Today we’d like to introduce you to Barry Newstat.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started working with wood in junior high. My dad and I bought a wood lathe together (although he never used it) after I made a bowl in a class at school. We occasionally went to a wood importer on the south side; I started working with wood from around the world when I was about 13 years old and immediately fell in love with it as a medium. I went on to get a degree in education.
I wanted to teach woodworking, my thinking was teaching would be how I could still work with wood. But it wasn’t for me, I wanted to do my own work more than I wanted to teach others (especially kids!). I quit in 1987 after only seven years to start “making things” (as I’ve always thought of it) for a living. My first few years I made anything, mostly built-ins and kitchen cabinets just to get started.
I was able to work fairly minimally in my garage and made enough money to gradually buy more equipment. Within about four or five years I was making only furniture and quit making built-ins. August 2017 was my 30th anniversary of self-employment and quitting teaching.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When I first started I was pretty overwhelmed. It was a struggle finding projects, and then when I was hired, the amount of physical labor was pretty staggering. I didn’t make enough to pay any employees so I was doing everything myself. I worked 7 days a week and many 12-14 hour days. I also struggled with pricing my work. I was so eager for new customers, I made the mistake too often of underpricing my work. I’d get paid after finishing a project and after paying for materials, there’d barely be any money left.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Barry Newstat Furniture story. Tell us more about the business.
I specialize in making “art furniture”. That’s a pretty broad and loose term but I interpret it as pieces with a range of shapes, textures, and colors. And I use wood grain as a design element and often design a piece of furniture based on specific pieces of wood. I focus on visual intrigue; my best (and favorite) pieces are ones I push to their very limit without becoming gaudy. In my mind, I think of them as “complete”. All details have been considered and there’s just enough. One more detail, no matter how small, would be too much.
My pieces are functional but don’t necessarily fit in a specific style or category. I’m proud of the fact that I’m mostly self-taught. When I design a piece I simultaneously think how I’ll make it too. I think the uniqueness in my work is the combinations of sculptural carvings, colors, and textures. Fine woodworking craftsmanship paired with chaotic painted and textured surfaces.
As time has passed, I think more of what I do as “making things” and less of it as a “business”. I have no interest in business, instead, I prefer making my work, not building my business. A great day to me is spending time focusing on fine details of a piece, maybe painting or shaping a piece of wood by hand. I enjoy the solitude of working alone, my companion is usually music or spoken word. (Podcasts are man’s greatest invention)
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’ve always felt I’ve been able to do this for so long because I’ve been at the right place at the right time. In 2010, on a whim and on the last day before the deadline, I applied for and was accepted to the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington DC. I now have many customers around the country as a result.
And I’ve had a few loyal customers for whom I’ve made multiple pieces. I’ve worked with one in particular for about 25 years. As his career progressed and as he moved to new homes, we’ve continued to work together. A friend referred him to me originally, (and at that point she was really only an acquaintance, not really a friend yet). Referrals from people I don’t have resulted in great projects. To me, that’s just luck.
Pricing:
- side tables $1500-$4500
- dining tables around $5000 and up
- mirrors frames $300-$2500
Contact Info:
- Website: barrynewstatfurniture.com
- Phone: (708) 287-2404
- Email: barry@barrynewstatfurniture.com
- Instagram: bnfurniture
- Facebook: Barry Newstat Furniture
Image Credit:
Barry Newstat, Peter Rossi
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