We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bryce Moon. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bryce below.
Bryce, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
Starting in high school, I knew a corporate career wasn’t for me. As I started exploring college majors, I settled on technical theater with an emphasis on set design. As I went through college, I loved my theater classes and project that made it to the stage. I also started to realize how much building creatively made me feel happy and gave me a sense of purpose and a drive beyond just living each day. Out of college, I started working on professional scenic designs and really enjoying the ability to live life creatively. The pandemic hit shortly after, and I was forced into retail part time jobs. I had been working in different retail jobs trying to find the motivation to be creative again. It was hard to find meaning in monotony. I had a fortunate encounter and met a soon to be good friend and opportunity to find my light again. They ran a picnic company in LA and were talking to me while I was helping them in the store about their needs from some woodworking. I was able to share my skill set and offered my talents and they enthusiastically commissioned some custom woodworking from me. Building again, I found my love for making and creating custom woodworking projects, just like I made in theater in college. After photographing my projects for them and starting an Instagram, I began getting messages about other people want unique and custom table and other woodworking projects. I had been struggling with find light in a retail job, and finally I felt like my days were my own and I could make what I wanted out of life. I quit my part time job and am now able to take on Moon Custom Woodwork and a full-time job and hopefully a career.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Figuring out what I wanted to do in life it’s always been a bit of a challenge for me, as I’ve always found my interests growing and changing constantly. Which makes it hard to pinpoint a passion to focus on. I started out doing theatrical set design, then went on to silversmithing, on to 3D modeling and Digital Arts, and found a more secure passion in woodworking and being able to create on a larger scale. In my spare time I will still enjoy some of my other Hobbies, one of them being my small Etsy Shop My Mini Models Shop to help people be further immersed in their DND and tabletop games. As an artist and a creative I have always had a goal in my Creations to help people be inspired or immersed in life. one of the reasons I finally settled on custom woodworking is it allows me to work hand in hand with people wanting something to help them live more creatively or enjoyably. Through the design process with them I am able to express and exercise my own artistic talents. One of the things that clients have begun to realize about my woodworking, that keeps them coming back, is my drive to provide a higher level of product than commonly available. I set high standards for myself and my work to make sure that what I produce will last and will delight someone any time they see their furniture, art piece, or design. I do not take on a lot of clients at a time, I often restrict my build schedules in order to ensure there are no skip steps and time is not rushed. One thing that really sets apart my process when working with a client to design their idea is digital renderings. I take the time to create their idea in a CAD software in order to best communicate and make sure we’re both on the same page. I’ve always found it too important to confirm and finalize as many details as you can before beginning production in order to guarantee the satisfaction love your client.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
One of the best ways to support artists or creatives to create a thriving ecosystem is to help Society shift from a capitalistic point of view to one that will once again value the cost of products that are made to last and are made to a higher standard that doesn’t always include instant gratification. Single-use items or things that have a disposable quality to them greatly hinder the ability Society to value everything in their home.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
One of the most rewarding aspects about being an artist is when you’ve created something that allows the viewer or interactor to separate themselves from their problems and their worries and provide a sense of disconnection or relief to their day-to-day life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brycemoon.com/
- Instagram: @mooncustomwoodwork
- Other: Personal Instagram as an artist @brycemoonarts