SPEAK MAGAZINE
MASTER OF HIS CRAFT JOSH MITCHELL GIVES US A PEEK INTO THE WORLD OF WOODWORKING
RAILWAY COFFEE RUSTON’S FIRST CRAFT COFFEE ROASTING COMPANY SEEKS TO ELEVATE EVERYONE’S FAVORITE STIMULANT
GROOVY GETUPS CHECK OUT THESE 70s-INSPIRED OUTFITS WITH A MODERN TWIST
DAY OLD BLUES A COLLEGE TOWN WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A HIP LOCAL VINYL STORE
TRANQUILITY THROUGH GREENERY DON’T THINK YOU COULD KEEP A PLANT ALIVE FOR LONGER THAN A DAY? DON’T WORRY, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED
FALL 2016 | LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY
upcoming events DIXIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
OCTOBER OCTOBER 13-16: You Can’t Take It With You, A Comedy, 7p.m.; Thurs - Sat; 2 p.m. Sun - Directed by Mary Watkins - $6 student tickets
DECEMBER 2-3: Holiday Arts Tour, Times vary rt crawl with music demos and street theatre - FREE - Downtown Ruston DECEMBER 12: The Messiah presented by E Phillips T D
OCTOBER 21: ARToberfest, 5-10 p.m. Beer tasting, live music, food trucks $25 -$35, Norton Building
DECEMBER 16: Russ-Town Band, 7:30 p m nnual hristmas oncert Ticket is canned good donation
OCTOBER 27: Stephanie Trick in Concert, 7p.m., $25
DECEMBER 17: Dixie Dancers, 6 p.m. nnual hristmas program T D
NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 5: Piney Hills Harmony Chorus, 7 p.m. - Women’s a cappella harmony $15 NOVEMBER 17: NUTS! p m Indie ilm with ilmmaker Q Part of the Southern Circuit Film Tour - $3 student tickets
DECEMBER DECEMBER 1-4: It’s a Wonderful Life, A Play 7 p.m. Thurs.- Sat.; 2 p.m. Sat. Directed by Jan Wallace $6 student tickets
JANUARY JANUARY 1: Jaki Wilkinson Art Exhibit. Exhibition of “old master” style oil paintings by Jaki Wilkinson. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays. Free to view. JANUARY 9: Call for Entries for 50 under $50 art exhibition. ccepted works will hang at Parish Press in February ontact www.nclac.org to apply
FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2: Shake ‘em on Down, 7 p.m. Indie ilm with ilmmaker Q Part of the
Southern Circuit Film Tour - $3 student tickets FEBRUARY 13: Mount Olive Student Show, exhibition of artwork by students from Mount Olive School. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. weekdays. Free to view. FEBRUARY 18: Krewe of Allegro Mardi Gras Ball and NCLAC Silent Auction, p m midnight Formal all to beneit the sustaining building fund for the Dixie enter for the rts Featuring music by Windstorm. Tickets on sale January 1. Ruston Civic Center
All events at 212 North Vienna in down-town Ruston unless otherwise noted. For more information call (318) 255-1450.
CONTENTS 6 26 20 10
ARTS+CULTURE
FOOD+DRINK
FASHION
6 | For the Record
14 | A North Louisiana Treasure
26 | Groovy Getups
We sit down with the owner of Enoch’s Irish Pub, a landmark watering hole in Monroe.
70s fashion is making its way back onto the scene. Check out some throwback-inspired looks with fresh updates.
Dowtown Ruston has a new stop for music-lovers. Day Old Blues is bringing vinyl records to the area.
10 | Tranquility Through Greenery If your green thumb is inhibited by your busy schedule or lack of gardening space, we have a few options that might work for you. 12 | SPEAK’s Favorite Things heck out what our staf is into right now You might ind your next obsession.
4 | SPEAK magazine
14
34 20 | Java Jockeys Railway ofee is bringing craft cofee roasting to Ruston and trust us, you’ll want a sip.
FEATURES 34 | The Carpenter and his Craft We take a look at how Joshua Mitchell combines art and craftsmanship to create his unique pieces.
From the Editor
T
his is hard.
SPEAK
I’ve spent four years at Louisiana Tech, learning how to turn my passion into a career. I’ve been involved
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Sadler
in ive magazines three yearbooks and way too many newspapers to count (se-
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ellie Moslander
riously I don t want to know But this is the last thing I will write for
MANAGING EDITOR Rachel Maxwell
Tech, the last bit of content I will produce under the university’s banner. I m proud of the work everyone on this
FASHION COORDINATOR Katie Howard
magazine has done and I m proud of our publication as a whole.
