Paco Prieto
Bar Design, Custom Metals and Woods
It seems somewhat fated that Paco Prieto, founder of Pacassa Studios, came to be a part of building the Bardessono. Not only in part because he comes from a family of artists (his parents and a brother are all ceramicists, plus two more brothers, one a glassblower and one a coppersmith), and not only in part because he is a recognized talent. But because, like other Bardessono artisans, Paco approaches his art with a philosophical eye that extends literal meanings and blends function with artistic imagination. Like the hotel itself, this approach allows material and effort to create soul.
For example, in designing the bar area and the back bar, Paco selected Walnut as a signature wood of the Bardessono, and chose brass as the metal that best reflected the late fall colors from the vineyards throughout the Napa Valley. Paco’s main concern however, was not the choice of materials alone, nor the form of the thing newly built. His concern was with the spaces left unoccupied: “The shadows and negative spaces are as important and many times more intriguing to me,” ruminates Paco. “I strive to make my work look like it has always been a part of the environment and to also leave behind mark of the craftsman’s hand.
Cristina Salas-Porras, Bardessono source specialist, approached Paco to build a number of custom pieces and individually designed areas in the hotel. She knew Paco specialized in these one-of-a-kind projects and his ability to design and produce cast metals, concrete, granite, glass and leather all from his Oakland based Pacassa studio space, has given way to the bar and back bar, the communal table in the lounge, the concierge desks, the waiter work stations, and the maitre d’ podium.
