A plein air painter learned to laser cut...
In 2017, fantasy realist artist Taylor Seamount was inspired by James Gurney’s "Color and Light" to study light at its source, painting en plein air—outdoors, from direct observation.
But there was a problem. Because of physical limitations related to a connective tissue disorder, Taylor needed a plein air setup that was exceptionally lightweight, simple, and ergonomic. No easel on the market met her needs.
So she built one herself! She spent two weeks struggling with unfamiliar woodworking tools to produce her first easel, following her hero James Gurney's DIY sketch easel instructions.
Her passion for plein air was born.
Fast forward a couple of years, Taylor decided to pursue an idea of crafting unusual and abstract wood frames for her plein air paintings. She joined her local makerspace, Idea Fab Labs in Santa Cruz, CA, and learned to laser cut.
She soon realized that laser cutting would be the perfect tool for producing sketch easels from ultra lightweight and durable bamboo plywood, a miraculous material that is difficult to manage with traditional woodworking methods. Taylor redesigned the sketch easel using lasercutting technology: minimizing weight, maximizing strength, and eliminating unnecessary parts.
She listed her first 5 easels on Etsy and sold them in only a week. What began as a personal solution was clearly something many artists were searching for.
Momentum grew quickly after respected plein air artists and educators - including Mind of Watercolor and Emily Olson - posted glowing reviews.
Since then, Taylor has steadily refined her designs, improved production efficiency, and hired fellow makers to keep up with demand. Over time, she also expanded her catalog of plein air products based on customer requests.
As an environmentalist and futurist, Taylor takes durability, refurbishability, and responsible sourcing seriously. She is constantly exploring what it means to make and sell a product with integrity.
Her products are still entirely fabricated in Santa Cruz, CA.
