Page 14 French painter Didier Caudron was once a well-established doctor. At the age of 57 however, this completely self- taught artist began exhibiting his work, which would quickly thrust him into a world of praise and admiration. Back in Phoenix, however, Cathy Hayes, while looking for art for a new restaurant she was designing called Chelsea’s Kitchen, would stumble upon a gorgeous painting by an up and coming French artist. A few years later, while traveling through the South of France, Cathy would meet and spend time with the now established painter. After getting to know the man and his family, she would ask him to do more work for her and her ever-growing list of projects. What would come next is a beautiful piece of art. In 2008 Cathy would commission Caudron to do a painting for the Estate House, a restaurant she was working on in Old Town Scottsdale. The finished piece would arrive to Cathy with the name Catherine. The piece, Caudron would explain, was named after his friend. A beautiful white flower placed in an otherwise mix of reds and oranges was the particular element of the painting that he specifically called Catherine. Two years later, in 2010, when the Estate House would close its doors, Cathy would be given a gift. The painting now hangs beautifully in her home. By Didier Caudron The Catherine “We were eight kids sharing one bathroom,” said Cathy. And because of this, one of the most important rooms of the house was the bathroom, where an oversized shower was absolutely mandatory. “I like to have east morning light in the master bedroom so you start your day with the sunrise,” said Cathy. “I haven’t woken up to an alarm clock in many years.” Large glass walls bring morning light to both the master bathroom and bedroom. “It illuminates my bathroom just beautifully.” To Cathy Hayes it’s the simple way a person, builder or designer can make a home better, more usable, that truly makes the difference. “I’ve learned that we need to respect ourselves and our time,” said Cathy. “If we live orderly, if our home is functional for our life, we can do that.” “It’s the simple things in life,” someone once said. And with her small home, morning sunlight and ability to cool her home with shade and citrus trees, Cathy Hayes is living proof that the mantra is true. “i like to have east morning light in the master bedroom so you start your day with the sunrise.” Continued from page 12

Page 15 By Amanda Savage Phoenix is slowly budding to the bloom of its Renaissance – and designers have a lot to do with it. The number of quality local designers is climbing annually and their creative concepts are bringing new ideas and an innovative visual aesthetic to the Phoenix landscape. Custom, locally made furniture is in demand and on the rise. Many local designers are finding success and moving from their garages to studios and warehouses, while exporting their products to international clients. Although brought together by common trade, the designers leading the local pack could not be more different. Their styles and motivations contrast significantly but they seem to all share the same goal of wanting to see the Phoenix design scene flourish and to build a supportive community around local, handcrafted goods. The Artist Benjamin Hall – Mile112 www.benjaminhalldesign.com/mile112 Some of the most painful times in life breed the most important and beautiful experiences, and without those times full- time architect, part-time furniture designer Benjamin Hall may have never found his calling. “I was dating a girl in high school. Things weren’t going well. I got home one day to a laundry list of chores my parents had left for me, and I just said screw it. I packed my car full of popcorn, some cash, my guitar and sleeping bag and I just hit the road. I drove all night and found myself in this little town called San Luis Obispo on the coast of California. I called my parents at 2 a.m., they were freaked out, they had no idea where I was. My dad ended up getting me a hotel room at a Best Western,” explained Hall. A young Hall wandered for a few days, playing his guitar, making some cash and one day found himself wandering onto a college campus (Cal State Polytechnic). He happened to sit-in on an architecture class, and “I was just wowed.” After taking part in a summer school program for high-school students, Hall found himself at the University of Arizona studying architecture, then, as a graduate, he moved to Washington state and worked for a well-known architect. Hall reached a burn-out phase in his career, and his landlord offered up a cabin he owned in central Washington, asking that Hall “bring it up to