I have said goodbye to many friends in my life. Sometimes, when saying goodbye, to lessen the bite, it’s good to tell a story, a memory. I wasn’t best friends with Filipe, but he was always kind and patient to me. He had a profound effect on my life.
In the spring of 2017, a group of American aquascapers, Scapetour, had a chance to to visit Europe, see Amano Takashi’s opus in Lisbon, then visit Esther Mous’s operation, Aquaflora, in the Netherlands. I asked Esther if I could stay a few extra days. In which I was able to shadow Filipe Oliveira.
I have always been a fan of Filipe, and before Scapetour, he was a huge inspiration to me already. As a fledgling professional, clients would show me his scapes and ask me to replicate his work. It was an honor, and very exciting to be able to follow him around at work.
Many of the defining moments in my life have been shaped by conflict. But the three days in the Netherlands was the opposite, a whirlwind of laughs, learning, awe. A defining three days that still affect my company, and me every day still.
No matter how many YouTube videos you watch or emails you send, hands on learning will always be superior. Starting on the first day, the first hour, replanting and finishing the group scaped aquarium, Filipe explained how and why he did everything.
Aquaflora Show scape, fully mobile.
There was a well known scape in the Aquaflora warehouse. A Bonsai scape, that I had seen pictures of, but in other locations and events. I was confused. I began asking a thousand questions. I had made a dozen assumptions, each one wrong. He taught me about what would later be one of the cornerstones for our own business, how to scape a tank meant to be moved around and how to deliver it fully scaped and grown out. Mind blowing for an American, even if it’s fairly standard everywhere else.
It was then I knew I had to forget everything I knew and just learn. For me, this entire trip was to step back, observe and learn. But this was so much more than I expected.
I followed him around as he did maintenance of the show tanks at Aquaflora, took photos of plants for social media, and all the mundane things he needed to do for his job. Patient, he answered every question. I’m sure he felt it was common sense, or intuitive, but it was revelation after revelation for me.
Filipe taking product photos
Filipe and I talked about everything; plant trimming techniques, water changes, puffer fish, a hundred other techniques, love, life, and failure. We talked about how tough it is to do a scape that is different from the norm, like his first bonsai scape, online trolls, advice on how to deal with quirks of people in the this industry, the difference between a scape a hobbyist does verse a professional, and why, and so much more Aquascaping advice. I have a dark and dry sense of humor, and he was impish, and over the top. There were a lot of laughs, and he was always patient.
But he also asked a lot of questions about my life. He would listen, think for a second, and give his opinion. I appreciated his bluntness. Although we are the same age, it was apparent he was wiser then I about people. We talked about his life and loves. He showed genuine concern, that to afford Scapetour, I lived off of instant ramen for over month, so he made sure I hit Aquaflora’s mess for lunch everyday, and my belly was full. I still smoked cigarettes then. Every chance I got, I would step outside and light a cigarette as an excuse to furiously write down everything I was learning. Eventually he came out and had a stern conversation about smoking, that it’s gross. Which opened the door for me to begin quitting myself.
If I remember correctly, Filipe worked at Aquaflora for one week a month. To have a bumbling, constant question asking, 195cm/116kg American following him around must have slowed him down. Probably at some point annoyed him. No one’s patience is infinite. Filipe sent me off to a corner of the warehouse, and told me to do 5 minute scapes for practice. I had never had access to so much wonderful and varied hardscape before. Although I suspect he was trying to get me out of his hair, this was such a treat for me. So I did layout after layout, I don’t know for how long. But eventually Esther’s husband, Frank, found me, in the dark, still scaping away. Filipe had forgotten about me!
I can’t be mad.
When I got back to New York, I found his scissors in my pocket when I was doing laundry. My bad. Sorry Filipe.
Where Filipe forgot about me.