WORKING HANDS: Chelito Villaflor

As a stationery brand, we are always curious how and what people use our stationery goods for. With this blog series, focusing on the hands at "work" and beyond, we ask five questions about the usage and meaning of the stationery tools to our friends in Los Angeles.

For the twenty-fourth post of WORKING HANDS, we visited Chelito Villaflor who runs Thought Forms Studio at his home / showroom in South Carthay neighborhood. He introduces thoughtful, spirited lifestyle brands to the US from his LA showroom as well as NYC, lucky us!

Chelito Villaflor works at a laptop on a round wooden dining table, seen through a doorway beneath a large globe pendant

Q1. How do you use your penco Glider markers, brush pen, Kaweco fountain pen and the Life stationery set? I also see you have a penco Notepad! What occasion do you use the notepad for?

Yellow Penco Storage Caddy holding colorful pens, markers and tools on a dark wood table beside a notebook.

I would use the penco glider markers for lists, different colors for different categories or ideas. Brush pens for decorating envelopes or drawing my dog Georgie in the style of Foujita sketches. Kaweco Fountain Pen and Life stationery set are perfect for writing thank you letters – I'm trying to bring back hand written letters.

Hands with a large ring writing in a notebook at a wooden table, beside a Penco notepad and orange pen.

Hands slipping a handwritten note into an envelope at a wooden table, beside a Penco notepad and pen.

Blue ink signature on a blank page beside an orange Field Sketch Book cover on a dark wood table.

As for penco notepad, I carry in my bag for taking notes and capturing ideas when I'm out and about.

Hands writing a blue-ink to-do list in a spiral notepad with an orange pen, on a dark wood table.

Person in a green cap writing in a notebook at a wooden table beside a laptop, pleated lamp and small dog.

Hands holding a yellow pen beside an open grid notebook with an ink drawing signed "Georgie" on a dark wood table.

Q2. In our online / tech driven world, what does it mean to do things by hand to you?

There is definitely an electric energy when writing or drawing. That energy channels from my mind, and travels to my hands to the pen and onto the paper. It feels immediate and like a real connection.

Corner of a sunlit room with a large blue hand-shaped cushion on a chair beside a framed poster.

Q3. Pen or pencil?

Thats hard, there is a purpose for each for different situations. Pencil for planning. Pens for feeling finite.

Chelito Villaflor in a green cap and striped shirt writing in a notebook at a wooden table with a laptop.

Q4. What’s in your pen case, if you don’t use a pen case, how do you organize and store your pens and stationeries?

I usually have a pen in my bag . My pencils and pens are organized in pouches, but I do have cups on my desk but they are not very organized in anyway. I guess you can say there is a madness to my method!

Desk corner with pens in tins and cups, a copper box, notebooks and small objects near a bookshelf.

Q5. What is your most favorite stationery?

I really love Astier de Villatte notebooks. They are so elegant and elevated...I feel that whenever I’m writing / drawing in them, it makes me feel like I am writing something very grand and important, even it’s just a grocery list.

_________

Chelito Villaflor is an LA based interior stylist and taste maker. He runs Thought Forms Studio, an independent agency for emerging lifestyle brands for the senses, space and spirit. His showroom is in Los Angeles and New York City.

Thought Forms Studio

Chelito represents Lookout & Wonderland and Earl of East in the US, which we carry a wide range of products!