Design
e-commerce can bring the best of
American products to the world.
Movie character that best
represents Martin
James Bond (of course), Connery,
not Brosnan.
What book is he reading now?
A Short History of Nearly Everything
by Bill Bryson
Favorite song?
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by
The Flaming Lips
Company: Shiner International
Maker: Joe Manus
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Shiner
International is managed by maker,
Joe Manus. He is called a “purveyor
of unique, unorthodox sustainable
design.” He focuses on recycling
steel, hardwood and cardboard into
unique home pieces. Though selftaught, his works won the Rising
Star Design Award in 2012. When we
asked where he received his design
inspiration, he replied, “This gets a
two part answer. he first part is a
more obvious model. I get momentum
from shapes I see in the woods,
the cities and my tangible human
experiences. I see promise in many
non-categorically, unpromising
things. The second part, and really
the more surprising part, is I get
much inspiration from all that I
don’t see. I see voids in things and
I mentally fill those voids. What is
left often becomes my work.”
Experience working with
Homespun Design
Homespun has been solely judged and
Joe Manus, Shiner
International
RIGHT
Mood Bed, Shiner
International
95
partnered based on one single thing,
my first impression of its founder,
Joe Noonan. He is charismatic,
knowledgeable and instantly
comfortable and trusted. The rest
that follows Joe’s lead is what I’ve
grown to know as Homespun, the
comet tail that follows him around,
respectfully. Joe Noonan, with his
knowledge and charisma, is Manus’
favorite part of the Homespun
experience.
Who are Joe’s favorite designers?
I just can’t answer this in
singularity. My great friends, Georg
Baehler of CFC/Noir and Nathan
Leslie of NLD are two solid people
who leave a legacy every day.
Movie character that best
represents Joe
I guess I am a mix between Owen
Wilson and Michael Landon. At least,
I hope I am.
The book on his bedside table
TESL '