Life & Work with Chad Hagerman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad Hagerman.

Hi Chad, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been a creative since I was a young child; be it through building, music, painting and other forms of self-expression. I’ve always gotten a lot of satisfaction out of creating. Through my teenage years, I was drawn to the alternative/punk rock lifestyles which developed a deep seeded desire to go against the norm of society. After I graduated high school, I traveled quite a bit throughout the world and was exposed to a wide variety of design directions and artistic expressions. I think with the blend of my ‘against the grain’ attitude and the exposure to such a plethora of styles I developed the itch to create objects that were unique and that moved me…and others. Once I settled in California, I spent a few years in architectural development and learned the basics of how things were put together. I used to dumpster dive on the job sites I was managing and collect obscure pieces of unwanted building materials, take them home and make furniture with them. This obsession developed over the years and I was constantly redeveloping my process of creating. At the age of 25, I left my day job and focused solely on making furniture for a living. There was always an ebb and flow of projects coming in, but always enough to sustain.

Throughout the next decade, I worked out of several fabrication shops alongside many masters. I asked a lot of questions, observed intently and maintained the mindset that I could figure out and create anything that I set my mind to. About 8 years in and focusing all my time on learning wood joinery and traditional ways of building, I discovered my love for free-form sculpting. I began experimenting w my process of creating and became enthralled with some of this past centuries most influential sculptors. At that time, it was seldom that I would get commissioned for this type of work, so up until that point my body of work consisted of very few sculpted pieces. It wasn’t for another few years that I realized how much more joy I got out of that style of creating than any other. It was around the age of 34 that I decided to focus on this type of woodwork almost entirely. Since then I’ve created many both private and commercial sculpted commissions and have displayed pieces in several solo and group shows. Several of my works have been acquired by art collectors, gallerists and designers.

I focus on creating one of a kind pieces of functional and nonfunction art that accentuate the beauty of organic materials and have a way of moving people when they come in contact w them. My name is Chad Hagerman and I’m a wood sculptor.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say it’s been a fairly steady evolution of a career without many major upsets. I’ve never gone hungry, but have yet to get rich either. Of course, theirs been letdowns; promises made that don’t materialize and lessons learned by way of trial and error. But ultimately the satisfaction of working for myself on my own time and doing what speaks to my heart is incomparable. I feel like I have complete control over how I live my life and I haven’t the need to conform to any norms. I’m grateful 🙂

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a woodworker, sculptor, designer and furniture maker. I’m an artist. I suppose I’m known for all these things. Amongst the last 15 years of creating, the sculptural works are what I’m most proud of. All these works are one of a kind, hand-sculpted and organically shaped, which I believe is what sets me apart from others.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
In my craft, I think it’s important to get a significant amount of time working under someone w more experience, but only for the understanding of the material, tools/safety and techniques and not too absorb any creative direction too rigidly. I would said it’s best to let things happen organically; if you know the direction you want to go, allow it to unfold as it should and never lose sight of what makes you unique…and always push the boundaries!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @hagermanstudio

Image Credits
Image credit: Dan Shetron