With a mix of trendsetting and timeless pieces, the creator behind Gina Carmen Jewelry is rising to new heights on the local fashion scene and beyond
…
Meet… Tommy Farrell
With a list of star clients, including everyone from Barbara Walters to Arkansas’s own Asa Hutchinson, the owner of North Little Rock’s Tommy Farrell Custom Furniture is a true woodworker and craftsman, creating tables, headboards, bookcases, cabinetry, and more
…
Meet…Tracy Rivers
The owner and creative director of Angelfish Studios Faux Finish and Artistry gives plain walls, cabinetry, and furniture an exciting—and often colorful—new life with her decorative painting techniques
…
Branding Arkansas
These Arkansas-based creatives, manufacturers, branding experts, and entrepreneurs are shaping the future of the home décor and gardening industries with their products and making homes and gardens more beautiful throughout the U.S. and beyond
Left to right: Paul Michael, Chris H. Olsen, Allison West, Ashley Childers, Reggie Marshall, Jim Clements, Johnna Dobbs, Todd Smith, P. Allen Smith, Tobi Fairley, Charlie Groppetti, Marcus Boyce, Jay Howard, Will Means, Gail Miller, Tim Freeman, Scott Morris, Debi Davis (Not pictured: Jan Feldman and Christine Howard) Special thanks to Loft 1023 (www.loft1023.com) for use of their space for the photo shoot and to Howse (thehowse.com) for use of furniture pieces from their store for this shoot.
…
Get to Know: Johnna Dobbs, Mastercraft Distribution
Johnna Dobbs can put any subject in just the right light. In fact, creating amazing lighting options seems to be in her blood. As a third generation lamp designer and wholesale vendor, Dobbs literally grew up in the business. She spent her high school summers as well as her college days in the factory her father, Jerry, started in the late 1980s. “The factory bell rang at 7 a.m. each morning, so I would sleep in my clothes to save time and make sure I made it here,” laughs Dobbs, who admits it was during this time that she fell in love with the creative side of the business. “When I really started doing the work I found I had a passion,” she says of her experience in all facets of the business. When you meet the spirited and gracious maven, it’s easy to see why success has continued to ensue for both her and the brand.
Today she has made Jonesboro’s Mastercraft Distribution a go-to wholesale source for nationwide retailers including Target, Walmart, Hobby Lobby and T.J. Maxx. “We try to provide a high-end product at an affordable price,” says Dobbs of the line. From bold pink and lime green to more traditional glass, golds and bronzes, no material is left out of Mastercraft’s offerings. With an eye on current trends in the home design and fashion markets as well as an open-mind, which she allows to be inspired by “anything from magazine clippings to pictures of art or colors I see,” Dobbs brings a new line to life each fall and spring at High Point Market.
A true go-getter and successful in her own rite, Dobbs is using the foundation that was originally laid by her grandfather with his small Jonesboro-based lamp company, along with the success her dad has built with their current operation, to expand Mastercraft’s offerings. This past fall the company debuted their first line of case goods and accent pieces at market, and received a great response. Her hope is this new addition will allow them to build entire collections around one trend or look, making them a one-stop shop for vendors.
…
Amber & Jonathan Perrodin, Perrodin Supply Co.
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and Amber and Jonathan Perrodin have certainly found that to be the case. Their company, Perrodin Supply Co., was born one Christmas Eve after the pair found themselves in need of extra income and decided to open a shop on Etsy selling Jonathan’s handmade artist canvases and other supplies Amber had on hand. “The shop just kind of rolled out of the situation. We were dreaming big, and it actually paid off,” says Amber.
…
Stacie Bloomfield, Gingiber
With a name like Gingiber, which happens to be Latin for ginger, it may not be a surprise to find a flavorful array of colorful, whimsical designs in the online shop’s ever-growing selection. However, Stacie Bloomfield’s home décor and gift line was actually inspired by her family rather than its spicy moniker. “When I was expecting our first daughter, I was excited to decorate her room, but I couldn’t find anything I truly loved,” says Bloomfield. “So my husband encouraged me to make my own.”
…
Owen Rein, The Moffett Hollow Chair Company
Outside of Mountain View signs direct cars down Owen Road, the unofficial name of a passage so narrow it feels as though the forest is closing in on you. Just when you are certain the road couldn’t go any further, the trees open up to a small clearing. This is where craftsman Owen Rein has made his home and work, creating handmade dining and rocking chairs, bowls and baskets from timber he harvests from the property.
Having loved woodworking from an early age, Rein built houses and made furniture for other people for most of his life, but frequently saw small business owners struggle to keep up in tough economies. He realized that if he applied the same ideas he had about living simply off the land in the woods to making his own chairs, he could remain in control of his own economics. Plus, since he lives on land he owns with plenty of trees, the resources were already there.
Rein breaks down his craft into three important steps. “These tools I’m using are really old hand tools, so the first step is to find a tree that’s just the right size, shape, and in the right place, too. That’s how I can work without machines.” Once Rein finds the perfect tree for a project, he takes the main section of the trunk and, rather than sawing it into boards, he splits it into wedges. “That’s fundamentally where you part company from conventional woodworking, because with conventional woodworking, the saw determines the line. But when you split wood, you’re following the grain so the line is actually in the tree. From then on, it’s a completely different thing.”
…
Landon Shockey, The Gilded Stag
Fayetteville’s design scene is abuzz with quality craftsmen, aspiring designers and inspired shopkeepers. Perhaps none of them more artfully combines this trio of skills than Landon Shockey of The Gilded Stag. Known for a line of custom-designed and handcrafted furnishings, Shockey puts a fresh—and often colorful—spin on each piece he creates.
Drawing inspiration from antique furnishings, including traditional British styles as well as the more fanciful appeal of Chinoiserie designs, The Gilded Stag’s pieces reflect a traditional yet playful aesthetic, which could be used in a variety of homes. “Our ability to customize each piece—whether by moulding design, size, shape or color—makes the line a fit for numerous styles,” says Shockey. “We have standard colors we use, but also offer the options of lacquer, antiquing, glazing or anything else our clients come up with,” he notes.
Shockey also enjoys having fun with the names of his pieces. The Gilded Stag draws its name from English inspiration and Shockey uses British references to title many of his works. For example, the Thomas mirror pays homage to the famous English furniture maker Thomas Chippendale, while the Shaftesbury bar cart draws its name from a street in London’s Chinatown, giving a nod to both its Chinese and British inspiration. As the line continues to evolve Shockey plans to add both soft goods and lighting.
…
Get to Know…Paul Michael
Reclaimed materials, classic Americana style and whitewash paint techniques may be showing up on your radar as current home trends. However, they aren’t a newfound love for Paul Michael. Instead, they are a lifelong passion. He has been a champion of handcrafted pieces, salvaged materials and the creative process in general since the early 1970s when he founded Paul Michael Company in Lake Village.
…
