Today, we’d like to introduce you to Doug Skinkis.
Doug, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have pictures of me drawing cartoons out of the Sunday comics. Without taking classes or studying art, I was just able to draw.
In school, I would get in trouble for doodling. But when I doodle, it means I’m paying attention. My son is a mover… if he’s bouncing around or his legs are shaking, it means he’s paying attention. I’m like that, but I draw. I’m sure my teachers would have said I had an attention disorder – but there was no such thing way back then!
Everyone pays attention in their own way. My brother would listen to music, watch TV, and read all simultaneously. Anyway, drawing came easily to me. In my late 20s, I got bored with pencil and paper. I picked up a woodburning tool, which was the beginning of something big for me. I look back now and am amazed at how many woodburnings I have done. I love looking at them all and remembering the stories behind them. I rarely make something just for myself.
God brings people to me with stories, an answer to prayer. I don’t want my artwork to be about making money (although that can be nice). I want to touch the customer’s heart with personal touches. Now that I have turned some of my time to making custom hats, it’s fun for me to continue that goal. Putting a pin, a feather, or a burn on a hat that touches the person in a special way means the world to me.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds and what interesting stories God put in front of me. I’m grateful and humbled.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For me, art is a hobby. It is not my full-time job. During the day, I handle payroll, HR, and benefits for the employees of Plumbing & Cooling Nerds in Naples, Florida (shameless plug). Here is something I have learned over the years. I write and eat left-handed, but I play all my sports right-handed. I truly believe that I used both sides of my brain.
Half of my brain needs the creative release of drawing, building, and burning. The other half needs to help people, stay organized, and work with numbers. That being said, there really has not been a ‘rough road’ for me. If I want to create – I create. If I don’t feel like it – I take a break. That is the nice part about not turning it into a full-time gig for me. Not relying on it gives me the freedom to do what I want, when I want. Don’t get me wrong, though.
If you give me a deadline for a project, I’ll meet it. That’s the ‘organized’ side of me.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Pyrographer and Milliner or Hatter. Pyrography is the art of burning material to create art. I turned to wood as opposed to leather or anything else to burn. A Milliner makes hats for women, and a Hatter makes hats for men. I do both.
There is a massive fashion surge right now for women’s hats. You can thank Lainey Wilson for that. Her country music and popularity have blown up the world of cowboy hats and fedoras for the ladies. I would like the guys to follow suit. It’s a little more difficult to create a hat that a guy will wear if it’s not a baseball hat. What has been a blast for me is to combine both arts. I can create the hat from scratch using rabbit or beaver material – but drawing on the hat and burning that image into the material has been fun. It does stink, though! I suffer for my art. Poor me. Ha, ha!
Again, it’s the heart touch that sets me apart from others. I strive to pull the heartstrings or make art that brings back memories for the customer. I call my hats ‘legacy hats.’ What I would love to see is a hat that gets passed down through the generations. When I’m gone someday, I hope God will allow me to see a young child pick up a hat or piece of art I made and say something like “This used to be my grandpa’s hat” or “This picture belonged to my great grandma”. Now, that would be special for me.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I spent 47 years in windy, cold, dreary Chicago. Oh yes, there are some nice days, but the weather in Southwest Florida is something I love. I don’t miss the seasons of fall and spring or the changing of the leaf colors. I’ve turned into a weather wimp.
When I lived in Chicago, we would go swimming when it hit seventy degrees. Now, I’m looking for a light jacket and wouldn’t think of getting in the pool without it being heated. I love the sun and blue skies of Florida. Sure, we have our hurricanes. We stayed here through both Irma and Ian. But we were blessed with minimal damage.
In times like that, you learn to appreciate what you have and turn a helping hand to those in need. What did Mr. Rogers say? In times of trouble, his mom told him to look for the helpers. When disaster hits, there will always be helpers. Look for them and follow their lead.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.burntandbranded.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burntandbranded/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089661204690
- Email: burnandbrand@gmail.com and thehatguydoug@gmail.com
