Right off the bat, I can tell you that Brian is an incredible artist, not simply a woodworker. Like most artists, he doesn’t like to talk about himself, but we’re going to try and squeeze some juice out of him here.I was introduced to Brian Grasela nearly ten years ago through Imperfects founder Mike Lynch. Mike had met Brian after purchasing some wood from him for a project and, as the saying goes, “common interest is the seed of friendship.” Mike’s true nature is that of an artist, and I’d say that the same goes for Brian Grasela. You won’t find too much information about him on the internet and, well, that’s because he spends his time mostly off of it—creating sculptures, furniture, drawing, surfing, or spending time with his family. Our friendship has now spanned a decade, and my sense of wonder and appreciation for Brian’s work has only grown. We’ve had so many inspiring conversations around art and creativity over the years, so I’m going to take this opportunity to hopefully capture some of that magic on the record.
Alright Brian, no holding back on this one, alright?
You’ve shared a lot with me over the years about your early roots as an artist. “Boxes full of drawings, making movies with your friends,” as I’ve heard you talk about. Can you tell me about when that started for you as a kid?
To be honest, I wasn't really the most creative kid. I spent more time struggling in school and getting into trouble. It wasn't really until I barely graduated high school that I started doodling. As you know, surfing attracts creative humans, and that was my core group of friends throughout my 20s. With them, when not in the water, I spent time drawing, throwing art shows, making graffiti, etc. The woodworking was something I did as a kid with my uncle. I was his little assistant throughout my teens and 20s. We remodeled homes, commercial offices, things like that. I loved working with him but NEVER thought it would stick like it has. Then, in 2007, when I was feeling quite lost, I decided to try furniture building and found a school in Fort Bragg, CA. I applied, got in, and the rest is history.
You have a really interesting mind and approach to how you work with wood. From your perspective, what are you seeking to achieve when you start working on one of your pieces?
What I’m trying to achieve through my personal work is to create something original, well-executed, experimental, and, most importantly, finished to perfection. I’ve always said just because the bottom of the table isn’t seen doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be finished to the same level as the top. A lot of the time I start with a rough idea, but in truth, the slab of wood usually dictates where my vision goes. Sometimes I start with an idea, but by the time I’m done it’s completely different, and that’s because the wood moved me in a different direction. You can’t force the flow of Mother Nature, so when the wood is saying, “No, this isn’t working,” then you need to shift gears and follow the flow.
Where were you at on your woodworking journey when you went to College of the Redwoods, and how did that guide your trajectory into today?
When I applied to furniture school, I really had no idea what I was doing. Even after the 9-month program, I was still lost and honestly didn’t enjoy the style of building that was pushed. I learned a lot, and honestly it was the best year of my life, but that was more because the school was located on the coast and in the redwoods. Any opportunity Igot, I was off looking for waves, hikes, new beaches, and burls in the driftwood piles. The coast is so damn inspiring to me. I still think about it all the time... it’s a piece of my soul. Without College of the Redwoods, I wouldn’t be making what I'm making today, but in no way was it inspired by their style. Sculpture, friends, Mother Nature, and, of course, the wood grain are my inspiration.
I’ve been to your house in San Diego a few times, and there’s a lot of art around the space you inhabit—sculptures, paintings, drawings, etc. When did you start collecting and surrounding yourself with art?
Man, I’ve been collecting art since I was in my early 20s. I vividly remember my first purchased piece of art. It was $100 from an artist named Brendon Monroe. I still have it in my daughter’s room, but man, that was a lot to spend back then. What I’ve basically done since then is allocate a percentage of my earnings to art and sculpture—something that drives my wife nuts but makes me quite happy. There’s nothing more enjoyable than surrounding myself with creative pieces and supporting other artists. Without support, they can’t create and make the world a more interesting place.
We share a love of surfing and the ocean. A lot of our friendship has revolved around that. How often are you getting in the water as of late?
The ocean and surfing are basically the fuel to my life. I spend waaaaaaaaay too much time thinking about it. My productivity would skyrocket if I didn’t surf, but honestly I can’t imagine life without it and the ocean. It depends on swell and conditions, but on average I’d say I surf four days a week... in winter, five to six.
Has surfing inspired your work in any way? If so, how?
I wouldn’t say surfing has inspired my work, but I might not be the person I am without it.
Obviously you use wood in a lot of your pieces. What is it you like about working with wood, and do you ever think about delving into other mediums?
Yeah, so wood is my main interest and passion, something I will be working with till the day I die. It never gets old. No two pieces are the same. It can make you happy and frustrated at the same time. Although plentiful, the right piece is rare, and it always surprises me. Once sanded and oiled to perfection, there’s no better feeling than rubbing your hands on the piece you’ve created. I do like to add other elements into my pieces, but the main interest is the wood.
As a new dad myself, I’m always interested to learn about other dads. How do you balance and approach life as an artist and also a dad of two children?
Good question about family and balance, although it should be, “How do you balance work, family, and the ocean?” Haha. Honestly, at this point the balance really involves me spending less time at work. My days mostly look like this... up at 5:30, hang with the family till 8, head to the shop, and if there’s surf, I time the tide and wind, get in the water, then back to the shop till 3, then head home and hang with the family till bedtime. It’s quite structured at this point, but I look forward to every waking minute. One thing I’ve always said ever since I started Made Lumber almost 14 years ago is, “I’ve NEVER not been excited to go to work.” That’s saying something, isn’t it?
I’ve really been loving the sculptures and furniture you’ve been making recently. It seems like you’ve been diving deeper and deeper into your art. Do you find that you’re in a more prolific stage with how much work you’re making, or is this a normal pace for you?
Yeah, I do feel like I’ve been more inspired lately. Not sure why, but the last six months have been a lot of fun, and to my surprise I’ve had some great clients and projects. It always comes and goes in waves, but if I have fun customers who are open to ideas, then I stay excited. If they want more boring, run-of-the-mill work, I lose a bit of interest.
How do you hope your work and art are remembered in the generations to come?
Oh man, I’m not sure if I’ll be remembered at all, but my thought is if I don’t stop creating and live till my 80s, there’s no way I won’t be semi-recognized... even in a small group of people. I told my wife the only thing I ask of her after death is to put together a hardback book of my life through woodwork and give it to my whole family and all my friends. I just want to be remembered in this way... as a creative person trying to make the planet more interesting to look at.
You pointed out a slab of wood during our shoot that had a lot of chainsaw marks, giving it a unique texture and look. Do you tend to gravitate more towards those types of pieces that others might see as imperfect?
As far as the textured slab goes, I tend to gravitate towards fun textures more than anything. I like a good mix of textural mediums in my work... a little bit of rough and tore up mixed with buttery smooth... this is what currently excites me. It all can’t be perfect. The tooling tells a story, so let it be seen. This is why I’m drawn to the chainsaw mill marks—they’re so raw.
Thanks for your time Brian, It was a pleasure.
Check out Brian's incredible work at: briangrasela.com
