Today we’d like to introduce you to John Welch.
John, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
About 9 years ago my wife and I bought a townhouse, so I started buying general woodworking tools to take care of some basic things, trim, flooring, etc. After tackling a number of projects at our house and a few friend’s homes, I was running out of things to keep me busy (I don’t sit still well). I love to cook and came across some people carving spoons on Instagram, so I did a little research and ordered myself 2 knives off of Amazon. It was supposed to be a ‘relaxing hobby’, something I could sit on the deck and do at my leisure. However, I quickly caught the carving bug and started carving spoons as gifts for friends and family. About a year later I was starting to outgrow our 1-car garage, I needed to leave room for the car which didn’t leave much room for the tools I had begun acquiring from EBay and flea markets. The next step was to either buy a new home with room for a workshop, or find somewhere to be able to work. As luck would have it, Lowell is home to the largest artist community under one roof, called Western Avenue Studios. Within a week of figuring that out, I had leased a 265 sq. ft. space to work in. That was in September 2014. I had no interest in selling to the public, but the building holds Open Studios the 1st Saturday of every month. I decided to give it a whirl, mostly looking to share my craft with anyone that was interested! Things picked up from there and in October 2015 I leased a larger studio space directly next to my old space, stepping up to just under 500 sq. ft. Then just last month I took my old space over as well, and am currently working out of both studios. I have branched out from just carving spoons to include serving boards, various tea light and votive holders, centerpieces, wine racks, some small side tables, and someone off sculptural pieces.
Also earlier this year I started teaching spoon carving classes, they run about 4 hours and every student leaves with a spoon of their own creation! The classes have really added another level of enjoyment for me. I find that the average person rarely has the opportunity to create something with their own hands. I love seeing the satisfaction that comes from learning a new skill, and seeing the students leave with the tangible results of their efforts!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
For the most part I haven’t had any major setbacks. It’s always a struggle balancing the day job, personal life, and the woodworking, but so far so good. I’d say the biggest hurdle I’ve had was getting set up for classes. Trying to figure out which tools would be the easiest to learn to use while staying relatively affordable. That, and trying to find reasonably priced insurance to cover teaching the classes!
John Francis Designs – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I make heirloom quality goods for the home. Ranging from kitchenware to home decor. Almost all of my work has a hand carved aspect, I feel that the average purchase made these days is made without intent. The goods are not high quality so not a lot of thought is put into a purchase. I strive to provide a selection of items that can be bought with intent that can help move someone towards an anti-disposable lifestyle. You can buy a spoon at the dollar store to stir your stew, but that spoon has no soul. I use a many vintage tools and/or tools that are handmade by a person or small company. Those tools have a soul of their own, and when I use them a little bit of that is passed into the work I’m creating. I try to let the wood tell me what it should be, I don’t just grab a board and decide that it will all turn into spoons. A lot of my time is spent picking through my lumber inventory looking for that perfect section of a board to turn into whatever it needs to be.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me success boils down to happiness. If I am not enjoying what I am doing, I don’t care how much money or attention I receive for it because I would not be enjoying the moment. There are a lot of items that I am capable of making, and could most likely make some money doing so, but I just don’t enjoy the process so I have learned to steer clear of them when commissions present themselves.
At the end of the day when I see my work going to a good home, knowing that I enjoyed the process, and that the piece will perhaps (hopefully) outlive me, I consider that a success. Of course it always helps to make a little money… 😉
Contact Info:
- Address: 122 Western Avenue
Studio 102
Lowell, MA 01851 - Website: www.johnfrancisdesigns.com
- Email: john@johnfrancisdesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnfrancisdesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnfrancisdesigns/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/j_f_designs
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/john-francis-designs-lowell-2
Image Credit:
Stephen Grigoriou
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