speed.” Hall spent six months in the remote cabin (found only by a mile marker, it was number 112), and eventually, got bored. So he made a chair. “I liked to watch the stars at night, and needed something to sit in.” So with some materials in his car, he put together his first piece, a pin press chair called the “Stargazer.” From there he started making sketches and taking part in small projects here- and-there, but it wasn’t until he moved to Phoenix, and expanded his tools and workshop, that he really started to push the furniture side of his business. Hall’s designs are simple, clean and fresh. He approaches design with an almost childlike curiosity, experimentation and an enthusiasm to learn. He is interested in exploring new mediums and really getting to understand the materials he works with. “I treat it as an art. I wouldn’t call it a hobby or a business. It’s an art,” says Hall. He describes his style as gritty, refined and elegant. He explains that his process is about “boiling down what the essence of the goal is, and trying to reinvent it.” Currently Hall sells one-of-a-kind creations on his website and makes custom orders for residential clients. He’s an architect first. His products can be found at Modern Manor, Funky Boutique and at model homes used as staging bait. The Naturalist Thomas Porter – Porter Barn Wood www. porterbarnwood.com Thomas Porter has made a name for Porter Barn Wood, as a premiere spot to find reclaimed barn wood. He runs a wood yard available to the public three days each week, and a custom shop at a separate locale that produces wood and metal doors, tables and other home goods. Surrounded by woodwork at a young age, the idea of wood as a business sparked for Porter when he helped a friend transport an old barn from out-of-state to Phoenix. Through that experience he saw the demand for reclaimed wood and decided to fill the niche. Now, Porter has crews in “top-secret” locations in the Midwest that scavenge, breakdown and ship old barns to him. Most of Porter’s barn wood comes from traditional, American farms dated from the 1700s and 1800s. Some of his favorite woods come from nearly extinct American Chestnut, which was wiped out at the turn of the century, making some chestnut wood pieces over 200 years old. In March Porter’s team will be tearing down a few barns on a property that dates pre-civil war. “The main house on the property was ravaged by Shermans–scavengers for Sherman’s army–they knocked down the door with a horse and you can still see the footprints in the front of the house,” said Porter. “We love the history behind the wood almost as much as we love the wood- working,” said Porter. As one could guess Porter’s style is rugged and natural. What he describes as “organic industrial.” “We like to bring stuff in that’s natural. We like the natural defects and the imperfections in things, and we like work around those artistically. We like the live edge of the tree. The imperfections are what make things beautiful,” said Porter. With business booming Porter has plans to develop a new property that will serve as a yard, workshop, storefront and blacksmith shop. “We won’t just have the woodworking and building supplies, we will also have a blacksmith shop that we’re adding this year. We’re taking over an existing blacksmith shop. We’ll be gearing that up quite a bit. Doing more finishing. Adding vintage markets and creating a sort of urban Phoenix community for reclaimed wood and reclaimed barn wood projects.” Porter Barn Wood has supplied reclaimed wood for the Union at the Biltmore Fashion Park, Handle Bar In Tempe, Dierks Bently’s Whiskey Row, The Western, Giant Rustic Pizza, Bourbon Jacks in Chandler, Sedona Wine and Beer Company, The Good, Bad and the Ugly, EVO, Chloe’s at Cityscape and many more. The Problem Solver Dean Heckler – Heckler Design www.hecklerdesign.com Heckler Design is famous for two things: the steel iPad stand, the Windfall, and One Less Office desk designs. Furniture design became a guilty- pleasure for Heckler when he was working full-time as a UX/UI interface designer and owning his own software company. When he had extra cash, he would have one of his sketches made. Design was a treat. When he brought his original, highly modern desk design to life, he didn’t expect other people to like it. But when friends and family responded positively and wanted one, he began to see the potential in his designs. Hall slowly transitioned away from in Phoenix Handmade Phoenix resident Thomas Porter uses reclaimed barn wood to create unique pieces for the home. The Bunky Day to Night Stool by Benjamin Hall Designs. Continued on page 16 Handmade