ABOUT US
Hello!
I'm Jason, a furniture maker and art-sign painter from Whitley Bay in the North East of England.
​
My background is in art and music: I studied painting at Norwich School of Art back in the days before the internet was really a thing, and then accidentally found myself working for a London record store for 21 years!
Artwood's started life in 2017, not actually as Artwood's, but as a simple need to build myself a kitchen table. I would never have guessed that a hobby born out of a need would became a job.
For a few years I worked out of a rickety lean-to workshop built from pallets, scrap wood, and anything I could find in skips. It was precariously wedged between mine and my neighbour's house and slowly grew as I added more bits. I called it my 'Shanty Shop' because it resembled a makeshift hut! The roof leaked when it rained and rattled when the wind blew! I grabbed any spare time I had to get in there and indulge in creativity. A lot of the time I'd make things I needed for the house. I showed my work on my Instagram account, but I was playing to a small, niche audience!
​
It was on one of the very frequent Saturday trips to the seafront at Whitley Bay (scooter-mad kids at the time) in late summer 2019 that I had a crazy brainwave to make myself a really big (4ft tall) painted sign based on the ICES lettering on the side of the Rendezvous Cafe. I loved the lettering and the nostalgia that it evoked. Once I'd made it I realised it was far too big for my house, but a friend saw it and wanted to buy it! Then another friend saw it and wanted to buy a smaller version. Then someone else wanted one...and before long word spread and I was spending winter days cutting, sanding and glueing wooden panels, and winter nights painting the signs. Demand went crazy and my Instagram following grew. People then began to ask for a sign and a shoe rack, or a sign and a pair of side tables, or a sign and huge 9ft table!
In October 2020 I took a step into the unknown and moved into a 'proper' workshop. I left the job of 21 years in April 2021 and put all my efforts into running Artwood's.
I never take for granted the trust that people place in me when commissioning pieces of work and I put customer service at the top of my business practice.
​
I'm grateful to be doing something that I love, even in the dark winter months when the workshop never gets above zero degrees and I don't see sunlight until March!
​
If you'd like to discuss a project, please do get in touch.
Cheers!
Jason
Working to your brief
I have a pragmatic outlook when it comes to bespoke design, which is why I'll always try to find the best solution to the project you have in mind. I'll happily discuss a design and will tailor your piece of furniture or artwork to fit your idea.
Customer focussed
My primary goal is customer satisfaction (ok, joint primary goal - beautiful design and build is also very important) which is why I strive to be courteous and respectful at all times. I believe in keeping customers up to date with how projects are progressing and once completed, delivering promptly.
Pricing bespoke work
Commissioning a piece of furniture to your exact specifications doesn't have to mean that it'll be excessively expensive. That said, size and type of material does often influence the cost of many pieces; a solid wood shoe storage unit that is made to your exact requirements will probably cost more than something generic, something that 'isn't quite big enough' or something that doesn't really fit the decor and is made of flimiser materials. Often you'll have to build them yourself too. Commissioning a bespoke item allows you to really tailor a piece to fit your home and style.
I strive to price pieces based on what they cost me to make across the whole platform of my business. I'll never offer to 'beat any quote' because to me, that's often sacrificing quality and customer care for grabbing as much work as I can get at the expense of putting my heart into the work I create for you.