Hi, my name is Sean Oistad.

I trace the beginning of my artistic career back to my early childhood when I would watch my older brother doodle and I would attempt to do the same. Both he and I learned how to draw together through years of practice and blossoming creativity. Through the years in grade school I explored other media and built a fondness for three-dimensional work.

I attended Virginia Commonwealth University fully intent on becoming a mechanical engineer. I enjoyed mathematics, and I knew that was a safe career choice. I realized that I was going into mechanical engineering not because I wanted to, but because I thought it was expected of me, and afterwords I decided to follow my interests in the arts. In 2016, I graduated with a BFA in Craft and Material Studies with a focus in woodworking and furniture design.

After graduation I found work at a woodworking facility that mass produces frames, cutting boards, and custom awards. The men and women there showed me many different techniques from their years of experience that I couldn’t have learned in a classroom. Despite learning so much from working in that environment, I realized that staying there wasn’t what I have planned for myself either. In a mass production facility quantity is often prioritized, sometimes at the cost of quality.

I want to take time with each piece I create, focus on specific details, and make quality my highest priority. Because of which, I made the decision to take myself seriously and to embark on my own journey, Oistad Studio. I still work full time but when I can, I’m creating handcrafted items for my family, my friends, and anybody who commissions work from me.