WRITERS Ellie Moslander Rachel Maxwell John Sadler Alexis Trisler Josh Edavettal
This SPEAK is an experiment. We’re publishing at the beginning of the school year. Which, if you’ll let me get a bit self-involved here, means I won’t be here to see the issue be put on the stands. It s hard to separate myself like that from an issue of which I am very proud
PHOTO EDITOR Brian Blakely
In this issue we will continue our eforts to shine a light on the culture of Northeast Louisiana the artists the restaurants the bars and the businesses that make living here such a communal experience. We sit down with the owners past and present of Enoch s Irish Pub in Monroe the founders of Railway
ofee and the dedicated enthusiasts running Day Old
lues Records
We sit down with local woodworker Joshua Mitchell to discuss his process and his artistic
PHOTOGRAPHERS Anna Deutschman Brian Blakely Devin Dronett Brittany Fletcher Ashley Kober Colin Fontenot
vision. We ve got instructions on how to stock your home bar and how to make sure your garden is in top shape for that irst home away from home To incoming students I know Ruston can seem like just another small town to me it seemed like a metropolis but make the most of it
ollege comes around once and it is an experience
that will stick with you for a lifetime
ADVISERS Michael LeBlanc Dr. Reginald Owens Dr. Judith Roberts T. Scott Boatright PRODUCTION MANAGER Michael LeBlanc
I hope you love your experience at Tech as much as I loved mine. To Rachel good luck with the magazine next year I am so excited to see what it produces under your guidance. One more time How
@LATechSpeak
out Them Dogs
speakmagazinemedia speakmagazinemedia
JOHN SADLER Editor-in-Chief
©SPEAK Magazine is published quarterly by students in the journalism concentration in the department of communication and media studies at Louisiana Tech University. Views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily express the views of Louisiana Tech University. SPEAK Magazine welcomes letters to the editor. However, we reserve the right not to print anonymous letters. We also ask that each letter be accompanied by a telephone number, address, and classiication or title. We will not print the telephone number or address. Direct all letters and inquires to speakmagazinemedia@gmail.com.
Louisiana Tech University is committed to the principle of providing the opportunity for learning and development of all qualiied citizens without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status for admission to, participation in, or employment in the programs and activities which the University sponsors or operates. For Title IX information, see University Policy #1445 at http:// www.latech.edu/administration/ policies-and-procedures/1445.shtm.
FALL 2016 | 5
Arts+Culture
10 | SPEAK magazine
WORDS ALEXIS TRISLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BRITTANY FLETCHER
Tucked away on the corner of North Vienna and East Mississippi lies Ruston’s newest hidden gem – Day Old Blues Records. The downtown area welcomed this new addition to its shopping district in September 2015, creating new avenues for music enthusiasts to stoke a passion for the retro Open ive days a week Day Old lues ofers an array of vinyl from a variety of artists – anyone from Daft Punk to The Lumineers. The best part what you cannot ind the staf will order for you
SPRING 2016 | 11
owever, this store did not spring up by itself, but came from a colorful history full of turntables and LPs, as described by store owner and founder James Gilcrease Originally located in Shreveport Gilcrease has expanded the store’s reach along Interstate-20 to Ruston. A self-described “oddball” in high school Gilcrease grew up developing a love for music – especially that of Tom Petty. In 2012, that love manifested itself into a window at a local antique store in the downtown area. Due in part to the eforts of a man 8 | SPEAK magazine
called Jackie oy Gilcrease picked up shop in 2013 and moved into a new location on Kings Highway near Centenary College. None of this would ve happened without Jackie Gilcrease said I d known this guy for two days and he had already convinced me to move my store.” Since then, the Shreveport store has upgraded once more to its current location on Line venue Gilcrease spoke fondly of his home branch, having brought it from humble beginnings to what it is now. “I watched it grow from two shelves no bigger than a window sill to a store in Shreveport Gilcrease said Day Old Blues has received rave reviews since its opening from various media outlets
– James Gilcrease
in Shreveport, such as The Shreveport Times. Between the praise from local media and customers’ word of mouth, the business kept rolling in Gilcrease soon felt the pull to open up a new location. “I spent a lot of time in Ruston when I was younger,” he said. “We would drive back and forth so often that it s pretty much a second home to me now.” At the urgings of a friend, the
Ruston DO was opened next to the Dixie Theatre and Cotton Landing at 111 E. Mississippi Ave. “Our main goal is to expand Gilcrease said of the store’s future. “But right now we just want to have what customers are looking for and ofer new bands and records We keep a record going in the background that way if anyone asks us ‘Hey, what record is that?’ we can tell them, ‘Oh, it’s the Moody Blues,’ or whoever Then if they really like it they can buy the record.” Both Ruston and Shreveport store workers also said
they have high hopes for the future of the new branch. There s no place like this, even in Monroe,” said Shreveport employee Landon Gramling With records coming back and Ds going by the wayside, people want to ind new music and bands to listen to.” This new addition to the shopping district continues to grow making appearances at festivities such as the Ruston Makers Fair and the Louisiana Tech Orientation Scavenger Hunt as well as receiving promotion from the Ruston Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau.
