Today I'd like you to meet Brian and Lori from SecondNatureWoodwork they sell lovely rustic home decor. Enjoy this interview and their shop!
1. Tell us as little or as much as you would like about yourself.
L:We are Brian & Lori Bartel, a husband/wife team working together to create unique home furnishings.
B: Focusing on pre-industrial craftsmanship I started working in wood 15 years ago at the tail end of a 5' circle blade saw mill, that lead to, tearing down barns and building tables and doors from the aged lumber, the pieces that materialized were so unique and one off's that I was hooked, it didn't take long to see where the knowledge was (years gone by) so studying the traditional ways I taught my self to use the tools and carved out a method of work I was happy with,...blessed that others like it too.
2. What do you sell?
 |
| Large Decorative Barn Words |
We sell Rustic home décor, which includes furniture (not online), wooden letters, cutting boards, boxes all made from salvaged and reclaimed wood. with an extra helping of Craftsmanship,value & the desire to keep them alive
3. Why handmade?
L:For both of us the answer to that question can stem as far back as childhood, happily finding things to create with our own two hands. Handmade to us means it's made with love and comes from the heart, and to us that is needed in the world more than mass production of mindless goods. I guess you could say it's an extension of who we are....it's second nature.
B: have you ever taken the time to truly make something from scratch and the turn around be
B: have you ever taken the time to truly make something from scratch and the turn around be
floored that it worked out exactly the way you pictured it ?........that's it.....
4. Where does your inspiration to create come from and/or your inspiration in life?
 |
| Wooden Letter S 7" |
L:I think both of us could agree that our inspiration to create comes from so many different places, like nature, i.e. trees,wood
B: My brother was a Jewish carpenter.
5. Besides creating what else do you do? Do you have a full time job?
We both love to garden and go antiquing. (Lori) loves to paint, write and take photos. I can happily say, creating our handmade goods is our full time job.
(Brian) working for yourself is 2 full time jobs , but the simple things are really nice to get to when we can Hiking, fishing, gardening ,watching.... (anything outside)
6. When did you start thinking you were an artist?
(Lori) I've always had a hard time calling myself an artist, but I always knew even as a child how much I loved to create.
(Brian) if by “artist” you mean, having the ability to pour your heart into what ever it is your "doing"
I don't ever remember thinking I wasn't, knowing that I was supposed to do that … that's another story
7. Who has been most influential in your craft work?
(Lori) My grandmother and mother were a huge influence to me. I spent countless hours watching my grandmother make quilts by hand stitching every piece and my mother making all my clothes as a child. In my house you didn't buy gifts for others, you made them.
(Brian) hands down …...”the unknown craftsman”, he never signed his work just looking at a piece of furniture he could leave me hint as to how to do this or that just enough to spark an interest.
8. Where would you like to be in five years?
 |
| Wooden Letter A |
We would both be content to continue to make things by hand, see new projects through to completion, working at home with each other and continue to make a living by doing what we love...other than that may God's will be done.
9. Is there anything you'd like to try doing that you haven't done?
Oh yes, we would both love to travel to see the Red Woods, The Grand Canyon and possibly go skydiving! Oh, and Brian would like to catch a fish longer than he is tall :)
10. Besides online where else do you sell?
Right now primarily on Etsy but then there is the odd commission.
 |
| White Distressed Lovey Dovey Barn Wood Cottage Chic Style |
Ways to contact you:
Great reclamation of wood! The initials are beautiful! It must be fun for them to work together. :)
ReplyDelete