Thursday, November 17, 2011

Local love from Garden & Gun: Jason Cohen, Wood artisan

As you may know, my favorite magazine is Garden & Gun (even though I hate gardening and guns). If you haven't had a chance to pick up a copy yet, do not get turned off by the name. The writing is super, the photography is stunning, and the subject matter screams "Louisville." I can't find an official "mission statement" for the magazine on their website, but Garden & Gun basically features articles about Southern charm with a Northern attitude (um, Louisville, right?).

And Garden & Gun has a lot of love for Louisville. The next issue features one of our local artisans in it's "Made in the South 2011 Awards" article.  The problem is, the article doesn't contain contact info, and this person doesn't seem to have a web presence.  Here's the email version of the article about JC Wood Artisan, Winner: Home Category.

Everybody in Kentucky makes furniture out of bourbon barrels, but craftsman Jason Cohen makes art. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that his studio is just down the block from Bourbon Barrel Foods, where he sources his white oak barrels. Last June, Cohen made his first stool. “The tripod shape really balances you out, and you sit differently in it,” he says. Next, he tackled the pub table, using bourbon barrel staves for the legs. “Some people think the wood is going to break because of the angle,” Cohen says. “But the wood has been trained for years to that form, and it makes it strong. It’s green when they cut it, and then they pour liquor in it. It’s almost petrified.” Sturdy as white oak may be, Cohen takes care to apply an outdoor finish, making both the table and stools durable enough to use on a porch. “The set has an old-world look to it,” he says, “but it’s contemporary too.”
Click here to see a picture and read the article. 


So, Internet Brain, anyone know where we can see any of this lovely furniture crafted by Jason Cohen, Wood Artisan?? I only have an address on Story Ave, but it appears to be a workshop, not a showroom.  Please email me if you have any info about Jason Cohen (and congrats to him, by the way!), and I will share whatever I find out with the class.

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