ABC Councils Rikki Thompson interview with Taylor Wood Craft

Born and raised in the charming town of Markethill, Bob Taylor's early life was steeped in creativity. Art and design weren't just subjects in secondary school; they were passions that ignited his imagination. Recognising his natural flair, Bob pursued these interests further at Armagh College, delving into both art and photography. It was here that he discovered his true calling: graphic design. The blend of visual aesthetics and practical application resonated deeply, setting him on a path towards a fulfilling career.

Driven by this newfound purpose, Bob continued his education at Ulster University in Belfast, enrolling in the Design for Visual Communication programme. The university environment provided fertile ground for growth, allowing him to refine his skills and expand his knowledge under the guidance of experienced instructors. Upon graduating, Bob wasted no time in entering the print industry, securing positions at YRG Lurgan (formerly known as Reprographic Systems NI) and Smurfit Kappa Lurgan. For 16 years, he immersed himself in the world of print and packaging, mastering the intricacies of the trade and establishing himself as a seasoned graphic designer.

However, life often takes unexpected turns. In July 2023, Bob decided to embark on a new adventure, transitioning into a project management role at Almac Craigavon.

Speaking to me, Bob recalls:

“𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲, 𝗜 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗮𝗰 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.”

While he enjoyed the challenges and responsibilities of his new position, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

“𝗔𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗜’𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼. 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.”

What began as a simple pastime soon blossomed into a full-fledged business: Taylor Wood Crafts. This venture allowed Bob to once again tap into his creative reserves, crafting unique and beautiful pieces that reflect his artistic vision. His journey is a testament to the power of passion and the courage to embrace change, proving that creativity can thrive in any environment.

Taylor Wood Crafts is more than just a woodworking business; it's a testament to the power of diverse experiences and the drive to express oneself creatively. Founded by Bob, whose journey spans graphic design, project management, and now woodworking, the business embodies a unique blend of artistic vision and practical skill.

Bob's background in graphic design informs the aesthetic sensibilities of his creations, while his project management experience ensures efficient and organised operations. This fusion of skills allows Taylor Wood Crafts to stand out in a competitive market, offering products that are not only beautifully crafted but also thoughtfully designed and meticulously executed.

The transition from a hobby to a business was a natural progression for Bob, driven by his desire to share his passion with others. Each piece created at Taylor Wood Crafts reflects his dedication to craftsmanship and his commitment to quality. From intricately carved wooden signs to custom-built furniture, every item is made with care and attention to detail. Bob's hands-on approach ensures that each piece is unique, imbued with his personal touch and artistic flair. This dedication to quality and individuality has quickly earned Taylor Wood Crafts a reputation for excellence, attracting customers who appreciate the value of handmade, artisanal goods.

And the future?

Looking ahead, Bob envisions Taylor Wood Crafts as a hub for creativity and community engagement. He plans to expand his product line, incorporating new techniques and materials to further enhance the beauty and functionality of his creations. Additionally, he hopes to collaborate with other local artisans, creating a network of makers who support and inspire one another. By fostering a culture of creativity and collaboration, Bob aims to not only grow his business but also contribute to the vibrant artistic landscape of his community. Taylor Wood Crafts is more than just a business; it's a reflection of Bob's journey, his passions, and his commitment to creating something truly special.

Bob acknowledges that the launch of Taylor Wood Crafts was significantly aided by several key individuals who provided essential support. These individuals assisted with tasks ranging from creating templates to sourcing wood and participating in market events. Furthermore, Bob is deeply grateful for the unwavering support of his family and friends.

“𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝘀, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀”.

Additionally, Bob credits the Go Succeed NI for providing invaluable support and guidance, which was instrumental in transforming his hobby into a viable business. He views this transition as a significant leap forward and is thankful to those who have helped make it possible.

Bob believes that the key to growing a successful business in this field lies in identifying a passion. For him, that passion is creativity, and he finds immense joy in crafting items out of wood. Bob emphasises;

“𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲, 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺. 𝗦𝗼 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘁, 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁".

The Gilford artisan admits it’s not all easy;

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 '𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁' 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻”.

Down time

Bob, a devoted family man and passionate craftsman, finds that his life revolves around two central pillars: his family and his creative pursuits. With three energetic children under his roof, Bob's days are often filled with the joyous chaos of parenthood. From school runs to homework sessions, family dinners to bedtime stories, Bob embraces every moment spent with his kids, cherishing the bonds of love and laughter that tie them together.

Despite the demands of family life, Bob always makes time for his other passions: gardening and rugby. In the tranquility of his back garden, Bob finds solace and inspiration admitting to having green fingers, nurturing tiny seeds into vibrant blooms. Gardening allows Bob to connect with nature, to witness the miracle of growth and renewal, and to find a sense of peace amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Check out Taylor Wood Crafts website at www.taylorwoodcrafts.com

#entrepeneur #entrepenuerni #portadown

Copyright: Rikki Thompson