The practice, the person, and how to reach me.
I am Brandon Waterman. I run a finishing studio and creative practice, a ferry ride from Seattle.
Before this, a long time in advertising, brand design, experiential environments, retail, and a few other places where ideas had to survive contact with the real world.
The story, short version
The same practice, with fewer layers.
I have led creative teams, built campaigns, opened a cafe, run a bike shop, and made plenty of things myself when that was the fastest path to the right answer.
Waterman Made is the version of all that with fewer layers between the idea and the object.
What I do
The short answer is finishing. Powder coat and Cerakote. Bicycle frames, furniture, hardware, prototypes, fixtures, art objects. That is what most people come to me for, and I take it seriously.
The longer answer is that I am a creative director who works with his hands. Finishing is one tool. Design direction, prototyping, fabrication, and collaboration are part of the same practice. The interesting projects usually involve more than one of those things at once.
How I think about surface
A finish is not the last step. It is the part people touch first. It is how an object enters the room. It is also the layer that lives with wear, sunlight, accidents, and time. I think about all of that.
I like surfaces with a future. A finish that wears in a good way is not failing. It is becoming itself. I would rather make something that looks better in year five than on day one.
I also like hidden details. A color inside a place most people will never look. A texture that changes in certain light. A mark that rewards the owner for paying attention. Those things matter to me.
If you want the clearest version of all of this in practice, read about The Trust Fall. You hand me an object, no input, no approvals, and I do whatever I think the piece wants. It is probably the best summary of how I think about finishing.
Location
Vashon Island, WA. A ferry ride from Seattle.
The pace fits the work. Visits by appointment only.
Contact
Have a project, a half-formed idea, or something odd you want to make? The door is open.
Say hello
Email hello@watermanmade.com with what you are working on, what the object is made of, a rough timeline, and anything useful to look at. Even a vague start is still a start.
- hello@watermanmade.com
- @WatermanMade
- Location
- Vashon Island, WA. Visits by appointment only. You will need to catch the ferry.