I am still buzzing with excitement from Field + Supply Spring Market earlier this month! I hope you will read on to learn about a profound reality check that has completely transformed my approach to life as a creative business owner.

I have shifted my approach to in-person markets, scaling back and only attending Field + Supply in Kingston, New York twice a year. Markets are a big push for an introvert like me. Not to mention the effort it takes to invest in building inventory for the show, making the trip north and showcasing my brand in a light that feels authentic and real. I love spending the weekend in Kingston; I am able to connect with people who love and support my work.

You may have noticed a shift on my various platforms. I am talking to the camera on instagram, pulling back the curtain and leaning into being honest. Early in my career, I was self conscious, worried that my brand needed to be polished, slick, and mature for others to trust the work that I was doing. After years of trying to fit the mold, I realized that the mental toll I was saddling on my shoulders was crippling. And for what? I was telling myself I wasn’t good enough, I was beating myself up and viewing everything through a critical eye. I was the one creating these problems for myself.

Over the last two years, I have made a commitment to myself, working hard to find the confidence in myself and appreciate the person I am. Why am I sharing all of this and what does it have to do with a market? It all has to do with one piece I made for the show and it was the gut punch I needed!

It started as a quick drawing on the back of a piece of mail. I pinned it to my wall in the studio and have been marinating on it since. At the end of a rough work week, I had a weekend to myself and I chose to spend it in the studio without any expectations. I set off to create a piece of furniture in a day and to top it off, I was going to use my chainsaw as part of the process. I wanted to challenge myself but more importantly, I wanted to follow my gut on an idea I had passed off as an “I don’t have time or energy for that” kind of idea. 

I set out to create a bench in a day using only material I had on hand as well as a piece of Pennsylvania bluestone I found outside my house in Manayunk. I would make design decisions on the fly, trying to translate my scratchy drawing into reality. I didn’t want my preconceptions of craft, design, or furniture to get in the way of manipulating the sketch as it formed in physical space. I would leave traces of the process - keeping pencil marks visible, glue drips, cracks in the wood, hammer marks, and raw edges that convey the energy present. The process would be unedited leaving marks of the creator visible and the presence of work, tooling, and skill would all be on display. I had no client to please, and no real value lost if I completely screwed up. I set out to make the bench.

The gut punch happened when I decided to pack up and drive the rock bench all the way up to Kingston for the Field + Supply spring market. I had trusted myself - first on paper then during the construction process and all along the way as I encountered the many challenges of moving a two hundred pound stone out of my workshop basement, into a truck and four hours north to a different state. I was committed. As I set up for the market, I was unsure how to display this new piece. Was it an idea? Was it a piece for sale? or was it a fixture that might spark a conversation?  Committed to my honest approach, I spoke about the bench the way that it happened. I was burnt out and needed a refresh. I wanted a challenge. I was inspired to use specific tools and ideate without any outside factors controlling the direction I was going.

The bench generated lots of buzz, plenty of positive feedback and wonderful conversations about being a creative person and the pursuit of a life of fulfillment and satisfaction. Showing my raw, unpolished idea with the world was a refreshing reset. So much of my time outside of markets is spent alone, in my head with my own thoughts, criticisms, and doubts. Letting my guard down and revealing a part of myself that felt true to my overarching goals in life was the click that I needed. A confidence boost. A reminder that there is an appreciation for creativity. It was the gut punch I needed to let go and trust myself to follow what feels right.

I hope that reading this was confirmation to follow your heart and have the confidence in yourself to do the things that you are passionate about!

Lu dog for scale.

Pennsylvania bluestone top, reclaimed Hemlock beam, and sheet lead with copper nails.

The stone drops into the wood base and is cradled on each side.

I decided to keep the ends of each leg untrimmed.

Mixing materials.

Lead "boots" are form fit to the bottom of either leg for protection against moisture.

Slow growth Hemlock

Expression of stone edge, bandsaw marks from the fabrication process as well as my pencil layout marks, all on display.

Standing perspect looking down.

The stone in its cozy cradle.

My first time working with lead and it was so much fun!

Noguchi inspired form

From the side.

Another view from the side.

Can seat one doggo.

The bench in its new home, featuring Romeo <3

Thanks for reading, here is a free shipping code: FSROMEO

With honesty and gratitude,

Cody