5/9/18

Staving Artist, a Favorite Local Business + a giveaway

This post was made possible thanks to the generosity of Staving Artist, a local, family owned business that specializes in woodworking with reclaimed products. Photos are by LYNDSI Photography.








Our love of the Staving Artist started with a wedding gift. Formed from the metal that once wrapped around a wine barrel, were the letters Esh, our last name. It was thoughtful and unique, a piece that quickly became a favorite decor item of mine. I asked the giver about the gift; she said a friend of hers custom made it.

About a year later at a local arts festival, as Herm and I were strolling along, we saw a booth with items all made from the wood of old wine barrels, and similar to our sign, there were other things made from metal wine barrel hoops as well. One that stood out to me was the distinctive 'Y' shape of Keuka Lake, the lake we can see from our deck. 

We stopped to chat with the man running the stand, and found out, yes, he was the one who made our sign. The 'Y' made its way home with us -- it's a shape locals know well, and one out-of-town-ers think is simply my take on abstract art. 

Herm found out Dan, the man who is the artist behind the pieces we have, had a Facebook page. He followed along there, and for several years, around Christmastime, would contact Dan in order to purchase a few gifts, mostly small tables made from reclaimed barrels, for people he'd done business with during the year. One of those tables, though, managed to escape the gifting process, and now resides with us. Always a conversation piece because of how unique it is.






Dan, and his fiance, Rachel, opened a storefront along Main Street in Penn Yan. While they no longer make custom names from the metal hoops like the one we were gifted on our wedding day, their product line has exploded, ranging from bottle openers and serving trays to bar stools (I wouldn't hate to have two of these for our deck. Herm, are you reading this?) and wine racks.



If you'd like something customized, the staves are a great option. We've got one that reads 'Esh Estate'. Our place was pretty much a dump when we purchased it, but Herm always referred to it as our estate, making it sound more regal than it is. Slowly, with a lot of love and a bit of hard work (or maybe a lot of hard work and a bit of love?) our place is turning into that estate we've been dreaming about.

With an Anthropologie vibe to it, every time I go in their small shop, I leave feeling inspired. (And wishing for more.) 

Recently I've gotten to know Rachel as a friend. So when she approached me about possibly collaborating on a project, immediately I knew my answer was 100%, YES! I love Staving Artist, the ten plus items I have from their shop is proof. And I'm guessing that you might like them too.

Rachel brought a whole bunch of their products over to my house, and for the better part of a day, she and I, along with our friend Lyndsi of LYNDSI Photography, styled the products to photograph for their website. It was such fun, not to mention creatively invigorating as well.










As part of the collaboration, Staving Artist generously offered one of their 1/2 Barrel Head Demi Lune Tables for a giveaway on my Instagram account. I don't want you to miss out on a chance to win! So make sure you take a few minutes to enter. The steps are simple, and everything you need to know, you'll find here

In the mean time, you can learn more about Staving Artist and see what they have to offer on their website. Also, be sure to follow along on Instagram and Facebook! If you're ever in the Finger Lakes region, visit the shop at 109 Main Street, Penn Yan, NY. You won't regret it!