From the moment I laid eyes on a Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. paddle board, I was swooned. The artistry, wood grain and minimalist style immediately spoke to me. I inquired about the board at a local haunt — I knew I NEEDED one for my home.
A few months later I was at the Collective Design Fair, and again I was struck by the most beautiful freeform, oversized wood turning pieces. They were clearly one-of-a-kind — unique, sculptural, and bulbous, and very different from the tabletop boards I had seen, but they demonstrated the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. When I came to know the same maker was behind both pieces, that was it — I was instantly captivated by the work of Joshua Vogel.
As it turns out, I was already more familiar with Josh’s work than I had even realized. In the ‘90s Josh co-founded iconic, NYC-based luxury furniture outpost BBDW. I invested in a BBDW credenza long back — it seems I had unknowingly been obsessed with Josh’s designs for years.
Eventually, Josh left BBDW and city life behind, moved out to Hudson Valley and founded Blackcreek Mercantile. In 2015, he penned the book “The Artful Wooden Spoon”, part spoon-carving manual and part celebration of the beauty of the handmade. And just this past year, he and his wife Kelly Zaneto opened the very first Blackcreek Mercantile showroom.
Josh clearly has a keen eye for aesthetics, form and finishes. Favoring clean lines and letting the materials shine through, he creates pieces that feel both simple and stark, classic and timeless. Josh was incredibly generous in offering me a variety of wood boards for my cookbook shoot as well as a gorgeous butcher block in the palest of pale woods — it is a piece I not only greatly admire but also use every day.
Josh has said, “ultimately for me, the purpose of all the work is about connection — connection with materials, connection with process, connection with shapes, and connection with people.” Having unwittingly encountered Josh’s work at multiple points in my life and having felt immediately entranced each time, my own experience is a testament to the connection he creates.