TRANQUILITY T
H
R
O
U
G
H
GREENERY E
A B
B
WORDS RACHEL MAXWELL
W
ith the stress of college life, not every student has the time or space to devote to a traditional garden. Here are a few easy-tocare for houseplants that can add life to a dorm room or oice space 10 | SPEAK magazine
A
B CACTUS The well known desert plant has seen a resurgence lately, making it a trendy choice for students, not to mention its ability to survive neglect. The cactus only needs to be watered often enough that the soil doesn’t completely dry out, but it does need a good amount of sunlight Make sure your cactus plant is in a window where it will receive sunlight for most of the day.
C ECHEVERIA The echeveria is considered a non hardy succulent and like most succulents, handles neglect well making it the perfect choice for busy or forgetful college students. The echeveria does well in full sun and does not like to be kept too wet e sure not to let the soil dry out completely though, as it can whither the roots. When watering make sure you are watering the soil and not the plant’s rosette, as it can damage the echeveria’s leaves.
VARIEGATED ENGLISH IVY While variegated English ivy grows a little more slowly than other types of Ivy, the multicolored plant is a perfect option for indoor spaces like oices because of its tolerance for shade. The white coloring on its leaves is due to the smaller amount of chlorophyll found in the variegated ivy, which means it needs less sunlight to thrive. Indirect bright sunlight is best, think a window sill behind a sheer curtain.
C
A
E ALOE VERA Aloe vera is a great way to ease the pain of sunburn, and it can also be an easy-to-care-for addition to your dorm window sill. Aloe vera can thrive with very little care and are in more danger of overwatering than under watering. Your aloe plant will do best in a sunny window and will grow toward the sun, so be sure to rotate the plant as needed.
ROSEMARY Rosemary is a little tougher to manage as a house plant than the others on our list, but having fresh sprigs of rosemary on hand to add to your favorite recipes can be worth the extra efort It is important that rosemary be potted in a well-draining container and that the plant has plenty of sunlight. Especially if you are transferring your Rosemary from an outdoor location where it was getting several hours of direct sunlight a day your plant will need to adjust to its new environment Making sure it has as much sunlight as it did before making its way into your dorm or apartment is one way to make sure your plant will survive indoors. Rosemary doesn’t need to be watered more than about once every two weeks and you should always test the soil before watering to make sure it is dry ll plants pictured courtesy of Twin Oaks Nursery in Ruston La FALL 2016 | 11
JUST A FEW OF SPEAK’S
FAVORITE THINGS BEN AND JERRY’S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM en and Jerry s was reputedly the irst to marry ice cream and chocolate chip cookie dough, and so far we think they have remained the best in the game. You can never go wrong with Vermont’s Finest, or with ice cream in general, really.
BITE BEAUTY’S “AMUSE BOUCHE” LIPSTICK Highly-pigmented and super-rich, this lipstick provides full coverage while leaving your lips soft and moisturized
12 | SPEAK magazine
TAME IMPALA’S “CURRENTS” 2015 released album from the Australian alternative rock band is deinitely worth a listen.
TEAVANA TEA Loose-leaf teas are unmatchable in quality, as the full leaves retain more essential oils and aroma than traditional tea bags. We love sipping Teavana whether we’re studying or relaxing.
STEELSERIES SIBERIA V2 HEADPHONES If you are looking to enhance your gaming experience, the Siberia v2 headset is all you are looking for in comfort and audio performance. The modern design and quality manufacturing are well worth the $80.
