Made in Vancouver Awards: Meet Our Home Category Judge

The director of IDS Vancouver has honed an eye for design.

Former product designer and long-time art, design and culture devourer, Jody Phillips is the director of IDS Vancouver. Creating visual narratives, championing design in the Pacific Northwest and connecting international and regional happenings, Jody is equally motivated by the business of design as she is by the huge amount of talent and inspiration born and flourishing on the west coast.Jody will be our head Home judge for our inaugural Made in Vancouver Awards 2019 – which runs the gamut of tableware, pottery, textures and decor to lighting and woodcraft. Get to know the person behind the name, below. Home judge Jody Phillips

Your go-to cocktail

Anyone who knows me knows I’m foremost a beer drinker, that being said, I am always happy to partake in any cocktail that includes mezcal. Lucia’s Garden at La Mezcaleria in my Commercial Drive neighbourhood is a smoky, minty, citrusy delight!

Perfect Vancouver spot

Um…I have to pick just one?! A longtime Vancouverite, (I’ve lived here since age 11), I would never be able to choose one. So many venues are quintessentially “Vancouver” for me. Though I do have to say, whenever I find myself running on the Seawall, or at the market on Granville Island, I know I’m in Vancouver.

Best place for a drink on a Tuesday night

Luppolo Brewing (Photo: JP Delage)Strange Fellows, Bomber Brewing, Parallel 49, Luppolo—I’m an Eastside beer drinker.

Vancouverite you most want to meet

Well now, I am pretty happy to meet anybody. I’m inquisitive (read: nosey). For example I want to know more about illustrator Hiller Goodspeed—his wonderful drawings and text are unpretentious and have me totally intrigued.

Best Neighbourhood in the city

I’m partial to my own neighbourhood on Vancouver’s east side. I can head over to Sorrento Barbers to get my son’s haircut before school (they open at 7 a.m.). We chat with the Italian seniors about anything from the secret of life to current events, then we head over to East Café for a morning treat of croissants and coffee before walking to school. We are so lucky to be able to raise our kids in this city surrounded by colourful diversity, small, tasty restaurants, interesting shops, the Trout Lake Farmers market (and Donald’s Market) good bike routes and a community of families that all help and look out for each other.

A hidden gem more Vancouverites should know about

Vancouver Art Gallery Cafe’s hidden patio.The patio at the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Café.

Perfect hangover food

I have three kids who are busy with so many activities that hangovers are often extra punishing. I gratefully will eat anything that anyone is going to feed me. However, brunch at Ask for Luigi would be beyond!

Perfect big night out on the town

Circle Wellness SpaGetting together with friends, family or a mixture of the two and taking in an art or design event before heading for drinks and dinner or just heading out my husband and I, hitting up Circle Wellness Spa (East Van’s answer to Whistler’s Scandinave) then heading to dinner just us two.

What do you think makes Vancouver’s design scene stand out?

Vancouver is a beautiful city rich with innovation and craft. The water to the west and mountains to the east allow for limitless possibilities for exploration outdoors, though this same geography has acted as a physical or mental barrier, restricting easy access in and out. I think Vancouver can now be considered as having a high-end design culture that has its liberal design enthusiasts and creative risk takers but we still have traditional, limited manufacturing industries. These often contrasting diverse traits are affecting how designers work, their ethos and the way in which they create.

How has the maker scene shifted over time here?

The maker scene here has shifted at equal, substantial pace to how it has globally. The past five years to a decade have moved fast. Consumers have become more educated and savvy. For something to be local is one thing but now thankfully we all consume with more awareness around the social and environmental impact our consumption has  on our community and the world. Small batch, thoughtful production has more appeal than ever and most definitely extends beyond the phrase of “Maker.”

Are you a local craftsperson with something cool (and Vancouver-made!) to share? Enter our Made in Vancouver Awards by February 15!