Meet the Makers: Noah

“God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left electricity in the clouds, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.” -Thomas Monson

Put simply, the exhilaration of being creative and the feeling of accomplishment that often accompany hard work bring happiness.

Noah Kershisnik

Job: Innovator // Creator // Maker

Here at Rustica everyone refers to Noah as “the guy who makes his own jeans”. During a typical work day you’ll find Noah sketching designs for new products and working with the leather and fabric found on our doors and hardware. He’s also currently developing our first soft goods line (stay tuned). Outside of work he enjoys participating in local community plays, camping, and baking Sourdough bread to the sound of his favorite band, The Killers. 

What do you like most about your position at Rustica Hardware?

The nice thing about Rustica is they don’t ask me to not be myself. There is an aesthetic here that is different than what I normally do, but my participation is an example of how I’m invited to bring my personality into the culture and look that exists here. When I work here I never feel like I have to create someone else’s work it’s always a collaboration. Rustica has a specific aesthetic and mission, but there’s room within it to have your own ideas. To be able to bring them to the table and for people to say, “yeah, alright let’s do it” and to have them get behind you is a great thing.

“You only have a limited amount of time, so don’t be afraid to try something, don’t be afraid to let it go, and find out which things you really love.”

You’re extremely valuable to Rustica because of your creativity, what tips would you give others to help them be more creative?

I think the first step is don’t be afraid to try anything, anything at all. If something is interesting try it and if you leave it behind and never finish it, that’s good too. As you go through this motion you will shake out all the tangential interests and they will fall away. You only have a limited amount of time, so don’t be afraid to try something, don’t be afraid to let it go, and find out which things you really love. The thing that my mind always goes back to is design. When I’m sitting around and have nothing to do or when I’m in a quiet place my mind always gravitates back to designing and making things. That’s why I pursued it as a career, because it’s the one thing that I always come back to. The only way to know what that is for you is to try things and leave them behind and see if you come back to them.

Why do you think it’s important for people to be creative?

It’s important because, in our society, a lot of decisions get made for us and in a lot of ways that’s easier than making something your own. I think that we allow people to tell us the things that we should like but I personally don’t want to be put in a basket or category like, “you’re this, or you’re this”. If people are going to do that I want to be the one making the decisions along the way. If peoples, or even my own, perception is based on the things I surround myself with I don’t want it to be based on things that are just available or easy. I guess I find it fun to be surprising. People may look at me and assume something about me because of the jeans I’m wearing, and I get to say, “well I made these jeans”. So even if they do make an assumption based on my clothing at least I guided that decision.

“That’s part of the aesthetic of Rustica, it’s not just a façade, it’s solid, good and real. It’s built well.”

How would you describe the aesthetic here at Rustica?

I would describe Rustica’s aesthetic as timeless paired with contemporary. Although the look is ever changing and innovating, I think we’ll maintain those timeless/contemporary roots. We’re about finding aspects of modern design and pairing that with designs that are classic and will last and be substantial. I think being substantial is an important thing. There is a way that we want to do things here, it’s something that we shoot for and that is to be real. That’s part of the aesthetic of Rustica, it’s not just a façade, it’s solid, good and real. It’s built well.

If you want to learn more about Rustica Hardware’s makers, follow us on Instagram at #makersmakeus

Products Noah Creates