We Fill Eyeglass Prescriptions from ALL EYE DOCTORS! WE CARRY A MULTITUDE OF EYEGLASS FRAMES AND SUNGLASSES, INCLUDING:
FITBIT ALTA It tracks your steps, sleep, and reminds you to move and stay active. Once you get a Fitbit, you won’t know what to do without one, and there isn’t a sleeker choice than the Alta.
Vera Bradley, Kate Spade, MODO, Aristar, Gucci, Coach, Lafont, Cazal, Caviar, Esprit, Fysh, Xavier Garcia, MiraFlex, Ray Bans, Costa, Maui Jim and many others! OPEN MON-FRI: 9 AM - 5 PM • (318) 255-2801 • 104 N. MONROE ST • RUSTON, LA.
STRAWN’S STRAWBERRY PIE Strawn’s Eat Shop boasts one of the best pies in Northern Louisiana Next time you ind yourself in Shreveport, be sure to stop by one of their three locations and grab a slice.
FALL 2016 | 13
Food+Drink
a NORTH LOUISI N
TREASURE Every city has the one. The bar. The neighborhood watering hole where regulars gather and out of towners venture into to experience the local lavor For Monroe, the central hub of Northeast Louisiana, that bar is Enoch’s Irish Pub.
WORDS JOHN SADLER
PHOTOGRAPHY DEVIN DRONETT
he old-Ireland-themed establishment has been serving up beer, burgers and cocktails for more than 35 years. Founded in 1980 on St. Patrick s Day by Enoch Doyle Jeter the bar was originally named Enoch’s, A Café, and stationed near Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe Enoch said opening the bar was based around his experiences in concert venues in New York during his youth “I was always infatuated with Greenwich Village folk clubs he said My irst show at was James Taylor and The Flying Machine,” he said. His love of concert venues played into the original incarnation of Enoch s which existed as a major concert venue for Northeast Louisiana The bar had no set genre of music, instead bringing in an eclectic series of musicians.
16 | SPEAK magazine
One night we d have zydeco musician Dewey alfa and the next night we d have a hardcore punk band from New York Enoch said I m proud to say that on a regular basis we were bringing in zydeco hardcore punk and outlaw guys from Austin, Texas.”
He said the connections he made with musicians was one of the best parts of the job “You meet musicians that become literally family,” he said. “One of the absolute highlights of the last 37 years was becoming friends with Rick Danko
– John Jeter of The and Enoch’s secret to running a bar is simple: stay humble. “If you get to feeling like a big shot clean the bathroom,” he said. “You’ve got to be willing to get up every morning and mop the bathroom and clean it out.” One of Enoch’s longest-running traditions is
the yearly celebration of John Lennon s birthday In few of my friends and I were sitting around and said, ‘Oh my God it s John Lennon s birthday. We should have a party,’” Enoch said. “Less than two months later he died. It’s now the longest running John Lennon birthday celebration in the world.” In 1999, the bar moved to its current location on Louisville Avenue, a decision Enoch made in order to tone down the bar’s atmosphere. “We had 500-800 people a night coming through,” he said. “Me getting older and getting in touch with my Irish roots by going to Ireland made me want to get that neighborhood feeling back In January Enoch sold the business to his son, John Jeter Dad still does the booking John said He likes to say he s the other janitor He s the mastermind. He built the name up.”
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FALL 2016 | 17
ENO H S orn in John spent most of his early life in the bar. “Since I was literally a baby, I’ve grown up in the bar he said I was back in a carrier on the water heater.” John s childhood was spent around musical behemoths due to his father’s status as an event promoter. “Stevie Ray Vaughn came into the bar with his Indian headdress on. He was loaded and I was playing arcade games John said He came up to me and started shaking me Tears were rolling down his face and he was yelling Don t be like me I got to be backstage with ob Dylan and ate crawish with his band I fell asleep on his speaker during the show Though John cut his teeth in the other Enoch s locations around Monroe, the current location was always his dad’s ideal. Dad always looked at this building and said if it ever came up for sale he’d buy it because it would make a perfect Irish pub John said We always called it The Enoch s that grew up and took a bath John said the pub lives up to its title as a public house. “It’s not necessarily my place. Enoch’s is everybody s he said Say there s a ight I can t get there fast enough before the customers break it up Enoch said though he is not as involved with the pub as he used to be, he is excited it is still around. I m so proud that my kids are keeping the ires burning,” he said.
