Life & Work with Lindsay Zuelich of Torrance

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Zuelich.

Hi Lindsay, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been a creative person and someone who loves working with my hands. My background is in design, and over the years that creativity eventually led me into woodworking. What started as simply wanting to build and create things for myself quickly turned into something I became completely hooked on.

As I started taking on bigger and more challenging projects, I created my YouTube channel, Wood Brain, as a place to share what I was building and bring people along for the process. From there, I started sharing more of my projects across social media, and it slowly grew into this amazing community of people who enjoy following along, learning something new, or sometimes just watching me figure out how to turn one of my crazy ideas into something real.

One of the things I love most about woodworking is that I’m constantly learning and pushing myself outside of what I already know. Over the last few years, that has led me into building hollow-core wooden surfboards and paddleboards, which has been such a fun way to combine two huge parts of my life: woodworking and the ocean. I’ve shared that entire journey on my social channels, from figuring out the construction process to eventually getting those boards out on the water.

Today, Wood Brain has grown into so much more than I ever expected when I first started sharing my projects online. I get to work with brands, experiment with new tools and technology, and incorporate things like CNCs, lasers, and 3D printing into traditional woodworking. I still approach it the same way I did when I started, though: come up with an idea that sounds fun, figure out how to build it, and share the process along the way.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s always been a smooth road, but I think that’s part of the fun. When you’re constantly trying to create something you haven’t made before, there are always going to be obstacles and challenges along the way. For me, that problem-solving process is a huge part of being creative.

I’ve learned that things rarely go exactly as planned, especially in woodworking. Sometimes a design doesn’t work the way I imagined, a piece breaks, or I have to completely rethink how I’m going to build something. But those moments usually end up teaching me the most and often make the final project better.

I always say, if everything went perfectly and was easy to figure out, everyone would be doing it. The challenges are just part of the process, and figuring out how to work through them is honestly one of my favorite parts of creating.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a woodworker, designer, and content creator, but I’ve never really liked putting my work into one specific box. I love traditional woodworking, but I’m also constantly finding ways to incorporate tools and technology like CNC machines, laser cutters, and 3D printers into my projects.

I think what I’m most known for is creating projects that are a little outside the box. I love taking an idea that I haven’t seen done before and figuring out how to make it work. That can be anything from furniture and home projects to building hollow-core wooden surfboards. A lot of what I create starts with, “I wonder if I could make this…” and then I figure it out from there.

What I’m most proud of is that I’ve been able to build a career around being creative, learning new things, and sharing that process with other people. Through Wood Brain and my social channels, I get to show not only the finished project, but everything that goes into getting there—the design, problem-solving, mistakes, new techniques, and all the little decisions along the way.

I think what sets my work apart is the combination of traditional craftsmanship, modern technology, and a willingness to experiment. I’m not necessarily interested in making the same thing over and over again. I’m much more excited by the challenge of figuring out how to make something I’ve never made before.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I’ve lived in Torrance my entire life and even went to Torrance High, so I definitely have a special connection to the city. I feel really fortunate to have grown up here and to still call it home.

One of my favorite things about Torrance is how much character it has. I bike around the city almost every day, and I love our bike paths, the beautiful old buildings in Downtown Torrance, and all of the unique and quaint homes throughout the different neighborhoods. There are so many little details you notice when you’ve lived somewhere your whole life, and I think I appreciate them even more now than I did growing up.

As far as what I like least, that’s honestly a hard one for me! I’ve been here my entire life and still genuinely love where I live. If anything, I think sometimes you have to remind yourself how lucky you are to have so much right in your own backyard.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wood-brain-by-lindsay-zuelich.myshopify.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wood_brain
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WoodBrain/?ref=NONE_xav_ig_profile_page_web#
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-zuelich-91773a21/
• Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@wood_brain?lang=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wood_brain
• Other: https://woodbrainlz.blogspot.com/

Image Credits
Lindsay Zuelich