Brett Mason Craftsman

I learned about Thorpe’s passing this past Friday and it reminded me of how he has shaped my artwork. Thorpe Feidt was many things, but to me he was an incredible abstract painter and a peculiar college instructor. I remember attending his artist talk at the 301 gallery, at this time abstract expressionism wasn’t exactly anything I was interested in, that was until I heard what he had to say. Of course there were other artists who influenced me regarding abstract art, but there was something special about Thorpe’s work. There was a true sense of magic and alchemy I could see in his paintings and in a way answered to what I was trying to convey in my own work. There were late nights I would look through that exhibit catalogue I brought home to learn more about this mysterious individual. When I saw an opportunity to take his class on abstract painting, I took it.

I told him after the first class that I wanted to be challenged in order to truly grow as an artist. Little did I know from the twinkle in his eye and the slight smirk from that statement would lead me to a very hard reality check about making art. Long story short, I wanted to quit painting while taking his class, he was not easy on me. He called bullsh*t on a lot I was trying to do, and reminded me when he said a painting looked pretty that it wasn’t a compliment. One day he was talking about painting with the element of chaos, for lack of a better explanation. He then said, rightfully, that we did not know how to do so. I then asked, more of an ignorant act of defiance, “I don’t know how to paint with chaos?” Without hesitation, he came up to me and yelled, “YOU CANNOT PAINT WITH CHAOS…YOU, CANNOT PAINT WITH CHAOS!”

To be fair, he wasn’t wrong. That was until our final critique, I had a large painting that I put quite a bit of work into, which included the transmutation of chaotic energy that I faced in my personal life. To my surprise, he talked about the painting for 20 minutes about what he liked and appreciated. In his words, “Brett, if you had painted this in the 60’s, you would have been famous.” Still to this day I’m not sure what to make of that statement, but I’ll accept the compliment.

The point of this is to express my gratitude for the way he has changed my outlook on not only my art but the art world in general, I don’t think my work would’ve had the same impact if it weren’t for his influence. I honestly didn’t know him personally, he was a bit complex from what I understood. I would’ve liked to know more about him, but I think that would’ve spoiled the alchemy of our artistic relationship anyway. As a mystic myself, he has opened a realm that went beyond art, and a new appreciation for gnomes.

Rest in Peace Thorpe, I’m happy we crossed paths.

While working on the glider bench, I came across these nasty knots in a few of the slats. Rather than to ignore it and leave the knots alone I hollowed out the problem areas and used epoxy to fill the voids. It worked, then I used a heavy grit sandpaper to assure that the stain would adhere to the knot spots. I suppose my point is that anyone can work any material even if it's not that high of quality with solid results. That is so as long as one pays attention to detail and can envision what that outcome can be.

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In order to keep out much of the noise from the rest of the home, my partner wanted a door for her office. Since she wanted to go with a glass door option and home depot only had the single door unit, that meant I needed to build the jamb. Rather than prefabricating the door jamb, I simply built it to fit the structure. This eliminates any discrepancies that might arise during the installation of the entire door; all I had to do was keep checking my measurements and ensuring that the jamb remained parallel. It didn't make sense to me to have a prefab because I was going to make changes nonetheless. Although this project had good outcomes, I might attempt a prefab method in the future with another door. Now with everything painted including the door, everything looks good to me!

Restoring this gliding bench for a client was an odd request. I can see why it was worthwhile to put in the work to replace all the slats with something distinctive in color, considering how the clients paid almost nothing for it at a yard sale. Given the financial constraints, pressure-treated decking material made sense because it is stronger and thicker than standard 1 x 6 material. I wasn't sure how the color the client chose would turn out at first. I was surprised at how well it turned out, and the subtle wood grain texture adds character to the design. Most importantly, from what I've heard, they still use it a lot and love it!

