Noah Irish & Family - Character Country
Noah Irish and family.
Q: What inspires you about Bremerton?
A: I love the varieties of culture that we have here. The Navy brings people from across the world to our city. We have a history of punk culture that still thrives today, as well as family-oriented neighborhoods. We have streets with 7 churches and others bars on every corner. From punks to preachers we have such a spread of the human experience here. With a deep well of cultures and tribes, creativity can grow in interesting ways.
Q: Whats your favorite local Spot?
A: My go to is Cafe Corvo, hands down! They know what they are doing. As an observer, I have seen that they are very intentional with what they put on the menu and how they make it. The owners are community oriented - using local business for their needs as well as inviting artist to adorn their walls. A group of friends and I admire this place so much that we started the unofficial “Corvo Club.”
Q: Where do you find inspiration?
A: I find inspiration in others’ creativity. When I see someone’s work, in leather or in any other medium, that achieves the functional purpose with a creative design, I find myself reimagining my work. Seeing fellow makers’ skill and ingenuity encourages me to strive for the same. I also find inspiration in the longevity of heirloom goods. I have a vision to create leather goods that will be in use long after I am gone.
Q: What drew you to your medium?
A: Like most things, it was a mix of opportunity and limitations. A few years before I started Character Country, I found that wood working and leather work drew me in. The work of these craftsmen and women ignited my inspiration to seek out these skills. While inspired, I ended up placing these ambitions on a shelf for the future pursuits. It was not until my first daughter was born that I realized the brevity of my life and if I wanted something, now was the time to get started. With this call to action, I had to decide between leather or wood. Given our living and financial situation at the time, leather led to lower start up costs and, more importantly, smaller tools. With that decided, @charactercountry started in our kitchen.