By Minna Onken
At the home of Matthew Bender, ’02, handmade lamps sit in every corner and a wooden coffee table is proudly displayed in the center of the room. His basement workshop shows off even more of his woodworking, as joint blueprints and wood samples line the walls.
Bender believes that design and function lay on a parallel path and credits Maryville University as teaching him that principle. Professors like Cherie Fister, MFA, now vice president for academic affairs, gave Bender the confidence to believe in himself and inspired independence.
His favorite class, however, was taught by a professor that he followed from Meramec Community College. A packaging class led by former design and visual arts instructor Chuck Groth taught Bender to think outside the box, and to always give a three-dimensional look to graphic design.
When he and his brother, Josh, started Blackhall Woodworks, their two different backgrounds made a good fit. Bender fondly describes the business as a “side hustle” and “retirement fund.” He said the major difference between it and his fulltime job at 2-E Creative is that, with Blackhall, “For the most part people are buying because they like it.” And people do love Blackhall Woodworks’ designs. As Matt pulls out a wheeled rack of finished lamps, he notes that they’re all getting ready to ship to customers.
“I wear amateur like a badge of honor,” Matt said proudly. Despite the amateur claim, much of Bender’s and his brother’s backgrounds are evident in their work. The lamps are designed to make for easier packaging while still retaining their beautiful form and functionality, a clear reminder of Matt’s packaging background and his brother’s architectural knowledge. “You learn each time from the process,” he said, and Blackhall Woodworks is a prime example of what can be accomplished with persistence.
Though he comes from a creative family, Bender said Maryville brought his creativity “up another level.” He hopes to pass that creativity onto his son, who recently helped make a lamp for his bedroom. However, like most children, Bender’s son wants to be a Lego engineer. “Hopefully by the time he’s ready for college, Maryville has a Lego program as top tier as our design and visual art program,” Bender said.
Photo courtesy of Kevin A. Roberts