An Interview with Michelle Drake of Stonington Designs (Creativity Over Coffee)

It’s time for another installment of Creativity Over Coffee – you know what that means! So grab your coffee (or tea) and join us!

Creativity Over Coffee

Meet my friend Michelle, she is part of the dynamic duo behind Stonington Designs which she owns and runs with her husband, Rich. They create and design together. I first met Michelle two years ago at a wholsale market and she has a wonderful personality. She’s just so nice and funny and you feel like you’ve always been friends. On top of that, she’s also an amazingly creative person and artist. I’m so excited to introduce you to Michelle, her husband, Rich, and Stonington Designs.

So grab your coffee and join us for a fun chat!

An Interview with Michelle Drake of Stonington Designs

Many people believe they are not creative. I hear this all the time. It is my hope with these conversations with my talented friends that I hope to inspire my readers to believe that they truly are creative. That creativity is just sitting inside of them waiting to bubble over.

Hi Michelle, I’m such a big fan of you and your husband’s work. Your mahogany hitch covers are gorgeous and your Nantucket bracelets are stunning. Can you tell my readers how Stonington Designs began?

Michelle – Stonington Designs began with a Christmas gift. At that time I was working full time as an executive director at an assisted living community and my husband as an engineering director for a large commercial construction company. Our son was trying to find a beautiful hitch cover of Block Island for his new truck and was having a hard time finding something that he liked. So for Christmas, my husband made him a mahogany with maple inlay hitch cover…and Kevin loved it! His girlfriend (now his wife) asked for a mermaid hitch cover for her birthday and Rich knew he needed an artist’s touch to pull a mermaid off. That is where I came in. My side hustle has always been my painting-a creative outlet for me since my college days. And so Rich asked me to help with the design and Lauren got her mermaid. The kids starting getting asked by friends and strangers for the website to buy the hitch covers. Our business was born! I left the assisted living in late 2020 to help care for my mom. Our new, creative business helped me have flexibility to do that. We began with only hitch covers and called ourselves Hitch-Crafter. And that is how we began. As our other product lines developed 3D carved signs, charcuterie boards and a full line of jewelry it made sense to rebrand from Hitch-Crafter to Stonington Designs.  

What is it really like working with your husband? Do you have any tips for that?

Michelle – My husband Rich and I have been married for 37 years and the keys to our working relationship being successful are respect and communication. We both have a healthy respect for how our skills compliment each other. Rich as a craftsman and I as an artist / Rich is introverted and I am extroverted…we divide the duties up to reflect each of our strengths. Rich is in charge of production, efficiency and the wood shop / I am in charge of design, marketing, financials and the weaving & jewelry production. We are stronger together than we are apart as a business and personally.   

Who has been your biggest influence or role model?

Michelle – As far as a role model, I had a best friend growing up named John DeRubies. He was a visionary. He challenged both Rich and I to dream bigger and explore ways to make things happen on a large scale. He was killed in a plane crash when we were about 28 but his approach to life and business have really shaped how Rich and I see what is possible. He helped us break any limiting beliefs.  

John sounded like a very special person. When do you feel most creative or happy?

Michelle – Rich and I both grew up on the water and that for sure is our happy place. It always inspire my creativity. Many of my paintings are water inspired and our jewelry and hitch covers all have a costal vibe. 

Who or what inspires you?

Michelle – So many talented artists and craftsmen inspire me. The way they walk into making something from raw materials whether it is a drawing or knitting or jewelry or furniture building I find inspiration in their process. Texture and colors in general have always spoken to me and inspire me to dig in and try to create something new. 

Do you have a favorite product you’ve created or are creating?

Michelle – Right now my favorite is our jewelry line but Rich always says it is whatever I am working on in the moment. We were asked to create a 14 piece 3D carving of stations of the cross on 2 x 3 ft slabs of Mahogany for a church in NY and while I was creating that it was my favorite and when we make a new hitch cover (we have 60 now and also do custom) that is my favorite. So not really an answer but I love everything I do!!!!

What’s been your biggest success and biggest struggle so far owning your own businesses?

Michelle – Our biggest success so far has been breaking out of a regional client base to a national one, right now we have shops that carry our work in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas. Our biggest struggle is the balance between managed expansion/cash flow/production. We pay very close attention to the quality of what we make and the promises we make to our customers. We only promise what we can deliver.  

Congratulations! That’s wonderful! What’s your favorite color?

Michelle – My favorite color is blue.

What’s on the horizon for Stonington Designs?

Michelle – We are launching in Florida this winter. We have some shows in West Palm Beach and Boca Raton in February that should bring us a new market. After that…maybe a jump to the west coast. We are dreaming big!

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps or who would like to start a creative business?

Michelle – My best advice would be to value your own time and talent! If you are making a business of your creative passion the numbers have to work. Or it is an expensive hobby. And learn how to talk about your art and yourself. People like to know the artists who create things they love. It makes for great repeat customer.  

Growing up I was a huge follower of INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO.  At the end of the program, they would ask the interviewee these questions:

1. What is your favorite word? Hope, because it speaks to endless possibilities for the future no matter where you are today.
2. What is your least favorite word? Can’t, whether someone else is saying it to me or I am saying it to myself…it is a momentum stopper and a dream killer. I believe anything is possible!!!
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Being near the water…the constant movement and changing of color and texture is very creatively and spiritually moving for me.
4. What turns you off? Super crowded spaces without enough room to let my mind breathe
5. What is your favorite curse word? Nice girls don’t tell…we use those words…we just don’t tell.
6. What sound or noise do you love? The waves crashing
7. What sound or noise do you hate? Any words said with a condescending tone
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? At 62, and after having multiple careers (teacher, talk show host, author, surgical center administrator, assisted living director, communication coach) the creative role of artist/jewelry designer full time is the dream job for me!
9. What profession would you not like to do? Anything that keeps me away from my family for too long …been there and done that …and now I want to be available to my parents when they need my help and to enjoy continuing to learn from them and my kids and grand kids.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
    Thank you for caring for my people, well done my child.

I really enjoyed this chat with Michelle! Aren’t they a talented and inspiring pair? I hope you enjoyed it too.

Be sure to follow along with Michelle, Rich and Stonington Designs:

If you’d like more Creativity Over Coffee you can read the full series here.

Photos courtesy of Michelle Drake – Stonington Designs.