"Domestica" mosaic series

It all started with a teapot.

Looking back over some older work, Johannah came across this teapot and thought, "Hmmm. That was fun. Where could this go?" (The most satisfying series are always unplanned journeys.) Remembering a photography project she did a few years ago, she thought a return to the topic of mundane domestic objects might be interesting.

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At the time of the earlier project, I was forced by the circumstances of being the primary care-giving parent to two very young children to mostly shoot items around the house. But as the project went on, I found it piqued my feminist interest in domestic objects. Many of these items are kitchenware, associated with the traditional work of women. True, they are mundane, everyday objects. But might it be their very everyday-ness that gives them their power? We need these items, we keep them close to us because of their necessity or utility in our lives. Many of them we come to love, because they were passed down from a great grandmother or because they bake the perfect batch of ginger snap cookies.

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So I devoted this series to portraits of individual pieces of kitchenware. Set alone in silhouette, we can admire the shape of the objects, consider their use, appreciate their utility in our lives and yes, even their beauty.

And while I worked, I thought further of other domestic items or happenings we might take for granted. Eventually I couldn't help but associate "taking for granted" and "domestic" with the idea of domestic abuse. I suppose it doesn't hurt that with the political temperature of the nation during the Trump administration, I'm more aware than ever of the changes I want to see, and striving always to do more toward that end. The result in this case is that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the pieces in this series will go to a group like the Virginia Anti-Violence Project for survivors of domestic abuse, especially those in the LGTBQ+ community

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Summer of Railings

Do two sets of railings make for a summer of railings? Does making them at the peak of the summer heat in a sweltering studio with just a few fans blowing on the blacksmiths make it count? Yeah, we thought so too.

{Click through the slideshows to see works-in-progress. Click on the single images to enlarge.}

We're really enjoying these minimal, open designs. This first small custom hand railing was installed in a porch with slate steps.

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This second railing design required a pair to complete the sweet little brick path from the street up to the house. Notice the detail at the end of the handrails. This was a particularly fun design!

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If you're in need of custom railing (now or dreaming for the future), take a look through the railing gallery in our portfolio and the railing posts on our blog. We love to create custom designs to fit a client's needs, and we can usually provide a few options to fit a variety of  budgets.

Company Values

Company values or culture are usually topics touted by larger corporations, but even in a micro-business like Phoenix Handcraft, we share certain values that create a company culture.

Environmental Sustainability

Our number one value, priority, and mission is to create work that is environmentally sustainable.

• We use inherently durable materials. Steel, glass, ceramic, and even wood are long-lasting materials that degrade slowly if at all. When they do break down, the by-products are not toxic to the environment. In addition, did you know steel is the world's most recycled material?

• We design and create work that is made to last for generations, not end up in a landfill after a few months or years of use.

• We source our materials from local Virginia and American small, independent companies wherever possible.

• We strive to minimize material waste in the production of our work.

• We use non-toxic, low VOC finishes and adhesives in all our work. We dispose of any chemicals used responsibly.

• We use recycled/ reclaimed and biodegradable materials in our retail packaging and shipping.

• We're enrolled with Dominion Green Power, which offsets our energy use through renewable energy certificates.

Our mosaic coat racks combine traditional glass and ceramic with reclaimed material like the floral-patterned plates here. All our frames are made from reclaimed wood.

Community

Creating connection and community is another important part of the work we do as a small business.

• We work with local groups such as RVA Makers and Richmond Craft Mafia to support their missions in a variety of ways.

• Collaborations with local artist and maker friends like Christina Boy Design Sallie Plumley Studio are a fun way to get out of our comfort zone and create something brand new.

• We create one-of-a-kind custom fixtures that enhance the public spaces of local businesses such as Shagbark Restaurant and Vasen Brewing Company.

• We create events that showcase independent handmade businesses for the public by collaborating with local businesses like La Diff and Crossroads Art Center.

• We bring our work out into the public and talk with people face to face at local art shows such as the 43rd Street Festival of the Arts and the Craft + Design.

• We host events in our studio so we can invite people into our space to see how we work.

• We spotlight the companies we work with and events we attend on our blog using the Local Love category and the community tag.

We worked with La Diff owners Sarah Paxton and Andy Thornton and David Bohnhoff of Bohnhoff Furniture and Design to organize Made in RVA, a month-long show featuring the work of local furniture makers and designers.

Financial Accessibility

We started our business not long before the Occupy Wall Street movement began. Around the same time, friends & family began requesting items that would fit a leaner budget. We realized that though we tend to make high-end work, we don't want to serve only the wealthiest 1 or 2% of American citizens. With that in mind, we developed smaller, more personal items that we can sell at a manageable price.

Authenticity

For us, being authentic means we are reliable, responsive, and accountable. We do what we say we're going to do. We keep the lines of communication open. If we mess up, we admit it and make amends. It also means we speak our truth about who we are outside of the business. The lines become very blurry between "family" and "business" when you own a small family business!

Passion

It might go without saying coming from a business built around art, but we are passionate about what we do! We love the act of creating our work, we love owning a small business, and we love being part of the local artist and maker community in Richmond. Most of all, we are absolutely passionate about creating a well-made, beautiful item that fits our customer's needs exquisitely.

These five values account for our greatest priorities in our lives and work over the last seven years. But there's more, of course. Other companies' core values inspire us and resonate with who we are and how we operate. These include "Do more with less" (Zappos), "courage and love" (Whole Foods) and "You can make money without doing evil" (Google).

And there are other values we aspire to incorporate more fully into our work such as equality, diversity, and lifting up those who've been denied opportunity. Just as a person continues to grow and evolve throughout their life, so does a business. And we have many years ahead of us to grow our list of core values!