Doing the guide to Burlington, VT last week on design*sponge (click here and scroll down to read) made me very nostalgic for my beautiful & cozy former adopted home town. It also got me thinking about all the excellent people that I got to know and love while I was there. On that list are the very talented makers/artists that I had the good fortune to share studio space with. I’ll be featuring all their work here over the next few months, and am going to start things off with Creston Lea and his kick ass handmade guitars.
Built from scratch, he molds, shapes, sands, & paints his way to feedback worthy perfection. All of his work is amazing, but my personal favorites are the ones he does with local Burlington artist Sarah Ryan. He makes ‘em, she paints ‘em. And magic happens. See for yourself.
To see all of his/their work (I’ve just shown you two of many) and to get the gear-head breakdown, visit his website by clicking here. He also has what I think are the best ‘links’ and ‘about’ pages I’ve ever seen. Really ever. So go. Do it. And buy them up. All the cool kids are already doing it! Like James Walbourne, a proud owner who uses his Creston Electric when he goes on tour with The Pretenders and just about everybody else (Pogues, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kris Kristofferson, Son Volt, Pernice Brothers, Linda Thompson, etc). I told you, cool.
All images from the Creston Electric website. (Thanks Creston!)
oh my word…my husband and I have been wanting to do this for a few years now. My husband is fully wowed over those puppies and so am I!! Those guitars are amazing. On our way to check out their site. Thanks so much for sharing!
Aren’t they amazing! Not only are they very well made machines, they would look sooo good worked into a home decor. In fact, I think I could easily design a room AROUND one. (dreamy sigh)
No kidding! I love the mildly folk feel to them and what gorgeous colours.
I’d like to see one of these beauties done up with something along the lines of the Canadiana imagery from your previous post. Wouldn’t that be something?!!! Jealous of your studio surrounded by such incredible artists.
Oooh, trees on wood. I like.
Dear Paige,
I sure love your blog, and miss having you in your adopted cozy and beautiful town. I’m just a week or two away from “taking delivery” of my beautiful new Sarah Ryan-ed Creston Electric. It’s a bit like the inverse of Max’s black beauty—bone white with an all, dark-rosewood neck, and a kind of clay/burnt-sienna color palette for the flowery bits. All in honor of my turning all 50 and everything. I’m terribly excited, and plan to have Sarah do some embroidery on a suit to match the designs on the guitar! She’s worked so hard, and created such a lovely world in her work.
Thanks for looking at the world with terribly stylish lenses.
xo
Brett
Dear Brett,
You are one lucky man to be getting such a special ‘turning all 50′ token. Will you please send pictures of you + guitar + suit when you’re all together so I can bask in the Hugh-L-yan glow? LOVE it! Happy Mid-Century my friend!
xo p.
Paige:
Aesthetic enthusiasts shouldn’t overlook what Creston does at the simpler end of the spectrum, either. There’s a whole made-out-of-old-pine- barnwood series that does something very different than — yet equally as alluring as — the Sara-painted guitars. Plus, way back, one can find Marc Spencer’s “John Deere” guitar. But just now, I have to ask: what room wouldn’t pop with Marco Pirroni’s new Creston resting in it?
Of course, what doesn’t translate is just how alive a Creston guitar feels and sounds.
Cheers, Reese Hersey — peering into Designia and Creston Labs from the hinterlands of Calais
Reese, you are so right about the barnwood series and the ‘John Deere”. I was present in the studio for the making of those and they are very special. Folks should definitely take a peek at those beauties on Creston’s website! Thanks for your comment!
I was fortunate enough to get one of the barnwood guitars built. I can honestly say it is THE best playing guitar I’ve ever owned. Sounds amazing and gets noticed everywhere I play with it. Creston is a gifted man when it comes to building guitars, and I’m happy to have one of his works of art.
Creston rules!