Our Circus, Our Monkeys

Our JOY comes from creating something UNIQUE and ARTISTIC. We BELIEVE that we are only truly happy and fulfilled when we are able to use our God given gifts and talents.

For years we worked the traditional 9-5 type jobs but felt like something was missing, so we would work harder and longer and earned more but we still felt unsatisfied and unfulfilled. We noticed that the thing that got us EXCITED each day and made us really HAPPY were the “side jobs” or artsy projects we were able to work on.

Slowly, the side jobs got bigger and bigger and we started to clearly see the path that we were meant to be on. We decided QUALITY of life was what mattered most, which meant spending more time with our family and being CREATIVE! From that moment, it was easy to make the leap…and we’ve never been happier! Our kids not only inspire us in our whimsical designs, they love to get involved in the creative process as well. Their opinions and ideas help fuel ours!

Introducing Daren…

DarenDaren is a jack of all trades…he works with many different mediums from wood to clay, metal to paper, resin to glass and paint to plaster…and he can sing!

Daren studied fine art as well as industrial design at the Seattle Art Institute, Memphis College of Art, University of Arkansas at Little Rock and The Little Rock Arts Center. He’s had the opportunity of working as an Industrial Designer and Functional Artist for the last 24 years. Collectively, his name is featured on over twenty US design patents and over 100 products have gone into mass production that Daren has either designed or had a major part in the design process. His artwork and functional designs have been sold or featured in a multitude of galleries, museums, retail shops, restaurants, catalogs and magazines.

Daren also worked for many years managing restaurants which gives him a clear understanding of restaurant/bar designs and how they function.

Introducing Deanna…

DeannaEver since I was a little girl I’ve loved art. I was constantly painting or making things out of found objects. I’d make dolls out of my mom’s nylons and their clothes from scraps of fabric. One of my favorite memories as a kid was getting new shoes…it was the shoebox I was excited about. I LOVED making dioramas!

After graduating from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree, concentration in Graphic Design, I moved to Seattle, WA where I met Daren. It was there that I found my dream jobs as well…first with Wizards of the Coast in the TSR department and then at V-Design, designing for Nintendo of America. I designed player’s guides and layouts for Nintendo Power magazine for six and a half wonderful years.

After our first born, we decided to concentrate on our own business, which has been exciting ever since! We are able to use our skills and talents like never before and absolutely love what we do!  I’ve always enjoyed learning new things and have studied a wide variety of tools and mediums such as sandblasting, sculpting, silversmithing, painting, mural application, leather and my absolute favorites, glass fusion and welding. I still love making things out of found objects and enjoy exploring junk yards. It’s exciting making something new and unexpected out of something old and tossed away.

Together, Daren and I have combined our talents, skills and knowledge, creating a world of possibilities. We thrive off of each other, make a great team and have a lot of fun together!