Artists Statement

The Wild Honey Guitar Company is an artistic collaboration of Erick and Lisa Hanson.  Erick is the principle guitar maker while Lisa carves and paints.  His guitars become her canvasses.  Together, we create beautiful electric guitars that both play and tell stories. 

All of our guitars are made from willow and feature a variety of native and exotic hardwoods.  We enjoy highlighting the natural features found in wood and allow it to be expressed through simple finishes.  Artwork is translated using simple carving tools and bold experimentation with colour and shape.  For the musician, Wild Honey Guitars offer a uniquely warm and balanced sound comfortably familiar to acoustic guitarists, but versatile enough to be sought after by electric guitarists.  For the storyteller, the artistic images are often renderings of legends, decrees, and mysteries. 

Biographical Statement

While working with youth in Recife, Brazil, we dreamt that one day, we would teach music and guitar-building to them.  Our goal would be to impart a practical skill whereby they could work well using local resource and eventually provide for their families and be self-sufficient.  It became evident that we ourselves should learn the craft of guitar-building as a logical step toward to fulfilling this dream.  And so, we began in 2007.  Erick’s built his first guitar on our dining table.  It was made of spruce 2x6 from the local hardware store.  Soon after this feat, Erick was mentored by a good friend who was a cabinet-maker.  While participating in an art show in 2009, Lisa was inspired to begin carving and painting on Erick’s finished guitars.  Another good friend lent their carving tools and what started out as a great idea, has turned into a genre.  

Our formal education and experience has led us both into careers as health professionals.  We have enjoyed our roles as Paramedic and Community Health Nurse.  With Baccalaureate degrees in Political Science and Nursing, we did not hesitate to plunge into this new endeavour of building guitars.  By contrast, our arts education has been an on-going journey of practicality.  We often choose a self-directed approach to learning and will research a skill or technique as needed.  Through trial and error and seeking advice from those more skilled or admired, we have continued to develop our skills to suit our goals.

Over the past year, we have ventured out yet again, taking Wild Honey Guitar Company out of the box and into Fort Albany, a remote Cree First Nation on the James Bay Coast.  Our daytime jobs of nurse, paramedic, and teacher were satisfying.  But, our evenings and weekends were taken up with guitar-building.  “Made in Fort Albany” guitars have made their way to customers in Southern Ontario and other communities along the James Bay Coast.   Since resettling in Thunder Bay, Erick has taught a group of Grade 10 students in a local First Nation's High School how to build their own electric guitars and we are excited about the contribution and impact that this project has had on their own learning and personal growth.  

Personal Commitment

We are deeply grateful to the Creator for the privilege and delight of a collaborative relationship.  We are committed to increasing excellency in creating quality handcrafted instruments to be used by worshippers, musicianaries, and for those who are whole-hearted in pursuing the path that they were created for.  

2011 Wild Honey Guitar Company