Meet Thomas Tusano | Woodworking and Online Entertainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Thomas Tusano and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Thomas, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
The reason behind choosing an artistic career and doing woodworking was so multifaceted that I don’t think I can boil it down to one answer, but in thinking about it, it’s mostly because I don’t like the modern relationship we have between our labor, and identities.

The Creative career is one that gives those reins to the individual, Your relationships, networking, and integrity, it’s all there in branding and performance. That’s something that I wanted, to own that, instead of allowing someone else to own my works or be able to take credit. Working for someone else, I gave that credit away to my team, I was truly proud of them. When I did that, whoever my bosses were at the time would take it, only for me to internally scream “That’s NOT Yours! That’s ME and my Colleagues!”

As an independent artist, you become the face of the “Company”. Steer your own ship per say. And the distinction between “Self-ish” and “Self-Interested” becomes “That’s their vocation” and “they’re making a living” instead of “They’re obsessed with their job” The passion shows and you get respect where it matters.

That to me, is why I wanted to pursue an artistic career, the self interest and the money is a second hand effect to being a passionate individual who cares about where they put their time. It’s about drawing boundaries without being selfish.

You will want to scream, to give up, to fail as an excuse to be able to retreat to comfort, but you will never be able to if you truly want a creative career. I think too many people see the outliers like Mr.Beast or Gary Vee, or “Insert influencer/content creator/Artist here” and never really see the thousands of smaller independent artists who have to get really comfortable with the concept of failure or simply hang up the hat.

It doesn’t come down to how smart anyone is or isn’t. It comes down to how uncomfortable you’re willing to be with the risk. We really need to start acknowledging it as part of the experience, as well as making it easier to hold onto those creative careers as the world moves forward instead of gating them to those who can “afford the risk”. Because on the other side of it all, the professional recognition and the freedom a career like this provides is absolutely worth all the trouble and heartache.

To what or whom do you credit your ability to pursue this career?

Currently, the most important organization to my success is Makerworks. A Shop in Ann Arbor that allows small businesses, individuals and hobbyists and instructors alike to utilize their space, tools and knowledge base to either incubate or iterate on ideas and creations.
I don’t think I’d have chosen the career without knowing about the Maker Movement as a safety net for artists and creatives, and I can’t give them enough credit for what they’ve allowed me to accomplish or the early platform they gave me.

I found a lot of reprieve in Community driven spaces, like Makerworks, which I use as home base for teaching Woodworking and making my art or taking custom commissions, or even working under contract for other artists who “Get it”.

It’s refreshing to have an empathetic community that is pulling for that same goal of making these knowledge bases more accessible in a supportive environment. I’ve even been recognized by industry professionals through various channels, all because of the relationships formed at Makerworks. They’ve made possible the career I have now, and I’m grateful to them because of it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Managing the mental half of things. You’d be surprised, It’s never the shop or the projects, it’s the upkeep and expectations. The exercise of obtaining a mastery of self that allows me to act instead of freezing up and retreating to a more traditional career. I feel like I have so much more work to do “professionally” (Imposter syndrome is real) before I can really fill the shoes of someone who’s successfully “broken the mold” and turned themselves into a Career Creative. I still feel as though I’m just stepping into what I really really want to do, but where I’m at has been a journey of “Sitting with discomfort” the anxiety of failure, or paying the next bill, and being okay with being perceived as aloof or a “burnout” before I earn the title of “rebel” or “creative”

The thing that keeps me the second busiest is a refusal to simply “Pick a lane” or niche that works for a hashtag. It’s a massive marketing headache. I don’t ever view my work as a singular aesthetic. I view it as a way to display my range and serve a community. Sure, I have a niche, but that niche is composed of looks and feelings rather than a singular thing. I do medieval, farmhouse and industrial very very well, but I don’t let myself be pigeonholed into any one of them, I decide on a blend of all three to carry my work. The clean lines and harsh sharp angles from Brutalism, the warm wood tones of Farmhouse or Irish Pub, the shapes and geometry of Gothic or Medieval taverns and places of worship, but I don’t ever let myself get pinned into any school of design.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Now, OK, this is honestly abit biased, but here are my MUST goes in the Ann Arbor Area.

MAKERWORKS – My own personal haunt, where I normally simply EXIST, and you’re most likely to find me just around a corner tinkering away at something. I’m actually sitting here RIGHT NOW as I write this very response.

Cardamom in North Courtyard shops, I used to bartend there, and Brian and Binod are a management MACHINE that absolutely taught me the courage I needed to step out on my own. They also happen to run the tightest and highest quality Indian Restaurant in Ann Arbor. I save it for special treats and when I really need to see two people who knew how to give me a pep-talk. Their relentless “Lead from the front’ management set the example of who I wanted to be as a small business owner and creative. Ask for Nick as your server, if he still works there, he’s the funniest server in the place, charming and makes some of the best drinks aside from when I was there. Also the food is great, and has been both in M-live, Hour Detroit and various publications as the best in the Metro Detroit/Ann Arbor area

R U Game? – A local game shop that carries not only my crafts and trinkets, but also is just an awesome co-working space or co-gaming space. With card tournaments nearly every other day, a huge selection and library of games as well as just a stellar relationship with local artists, they really hit all the marks when it comes to a space I feel safe to exist in, and relax. I know I’m surrounded by fellow nerds who won’t talk down, patronize or becoming unwelcoming.

Slurping Turtle, Another restaurant I save for special occasions, and they make some of the best Ramen I’ve had in a long while. Winning national and I believe even international awards for the quality of their dishes. As well as just awesome cocktails, And this one I don’t have any stock in.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I think I’ve been over this once before in a prior Voyage Michigan Interview, as a call back I talked about how influential my mother’s family was and how important they are to me. Not to downplay that, but currently, the most important organization to my success is Makerworks. A Shop in Ann Arbor that allows small businesses, individuals and hobbyists and instructors alike to utilize their space, tools and knowledge base to either incubate or iterate on ideas and creations.

I don’t think I’d have chosen the career without knowing about the Maker Movement as a safety net for artists and creatives, and I can’t give them enough credit for what they’ve allowed me to accomplish or the early platform they gave me.

Website: linktr.ee/thomas.tusano

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tusanotradingco

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TusanoTradingCo/