“The shopping cart tree symbolizes both generosity and abundance, as
well as acknowledging those less fortunate where their whole world may be
housed in a cart. We see shopping
carts everyday and take them for granted.
Individually the beauty of an everyday object may become invisible, but
in quantity you can’t miss it”, remarks Schmitt.
The 2009 Shopping Cart Tree is built with 84 carts, mostly full size
with a few smaller versions at the top, to create a forced perspective of
height. The internal structure,
engineered for stability and invisibility, allows the branch-like quality of
the carts to appear self-supporting and remind us that imagination can always
be applied to the season. The
Shopping Cart Tree is not only covered by the local papers every holiday
season, but also mentioned in several international travel guides for Santa
Monica, used as a backdrop for The Off Their Jingle Bell Rockers holiday
YouTube videos and featured in a half-hour special in China.
Schmitt
grew up spending summers in New York, regularly visiting the Guggenheim and
Met. But it was both grandmothers who
bestowed Schmitt with inspiration; one with a fascination for simplicity and
elegance through the display of collectibles in a formal living space and the
other with an eye for mixed media before it’s time using torn pages of literacy
magazines and found objects in collage.
However,
his artistic career took early root when in 3rd grade Schmitt’s teacher
showed his artwork around, allowing him an invitation to attend a gifted art
program at Arizona State University.
He’s never looked back. In
1975, Schmitt graduated high school with “Artist of the Year” and was awarded a
scholarship to Brigham Young University.
Majoring in Fine Art at BYU sounds admirable, but his father, a
corporate man to the bone, felt a “real job” was in order.
Choosing
display and taking a position with Weinstocks Department Store, Schmitt
fine-tuned his skills in creating looks, telling stories, interpreting style
and installing vitrines and windows.
His talents were quickly recognized and he was transferred to the sister
company, The Broadway. Five years
and the regularly top-selling cosmetics department led to one of the highly
sought after positions of Display Manager at Barney’s NY. For the next five years, Schmitt
traveled around the world opening stores for Barney’s, including their top
selling stores on Madison Avenue in New York, in Beverly Hills, California and
their store in Yokohama and Tokyo Japan.
“I
thought going to Yokohama was a once in a lifetime opportunity. What I didn’t realize was I would be
invited back again and again.”
That first trip to Japan with Barney’s led to an introduction to the
Isetan Family and an invitation to design and layout the merchandising for the
Harbor Circus Mall in Kobe, Japan.
Immediately following, Schmitt designed the B-2 at Pasaona Restaurant in
Tokyo for Yoshimi Kono, Kono Design.
And, in turn, came another introduction to Nozomi Tearo, who asked
Schmitt to be an art director for her authentic American-style summer camp,
Msterio. Schmitt is on his eighth
year with Msterio.
In
1994, as a favor to a friend and looking for a much-needed rest, Schmitt arrived
in Santa Monica, California to design and manage the first satellite museum
store for MOCA. The original idea
was for a temporary, neighborhood, holiday boutique, which would relocate every
year. The store was a huge success
and became a permanent location for five years at the Frank O. Gehry designed
Edgemar. Schmitt became acquainted with several
of the merchants on Main Street in Santa Monica. Word spread of his talents in boutique store design and creative
window displays. Schmitt has since
designed two stores for Highlights, a contemporary lighting showroom chain,
Sara Jo, an accessories boutique in Pacific Palisades, Gaia, a women’s apparel
shop in Brentwood and B.N.Y., a men’s and women’s clothing boutique on Main
Street, Santa Monica. His award
winning display windows at B.N.Y. make you look twice with their innovative and
enticing use of found objects. Schmitt’s
most recent work, Kyss, a woman’s clothing and accessories store, is scheduled
to open Winter 2009 in Santa Monica.
Schmitt currently holds the position of Chairman of the Board for the
Main Street Business Improvement Association.
Shopping
Cart Tree:
YouTube
Video
-
The Off Their Jingle Bell Rockers sing in front of the Shopping Cart
Christmas Tree on December 6, 2008
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdUfl38H1TI
Msterio
Summer Camp:
For
more information or to schedule an interview with Anthony Schmitt, please
contact Lori Rose at 310-463-8420 or lr@loriroseconsulting.com.
