Introduction
Art and design have not always been a part of my life. Growing up in Northeast Ohio, creating and designing were the furthest things from my mind. I played soccer all my life and was always interested in science. I studied environmental engineering in college and wanted to become a park ranger. Shortly after finishing college in Ohio, I moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to get my degree in secondary education, and be near Christina, the girl I was going to marry. In the summer of 2004, Christina's sister, who is a furniture designer, needed some help with a few metal projects. I wanted to lend a hand in building these projects but, at the time, had never even welded two pieces of scrap metal together. I wound up taking a welding course and fell in love with the trade. I mean, who wouldn't love melting metal? The summer of 2004 changed my life, and it was then that I realized what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I found my passion and my creative outlet that I didn't even realize I needed.
Taking the skills and tools from that summer experience, I went back to Grand Rapids, where I started creating and designing furniture. I designed and built a portfolio of about 20 pieces and I hit the road running. Grand Rapids, Michigan, and its surrounding communities are packed full of galleries and shops, but with such an industrial-modern furniture style, it was difficult to find shops that would carry my work. Most shops did not have the room to carry furniture, until ...
