MILWAUKEE — In a sawdust-filled Milwaukee garage, Isaac Wynter Weins is about to make a giant leap of faith. He is going to quit his job and pursue his passion for wood art full-time.
"I call my art Wynter Woods. The reason being I started building this stuff in the dead of winter, when there was nothing to do outside, and like most Wisconsinites we kind of huddle inside our homes," Weins said.
Back in March, at the beginning of the pandemic, Weins began working on his woodcraft more often - when all of a sudden, things began to click for him.
"I was like 'oh this can actually turn into a side hustle,' and then more than a side hustle. And then I was spending just as much time in the garage as I was at work. And I'm like, it just came to the point where I want to make a decision, and go headfirst into it, and see where it takes me."
He sells his merchandise on his Etsy account, through Instagram, and through Facebook.
He calls himself an eco-friendly wood artist. He doesn't use paint, glue, or stain his wood. He just uses nails. All his materials are re-purposed goods. He finds them at, as he says, "industrial parks, behind grocery stores, find pallets that have unique colors and unique patters. Gather all the wood, find the colors that I need, and the things that look interesting."
The main thing he likes to create is geometric mountain landscapes.
"My goal was to do the mountain idea but then differentiate it by creating unique horizontal skies with a lot of lines and a lot of patterns you really won’t find anywhere else."
However, behind the peaks of these mountains lies the real heart and message of his art. Every time he finishes a design, he signs it with a positive message like 'choose happiness'. He does the same when he posts his art on Instagram.
"The art is something that is eye-catching, and then really reeling people in and giving them some inspiration day-to-day and hope is really where I dive into."
It's as if the art is the advertisement for his positive messages. Part of one of his recent Instagram posts reads, "It’s okay to reinvent yourself. It’s okay to take a step back in life. It’s okay."
Shoutout to @ike_wynter who is turning his passion into his full time career pic.twitter.com/wfgskrDFqp
— James Groh (@JamesGroh_) January 12, 2021
And whether the leap of faith pays off isn’t a concern for him.
"You know, it’s just waking up every day grateful. That’s all it comes down to.”
He’s pursuing his dream. That’s all that matters.
“Like, there is no dollar amount, there is no job title I could have that would define my success. It’s 'do I wake up every single day loving what I do?' Yes? Alright, successful."