Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirtan Tom.
Kirtan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been interested in all kinds of art and grew up believing that I would one day be a painter or tattoo artist. Then I realized that I didn’t want any tattoos and that I wasn’t a particularly talented painter. My attention turned to printmaking, a more craft-based art. I was fascinated by the process of it all, but once again found myself lacking the drive to succeed in such a career. Many jobs later – most involving childcare – I began to picture myself as a carpenter. I could tell that wasn’t quite right for me, but it all clicked into place when I took my first woodworking class at Makeville Studio in Brooklyn, New York. I was over 30 and had mostly given up on the idea that I would find a career that I was passionate about. But as soon as I picked up that first rough board of cherry hardwood, I fell in love. The world of woodworking made sense to me, and there was nothing else to do but quit my job and learn as much about it as possible.
My husband was immensely supportive and never complained as I spent all my time at the woodshop and taking classes with money we didn’t have. I spent the next few years learning as much as I could through friends and classes, but mostly trial-and-error. I built furniture for my apartment and traded labor for access to woodworking machines. Then we moved back to Los Angeles, where I’d grown up, and I found a place at Allied Wood Shop in the Fashion District of Downtown. Now, I make custom furniture for local clients and teach woodworking classes at Allied. Things have been tough with the pandemic, as they have been for all small businesses. But as we learn to live in this new world, I am doing my best to build my business while keeping myself and those around me safe.
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?
Some things have been smooth, and others as rough as 40-grit sandpaper. I think the toughest part of my woodworking journey has been taking time off to have a child. I felt sick through most of my pregnancy, and so was unable to work. Then I took several months off after giving birth to spend time with my newborn and learn to be a family of three. Even when I went back to work, it was part-time, and so I couldn’t dedicate myself fully to growing my business.
More than two years later, I have not been able to put in as much time at the woodshop as I would like to. One of our family life goals is for me to be able to work six days a week and for my husband to work four. I am only able to work at all now because of the support of my mother and my husband. My mother generously devotes several days a week to watching our two-and-a-half year old. My husband somehow finds time to make dinner most nights, even while working 50+ hours a week from home.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Mostly, I make custom furniture for private clients in the LA area. I like to work in domestic hardwoods, and I use both traditional and modern joinery techniques. My designs tend to be minimalist, with craftsman and Japanese woodworking influences. I don’t like making things that are showy for the sake of being fancy. Long-lasting strength and function appeal to me, guided by a sense of harmony and peace. As someone who is neither very tall nor especially strong, I like to make furniture that is light and not too cumbersome to move. Though my work often lends itself to making expensive pieces for those with generous means, I am also interested in making more affordable products. Usually, these pieces are designed for small children. Children get so excited when something is sized just right for them. I like to test my designs out in my own home, where my kid can climb all over everything and show me what works. I am most proud of the simple toddler desk I made as part of a challenge to myself to design and build something new in just one day. Of course, it ended up taking three days!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I wish I had known how much woodworkers love to share information with each other. When I first started out, I was shy about asking questions, always worrying about being a nuisance or being seen as unprofessional. But now I realize that most people are just bursting to help others out. I haven’t yet met a woodworker who doesn’t want to share their favorite tips and techniques. I have also been fortunate to connect with several other female woodworkers, and we all hope to make more space in this field for women, BIPOC, queer and non-binary individuals. Looking at professional woodworking magazines, you’ll see white dude after white dude. But there is a growing number of us who are actively working to expand access to everyone else. If you are interested in woodworking or any other craft, reach out to people on Instagram or through email. We’re all just a bunch of nerds and will talk your ear off if you let us.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.kirtantom.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ktwoodwork/
- Other: https://alliedwoodshop.com/
Purchase my Toddler Desk and reclaimed hardwood building blocks here! https://www.etsy.com/shop/KTomWoodwor
