EVERYTHING I’VE CREATED FOR THE LAST DECADE IS MADE UP OF ONES AND ZEROS AND CEASES TO EXIST WHEN ELECTRICITY ISN’T AVAILABLE. THIS EPHEMERAL NATURE OF MY LIFE’S WORK IS THE REASON J. STARK WAS BORN.
I had the desire to create tangible goods by hand with a focus on sourcing materials from the United States at every opportunity.
It’s important to me that the goods are useful and durable first, and that the design and materials used in their construction give the goods an authentic and timeless aesthetic.
I wish to be a member of a new generation of makers that embrace the past and believe hard work, hand-craft, and being genuine are the bonds that strengthen humanity.
My parents were greasers, outsiders… They grew up in inner city Cleveland and had dreams, but the dream they made come true was to give their children a better life than they had. The names of my products come from the streets they walked to school on, drove their 57 Chevy on, kissed on, rumbled on… It’s a tribute to them, Cleveland, the beautifully scarred years of youth, and to dreamers.
The name J. Stark is a nod to the character Jim Stark that James dean played in Rebel Without a Cause. I wanted to find a common ground for connection, and we all have lived through the troubles and triumphs of our teenage years. Trying to fit in yet become an individual. Those experiences cut so deep because we were still wet from the mold.
