A Short History of Goodly Woods

I'm often asked, "What got you started making wooden mugs at the Renaissance Faire?"

 I started Goodly Woods back in '94 with my good friend Mary Chioma. She really loved the Renaissance Faires in California and was looking for a way to have her own booth... which requires that you have something to sell. At the time, I was working at Santa Cruz Guitar Company in Santa Cruz, CA, Mary thought that perhaps wooden goblets would be a hot item at the Ren Faires.. The goblets turned into bowls and mugs... and Goodly Woods business was born.

I took the shop “on the road” in 1998. Leaving my home in Oakland, CA to officially become a “Rennie” (one who travels and sells their craft at Renaissance Festivals). I relocated the shop into the back of a large 12 ton moving truck and my business moved back and fourth across the country. I made drinking vessels during the week, and sold them on the weekends.

 In 1999, Brian Warner, a gifted didgeridoo maker (didgeridoo is an Australian rhythmical instrument played with the mouth) joined Goodly Woods as an apprentice cup maker. Brian became a full partner one year later. In addition to contributing his beautiful hand-crafted workmanship, Brian was also instrumental in reinventing many production techniques at Goodly Woods, helping to make a more  solid and reliable drinking vessel.

In 2002, Brian and I decided to permanently locate our shop in beautiful Mimbres Valley, New Mexico where we both work from today. 

At the end of 2006, Brian and I decided to split the business. Brian is now The Madera Cup Company  and continues to sell at the Northern and Southern California Renaissance Festivals as well as many arts and crafts shows throughout the Southwest. 

Goodly Woods marches onward into the future...with more unique Goblets and Mugs being produces every day! 

The Artist

My name is Joseph Victor. I was born in Ridgecrest, CA back in 1965. My father was a physicist. . .  my mother a teacher, so I ended up being very curious about how and why things worked as well as how to figure it out. I always seemed to be making things. . . gizmos, toys, things you couldn't get at a store.

My parents were also musicians, and I found that my love of music took over my scientific curiosities at the ripe old age of 12 or so. Rock music took me by the heart and soul. . . up to this very day in fact. Please feel free to visit me at www.gangofhair.com as well. It's my "record label" of sorts. I've begun to produce some other artists and publish my own music as well. . . a work in progress, so keep checking it out!

Fortunately, while seriously pursuing the music, I landed in Santa Cruz, CA back in the early 90's and found a remarkable job building acoustic guitars at the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. This certainly re-connected me with my childhood desires to be a craftsman... an inventor... a creator. And it paid the bills much better than the music did! I learned a tremendous amount about fine woodworking and the business end of it too. I stayed with Santa Cruz guitars for 3 years and then created my own woodworking business on the side.

Goodly Woods took off rather quickly. I found that my craftwork was very well suited for historical re-enactment/ art shows such as Renaissance Festivals. If I had given it any thought, I probably wouldn't have been very successful in this business, but as it turned out. . . I like to work with wood and I like to drink. . . what better combination to become a wooden cup maker and what better venue to sell it?

The story continues to this day. I focus primarily on making and selling cups at several Renaissance Festivals around the country. I'm continually creating new and exciting designs with my wooden mugs and goblets.

Thanks for visiting, whether at a Renaissance Festival, or here at my website, I'm absolutely grateful for your support. I feel quite blessed to be making my living in such a wonderful and satisfying way.

CHEERS!

Joseph Victor - 4/08

Me - rough-turning a goblet