincidentally, Katie and Abel’s creative studio is called Cabeza Patata.
Meet the Cabeza Patata puppet version of Brené in this fun video we collaborated on with their team.
Did you find this work or did it find you?
We set out with certain ideas of what a 3D studio would look like, hoping to find work creating animations and illustrations for big clients, but what found us has been even more exciting. After working on campaigns with the likes of Microsoft, Google, and Apple, we started to get different opportunities that we hadn’t expected. We’re invited to speak about our studio at festivals and conferences around the world, we’ve had the opportunity to teach and volunteer in unlikely places, and we never know what’s coming next. That’s the bit we love most about our career; the parts that find us.
Katie Menzies making puppets at London’s Somerset House for a show at the Barcelona and Manchester Design Exhibition; photography courtesy of Cabeza Patata.
The duo set out on the road, leaving their studio-meets-gallery-meets-workshop space in a 1980s Volkswagen camper van — lovingly dubbed “Buttercup” — for an around-the-world adventure. Fully equipped with solar panels, a kitchenette, and a pop-up roof, this studio on wheels has taken Katie and Abel everywhere from the Canary Islands to Armenia and Egypt; photography by Iago Gonazalo.
What do you enjoy the most about creating?
We both love that feeling you had when you were a kid creating something; you have an idea in your head and you bring it to life. The only difference now is that we have the resources and know-how to reach the results we wanted and often even improve on what we’d imagined! The process of planning and seeing an idea realized is so special, and we always love trying new mediums for that reason. You learn so much along the way, and we always find that things overlap and each medium informs the next in some way.
Is there a part of the creative process that’s tougher for you than other parts?
Usually starting something completely new is the toughest part and, conversely, can be the most enjoyable and satisfying when you finally get it right. We find it easy coming up with ideas and always have a long list of things we want to make, so usually it’s the initial making that’s the trickiest step.
What are three words you would use to describe your creative process?
Experimental, enjoyable, thoughtful.
Putting your work out in the world can be hard. Do you ever wrestle with perfectionism and/or get sidelined by criticism?
Of course! We’re all human, and criticism can be hard to take, especially when it’s about something as personal as the art you’re making. The more established we’ve gotten, the stronger we feel, if we ever have to face critique. For that reason, we make sure to always be positive toward others and encouraging to those starting out.
What’s one thing you’ve learned about leading a creative team?
The best way of leading a creative team is to trust people and listen to their ideas. We work with incredible artists, and we want them to enjoy the projects and not feel micromanaged. We always find that toeing that subtle line between giving direction and freedom gets the best results.
Favorite bumper sticker? It can exist or you can make it up!
Our pride and joy is Buttercup, and her bumper sticker reads: “What the Westy Wants the Westy Gets.”
We both love that feeling you had when you were a kid creating something; you have an idea in your head and you bring it to life.
