The Workshop

I’ve always been a bit of a tinkerer and for years I’ve wondered if I could make a bow. At its simplest, a bow is really just a stick that suspends a strand of hair. I could make that! So with no formal training and minimal tools I finally decided to see if I could do it. I bought a piece of purpleheart wood (an accessible alternative to the traditional pernambuco), drew on a design, and started sawing away. Guided by intuition, I cut out the blank and began shaving it down to size. While I don’t have nearly the woodworking expertise of the great archetiers, one thing I do have is a strong foundation in bass playing. In this way, the project of making a bow sits somewhere near the intersection of folk and fine art.

The process to this point has been incredibly enjoyable. As opposed to playing music, it’s nice to have a creative outlet that doesn’t disappear as soon as it’s made. I’ve gained such a deep appreciation for the craft of bow making and I have a ton of ideas for bows I want to make in the future. I plan to update this page periodically but I’ve been posting photos regularly on my Instagram story; pop over there if you want the latest and let me know if you have questions!

I’m currently working on my second bow and it’s going much better than the first! I’ve also made a few mutes, batons, and spatulas. If you’re looking for something like that, send a note my way, I’d love to give it a shot!