Twisted Hinge Design
St Paul, Minnesota
Ian: Twisted Hinge Design
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:
My names is Ian Lew and I was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. Since I can remember, I have been involved in the arts. It started as drawing, painting, and theatre, then morphed into music, digital/graphic design and woodworking. After spending 5 years in a "real job" as a graphic designer for a large health care company, I decided to quit corporate America and turn what was, at that point, a side hustle into a full-time business.
I create unique, modern artwork and decor using wood as my primary medium. The goal of Twisted Hinge is to create beautiful pieces that stand out and enrich the spaces they occupy.
Let us know more about your business name - how did you come up with it?
Naming my business was one of the most difficult tasks I encountered at the beginning. After experimenting with many different names and logos (my bread and butter as a graphic designer), I landed on one that I felt was catchy enough verbally with an equally catchy visual to match. "Twisted Hinge" speaks to the unique twist of mediums and skills that make up my style.
What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?
I use individual pieces of solid wood arranged together in a sort of mosaic to create the subjects and scenes in my artwork. Since each piece of wood has a thickness, it stands up on the canvas, creating a 3D effect. As a result, the image looks different when viewed at oblique angles. The dimensionality of the work also allows each piece of wood to cast a shadow in certain lighting conditions. All of the above creates the signature look and feel of my work.
Twisted Hinge Design is a marriage of my roots in digital illustration/design and woodworking with a style that came about through a slow progression of ideas, failures, and experiments.
What makes your business unique to the industry?
When seeing my work for the first time, people often say "I've never seen something like this before." I think my unique style is what makes Twisted Hinge stand out.
What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?
One of the biggest hurdles with many small businesses is getting the word out and your products in front of potential customers. Twisted Hinge is no different. Since I don't have a brick and mortar store, I spend most of my time and marketing budget on Instagram. Promoting posts to specific, local audiences, has been affordable and yielded really great results so far. Also, the more clients I work with, the more opportunity for referrals and word of mouth grows.
How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?
My growth plans for 2020 included attending local art fairs around the metro area and getting my work into local retailers, coffee shops, and restaurants. Due to cancelations and closures, Covid obviously made these options impossible or impractical. As a result, I doubled down on the e-commerce side of the business and am focusing most on growing my following on social media and pushing traffic to my website.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
Being able to put all of my focus and attention on growing as a person, artist, business, and brand. During my time in corporate America, I always felt like I was working to help someone else become successful, so I am so grateful to be now working for my own dreams and success.
What is your *must do* local activity?
Go to J Selby's in St. Paul. Some of the best, most approachable vegan food in the area!
Where to find Twisted Hinge Design:
Website: https://www.twistedhingedesign.com/