Artist Profile: Shoecraft

Name: Shoecraft (Jacob Baughman, Nate Main, Rachel Casel, Anthony Baker, Trevor Church)

Hometown: Everett, WA!

Current City/Neighborhood: Everett (Delta), Mill Creek, Snohomish, Everett (Bayside)

Your Medium/Craft: Songwriters/Recording Artists/Amateur

Years doing your craft: 6 years (here and there) as a band.

How did you first get started in your craft?

We've all been invested in musical expression from young ages, and let it play out in various contexts. In some form or another, we all performed in different contexts like marching bands, wind ensembles, church communities, punk bands, power funk outfits...etc.

I (Jacob) didn't begin writing until high school when I traded in my love of drums for an acoustic guitar and an itch to tell stories. Rachel and I began playing together in 2013 with a few friends (Zack Thayer and Dane Hibbard) and Nate Main joined a couple years later, with writing of his own.

In the early years, our bassist (Dane) lived on Lake Shoecraft out past Stanwood, WA. Our practices were held in his lakeside cabin, so we decided to name the group after that lake and have since received several questions like: 1. Do you guys make shoes? 2. Why don't you sell shoes for merch?... etc. The first answer is no. Making shoes is very hard (though I won't say I didn't look into it briefly). The second is not as hard a no. Idk if the shoes are fun, I'd be down.

Anyways, time went on, and after we self-released The Whisper II in 2016, Trevor and Anthony joined the lineup and have hung around ever since.

Favorite Artist(s) and/or Inspirations?

As individuals, we draw inspiration for a wide range of sources. As a group though, we are inspired by bands like Dry The River, Ben Howard, Bon Iver, Bibio, The Innocence Mission, American Football, Kings of Convenience, Olafur Arnolds, This Will Destroy You...etc.

Favorite Piece You've Created?

Presently, we're in the recording process for a second record set to release around the first week of June this year (2020). We're really proud of it and are excited to share the new tunes with everyone.

However, as far as what we have already released, a track called Bluff was put out a little while ago, and we're really happy with the structure and synchronicity of it. I feel like it flows nice, and represents everyone's role really well. Off our first record, Where It Went is one of my personal favorites.

What’s the most challenging part of being an artist, or something you had to overcome?

I imagine the answer being two-fold. There are the obvious general struggles of artistic investment: funding, not having enough time between 5 people's schedules to get things on the calendar, maintaining a practice space, trying to find a manager, booking...etc. However, the unexpected struggles I've found is that the minutia of emails, texts, tracking, re-tracking and business can drown out the joy of songwriting, and can strangle out any amount of spare time left to just sit down and play guitar.

I've learned that inspiration requires space and ritual, and sometimes the chores and necessary duties can distract you from what you truly love about your expression, leaving you burnt out and uninspired. This year has been a learning curve for us, but I am looking optimistically at 2020, knowing we can grow and learn from this last year.

How can people be supportive of the arts?

Get to know someone who makes something you believe in, and invest. Buy their thing, go to their show, talk to them afterward, ask them questions - like, comment, subscribe...etc.

Art is too often disposed of and given away for free, when it cost the makers more than just money. It costs them devotion, time, energy, sacrifice and diligence. I believe art will always transcend its role as just another product in capitalist structures. However, these people need support - both monetarily, and emotionally. Art comes from people, and people need money to buy equipment, but people also need encouragement to be brave in their expression. They need hugs when they take the risk and it flops terribly.

I believe that this generation is slowly closing the gap between maker and consumer, especially in the arts community. We're slowly starting to realize that these things are coming from real people, who need a kind message every once in a while and maybe even a few bucks.

Favorite place in Everett to eat?

Bhu Ping Thai, Kai Sushi, Loma Bonita, Yummy Banh Mi, Thai Manna.

Favorite place in Everett to hang?

Narrative Coffee, Toggles Bottle Shop, Howarth Park, Grand Ave Park, Everett Skate Deck, The Port of Everett.

Favorite quote and/or words to live by?

I've been repeating "This Also. Thank You." to myself recently. In hopes that I grow to accept the present for what it is, not as something to endure, but as something to be fully alive in. As something worth feeling. It reminds me that the sometimes unfortunate and often mundane day to day tasks we're faced with are just as doused in beauty and divinity as the moments that we would stereotypically perceive as meaningful.

What's next for you?

We're getting ready to release our second full-length record this year through Antifragile Music in NYC, and hope to meet new faces as we promote it and maybe tour a little bit. I've been writing a bit of new material as well that I think could end up being laid down in the next year if things go smoothly.

Where can people see more of your art?

Our website is where we like to blog, update, and share music and photos of our process. We're also on Instagram and Facebook. For our Everett friends, we're performing on February 1st at Tony V's with TELLERS and Moody Bear at 8 pm! So come to that!

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