Lorrie Matheson’s Cover of my song “The Fall”

A dear friend along with a few other dear friends and a couple strangers recorded this song of mine that I wrote about a decade ago. They did all their parts individually at home back in the thick of things in April when we were trying to figure out how to do everything from home. I think they did a great job.

The song is up on Bandcamp for free with a prompt to donate to the heroes and angels at Calgary Alpha House who use their programs and administer them.

It means a lot to me that Lorrie did this at this time in my life. I know this is one of the songs that has had a pretty big life outside of me, I’d love if you could take a moment and let me know what this song means to you...

Click here for Lorrie’s Lyric Video.

Click Here for my original (recorded by Lorrie in the Winter of ‘08).

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New Offering: Tamboured Twenty Twenty Breadbox

It’s been a strange time hasn’t it? A time of reflection on how things were before. As much as there is fear and uncertainty about the paths ahead there has been a return to something familiar. The fact that we’re not going out as much has released some of the time that we previously filled with just being “busy”. Now, we have time for making art, learning a new skill, and all kinds of culinary explorations. Up until a few months ago I hadn’t baked a loaf of bread in over a decade. What a strange thing to realize as baking is one of my favourite things to do - it measures just behind eating!

I learned how to bake from my friend Greg’s Dad in Fredricton, New Brunswick. We sat in the family’s kitchen over a fresh loaf and a brick of sharp cheddar and he wrote out in long hand the recipe that he learned from his Grandma. I still have the pages tucked into a notebook. Over the years they have become a bit bloated with baking debris and I can almost do the recipe by memory but it’s nice to have them around as a reminder of a special time.

These breadboxes are made in the same spirit. While similar, each one is unique because nature is diverse - just like the loaves that will live in them for a short time before being gobbled by you and your loves.  

Made from solid mahogany salvaged from decades old shipping materials, and finished with a food safe topcoat, these are limited to a run of four. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. The building templates are already in the stove pile.

The design is a nod to my final project at Woodworking School - The Vonnegut Rolltop Desk (which is also available for purchase). Featuring a roll-top door or tambour. The piece has a sense of potential movement even as it sits on your countertop.

To see the new offering and place your order, visit the new Seasonal Features section on the website where special odd objects will be featured.

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New Offering - West Coaster’s Leather Satchels

One of the things I've learned to do this year is leatherwork - specifically, how to do the "saddle stitch". I've enjoyed learning a new tactile skill. With woodworking, I tend to lean on intuition and feel as I get older and gather more experience. Not so with leather work. I find that I have to be mindful with every movement. The hands can only go as fast as the mind and vice versa. Which is oddly familiar territory. My dad tells me my great Grandpa did some saddlework.

Made this trail bag because we kept leaving our place in Malahat & Cowichan Territory without taking bear spray along for our dog walks. Well, we came nose to nose just paces away last spring with a baby black bear on Cowichan Trail. As my partner and I walked back to back waiting for Mama to come barreling out of the brush with only our foraging scissors as protection, we decided that would be the last time we left the house without spray...

How could we forget to take it with this fab trail bag? We haven't forgotten it since.

The bag is handy not only for bear protection but doggy bags, foraging tools and more. I plan to offer customized or pre-filled pouches for all your West Coast Lifestyle needs. 

Take a look at the new Leather Sales page to check out the options and get your holiday order in time to be handmade by yours truly.

- FT

 
 

New E-Newsletter! Forest Tate's Updates

Hi there friends and strangers,

In an effort to minimize the digital clutter that we are all drowning in, I am going to take a step back from social media and create a bi-monthly email newsletter.

I would love to stay connected with you. But with less daily social media algorithms and more heartfelt letters.

So, I’m excited to announce my new E-newsletter, Forest Tate’s Updates!

This will be the best place for you to stay up to date on new pieces, announcements, songs and the occasional philosophical pondering from the Forest Tate Studio.

So if you’re into it, please subscribe to the mailing list below. 

With thanks,

- Forest

Future Ideas

The thing about creativity is that there are more ideas than there is time to make them a reality.

Here is a list of project ideas that have been bouncing around my head for a while. In there, these pieces are fully formed. I figure I’ll at least put a few of them on a piece of paper and then broadcast them into the universe on this page and maybe you’ll be inspired to bug me to make one into reality for you.

I’m excited to get started on these pieces in the new studio! If something on this list peaks your interest, get at me.

- FT

 
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