When Joel Baynard struggled through an MBA program in 2012, wood turning became an outlet for stress relief as well as a continuation of a family tradition (both dad and grandfather were woodworkers in his home state of North Carolina). From the basement shop of his parent’s abode he transformed discarded peach tree wood into wearable bangles. His father, the career carpenter, pointed out worm-eaten holes in Baynard’s bangles that the son decided to fill with smashed chunks of low-grade emeralds, quartz, and more, covering pieces in clear resin for durability. The resulting styles gave way to Freestone Peach in 2013, and now Baynard’s up-cycled waste-wood signature nods to the Japanese shibui-inspired aesthetic that celebrates modesty and imperfection.
Starting retail price: $900
Accounts: Two domestic including Roseark in West Hollywood, Calif.
Trade fairs: None to date
Retailer buy-in: Six pieces for variety and size
Contact: Joel Baynard, Freestone Peach, Montclair, N.J.; 828-289-2365; joeladambaynard@gmail.com. (See more of his work on Instagram at @freestonepeach.)
Bangle in holly tree wood and emerald, $1,500
Bangle in peach tree wood with turquoise, azurite, and copper, $2,000
Bangle in black walnut wood and opal, $3,300
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