medium: WOOD
My wife and I bought an 1850's carriage house when I was 24 and instead of spending the little money we had on furnishing our home, I put the money towards good tools and a pile of quality hardwood. I built all of our furniture for that home and quickly became obsessed with making things out of wood. It's such a natural and long rooted medium that always fills me with a deep sense of connection to the past.
medium: WAX
I poured my first candle after returning home from a roadtrip through the Pacific Northwest. The most impactful section of my journey was spent in the shadows of the giant redwoods - three nights camping in Big Sur. Obviously, I was awestruck by the visual wonder of this natural space but it was the unmistakable aroma that stays with me to this day. The fresh saltiness of the sea air blowing through the piney scent of the forest. I learned that a photograph can get you close to a memory but a fragrance brings you even closer.
medium: WORDS
Storytelling is really at the heart of everything that I do. I spent a large part of my childhood underneath our dining room table, quietly absorbing the stories that my parents would tell their friends over dinner. Stories really shape us as people and they connect us to the past. I started writing poetry and short stories when I was very young. Stories are beautiful - the best ones eternal.
medium: MUSIC
Nothing cuts through me deeper than music. The combination of words and melody has been hitting me in the heart since I was a kid. I started writing songs around the age of 13 when I found my Dad's old guitar in our attic. It was the great storytellers like Townes Van Zandt, John Prine & Bob Dylan that made me the realize the enormous range of emotions a great song can awaken in under 4 minutes time. Songwriting is special beacuse you're essentially pulling something out of thin air, shaking it up & then sending it over.