We were lucky to catch up with Phill Sikes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Phill thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I absolutely wish I had started it sooner. When I was in high school, over 20 years ago, I wanted to take woodshop and metal shop classes. But I remember my guidance counselor and others steered me away from those classes and encouraged me to take courses geared toward a 4 year college. I really wish I had taken those industrial arts classes.

I took a year off after high school and at the end of that year had the option of going to a 4 year school, like most of my friends already had, or go to a small school to learn how to become a luthier, someone who builds and repairs stringed instruments like guitars and violins.

I ended up at that 4 year college anyway. But continued to pursue creative endeavors and found myself spending all my free time working on a variety of artistic projects. I don’t regret that choice because of where it led me, all the people I met along the way and the great life I’ve been able to build. But do I ever think about what my life would have been like if I’d gone to that small industrial arts school and learned to make a living with my hands right from the start? Absolutely. But I’m here now and encourage young people to follow their passion. Even when it leads them down a road less taken.

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?

As a kid, I was interested in drawing, designing, and working with my hands. Working with wood was an accessible activity growing up and I eventually started refinishing guitars and building furniture. But it wasn’t until my wife and I moved to Kansas City that I was introduced to the lathe and learned to turn wood bowls and objects. It started out as a hobby, then turned into a passion. After my son was born, I left my job in IT to pursue a career in wood part-time and to care for our son.

My work starts with urban trees that have been taken down due to age, damage, or progress. Usually, these trees end up in a landfill, but I am able to process them into raw materials from which to make my products. Wood is always in motion, even after being cut down and it takes knowledge of the material to work with fresh-cut logs successfully.

My early work was primarily utilitarian items such as salad bowls, serving platters, writing instruments, and other small home goods. I still produce these and mainly offer them through local and regional retailers I’ve been able to connect with over the years. I also do spec work on commission, and batch parts for local furniture makers that are making new pieces or repairing antiques.

More recently my artistic work has tended toward sculptural vessels that highlight the beauty of the timber and have a timeless shape. I take inspiration from pottery, traditional crafts, and the natural world around me. I take great pride in my process and the technique I employ to craft my pieces.

Teaching is another part of my business, I offer classes, multi-day workshops and mentorship to interested students, and I demonstrate for woodturning clubs and organizations. I often say that I am a student of woodturning because I am always learning and practicing my craft. Teaching and educational opportunities are a way I share my passion for craft with others and bestow value on the everyday objects we take for granted.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me the most rewarding part of my work is being able to share it with others and educate them about being good stewards of the resources we’ve been given. We live in a throw away society and because of that we’ve lost the idea of caring for and maintaining what we have. Instead of fixing something that breaks, we throw it away and buy something new. Through my work I try to encourage people to slow down and think about how that object connects with them and how to make it a part of their life. I love being able to have those conversations with people and see them connect with something I’ve made and can share with them. I’d love to see my pieces stay with a family for generations, being cared for and used regularly, that’s part of the legacy I hope to leave behind.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think about my work all the time. I’m definitely one of those people who gets fixated on my work and whenever I’m out doing other things, I’m usually still thinking about it. It’s a hard thing to deal with sometimes, especially when you have a family and life outside of your work. I strive to have balance in all those areas, but my head always drifts back to the workshop, how I can work on my technique or that new design idea I have, or one of the dozen projects I want to start, that I haven’t been able to yet.

The one thing I can say about it is the importance of making space for your work, as well as your family, friends and other life moments. I have a list of my priorities and work is not the top, it’s kinda far down the list. People who struggle with balancing life and work I encourage to do the same thing. Make that list, think about it, share it with those people in your life who are important to you. And be real with yourself about how important your work is. Don’t let it get in the way for your live.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.phillsikes.com
• Instagram: @phillsikes
• Other: email: phill@phillsikes.com webs: www.phillsikes.com instagram: @phillsikes

Image Credits
Phill Sikes