Despite being sleek and uncomplicated in form, the minimalist approach created many special construction obstacles. However, it was worthwhile because I picked up new construction techniques that let me deviate from the norm. It's funny because this was the first time I used compound miter cuts as a component of the leg structure. Not much to say about the general design, but nonetheless significant.

I constructed this spice rack for a client a while back. Really simple design; I added the middle support to prevent the shelves from sagging over time. For this project, oak plywood was used for its versatility and affordability. In other words, the wall on which the rack was to be mounted wasn't exactly flat. It made more sense to use a material that would shift sufficiently to be flush against the wall without applying stress on it than to use real oak, which can be very rigid. It installed on the wall nicely and flush, as I had anticipated, which also means that another satisfied customer.

"The Dutch"
Oak, Oak Plywood, Eastern Red Cedar

46 x 24 x 18 inches

Danish and modern Scandinavian furniture served as the inspiration for this coffee table. I truly value how wood is used while maintaining an industrial look. I used a good number of screws for this project due to the design, therefore it was crucial that I came up with ways to hide them from view in the final product. I picked red cedar for two reasons, rather than trying to cover up the screw holes on top with oak buttons. Initially, I was aware that the oak plug would have been noticeable and would not have been effective. Why not incorporate into the design given that I'm not ashamed of the assembly process I used? Secondly, red cedar is stunning; the woodwork exhibits a lovely chatoyance that highlights a hint of sheen for the coffee table. Extremely subtle, yet striking nonetheless.

DM me for inquiry

"The Dutch"
Oak, Oak Plywood, Eastern Red Cedar

46 x 24 x 18 inches

Danish and modern Scandinavian furniture served as the inspiration for this coffee table. I truly value how wood is used while maintaining an industrial look. I used a good number of screws for this project due to the design, therefore it was crucial that I came up with ways to hide them from view in the final product. I picked red cedar for two reasons, rather than trying to cover up the screw holes on top with oak buttons. Initially, I was aware that the oak plug would have been noticeable and would not have been effective. Why not incorporate into the design given that I'm not ashamed of the assembly process I used? Secondly, red cedar is stunning; the woodwork exhibits a lovely chatoyance that highlights a hint of sheen for the coffee table. Extremely subtle, yet striking nonetheless.

DM me for inquiry

It’s been some time since I’ve had anything to share, so let me introduce myself. My name is Brett, and I am a creator transmuting ideas into reality through the intuitive and spiritual fervor of craftsmanship. Celebrating color, elegance, and simplicity within nature are some of the ways I draw meaning into my craft. My art and woodworking are extensions for connecting with curious observers such as yourself. For as long as I can remember, there’s always been a need to learn how the world works and how it’s all universally connected. This is how I breathe inspiration into my work, whether that’s studying the importance of healthy soil composition or analyzing the Classic Order in architecture. My contribution is to share these insights. My offerings are products that evoke inspiration and curiosity.

It hasn’t always been my forte to share my journey, so I look forward to sharing my little world with you. Let this be an invitation to learn more about what I offer and share this journey together.

2023. For me this was a year of forgiveness, healing, and letting go. May not be profound to most, but this year has been paramount for me. I got to see places I've always wanted to experience, that also includes reflecting on my own journey. I've set aside the things that I thought were important, only to rediscover who I was and my purpose in this lifetime. It turns out I forgot a lot about what makes me who I am and focused on things that don't really matter to me. I believe we all do this at times whether we're feeling lost, trying to get with it, or simply trying to fit in. Striving to be relevant and on pulse with everyone else, while the essence of who I am slowly dies. As I healed, it was time to break the patterns that haunt me and learn to finally let go. It's easy to be afraid to let go, sometimes we believe we release the burdens that hold us back, whatever they may be. Sometimes those burdens never leave, they disguise themselves as lessons learned and cautionaries for future problems. By doing this, the burdens become armor, but what use is armor if it's the very thing that causes grief in the first place? I learned to trust the universe and let go of that armor and chose to be prepared instead. 

Will you let go? Will you be prepared? May 2024 be a year of change.