These Artisans Are Creating the Pieces of Your Dreams
Written By: Jordan Nishkian Southern California Artisans
PSA: Our local artisans need your support! Instead of buying brand-name goods, put your money where your heart is and shop these local, SoCal-based creators for beautiful, one-of-a-kind products. Meet the minds behind these independent brands and make sure to give them a follow on Instagram!
1 | Knotting Much Southern California Artisans
Name: Rachel Breuklander
Job Title: Fiber Artist, Owner of The Lark’s Head
Fiber Artist for: 3 Years
“Creating an intricate wall hanging often starts at my sketchbook. Once I have a design, I spend hours or days just tying knots. Finally, I meticulously trim until each piece is complete. My favorite part is stepping back to see the piece right before the final trim. I love seeing how a sketch can evolve into something completely new as I progress.”
The Lark’s Head
Santa Ana
@thelarksheadshop
2 | Trust the Process Southern California Artisans
Name: Kelly Keane McCullough
Job Title: Owner and Designer, Tribe + True
Curating Artisan Goods for: 5 Years
“Seek inspiration, visualize, sketch ideas, convert sketches to designs, communicate designs to weavers, await the magic. [The best parts of designing are] experimenting with colorways and shapes, awaiting the final product and unveiling what a drawn design becomes as a woven piece of art. Creativity is the manifestation of my thoughts and vision into reality—it is my freedom.”
Tribe + True
Costa Mesa
@tribeandtrue
3 | Tool and Nail Southern California Artisans
Name: A.J. Woodruff
Job Title: Designer and Owner, Respect the Chief
Designer for: 10 Years in Fashion, 4 Years in Jewelry
“I work a little backwards. I create an item first, and from that item I formulate a mood and story. Production…is almost always challenging and oftentimes painful but a necessary evil. It looks a lot like Band-Aids and broken nails—I’ve worked with my hands for years now, which basically means never having a decent manicure, but it comes with the territory.”
Respect the Chief
Palm Springs
@respectthechief
4 | Gusta MUCHO
Name: Sofia Enriquez
Job Title: Artist
Artist for: 10 Years
“One of my favorite moments was displaying my summer MUCHO collection as a performance piece with several models that interacted with my large-scale art installation of six paisley sculptures at Coachella 2019. It’s surreal to see my work living outside of my studio, [not to mention] outside of my head. Seeing my work outside for people to experience is incredibly motivating.”
Sofia Enriquez
Coachella Valley
@sofiaenriquez
5 | Hide and Seek
Name: Peter Maxwell
Job Title: Owner and Designer, Made Solid
Leatherworker for: 40 Years
“[I love] finding unexpected elements in the character of a hide and using those in our pieces. The life is in the use of my work—the patina, after years of love—so seeing anything that has transformed from light leather to a deep dark creates an instant connection for me. Everyone that uses Made Solid anything is a friend.”
Made Solid
Los Angeles
@madesolidinla
6 | No Place Like the Present Southern California Artisans
Name: Kristen Pumphrey and Thomas Neuberger
Job Title: Co-owner and CEO; Co-owner and COO, P.F. Candle Co.
Candlemakers for: 13 and 7 Years
“For us, making things provides a break from our hectic world. It’s an opportunity to unplug and truly enjoy the process—not just the end result. That’s what we’re really into; it’s not just going through the motions of making something, it’s experiencing each step of the process, both as an effort to improve your skills and to just zone out.”
P.F. Candle Co.
Culver City | Los Angeles
@pfcandleco
7 | Woodn’t You Like to Know
Name: Kalah Bernardo
Job Title: Woodworker
Woodworking for: 1.5 Years
“I love the design process. Placing and replacing different designs until I’m happy with the final pattern takes hours and is so much fun. My absolute favorite part, though, is adding finish to the final product and seeing all of the grain come to life beneath the different finishes. My Patriarchy Portrait illustration and my Sunburst Mosaic are my favorites—I never tire of looking at them.”
Ash + Iron
Oceanside
@ashandiron
8 | Sew It Goes Southern California Artisans
Name: Teddy and Marissa Kovach
Job Title: Creators and Designers, Cage & Lantern
Artisans for: 7 Years
“It’s fun to start with a product idea and piece it all together. I personally love making our baby shoes, which were one of the first products I designed, and because all of my children have worn them. Teddy, on the other hand, is excellent with hand stitching, so he loves making wallets, briefcases and basically anything that requires hand stitching.”
Cage & Lantern
San Diego
@cageandlantern
About the author
Born and raised near the Pacific Coast, Jordan Nishkian is a California girl through and through. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a BA in Creative Writing and a BA in Anthropology, and her favorite place to be is curled up in a comfy chair with a book in her hand and a pen in her hair.
