Interview: Niffer Desmond
The wide range of genres that Niffer Desmond employees in her art (we’re talking puppets to clothes) makes categorizing it difficult. Maybe the fact that despite her Texas roots, Niffer seems perfectly placed in San Francisco accounts for some of her eclecticism. Luckily, you can check out Niffer’s offerings at everything from craft fairs to music videos. Niffer Desmond is the first recipient of the SFist medal of valor for civic-mindedness. Her work in identifying the best public restrooms in the city is a godsend.
How did you get into puppet making?
Actually that’s an odd story. When living in Santa Cruz I used to come up to SF with my friend Caitlyn for good times. Occasionally this would include some lucky dumpster or street finds. Once we scoped a lower Haight public trash full of treasures including a pair of eyes from a ventriloquist dummy, and a book on experimental animation. I hid the eyes so they peeped out of my sleeve, and could control them to look in any direction. It spooked some folks..
Many people find puppets inherently creepy, why do you think that is?
Maybe because perverts are always carrying around creepy puppets in dark alleys! No but seriously, it’s probably the moving eyes that are most scary, because they can be so lifelike. A spirit could almost be living in that animated inanimate matter. Clay and foam want to live too.. Pee noo keey ohh.
What's your take on the San Francisco Art scene?
The SF 'Art scene’ is a total smorgasbord, or grab bag- you never know what you are going to get. There’s so much variety of type and context and quality, you are bound to find some great treasures and more to disappoint. I just tend to gravitate toward what grabs me and filter out the rest- it can be difficult to maintain an appetite with such an overabundance of taste offerings.
When is the next craft boutique you're involved with?
Thanks for askin’. I will be vending at the Whitney Young Carnival on Saturday August 13th, 12-6pm, at the Whitney Young Child Development Center at 100 Whitney Young Circle, San Francisco. I think you’ll have to use a web map to find that one. Anyhoo it’s a fundraiser for the center and should have a good variety of stuff. I will be selling my recycling art/jewelry and some puppet DVDs and comics too. Also later this fall I plan to organize a local recycling artist/designer fair, stay tuned.
Any advice for artists trying to make it here?
As an artist who is trying to make it (from day to day beyond) all I can say is chase your dreams and eat good food. If your art can put that on the table, then all the better.
Best public restroom in San Francisco:
Let’s say for now: It’s Tops!
Name
Niffer Desmond
Age and Occupation
35, movie maker, puppet wrangler, designer, art fair producer.
Home Town
Moved around lots as a kid. Born in San Jo but left before I was 1 year old. First memories in Lubbock, Texas.
How much time have you spent in the Bay Area?
Been here residentially since 97’. Mostly in Hayes Valley area, I’ve stayed within a 10 block radius in four out of five homes!
What I'm currently Reading
“Darwinia” by Robert Charles Wilson.
Best Deal in San Francisco
The farmer’s market at civic on Wednesdays! If you like veggies, fish, fruits and such. I got a bunch of Shiso (that yummy Sushi leaf) for 50 cents.
Favorite mode of transportation
My feet, ie. walkin.
Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area
Three Day Stubble, from San Francisco Texas.
Favorite local hangout
Fillmore Grind- for the ‘art’ and Mr. Habibe man. Alamo square to play with dogs and bark at kids.
SF has the BEST:
Fog. If you don’t like it, move somewhere else.. how bout Arizona?
You've never lived in SF until:
You’ve done it (insert favorite activity) on a foggy rooftop.
Favorite Bay area politician of past or present:
Matt Gonzalez.
Now that Gavin Newsom is single, who are you going to set him up with?
Matt Gonzalez. The greens and the dems need to get in bed together to topple big Bush! And after the big gay marriage initiative, can he be really be so straight? Actually, my friend MarthaSue and I predicted his singleness in our debut comic ‘Flabbernathy: All lucrid Tales'. The question is, does he really have rubber sheets?
You can tell someone is a local here IF:
They’ve got their jackets ready for the beach in summer.
SF would be soooo much better if only:
There were a third of the cars, lofts, bars, and drunk suburban yuppies that habitate these. Replace them with late and all night eateries, parks and art houses, yahooo!
Best Burrito:
Texas tofu (by request- I’m veggie), at Mariachi’s on Valencia. Either that or their soyrizo special.
Best Restaurant:
This is tough. I’ll narrow it down to Asian and 3: best deal: Java Restaurant (try spicy fries) best food: Burma Superstar. best veggie deal: Shangri La.
Best movie scene filmed in or about SF:
The final scene in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1970’s one) where Donald Sutherland yowls and points at the last real woman on earth. It’s at the civic center in winter with all the stumpy trees.
Best thing to do in the city in the summer:
Smell the flowers and bark at the dogs. I fool‘em every time.
Favorite artist to come out of the bay area:
New: Michael Garlington. Old: Robert Bechtle. Future: Miranda July?
Favorite author to come out of the bay area:
Kenneth Patchen, a transplant.
Place you always tell visitors to check out:
Land’s End/Sutro Baths, the Randall Museum/Hill, The cacti at the Botanical Gardens in GG park. Ain’t nature great?
I have found/sold/bought the following on craigslist:
Sold: Pony gag, duvet cover, wetsuit, many more. Gave away: art supplies and toys for the school kids
I want all the SFists out there to know:
Dr. Winiwarter was a 19th century surgeon who pioneered cancer treatments such as the pancreaticoduodenectomy. More delicious factoids coming right up
Tell us a San Francisco Story:
These snippets from childhood: My dad worked at the state health department by the Civic Center, and sometimes I went with for lunch. There was a dimly lit import shop nearby that had cool exotic statuettes. I was transported to another world. Then there was a field trip with my 1st grade class to a medical school (UCSF?) where they brought us to a room with skeletons and body parts and fetuses in jars. (This was the same teacher that let us handle sheep intestines. School- Yellow Brick Road in El Cerrito) Another time my mom and I were strolling in SF when a nice man wearing a skirt and a lampshade on his head came walking up the street. Being a friendly kid, I said hello as mom tried
to drag us in a different direction.
So you see, some of my best life-forming experiences were in SF, and I’ve
lived a lot of places!