About the artists: TERRENCE CAVIAR is stylist Michelle Maguire and photographer Kelsey McClellan. Based in Columbus, Ohio (Maguire) and San Francisco (McClellan), the collaborative duo hops the nearest planes, trains and automobiles to work together every chance they get.
Statement: Wardrobe Snacks was inspired by diners lacking the luxury of being seated at a table: Michelle’s stepdad who rests his sandwich on his thigh (hell with a plate!) in between bites while he blasts an action movie on his TV; a commuter cramped up on a crowded bus retrieving an item from a bag or pocket; a lunch-breaker on a park bench eating from her lap. They’re informal — perhaps even a bit awkward — spaces as far as eating is concerned, yet the diner always appears to be comfortable and perfectly satisfied with his chosen snack, almost zen-like.
Read below the interview our Art Director, Finn Schult, had with the artists!
When and how was Terrence Caviar created?
KM: Terrence Caviar was created earlier this year as a way to share and reference our joint projects in one place. Michelle came up with the name, and I love it. I love how it is sort of masculine, slightly food related, and makes you wonder which one of us is Terrence and which is Caviar.
How do you two make the distance work between Ohio and California? Are there any positives that have come from the geographical distance?
KM: We email and text each other pretty much every day. We are always sending each other snap shots of things we see and are drawn to, things that inspire us for the next project—even if we don't know what it is yet. It's mostly painful to be so far away, but working on a project gives one of us a great excuse to pack our bags and take a little trip. We want to figure out how to make it happen waaaay more often though!
MM: The distance between us is frustrating! About once a week I find myself wishing I could teleport. These days, we work together as often as possible and dream about Terrence Caviar becoming a full-time gig. That, of course, would require one of us to move – and I’m not the one with the hills and the ocean.
For now, I just feel fortunate that we’re getting some really exciting opportunities, and we have two great territories to inspire our projects. One big positive of Columbus is that it’s the land of terrific thrift stores and estate sales. I’m always gathering stuff that eventually makes its way into shoots.
How does your collaborative work differ from your personal practices?
KM: It doesn't really. Everything we make is very much in line with how I shoot and work personally.
MM: It doesn’t. Everything comes from paying attention to details and finding beauty and humor and entertainment in the most mundane goings-on. We’re both pretty reserved and we really enjoy watching people going about their business. We kinda like to pretend we’re invisible.
What have been some of Terrence Caviar's stylistic influences?
KM: The beautiful photography and styling in every issue of Gather Journal; the colors prominent in the paintings of Helen Frankenthaler and Richard Diebenkorn; and everything by Ruth Van Beek.
MM: The occupants of vehicles in Andrew Bush’s 66 Drives; interiors of dark bars, pizza parlors, import grocery stores, Asian restaurants, decked out train cars, over-the-top residences by Czech designer/architect Adolf Loos; the visuals in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing; National Park cafeterias; the studio portrait work of Malick Sidibé, which then led to the beautiful self-portraiture of Samuel Fosso; the chronicles of the everyday by Martin Parr; and the mood and vibe of Errol Morris.
Do you have any new projects in the works? Either together or separately?
KM: We’re still figuring out our next series. Our joint projects are kinda all I ever really wanna work on :).
MM: Two words: Cloud Walkers.
If you would like to purchase TERRENCE CAVIAR's work check out the link here, and if you would like to follow them on their adventures follow them on Instagram at kelceymc & pandahandler!
Art direction/Styling by Michelle Maguire and Photography by Kelsey McClellan