Spade Studio
As a child i wanted to be an inventor. That has never changed but over time I realized that "Inventor" is not exactly a job you can just apply for. That is why I started producing my products as a secretaryship Spade Studio.
Spade Studio is the company I release most of my work in conjunction with. It allows me to break up projects and products that do not have the same language or design intentions and also challenges me to create cohesive product lines and standards. Helping me to grow my ideas and have a place to sell them.
Working for Brendan Ravenhill is what originally inspired me to start my company. At American Apparel I learned a lot about the sales and inventory of a large corporation, but working for Brendan I learned what is important while starting out. Most importantly I learned that no one is going to just ask me to design and make what I think are important and want to make. I would have to do it on my own before anyone will take note. This gave me the confidence to try working at Spade Studio full-time in 2015.
Unfortunately working at Spade Studio full time has not been sustainable and I have since had to take on part time and freelance employment. I continue to sell and develop many of my products but have scaled back the amount of time I can dedicate to this to the company. That being said, my attempt to make Spade Studio my full-time job was far from a failure. I have learned even more about the challenges and rewards of being my own boss, and I can not wait to try again some day.
Velma the Honda CT-90
Growing up, in Jacksonville FL, I was always interested in car mechanics and car design. Since Jacksonville is so spread out and there is not a good public transportation infrastructure in place. You need a car to get pretty much anywhere. So before I could drive, a car was a symbol of freedom. Now, with more than a decade behind the wheel of a car, driving has lost its luster. Road trip are still one of my favorite ways to vacation, but owning a care has become more of an emotional, financial, and environmental burden.
Then I met Velma. Velma is a 1968 Honda CT90, and I love her. She has rekindled my enthusiasm for engines and I can again feel the freedom of the open road. My work often requires the use of a truck. So I still own a car, but Velma has allowed me not need to use it everyday.
The CT-90 was produced from 1966-1979. It was designed for rural life and built to be easy to maintain. It was an incredibly successful product and millions where produced. The CT-90 was and is so popular that you can still find new original manufacturer parts, and there is a large online community with info and advice for owners.
I bought my CT-90 running but given her age, I understood regular maintenance would be required. The bike is wonderfully simply. so getting familiar with the mechanics has been simple. Repair and maintenance has become part of the hobby of owning a motorcycle and helps me to fully appreciate riding it.
Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles
Hopefully it is already apparent, but I really like building stuff and working with my hands. So much so that sometimes I will even do it for free. After turning 30 I started volunteering at Habitat for Humanity. I work Wednesday through Friday at SCI-Arc, and between freelance project I will often times find myself with free Tuesdays.
Habitat for Humanity is fun because I get to do what I love, with none of the stress that normally comes with managing my own project. I don't have to think about what needs to be done, or what supplies need to be purchased. I am just given a task, and sent on my way.
