Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Carr.
Jordan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started Letter and Stone in 2016 after years of unofficial art commissions and calligraphy. As a kid, my mom had me practice my handwriting at the table every morning before school and since I always felt most confident in artful things, I actually loved it. Early morning athletic practices were never my jam – but I had no problem with script practice.
People would notice the results of that handwriting habit so I started receiving requests for all kinds of things early on: everything from hand-painted quotes on classroom walls to labeled jars of homemade chutney. The range of projects that can utilize artful text is so interesting, which is part of why my business is geared toward custom products. I really enjoy applying my craft to ideas that are just as unique as the people who order them.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s a road that travels across all kinds of territory! Some parts are slippery, some feel as natural and comfortable as breathing. Money is often really tricky for a small business just getting started, no matter what state the economy is in. It’s a hinge on the door of every single enterprise but it can be challenging to find your way, especially if you start from a place of passion or artistry and not finance. That definitely describes me!
Artisans love a job well done, a quality product and delighted customer – so despite some of the curves in the road of small-biz-money, I’ve learned how strong, suitable financial strategies play a big role in delivering such quality and delight.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Letter and Stone is a design company that specializes in text-based art.
I named my business after my mom’s, which was a stationery and jewelry shop she ran from our home when I was young called Paper and Stone. She’s the one who modeled ingenuity and resourcefulness for me, so the name ‘Letter and Stone’ is a nod to everything she taught me while also describing what I love to do. I design on more than just paper, but ‘letters’ and language are at the heart of most everything I make.
Text is absolutely everywhere. People encounter an incredible volume of words, letters, and symbols every single day in modern life. We see them in emails, facebook, road signs, iPhone apps, text messages, subway ads, junk mail, building facades and the paint jobs on cars and trucks. Even half the food in our pantry and the clothes in our closet will be emblazoned with text and letters. It’s kind of thrilling for me to take something that’s truly everywhere – even easily ignored – and make something beautiful from it while learning the intricacies of its mechanics, its history, and secrets.
I take a lot of pride in creating things that have enduring beauty. I’m captivated by that special quality you sometimes find in an old Dutch painting or a fresh blanket of snow. That is what hits you in a deeper place than most, and it’s what separates fine work from forgettable fashion.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I’m not originally from Boston, so having come here from the West Coast I’m especially taken with the way this city combines the old and new. I came here for a classical education in painting and since then I have met such creative, entrepreneurial people who are also very generous with their own knowledge and experiences. That’s pretty awesome, and it’s definitely played a part in making Letter and Stone what it is now.
Contact Info:
- Address: 86 Joy Street, Somerville MA 02143
- Website: letterandstone.com
- Email: hello@letterandstone.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letterandstone/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/letterandstone/
Image Credit:
Andy Hansen of Films by Andy
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