We are thrilled to spotlight our latest Nest Studio collaborator, the talented California-based artist, Katie Gong. Katie has always been drawn to wood as a material for her creative vision. She fondly recalls spending her childhood days in her grandfather's woodshop, where she learned the ropes of creating sculptures he called "little works." Katie's dedication to her craft and her passion for exploring new techniques have made her one of the most exciting and innovative artists working in the field of wood sculpture today. 

 Photographer: Brett Walker

After receiving a BFA in painting in 2006, Katie had several career pivots before she began experimenting with steam bending wood. Her design process begins with inspiration from nature. She sketches and thinks about different shapes and ideas before experimenting with smaller gauge wood to test her ideas in a study. Once she is satisfied with the results, she creates a few large pieces and contemplates them before releasing them into the world.

Through her sculptures, Katie seeks to capture the beauty and complexity of the natural world, to explore the relationship between humans and the environment, and to challenge our perceptions of what is possible with wood as a medium.

Photographer: Brett Walker 

Over the last three years, Katie has collaborated with Jessica Davis, designer and Nest Studio owner, to create a hardware line that featured her signature knot designs cast in brass. Before this collaboration, Katie had always wanted to cast her work but had not pursued it until Jessica approached her with the idea.

“I am just blown away by the quality and Nest Studio’s ability to translate my work from large to small in the hardware form.”

Photographer: Brett Walker

Her collaboration with Nest Studio on a hardware line, called the Knot Collection, has allowed her to extend her artistic vision into a new material. The 4-piece collection includes a petite knob, small and large handle, and a made-to-order statement pull. The hardware is available in polished brass unlacquered, polished nickel and antique brass.

“I opened the box I was drooling over this hardware,” Katie said on receiving her first set of samples and I immediately installed them on a sideboard cabinet. We are redoing our kitchen and bathroom and cannot wait to use all the pulls in both rooms.”

Photographer: Brett Walker 

Katie's hardware designs are an extension of her vision for frozen moments in time, where rigid and hard materials can be transformed into something flexible and then become rigid again. Her unique approach to working with wood has earned critical acclaim, and we are thrilled that Nest Studio helped capture her vision by transforming a natural material into elegant and striking decorative hardware.