“I get all my cardio from just tossing and turning all night,” says local furniture designer Wesley November. “My mind is just always going.”
November's drive to create has kept him busy in multiple projects, from writing to designing toys to playing music, but he's most focused on his career as a furniture builder and designer. His creativity and strong work ethic brought him to the attention of Spike TV producers, who placed November as a contestant in a new reality competition show for furniture building called Framework, which premieres tonight at 10pm ET/PT on Spike TV.
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November's passion for building things goes way back past his college training; growing up, the Huntington Beach native worked alongside his brothers fixing hot rods and motorcycles with their dad. His formal training includes studying industrial design at The Art Institute and later working as a Disney Imagineer. But November notes that the bulk of his learning comes from working hands-on. “Most of my training is trial and error, either on job or hanging out with friends who have their own specialty,” he says. His skill set includes metalworking, woodworking, working with fiberglass, glass and plastic.
The casting call for Framework reached November in an email from his sister. “[She] sent me an email saying saying 'hey these people want to see your work, they're interested in you, you gotta go for this.' So I sent them my portfolio, and then had a phone interview, a Skype interview and then I met with the producers and the network executives, every time just cracking jokes and trying to show that I was a serious builder and designer but also just that I could possibly post some humor and have a good time and enjoy what's brought before me.”
November made it onto the show, which is the first-ever reality competition show to feature furniture builders. He and twelve other contestants vie for a grand prize of $100,000 through various furniture building challenges.
November has nothing but good things to say about the experience. “It's really the coolest thing I've ever been able to do in my entire life. It's heartbreaking to know that its over, all of the builders were the most amazing people I've ever met, and I had the luxury of being in the same room with them.” When I ask him what he thinks has given him an advantage throughout the competition, he says it's his versatility in design styles. “I think its just how I can make something come together and make it work. A lot of people said 'this is my style' or 'this is what i do' and you can see it in the manipulation of the pieces that they recreate and see it and be like 'oh so and so built that.' What separates me is that I will take a risk. I'll try anything. Most of my education has been trial and error, hospital visits, but I guess I just have no fear. No fear, and lots of passion.”
As far as what challenges to expect, November is obligated to stay mum on specific details- -but states that if he won, he'd put his winnings toward giving back to the art community in Huntington Beach (to develop more art walks for local urban street artists) and through teaching middle and high school kids they can follow their passion and do what they love for a living.
“That's why I think its so cool to be on this show 'cause I got to showcase that there's a lot of people who don't think furniture design as being someone's sole career, and it opens up a door to a lot of people to realize that with their craftsmanship and their art they could make a living off doing something they love.”
Framework kicks off tonight at 10pm ET/PT on Spike TV. For channel information, check your local listings.
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Aimee Murillo is calendar editor and frequently covers film and previously contributed to the OCW’s long-running fashion column, Trendzilla. Don’t ask her what her favorite movie is unless you want to hear her lengthy defense of Showgirls.
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