In 2012 I sent a random email to one of my favorite beer companies Dogfish Head to see if they would ever be interested in collaborating on projects. I not only loved their beer but also their style.
I was excited to hear back from Lindsey about creating their 5th Anniversary gifts that would be able to hold roughly 8 bottles of beer that mounted on the wall.
I created 21 "beer racks" for the first run that year. It really challenged me to get good at approaching production techniques as well as creating a "rustic" aesthetic by hand applying paints and distressing the pieces. There were two versions a white shark/grey background and green shark/brown background.
I have made roughly 90 of these over the years and truly enjoyed creating each one.
I was excited to hear back from Lindsey about creating their 5th Anniversary gifts that would be able to hold roughly 8 bottles of beer that mounted on the wall.
I created 21 "beer racks" for the first run that year. It really challenged me to get good at approaching production techniques as well as creating a "rustic" aesthetic by hand applying paints and distressing the pieces. There were two versions a white shark/grey background and green shark/brown background.
I have made roughly 90 of these over the years and truly enjoyed creating each one.
Another fun project was creating a side table as 10th Anniversary gifts starting in 2014. I used beautiful Sappele for the top and legs. They also featured a logo routed by hand out of maple on the face as well as storage box under the top.
I would make 21 over the next 4 years. I really loved these tables and there was a ton of handwork involved.
I would make 21 over the next 4 years. I really loved these tables and there was a ton of handwork involved.
I also got the opportunity to create some custom beer taps including a Copper Sill influenced work for their new distilling endevor. A tap that had rotating handpainted blocks that spelled explore goodness in both standard letters and nautical flags. And lastly carved and painted lobster taps for their release of a chocolate lobster stout called CHOCLOBSTER.
I began to create the awards for their annual race called the DOGFISH DASH 2013. They were first a more rustic design that morphed into hand routed signs reflecting the design of the race and back to the rustic look last year.
I did two projects that really challenged my skills as I created a large amount of signs purely hand routing as well as painting/distressing.
The first was a project to replicate 50 signs with their American flag summer logo in 2014.
2,500 stars is a workout!!!!!
The first was a project to replicate 50 signs with their American flag summer logo in 2014.
2,500 stars is a workout!!!!!
to view the blog on the creation of these works : www.brianfromthefuture.com/blog/january-20th-2015
Another sign project that is still my favorite and one I'm most proud of was the DOGFISH ON TAP signs due to the level of quality I produced.
I would say 99.997% of woodworking companies would make these signs with computerized machines. I do not have that luxury but I also feel I can make them faster/ more accurately and with way more love than any dumb machine.
The works featured a hand routed sign/ hand silk screened logo on chalkboard and hand created rust finish with the name of each bar that they were distributed to hanging below the sign.
process pics can be viewed at
www.brianfromthefuture.com/custom-work.html
Another sign project that is still my favorite and one I'm most proud of was the DOGFISH ON TAP signs due to the level of quality I produced.
I would say 99.997% of woodworking companies would make these signs with computerized machines. I do not have that luxury but I also feel I can make them faster/ more accurately and with way more love than any dumb machine.
The works featured a hand routed sign/ hand silk screened logo on chalkboard and hand created rust finish with the name of each bar that they were distributed to hanging below the sign.
process pics can be viewed at
www.brianfromthefuture.com/custom-work.html
I also created 40 signs with a friend and legend Tim Cloonan for the new Distilling endeavor. I was honored to finally collaborate with him.
the blog on the making of these can be viewed at :
www.brianfromthefuture.com/blog/dogfish-head-distilling-co-signs-40-signs-oct-23-nov-6-2015
the blog on the making of these can be viewed at :
www.brianfromthefuture.com/blog/dogfish-head-distilling-co-signs-40-signs-oct-23-nov-6-2015
I also created a sponsored chalkboard sign by Dogfish for a restaurant called GRAIN. The sign was pretty large with a bunch of components annnnnnd the next day my car engine went.
