Brandon is the creator of Cellar Door Bath Supply Co. Cellar Door makes soap that you can feel good about using. No synthetic detergents, no harsh dyes, no animal products, and they're cruelty-free. It's just good, clean fun!
How long have you been creating your art work?
Just over 9 years. Since January 2008.
What Inspired you to start creating your art work & how did you turn it into a business?
Back when I first started making soap, I was living out in the country and had a lot of interest in living a self-sustained, semi-off-the-grid lifestyle. Part of that included making common household items so that I wouldn't have to buy them at a store. One day, purely by chance, I found an article on how to make soap.
I made a couple batches of soap for me to use at home and to give to friends and family to use. After having several people tell me that I should sell my soap, I decided to set up an Etsy shop and try out a craft show. I did really well at both Etsy and the craft show, so I decided to take it further and signed up for some farmers markets. I kept plugging away and grew the company big enough that in September 2010, I was able to leave my full-time job to pursue Cellar Door Soap Co. as a full-time venture.
Do you have any notable awards or accomplishments?
Our soaps have been featured on Fox 2 news several times as part of a promo for the Canton Winter Markets in early 2012, and several times for Yellow Door and Catching Fireflies.
What makes your art work unique or distinctive?
I make a wide variety of soaps in a variety of unique and sometimes unusual colors and fragrances. I also try to make my soap stand out from the rest of the herd by making them look different. We give the tops of all of our soaps a nice wavy texture that really catches the eye.
What do you remember wanting to be when you grew up?
Same as any other kid that watched an insane amount of sci-fi... an astronaut! I've just always had a great sense of wonder about space and the mysteries it holds. I still have that sense of wonder today, which probably explains my man crush on Neil DeGrasse-Tyson.
What do you most love about the creative process?
I love being able to make something that is uniquely recognizable as mine. I work very hard to give my soap a distinct look to help set it apart from some of the other companies out there, so it's very rewarding when my customers see and appreciate that.
What do you enjoy doing besides making art?
I'm kind of a home body. So, on the rare occasion that I have some down time, I like to relax on the couch beside my wife, my daughter, our new baby girl, and 2 dogs with a nice glass of wine while watching The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones.
Quotes you love or live by:
"You can judge a man's true character by the way he treats his fellow animals" - Paul McCartney
You can find lots of Brandon's fabulous smelling soaps at Yellow Door and online.