When the last week of January melted into the first week of February in 2021, I looked down at my hands, and for the first time in my life, I recognized myself as an artist. At the time, I was living in Australia, and working in the Fulcrum workshop on a table that would soon live in a restaurant on the other side of town. A month and a half prior was my introduction into carpentry, and into the world of stage building. It was then, in December of 2020, when I found myself looking at a stage, and for the first time, I thought: ‘I want to do that. I want to design stages.’ That thought was so clear, and so strong, that I was somewhat taken aback by it. The morning after that thought emerged, I expressed my newfound inspiration and ambition to the person who designed the stage that inspired me, Andy. Andy would soon become both a friend and a mentor, and by the end of that same day, he asked me if I wanted to take over a stage. The very next morning was my first day designing and leading a build (on the fly, with what I could find on site, and with the support of Andy and the rest of my new Fulcrum family). I will forever be grateful for being seen as an artist before I saw it in myself, and for the trust that was given to me.

I’ve been learning that sometimes the things that are meant for us the most come our way when we aren’t looking, when we least expect it. They come our way when we don’t feel ready. Stage design came to me in that way—seemingly out of the blue, but inexplicably aligned. That build, and the ones that followed, set me on a trajectory that became my life as it is now. The following four years became one, big never-ending cycle of creating, taking it down, and doing it all over again. Throughout that time, I’ve made a point to learn as much as I can, and across as many mediums as I can, which is something I know I’ll be doing for the rest of my life—forever, learning.

One thing that I’ve learned thus far is that it’s all art—everything—every object, every medium, every expression, every living thing. A person who makes sculptures may be viewed more traditionally as an artist than others, but they are no more an artist than a baker, or a dentist. They’re all masters of different mediums—learning, analyzing, and creating through their unique forms of expression. There really isn’t anything in this world that wasn’t created by something else, and to me, there isn’t anyone in this world who isn’t an artist either. It’s all art; it’s just a matter of how it’s expressed.

For me, when it comes to creating, wood tends to speak my language more than anything else. When it comes to design, nature tends to be my biggest muse. Sometimes, my mind thinks very linearly and my artistic expression is precise and geometric. Other times, my mind thinks in curves and my artistic expression is found in the weaving of branches. My favorite, is when the two combine. Balance is one of the most important things, and the magic is always in the details.

Another thing I’ve learned is that the fusing of ideas and perspectives is how we create things that would have been otherwise unattainable; collaboration is what takes expression to the next level. I’m excited to continue to create, and I’m excited to create with you too, whoever you are!

If you’ve found yourself reading this, remember that every moment of every day you’re in the process of creating. Every word, every action, every tangible creation, always starts with a thought.