November 27, 2017
The Bright Angle
Maker Spotlight
The Bright Angle is a design brand founded by Nick Moen in Asheville, North Carolina. With a team of skilled craftspeople and studio artists, The Bright Angle produces small batch handmade goods fit for every home.
Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it?
The Bright Angle means shining a light of optimism on a modern lifestyle. I’ve spent many hours in the car driving to 48 states selling art and meeting artists. The name came to fruition during cross country drives passing through city after city. Each city hosts beacons of light after hours of long dark roads. The interstates are illuminated by streetlights lining the through ways – each one a Bright Angle.
What sparked your interest in this particular craft?
Our love of craft came from inspired relationships formed with handmade things created by friends. Living with mementos that hold memories of makers has brought joy to our everyday routines. We focus on working with porcelain for its pure material qualities and its ability to hold shapes that we capture in molds. The material is strong, seductive and soft. It contains our favorite flowers, drinks, food, and light each coming from an artisan of those trades from farmers to coffee roasters. We make lifestyle goods to fall in love with that are meaningful. Porcelain is a material that isn’t disposable and if it breaks it will eventually end up back in the earth and become a relic that will be unearthed by future archaeologists to act as a sign of the time and place in the world where and when it was made.
What do you think sets your designs apart from others?
Our designs stand out from others because they are designed with the utmost attention to detail and utility. They capture a refreshing modern aesthetic. Our designs showcase a collaborative design effort working with craftspeople of many mediums. We design each piece on a computer to make sure the smartest designs come to fruition. Each digital model is 3D printed allowing us to capture clean lines and soft curves.
List some of the most important lessons you’ve learned while running your business:
The most important lesson we’ve learned is that life is a series of problems to be solved. Sometimes the answer isn’t obvious but the journey to discover solutions to life’s problems inspires resilience and growth. We are problem solvers.
What has been your proudest moment since you’ve started?
The best moments of The Bright Angle happen every day when we get to go to work with wonderful inspiring people. Collaborating with friends brings great joy to our lives. Working together creates a bond reflecting a diverse range of creativity. Now more than ever we need to work with one another.
How does the city or cultural environment you live in influence your work?
We work in Asheville NC which is a craft epicenter. Our community is full of incredibly talented craftspeople that love what they do and inspire each other to push craft and design to new places. Asheville is full of people that embrace a handmade lifestyle from the food we get from farmers, coffee from roasters, and beer from local brewers. We like to think of our products are mountain modern bringing a refreshing modern perspective to a long lineage of craft in the area.
What valuable experience did you have before starting your business?
My most valuable experiences before starting The Bright Angle happened while I was on the road driving in my Prius forming connections with artists throughout the country. Driving to craft shows and standing next to work that I was truly passionate about allowed my to make connections with people and share objects with them so they could add them to their story. Past Renegades helped me meeting fellow craftspeople as booth neighbors, collectors that appreciate handmade art, and generous hosts that helped me continue my journey well fed and rested.
Do you have any favorite pieces? What makes them special to you?
We like to think of our first collection as a whole. Each piece in the collection was inspired by a lifestyle curiosity that we wanted to explore and make something to elevate our rituals. Our favorite pieces are the sets that include a variety of mediums such as the Savant Pourover. We love to showcase the collaborations and empathetic conversations that happened to design these multi medium pieces.
What are some inspirations for your work?
We are inspired by community and thoughtful daily rituals. Whether drinking coffee alone or sharing a meal with friends and family from handmade goods encourages us to embrace a fruitful lifestyle. We are inspired by conversation and connection, by good habits and me-time.
What’s on the horizon for your business?
Our next endeavor is to create series of videos showcasing how each product is designed and produced. We will be sharing the stories of the makers and exposing the hard work and thoughtfulness that goes into each piece.
What are some tips or suggestions you’d like to offer to fellow makers?
Don’t give up. Just keep making and playing with your medium relishing the discoveries you have as you explore the depths of your creativity.
