Are You An Artisan?

Welcome! I’m looking for a few talented people to join me on this crazy journey. I can give you a quick outline here but I’d love to talk with you in person. In brief, here are the kinds of people I’m hoping to find:

- Talented artisans who have years of experience in doing what they are doing. You’ve done it enough to have both technical mastery and a real eye for what is visually appealing.
- People who are continuously trying to improve. You are proud of what you made, but it just isn’t quite ‘good enough.’
- References/endorsements from other experts in your medium. There need to be others who do what you do who will explain to me why you are really good at what you do. I am a huge admirer of craftsmanship in its many forms; but I can’t pretend to be able to discern the ‘good’ from the ‘great’ in areas other than woodworking. If I didn’t screen craftspeople with something like this, then I would run the risk of being just one more shrill voice in the chorus of people trying to sell mediocre product. And I really want this company to be more than that.
- People who are kind, collaborative, and honest. I’m not creating any contractual handcuffs. Ultimately, you will want to showcase your work with me because you trust me and because I’m giving you a new, effective channel that helps your business to grow. I will want to work with you for the same reasons. For custom work (in particular), it’s critical that we be able to communicate well and collaborate to get the job done efficiently and easily.
- People who do what they do in Texas. Why Texas? I don’t know, really. I’m in Texas and I love this place. There’s a vibe and a mystique here that has captured my soul. I want to work with others who are nearby. What disciplines am I looking for? The first screening criterion I’m using is the products sold here need to have some measure of utility. I love art, but this is not a company that will sell ‘true’ art. So, a preliminary list:

- Ceramics, Pottery
- Leather working
- Glass, Stained Glass
- Metal Working/fabrication (iron, steel)
- Wood-working: turning, furniture, scroll-saw, carving
- Plaster
- Quilting, Weaving, Upholstery
- Knife-making