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Published on:

27th May 2025

The Ballad of the Benches

Whether it’s a sheet of old plywood resting on a couple of sawhorses or a fastidiously crafted hardwood masterpiece, the workbench has long been the centerpiece of studios, workshops, garages, and maker spaces of all kinds.

Of the many standout features of our house, I think I was most excited about the multiple basement spaces that I would be able to use as studios for the different things I do. The previous owners were makers — she was a painter and he was a woodworker whose wood shop occupied one of the basement spaces. When we bought our house in 2016, I remember telling Adrianne that I wanted to make one of the spaces my paint studio and that I would make some benches “on day one.” Well, day one didn’t happen, nor did week one, month one, or year one. In fact, it’s taken me nearly nine years to finally build benches for my studio. So what happened?

See the photos I reference in this episode on Substack: The Ballad of the Benches

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About the Podcast

Iterations
An occasional exploration of creativity, process, and trying to make sense of things.
Iterations is the audio version of my occasional journal/newsletter where I share stories, personal experiences, and ongoing questions around creativity, process, and making things that matter. Some episodes are more reflective, some are more practical, and some are just me thinking out loud and trying to make sense of things.