18 | SPEAK magazine
see more on:
www.thefashionofruston.com
To Railway ofee s owner Michael Davis cofee isn t just his business, it’s his obsession
WORDS RACHEL MAXWELL
PHOTOGRAPHY COLIN FONTENOT
hether it s to wake them up for their work day or fuel a late-night study session, when people pour their daily cup of joe they probably aren t thinking about what country the coffee beans came from, what altitude they were grown in, or how they were harvested. However for specialty cofee roasters like Michael Davis cofee is a lot more than just a morning pick me up ofee is such a social drink Davis said You drink it after a meal, in the morning, with friends, with family, and I was never satisied with a cup of cofee He started looking for a better way to ill his cup and stumbled upon the craft cofee industry Davis holds an MBA from Louisiana Tech, and when he found specialty roasting, his fascination with small business collided with his newfound love of the craft. In 2014, he founded Railway ofee an independent small batch specialty cofee roasting company. It started as a hobby Davis said “My wife and I started roasting at our house just to drink ourselves ut then we let our friends and family try, and we got good feedback so we decided to go
W
22 | SPEAK magazine
into business.” In 2015 Railway launched its online store and started participating in local events like the Ruston Farmer s Market and Makers Fair s online and wholesale orders climbed Davis found himself in need of a partner and turned to longtime friend and Ruston resident Dustin Whitlock I had talked to him about it probably as much as I would have if he had been
a partner from the beginning Davis said.” When he came aboard, it was a natural it Dustin and his father Howard Whitlock signed on in January Dustin said seeing his friend’s business grow inspired him to get involved, and he is excited about the things they’ve been able to accomplish since partnering. “We’ve gotten to see the vision that Michael had grow into fruition Dustin
“COFFEE IS SUCH A SOCIAL DRINK. YOU DRINK IT AFTER A MEAL, IN THE MORNING, WITH FRIENDS, WITH FAMILY, AND I WAS NEVER SATISFIED WITH A CUP OF COFFEE.” – Michael Davis
Whitlock said We ve gotten to expand our line, adding a decaf, and we’ve been able to expand our oferings at the farmer s market and the Makers Fair with things like the nitro cold brew We ve been able to do all kinds of diferent things that were all part of his vision, getting to that next level.” In addition to the expansion of products the business has seen this year, Railway is also expanding its re-
tail space. A downtown store is under construction and will soon house the company’s roasting operation as well as a cofee shop The team said they also have plans to host roasting lessons and live music in the space in the future. Davis said one of the reasons he fell in love with specialty cofee was the level of control small-batch roasters have over the inal product While large cofee chains roast hundreds of pounds of beans from multiple sources at a time, roasting companies like Railway are able to manage more variables when roasting. ommodity cofee companies roast
on such a large scale they cannot possibly have the quality control that craft cofee roasters do he said We roast pounds at a time We are able to pick out a single bean if we see it got charred or somehow didn’t get roasted at all. As small batch roasters, we are able to control some of the things those bigger players can’t. So by the time you buy our cofee hopefully that irst sip is noticeably diferent from anything you ve ever had.” Davis said the choices he and Dustin Whitlock make when roasting beans depends on a variety of factors. Every bean is diferent and has a unique roast FALL 2016 | 23
proile Davis said it takes a lot of experimentation to get it just right “At the end of the day, it’s up to us to roast it in a way that brings out the best lavor of the bean and the right mouthfeel in the cup Davis said You can start with a great quality bean, but if we ruin it then it’s going to be horrible cofee So we re having to look at what country it was grown in, the altitude of that speciic farm what type of cofee plant is it, how it was harvested, how it was processed. All those factors can make a diference in what lavor qualities come out in the bean.” Dustin Whitlock said inding what lavors to highlight in each bean is a long process. The team roasts several batches of the same bean, controlling variables diferently each time The speed of the roasting drum, temperature, gas low and air low are only some of the things Davis and Whitlock monitor and adjust when roasting a batch of beans During the whole process you re watching the gauges but you’re also smelling the cofee you re looking at the cofee through a little window so you re using your senses as a craft roaster to make sure the bean is progressing as it s supposed to and that you’re dropping it at the right time Davis said Even 24 | SPEAK magazine
