The artists who work at Timbre Communal Workspace aren’t just building furniture – they’re building a community.
Based in a Ritchie warehouse, just off 99th Street, Timbre has brought artists who work in a variety of media together in a space where they can not only access expensive equipment they otherwise couldn’t afford, but also bounce ideas off each other and collaborate on projects.
“For survival reasons, it’s only logical that people band together to share the space and share overhead,” says Mike Lam, who owns the building and, along with co-founder Jordan Tomnuk, opened Timbre’s doors in early 2015.
Most of the artists currently renting stalls at Timbre are woodworkers, but other designers and painters are also there.
Tomnuk is an industrial designer who makes light fixtures and benches out of his stall.
“It’s pretty easy to be isolated when you’re doing a craft,” says furniture maker Brad Goertz. “It’s also good for me, having access to quality industrial equipment I wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.”
