All New Work- Family, Design & Tradition
Introducing our new collection of work. We [Ben & Kate] teamed up with our brother-in-law, Matt Jacobs, to create a new collection featuring recycled farm steel and reclaimed wood [barn beams rescued from a local barn]. Matt is a 2nd generation woodworker and currently an Architecture student at Rhode Island School of Design.
Our new work is a natural extension of who we are- a family rich with creative talent, design instincts and building skill. It is also a natural extension of our passion for farming. Pairing reclaimed barn beams with recycled farm steel is a fitting way to honor agriculture.
Hop on over to Gatski Metal to check out our new metal sculptures!
5. Circle Table
The Process of Handmade, Self-Taught Design
Ben, our brother-in-law, Matt [shown above] and I are in the process of working to bring you new sculptures for Gatski Metal, furniture and handmade gifts for The Steel Fork shop and our Etsy shop. We give ourselves about 2 weeks to do the following (for each and every new piece)…
- Brainstorm Design
- Discuss
- Attempt Design
- Discuss
- Revise Design
- Discuss
- Attempt New Direction for Design
- Discuss
- Revise Again
- Wrap it Up
As you might imagine, it can be a very arduous process. It is exciting and excruciating at the same time. We undergo this 3 times each year- in earnest attempt to keep things fresh!
This time around- we are lucky to have Matt, a current Rhode Island School of Design student in architecture helping us out. He comes from a long line of handy people. He is particularly skilled at housebuilding and woodworking.
Next week we will be introducing our fabulous new line up of work [inspired in part by industrial designs]- make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to get the first look!
* a few more snapshots of works & workers in process
Tell Your Story & Tell it Again.
Your fair warning: I’ve got my shovel out and my astronaut suit on. I’m exploring the depths and limits of handmade and terroir. I will be writing a series of posts on knowing where something came from, and it’s story. This one is a little more oriented to my “maker” friends out there.
Welcome to Storyland! Keep your superhero costume in the drawer- it’s not what you’re thinking.
Storyland is what I’m calling our current condition- the potent need for a story, yours-mine-hers. We are swarmed by personal details and in the same moment we crave them. Who are you? Where did you grow up? What do you do for fun? What makes you crazy? What makes you cry? I’m guessing you get the idea. Our glowing screens are buzzing with stories- your neighbors, the high school “friend” you once said “hi” to, the serial online participant. Some of us react to all this saying, “Whoa Nelly, turn that thing off- it’s insanity!”
Here’s what my optimistic self says, “Storyland is a magnificent opportunity.” It’s a glorious chance for makers of handmade goodness and farmers producing organic and natural foods to surge forward.
By offering someone an ounce of your inspirations, your history, your management or creative process- you are opening up big fat wallets [teeney weeney exaggeration]. Persistent story-telling does work; the catch is that it’s slow.
It’s slow because its not always obvious to the consumer. Let’s face it, everything made on earth [even by robots] has a story. Someone somewhere imagined it, managed it or simply pressed a button. Some people have a lot more money to tell their story- contrived or not.
Thankfully, in our present day state of Storyland- Tina [wife, mom, CEO] is making decisions not just on ads but on the story she read in the paper about the local farmer, the hundreds of tweets she received from me, the news you shared with her because she’s your “facebook friend.”
I say, “this is our chance, let’s grab it.” Tell the story about how you tear down fences and rebuild them every night to move your cows to new pastures or how your dad gave you a welder for your birthday when you were 14.
I’m looking forward to the evolution of Storyland. We’re going to tell our story and tell it again and again and again. In the same respect, I think we’re going to be asking alot more questions of what we’re buying. What do you think?
Photograph by cauchisavona.
Also, I need to thank Tara Gentile who is constantly inspiring me – she is wonderful at reminding us to tell “our story.”
Give It Up for The Craft Show
Have you ever been blown away by something you thought you knew so well? Well, I was left in the dust by… the craft show.
I was raised by a full time craftswoman. My mother sold her Rag Rugs exclusively at craft shows- no wholesale, no consignment, no home sales and no online sales. A handful of Craft shows each year- you either brought home the cash or… you didn’t. Here’s how it went..
You leave home before dawn; your less than reliable vehicle is packed solid, you lug everything you need to construct a “shop” on uneven ground in a space the length of my arm [ok, a wee bit bigger], you work feverishly to create a magnetizing display, you guzzle some coffee and wait nervously. You hope the people come rushing in thru the gates, you hope they have money, you hope they like your kind of stuff and you hope it doesn’t rain or the wind doesn’t rip down your cattywompus tent.
Wait, what’s that? What? It’s not the 80’s anymore. Ordinary people care about handmade stuff? What? I don’t have to dress up like a colonial servant at your craft show. What are you talking about?
All this to say, there is a new craft show in town. Let’s give it up for the craft show. The new guy [gal] is hip, fresh and very savvy. I have been put in my place; I never thought a craft show would be considered even remotely, “cool.”
It may be the same dance- you are probably still working like mad to create an amazing, display within a few hours and your booth might get blown away in gale storm winds- but the whole thing has a new, fresh vibe. It’s got a catchy and a little edgy name like Art Star Craft Bazaar or Renegade Craft Fair or Meet Your Maker.
You may still be praying that the next person to walk by stops in and gets the cash out- but you know you’ve got options. You can check your email, maybe something sold in your Etsy shop [a "place" that really knocks my socks off] or you can brainstorm for your next blog post. If they do stop in, you can tell them about your website or let them know you would happy to add them to your email mailing list.
I’m sure you’ll have your share of snide comments by the end of the weekend- but I’m guessing there’s going to be bucket loads of wow, “this stuff is really cool,” “that is so awesome that you make this,” and on and on. Handmade is definitely catching on.
After ALOT of time in my younger years wandering aimlessly thru endless earthtone craftiness – I confess I’ve always been a bit skeptical. I guess that’s how it is when you grow up in something- you become blind to it’s beauty. I’m coming around.
Its dawning on me that the craft show is a legacy. It’s the ye olde medieval market, evolved. The craft show is our filling a deep need to buy our stuff from real people with real hands.
Long live the craft show!
Photos by Hello Craft & Renegade Craft Fair [of Empire Press]
Life’s little pauses are beautiful. Sometimes, they catch us by surprise. One caught me by surprise for the month of May. Despite a small burst of renewed vigor- my little corner of the blog world remained quiet. Alas, I have returned. I have a fresh vision and so much to share.
First off, I’ve been wanting to share with you the Victory Garden of Tomorrow- ever since I spied them over at Good Measure. It is described as an art project posing as a propaganda campaign for new, American homefront values- inspired by the sustainability movement. Find Joe Wirtheim’s terrific posters here.
The lovely Grace of Design*Sponge introduced me [and countless others] to the fabulous illustrator Claudia Pearson. As you might expect, my eye was drawn to her “Buy Local” Prints. The themes are all things local to the New York area. Love this concept, I am a fan.
A wee bit more of an update on us…
Truth be told- there were a few reasons for my hiatus. We’ve been pounding out Gatski Metal sculptures to be shipped to art & craft galleries across the country. We had a very busy spring. In a little cottage industry like ours, it’s “all hands on deck” when we’re rolling.
Now that the Spring orders have been shipped- we’re looking forward to designing and building new Gatski sculptures and goods. All New great stuff coming soon! Our Summer photo shoot is less than 4 weeks away.