seconds too long can make a big diference in the inal result in the cup That s just another thing that shows the diference between a craft roaster and a commodity roaster.” After creating samples, each one is given a grade, and the best one is chosen to be launched. For Railway, the process does not stop there. To maintain a consistent product, Railway retests each product every few months to make sure they are putting out the best possible roast for each bean. It is all about making sure we are highlighting the bean Whitlock said “Each bean comes to us with a certain proile each bean has certain notes Diferent cofees from around the world are going to have a more citrusy taste to it while some are more loral or have more of a nutty chocolate lavor It s our job as a roaster to make sure we are highlighting those taste notes, and that we are really bringing out the best parts of the cofee So to do that we have to pay speciic attention to how we are controlling each variable and making sure we are pulling out the best taste notes from each bean.” Another aspect of the business that Davis and Dustin Whitlock are particularly passionate about is the area they
serve. As Ruston natives and Louisiana Tech alumni the team said they like the idea of bringing a new kind of industry to students and others living in Ruston Davis said when he started doing research into specialty roasting, he noticed there were no craft cofee companies in the area. If you were to look at a map of specialty roasters at the time, there was an empty space in Ruston and the surrounding area,” he said. “Imagine that–something cool that doesn’t exist close to Tech and Ruston. That was really what sparked the interest in pursuing this idea. Tech students want cool stuf and to me this is a cool thing It is important to us that we’re plugged into the needs that Tech students have.” Davis said he believes the time and attention that craft roasters like Railway put in results in a cup of cofee that is better than anything previously available locally in Ruston. It might seem like we re bragging and I guess we kind of are but we want to make sure we are diferentiated in that way, that we are noticeably better, and that people understand the efort that goes into creating a better cup of cofee he said That s really the spirit of the industry and our company.”
From the Editor Fashion
GROOVY
GETUPS 70s inspired fashion trends are making a major comback in PHOTOGRAPHY ANNA DEUTSCHMAN + BRIAN BLAKLEY
MODEL ABBY FUQUE SPRING 2016 | 5
28 | SPEAK magazine
MODEL MICAELA LABARRON OUTFIT RODÉO BOUTIQUE
FALL 2016 | 29
MODEL MADELINE KENT OUTFIT RODÉO BOUTIQUE 32 | SPEAK magazine
MODEL ABBY FUQUE OUTFIT RODÉO BOUTIQUE
FALL 2016 | 31
MODEL ABBY FUQUE OUTFIT RODÉO BOUTIQUE 34 | SPEAK magazine
MODEL MADELINE KENT
FALL 2016 | 33
Features
36 | SPEAK magazine
THE
RPENTER ND HIS
CRAFT LOCAL WOODWORKER AND ARTIST JOSH MITCHELL CRAFTS BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE AND ART PIECES FROM RECLAIMED WOOD LONG FORGOTTEN
WORDS JOSH EDAVETTAL
PHOTOGRAPHY ASHLEY KOBER
B
ased out of Ruston and Monroe Joshua Mitchell is the founder of furniture company Jodami Design and head of the Ruston Maker s Fair a semi annual community fair that brings local artists and vendors together round ive years ago, he began creating furniture and art pieces from wood, incorporating his distinct visual style. “Early on in my furniture building, it was important to me to use recycled materials Mitchell said The irst piece that I made was a simple pallet cofee table. I found two pallets of the same size and painted them black I then attached locking casters to the underside. This allowed it to be moved easily. Then I put a large piece of glass on top. I made a couple of these but I knew I wanted my craft to expand.” Mitchell s friends took an interest in his work and social media feedback coupled with a desire to build and
eventually design furniture motivated him to continue woodworking When I started out I was really just making things and posting them on social media,” Mitchell said. “I was gauging people s reactions just seeing what people liked and didn t like from what I was doing.” Social media still plays a large part in Mitchell’s business. Word of mouth is kind of my biggest advertising tool. Social media is how I’ve done most of my sales,” he said. Having worked in construction for some time Mitchell said his work ex-
36 | SPEAK magazine
periences helped him get his business going. I just slowly kind of built up my skill set and toolset. I started with a love for woodworking just putting things together,” he said. Mitchell has recently made the transition into making furniture full time. I started about ive years ago, and it’s really picked up since then I made it a goal this year that I would be doing this full-time. It’s nice to be able to work when I want to and not when I don’t.” Mitchell said he was excited to continue to learn new methods of carpentry. My knowledge of the tools we use is still expanding,” he said I use diferent tools for diferent projects that I haven t used before I come across projects all the time that I need to learn new tools or skill sets for He said as an artist, practice increases his ability to create and he enjoys working on honing his skills with everything that he builds. Over the last ive years he has crafted numerous pieces of furniture for different clients in Ruston and Monroe. He said he looks at commissions as opportunities to grow as a carpenter. He was tasked to build a com-