I had to take a bus to and from work for the following two weeks while my car was being worked on. I would carry components on the bus every day to work. I could tell the bus driver wasn't the happiest.
On the last day I carried the entire work to ship to the restaurant. It had to have weighed 45 pounds with the chains etc... The bus driver said "ok man that's enough, you can't bring stuff like that on here anymore you are gonna hurt somebody."
I had to take a bus to and from work for the following two weeks while my car was being worked on. I would carry components on the bus every day to work. I could tell the bus driver wasn't the happiest.
On the last day I carried the entire work to ship to the restaurant. It had to have weighed 45 pounds with the chains etc... The bus driver said "ok man that's enough, you can't bring stuff like that on here anymore you are gonna hurt somebody."
The fun of collaborating with Dogfish Head was also they were usually open to any ideas I threw at them for instance when the exhibition for the American Beer Conference was held in Philly in 2016 in which I made two works for.
The first was a giant beer trap based off the classic mouse trap called HOW TO CATCH A BEER THEIF that was bought by Allagash Brewing to be displayed at their brewery in Maine.
The second work was an homage to Sam Callagione the owner of Dogfish and lover of the high 5 and all things analog. By giving the machine a high 5 the hidden door opened to retrieve a beer inside. I then created a second one that featured a hand carved Namaste praying skeleton
The first was a giant beer trap based off the classic mouse trap called HOW TO CATCH A BEER THEIF that was bought by Allagash Brewing to be displayed at their brewery in Maine.
The second work was an homage to Sam Callagione the owner of Dogfish and lover of the high 5 and all things analog. By giving the machine a high 5 the hidden door opened to retrieve a beer inside. I then created a second one that featured a hand carved Namaste praying skeleton
Since 2012 I have been taking part in an annual event at the brewery in Milton called Analog A Go Go a festival of one off great beers/ records/ artisans/food trucks etc . In 2014 I made a bunch of wood burnings of some of my favorite people and quotes.
While I was setting up the Sam the owner of Dogfish came up to chat and liked the burnings.
While I was setting up the Sam the owner of Dogfish came up to chat and liked the burnings.
(Sam and I at 2014 Analog)
He said he would like to do a wall full of them for the new hotel opening up in Lewes, DE which I was excited about. He then said he needed them by next week so needless say I got home and got to work. Sam gave me full artistic freedom to go ahead to pic whoever I wanted for the wall so from top left to right :
Lincoln, Lennon, Frank Zappa, Kermit Frog
Ali, Babe Ruth, Monroe, Mick Jagger
Pee Wee Herman, Einstein, Elvis, JFK
Don King, Mr. T, Mike Tyson, Willie Nelson
He said he would like to do a wall full of them for the new hotel opening up in Lewes, DE which I was excited about. He then said he needed them by next week so needless say I got home and got to work. Sam gave me full artistic freedom to go ahead to pic whoever I wanted for the wall so from top left to right :
Lincoln, Lennon, Frank Zappa, Kermit Frog
Ali, Babe Ruth, Monroe, Mick Jagger
Pee Wee Herman, Einstein, Elvis, JFK
Don King, Mr. T, Mike Tyson, Willie Nelson
crates:
In 2016/2017 I made 4 oak ones with the shark logo as handles as well as 20 with hand routed logos and hand applied patinas
In 2016/2017 I made 4 oak ones with the shark logo as handles as well as 20 with hand routed logos and hand applied patinas
And last but definitely not least are three large signs that hang at the brewery that get thousands of looks a day....well because they are the "what's on tap" menus
Once again these signs were totally hand made/free hand routed with the rust being created on the steel with a fun mix of vinegar/salt and peroxide.
I really love these and always proud when I see them in person.
Once again these signs were totally hand made/free hand routed with the rust being created on the steel with a fun mix of vinegar/salt and peroxide.
I really love these and always proud when I see them in person.