We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aaron Schaefer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Aaron, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Although it says “Pencrafting” in the name, I have always felt that a gift not only purchased, but created with an individual in mind is the most meaningful sort of gift a person can give. My late mother was the best at getting gifts for each of my siblings and I. She shopped year round for us all and frequented clearance sections in each store until something just screamed “______ would love this” and she would wrap and stow them away. Christmas was her favorite time of year and being the youngest and last to leave the house gave me the opportunity to look not only at the recipient of the gift, but the givers as well. One of the things I miss the most about her.
When I found a world of pens that are so customizable, creating the first custom gift for a friend of mine I almost caught a glimpse of her joy filled face once again, and instantly became addicted to the process. The flexibility of the design of a pen from the main body of material, the novelty of what the pen is designed to look like, or even it’s function can serve a purpose to facilitate that a gift giver. Beyond anything else, the meaningfulness of the gift to their receiver is what I find most gratifying about designing custom pens and woodcrafts.
Aaron, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Aaron Schaefer and I am the founder and only craftsman for “The Shepherd’s Pencrafting”. We make custom pens for individuals and for large orders. Companies and individuals alike purchase from us and you may have spotted us at our local “Howdy Holly-Days” and the “Artisan Markets” around College Station as well. Our name “Shepherd” is a double meaning: Shepherd as a reference to God the Father, and as the literal translation of my last name from German to English”
Custom gifts are what I thrive on. My favorite customers and question are the customers looking for something you can’t just pick up in a store. Something created with their recipient in mind from the very start. There is so much flexibility and variety in selecting wood, engraving with our laser etcher, and selecting the type of pen, be it fashionable or functional.
The whole idea of selling these pens started with a gift of time. A professional friend by name of Brian Magouirk pulled out this awesome wooden pen with gorgeous shape and color and before I knew I asked the fated question “Where did you get that?” After informing me that he made it himself he quickly got me to come over where he gifted his time and expertise to help me turn my very first pen. I cam home that night, pen seeming to glow in my hand, and told Frankie “Honey! I want to buy a lathe!”
Before we knew it I was making dozens of them for fun and after some encouragement to go to a market, got hooked into taking the next steps to make myself known as a small business owner and craftsman. Today we have done projects for David Gardner’s Jewelry, Prosperity Bank, Kanji Sushi, and More!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Learning has been fundamental to my growth. There is always a drive for me to strive for higher quality and in this world of woodcraft and business it shows quickly. Getting the opportunity to plug into the vendor community and see how other people do their selling opens my eyes to things that I can apply to myself as a consumer as well.
Wood working techniques, business pricing, staging product at shows, selecting where to stretch into new territory and grow, making new friends all with companies and strategies of their own, learning what works for my product or customers, and this list continues to grow. Each area is capable of being understood more with each new customer experience.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
To the non-creatives: I would encourage you to try and stretch yourself into an appreciation of an individuals developed skill. An artist has faced their worst critics (most of all their own inner critic) to polish themselves and their skills into the best product that they can make. Defying evaluations that could break confidence and instill fear. Purchasing that art or creativity is not only supporting a person and their family financially, it also builds them as an individual. I would encourage you to walk up to those creatives and ask them to talk about their work, their inspiration, and their drive. Now I am not asking you to lie to me in regards to quality you see or want more from, but to seek out what was done well. Too often we see the imperfections and point them out long before we consider even acknowledging what has been done well.
When you see my booth or receive your gifted pen look for matching lines. Look for the right shape in your hand and its comfort. Look for the sanding lines and rough edges. Seek out and evaluate the qualities that make your gift exceptional and if you find something less than perfect do not hesitate to reach out to me. I would only ask that you reflect on the amount of things “Right” far outnumbered the things that were checked “wrong.”
To creatives:
This section was not necesarily asked for, however I felt the need to share: “Do not let the echoes of those who do not evaluate your product and its quality reverb to you or your craft.”
Believe in your journey to get where you are now. Not everyone has stayed up all night watching how to set up their shows faster, combed through other businesses with similar products to pick out the displays you like, or paid a photographer or youth to take photos and manage your social medias, Not everyone can appreciate the amount of repetitions or redos you have put in to get the final processes and procedures you have. Not everyone has the courage to face the critiques that you hear from others and push through the daily doubt that can come with mixed success.
Balance that frustration with achieving more, with the patience for yourself in life. You will not always have the time in life to full-throttle your practice sessions and that is okay. Reflection and time away can be just as important. Keep creating.
Our world will always need the colors that creatives can bring to us. It pushes through more than wallets, it pushes through souls.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shepherds_pencraft/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshepherdspencrafting
Image Credits
Image credit: Franchesca Photography