plex display for Kelly Moore, a handbag designer who has a store in downtown Ruston. Mitchell had to design a structure presenting her products in a tasteful, professional way. Working with Kelly was a lot diferent than I had done previously,” he said. It was a large scale project that had to be planned well in order to function like it should We sat down and mapped out what she needed and what worked for her space I then took cues from her and sat down by myself to igure out what would work from a carpentry standpoint It took a couple of meetings to get it right, but in the end, I believe we designed exactly what she needed together.” Mitchell said commercial jobs can present challenges that residential or individual jobs generally do not Kelly was the irst person I did a big commercial job for From what I ve learned when you re making something
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for someone’s home they’re gonna love it anyway. But businesses generally have a speciic thing in mind he said I wouldn t say they re picky but they re particular They look for speciic functions and aesthetics. It’s a more particular process.” When Mitchell has been commissioned, he sits down with the customer until he has a deinite idea of what they want brainstorming sketching and even working with D modeling software until a concrete idea is agreed upon However it can be diicult to create furniture that functions exactly the way a customer wants it to. lthough I like making things look nice aesthetically, it’s fun for me to build something that functions like the customer needs I enjoy the area where aesthetic and function meet,” he said. A Tech graduate in architecture, Mitchell said he understands the fundamental properties and principles of creating a three-dimensional structure. He admits that being an artist sometimes causes him to focus more on the aesthetics of what he does, but ultimately, his goal is to make his customers happy He said his favorite projects are the projects he gets to express himself through. “I try to put a little of my own twists on most of the things I do. When I do things for residential clients I can kinda be a little more free to express myself creatively,” he said. “That’s always more fun for me. Everything I build has a piece of me in it. Especially considering my recent interest in my art pieces.” Mitchell said he draws inspiration from what is around him and his own personal history and looks to the detail in the buildings and locations around him for information to help him create. rchitecture plays a key role in his inspiration as well. He pulls from his knowledge of what great architects have done throughout the years and is mindful of the possibilities that exist around him, so that he can create furniture and art that is relective of esteemed design “In architecture we learned to draw inspiration from diferent moments in a building I feel like I approach my furniture building in the same way,” he said. “I try to create special features in each piece that will turn into something unforgettable.” His favorite pieces he has made are
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two tables he made for his old architecture professor Robert rooks One resides in the professor’s house, and the other is in a house on Alabama Street designed by the professor. The tables were probably what I would call my irst big project he said. “He contacted me and gave me a feel of what they were trying to go for in their outdoor dining space. I came up with a pretty cool table setup back there Mitchell s work relects his unique approach to furniture and talent, and these characteristics allow him to work on various projects Some of his work is diferent than other pieces he has created in the past, but all of them showcase his passion for carpentry. Mitchell enjoys creating diferent pieces of furniture for his clients, but his favorite part of his business is working with his customers. I enjoy getting feedback from a client on a piece,” he said. “It’s important in the design process to hear what the client wants and what they need the piece to do functionally.” Mitchell said the process of meeting clients and discussing what they want until a deinite goal is made can take time He said there have been times where a week has passed in which he has not been able to do carpentry, because he was busy talking to customers He said he believes customer service should be a high priority for any business and thus strives to make his clients happy. I think a big part in the growth of my business has to do with the face-to-face interaction with my clients. You don’t
get that when you just walk into a store and buy a piece of furniture without knowing who created it he said There has to be a balance between the work and my relationship with the customer. I focus on achieving that balance with every piece I make Mitchell heavily supports the growing arts in Ruston and Monroe. He spearheaded the Ruston Maker s Fair a recurring event that showcases North Louisiana craftsmen. The irst one was in fall
“It’s important in the design process to hear what the client wants and what they need the piece to do functionally.” – Joshua Mitchell
I started it because I wanted to showcase the crafts and artists around this area a little better,” he said. “At the time, there wasn’t a speciic event that showcased artists and artisans around the area.” Mitchell said he does not plan on leaving the area anytime soon and said Ruston is underrated simply because it is a small town. Growing up in Ruston I ve seen it change so much and met some really great people,” he said. “For now, I couldn’t see myself leaving this area without trying to leave my mark
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