Catching Readers up to Speed Pt. 1

I have begun this blog series in hope that not only I will be better at journaling and organizing my thoughts but also sharing an honest experience of my journey as a woodworker and where woodworking has gotten me by the age of 26. A little bit of setting, my name is Brandt Suazo. I first discovered my love for woodworking in the design program at Colorado State University in 2019. Very shortly before the Covid-19 outbreak and it has been a wonderfully meditative activity. An activity I realized I wanted to devote my life to, whether that meant success or failure. While I did discover my passion in the design program at CSU, I did not receive a degree in design. As much as I wanted to…

When I went to school for my undergraduate degree, I joined many in the undecided category. I wasn’t aware of what I wanted to pursue as a career and while I really wish I had a better understanding of who I was, can you blame me for not? At the age of 18 my frontal lobe isn’t even close to being fully developed and how does anyone expect a child to make these life altering decisions. None the less I did find something I enjoyed learning about and that was history. I spent most of my time in college reading and immersing myself in essentially stories that I was tasked with discerning what was truth or up for debate. The truth is everything is practically up for debate and the perspective of the reader and author is going to decide our collective understanding of what is truth. It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I became entrenched in what is architectural history. It opened my eyes to our built environment. I suddenly saw way more details in the buildings around me and the beauty of craftsmanship in them. The context in which materials were used, how these buildings evolved and with what mindset did they evolve. Given this newfound sense of place in every building I entered I thought it was important that I gain a better understanding of what the design and building process was like. In my junior year I decided to pursue a certificate in design to beef up my understanding of design and creation. Through these courses, I was able to take several classes in fine woodworking. While I liked architectural history a ton, I never enjoyed myself throughout college as I did in those woodworking courses. It’s hard to explain, but all my senses were fully engaged. It has been all I ever wanted to do since. I wish I could spend my days in a small shop making wooden toys and furniture, but the reality of being a professional woodworker is a bit harder. By the time I realized I would much rather receive a major in architecture, industrial design, or interior design. I had given too much energy, time, and resources to history to switch now. I didn’t have the option to pivot this late in the game, and it would’ve been horribly irresponsible to risk not receiving a degree at all. However, I am not a quitter, and I will not be dictated by a piece of paper, and such a short period of my life.

I know how to play hard, and I know how to work harder. It was at this point that before school was done, I was going to make sure I received the certificate in design before graduation (they did not offer a minor in design at the time). My studies were primarily in public history, and I decided I could work my way into either architectural restoration or exhibit design. Switch over from the college restaurant jobs into something that would place me among the blue-collar workers I had read so much about during school. Lastly but not least don’t let anyone act like they’re better or different from me because I have not followed the most traditional route to my profession.