It all starts with a discovery. A discovery of something vintage and unique. That’s all owner/creator Mason Joye of Wood and Watts needs for his imagination to take flight and to allow his hands do the rest. His creations are unique vintage handmade light fixtures (aka lamps) that can add character to any room. But to better understand what he creates you need to meet the man behind it all. Lets meet Wood and Watts.
360: Why Wood and Watts? What do you love most about it?
Mason: Creating Wood and Watts has been a goal of mine for a while. There’s nothing more peaceful than to wake up, head into the garage and not know what or how you’re going to put your next piece together. That is what keeps me motivated. I just know there is unexplored creativity sitting on the work bench right in front of me and as a personal goal, I have to crack it and reap the rewards.
360: Tell us about your background. What led you to W&W?
Mason: I have always been a fan of electricity and lights. Saying that, I had no idea I would be making light fixtures. As a kid, I would get as many battery operated lights I could to put on my bicycle and wait for the sunset just so I could show off my newest add ons. Few years later, I get my first car. Now this was about the time when car modifications were in full swing. I had everything possible to almost make my car a mobile rainbow!
Background continued…
But about 3-4 years ago I got my hands on an old light fixture from a factory from back in the day and my mind started racing with ideas. This is where I enlisted the help of my father who has always been a wood worker, so we collaborated and came up with my first wall lamp. To be honest it wasn’t the prettiest thing you’ve seen before, but it worked! So I got online and start searching on how to build lamps, woodworking for beginners etc and stumbled upon a man in the North-East. I viewed his portfolio and it is exactly the type of creations that had been racing through my head at night. I ended giving him a call and we hit it off doing a few commissioned pieces made by him. A little later on, I branched out and did a few more pieces myself and brought me pretty much to where I am today!
360: Where do you get your materials for your creations? Tell us about the process.
Mason: Without materials you have no product. This is a constant battle as I have to keep my inventory of pieces that can be used and are safe to use for lamps. My wife and I travel far and wide to go to most backwoods businesses to hopefully discover a few ancient pieces that have enough character to be made into a fixture. Another source that I use is to network through different businesses. I leave my contact info at places that have a healthy inventory of industrial or rusty pieces and usually I get contacted back with new product comes in. All in all these lamps are one of a kind. They aren’t made for every home or a designers’ vision, but when they do find a spot it’s a beautiful thing.
360: How long does it usually take to finish one of your creations? From concept to completion.
Mason: This has many variables. Usually the “idea” is what I will ponder over for days at a time. Once I get the basic structure on paper, I then have to figure out what pieces and what fixture will work. The scale of my products are not big compared to some. I have not had anymore than 15 hours on one lamp. That’s not to say someone that comes along and wants a very detailed piece with certain woods or certain shapes can be done within that time frame. For what I have accomplished so far, that seems to be about average. There is a lot of prep, a lot of sanding, a ton of cleaning and getting old fixtures to where they are safe for everyday use again is very time consuming.
360: What’s next for W&W?
Mason: My excitement for building these fixtures for myself or for a client is such an extreme rush to me. I love building relationships with strangers and seeing our trust level develop and grow. Repeat customers are the biggest compliment I could ever ask for. Greenville has been good to me and for as long as I can, I want to give back what I have received. Sooner or later I would love to see a full-time craftsman in the shop and get daily reports from a picker out in the field who has found the next best piece. I have every bit of confidence that one day we will see that. In the meantime, we just have to keep it moving!
360: Thanks, Mason! Keep up the great creative work.
Coming up next for Mason, you can see his work/creations showcased at the new Willy Taco on Laurens Road in Greenville (expected to open January 2017.) so be on the look out!
To purchase Wood and Watts’ handmade creations, you can visit their Etsy page by clicking here. For even more info visit www.woodandwatts.com or contact Mason directly via email at info@woodandwatts.com. You can also follow W&W daily on Instagram and Facebook at @woodandwatts.
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