BY HAND - Nitty-Gritty Meets Neoclassical

A hobby creating art out of concrete turns into a thriving business.

For the entrepreneurial and artistic duo of Curtis Comer and Tim Woods, it was only a matter of time before they stumbled upon their big idea. It happened on a 2011 trip to New Orleans, in a little shop where the owner—a master caster—made art of concrete. “We loved the shop and found [the work] fascinating,” says Woods. “We went home, tried to teach ourselves the craft and technique of casting and molding, and failed miserably.” They eventually tracked down the shop owner—who was by then living in the mountains of North Carolina—to learn the process. From a hobby the couple did in their garage, casting has evolved into a full-time endeavor. Last year, they opened a studio and retail gallery at Iowa and Cherokee, where they create work for local and national shops, as well as such institutions as the Washington National Cathedral, in D.C.

WHAT MADE YOU START YOUR OWN COMPANY?