Matt Pierce has been a builder and tinkerer for as long as he can remember. This curiosity – to see how things work, take them apart, customize and create new things – led him to start Wood&Faulk, a blog about projects and DIY. He tells us more here…

Wood&Faulk represent well-made, classic lifestyle items with the familiarity of objects your grandparents might have carried. Taking inspiration from the old and the new, the classics and the future classics, Wood&Faulk make items that are built to last with timeless Americana style.

Wood&Faulk started as a simple blog by Matt Pierce in 2010.  It began as a place to document projects, ideas and DIY. Derived from project experiments on the blog and items used in the workshop, Wood&Faulk has developed into a little company known for bags, belts, accessories and other objects inspired by its Oregon home and its Kansas roots.

“The quintessential Wood&Faulk project has to be the Official Campstool. It was first produced as a DIY project, and turned into a more refined piece for customers and friends.” says Pierce. “Have you seen modern-day camp stools? Your grandpa would be ashamed to see you using one!”

Another such project is the Wood&Faulk belts. They were originally created as a project on the blog about how leather wears-in according to the way the user wears it. More and more people requested them, and they were later introduced as a regular store item.

Matt Pierce was born and raised in the Midwestern state of Kansas. He grew up learning auto mechanics, carpentry, plumbing and welding from his family and friends and has continued to build things his entire life. All of these trades came together when he was living in and working on refinishing his own houses in Kansas. The origin of the name Wood&Faulk harkens to streets in his old neighborhood – Woodrow Ave. and Faulkner Street. After selling the Woodrow Ave. home, he moved to the Pacific Northwest, where he found an excellent community of DIY culture, building, making and design that continues to inspire.  Nowadays he spends his free-time refinishing a small 104 year-old house and a FJ62 Land Cruiser.

The majority of W&F products are made in the Beam&Anchor building, where my studio resides. We’re a little family with a painter, soap maker, treasure hunters, upholsters, cabinet and furniture makers, and a retail shop on the ground floor. It’s an amazing building that faces the Union Pacific train yard, under the Fremont bridge in Portland Oregon. The sound of trains, the tools roaring inside, some great music and the sun falling over the West Hills all make this place really amazing. I’m really fortunate to be in the building.

Find out more:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

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‘Where I Make’ invites readers behind the scenes of artists from many disciplines to share photographs and a little insight about where they create their masterpieces. See more from the series here.

What:
Tiny Universe describes themselves as “a creative playground and online store set up to promote the idea of play, creativity and imagination.” They have a shop which sells some pretty good-looking sketchbooks and stickers.

It may seem like it’s aimed at a younger audience, but in fact Tiny Universe was started by illustrator Simon Wild who actively promotes the creation of colourful, brilliant, imaginative things.

Why we like it:
Apart from the totally original and fun interactive website, Tiny Universe allows you to upload your doodles, designs and other creations for a chance to be featured on their gallery here.

Find out more:
Website | Twitter

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For more creative delights we’ve Spotted on the web take a look here.

Illustration by Ben Aslett (Just Us Alumni)

Set up in 2009 by three final year graphic design students, with the aim of promoting the work of and aiding young creatives in making that giant leap from student living to working life – the collective is now run by freelance designer/illustrator Mark Grant.

Each year Just Us changes its collective members, bringing in new young creatives, working with them over the course of the year and giving them opportunities that will help for when they graduate. Previous members of the Collective form the Just Us Alumni and are called on occasionally for live briefs and projects.

Illustration by David Biskup

“From the outset our aim was to showcase young and emerging creative talent from universities and colleges across the UK – through exhibitions, live projects and online presence. We wanted to give students the confidence to network with industry creatives, whilst encouraging integration; boosting communication and collaboration.”

Illustration by Mariana Labao

The Just Us website also has a blog which is a place where you will find the latest news, events, and goings on from the collective and alumni, coupled with inspiration and anything we find interesting; providing a helpful resource for designers and illustrators alike.

Over the course of the years Just Us has worked on a number of projects from desktop wallpaper projects with art & culture blog Kitsune Noir (now The Fox is Black) to tent designs for Field Candy.

No Hats Indoors by Jamie Jones – Just Us x Evermade ‘London Etiquette’ project

This year the Just Us Collective had a project with Evermade.com in which 3 designs were chosen and produced for sale online and around various locations in London.

At the start of August the Just Us Collective will be exhibiting at Beach, London in Shoreditch. Titled ‘Pick & Mix’ the show will feature a mix of some of the collective’s latest work. See here for more details.

Pick & Mix is a collective exhibition from members of the Just Us Collective

Look out for ‘Just Us Editions’ in the near future, featuring a series of t-shirts and prints from members of the Just Us Alumni made available online through the Just Us Shop.

KKareer Centre, a Just Us Collective exhibition at KK Outlet, Hoxton Square (July 2009)

If you would like to be a member of the Just Us Collective next year and will be studying during 2012/13, keep posted in September for information.

Find Out More:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Pick and Mix

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See here for more Collectives featured on Central Station.
Contact us to talk about a feature for your Collective.

The SHO was established in Sep 2010 by Emily (Jewellery maker) & Dan (Animator). Based in Roath, Cardiff, the venture was set up as a friendly boutique art gallery and shop. The SHO supports both local and international artists and designers with frequently changing exhibitions. A mix of traditional art forms alongside contemporary digital design and illustration brings the venue alive with a cocktail of stimulating and inspirational work.

On display we have a mix of Original artworks, limited edition art prints, inspirational literature & magazines, collectable vinyl toys, home-wares and wearable designs such as jewellery and apparel.

Our plan is to host many more diverse future mixed/solo shows alongside one off events such as customised toy auction charity fundraisers, of which we have a couple lined up this summer.

We welcome exhibition proposals from artists [see below for a current callout].

Upcoming Exhibition – Call for entries

We are welcoming artists’ submissions to be part of our upcoming exhibition. This will be based around the art of character creation either in the form of individual character design or compositions of them within scenes of their fictional worlds/landscapes.

Visual personalities with strong/interesting identities and atmospheric characterized settings created through imagination and brought to life through style & design.

For brief download form here and for submission form download here

Visit The SHO’s website.
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Like The SHO on Facebook.

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From time to time we feature galleries and spaces that showcase & encourage grassroots artists. Brows through more of our Featured Venues. Contact us to talk about a feature on your venue.