So, when he and his Malaysian wife, Lisa bought a house, Miles decided to do a lot of the renovations himself. Later, he took his passion for woodwork to a new level.
“I made cutting boards for friends and gave them away. And people started asking, ‘Hey, can we get some of these?’,” recalled the 35-year-old, who has been living in Malaysia since 2016.
So, he and Lisa set up Dusty Monkey Studio in 2020.
“We are not a business. We don’t do this at all to make money. It’s a fun venture for us,” explained Miles, adding that he and his wife have full-time jobs.
Describing it as more of a hobby, he said: “It’s very much a passion, something that my wife and I get to do together.” The activity also helped keep them occupied during the pandemic.
In the early days, they utilised the space in their home’s porch to make their products. Later they moved into a studio here when their fanbase grew – and this, too, is no surprise given how exquisite their handicrafts are!
Today, apart from cutting boards, they also make charcuterie and chess boards as well as serving trays and coasters.
For most of these, Dan said that they use Meranti wood from a sawmill in Pahang. “It’s gorgeous wood. It’s so beautiful. Meranti wood varies a lot in colour.
“So, the heartwood, which is right in the centre of the tree, is a very deep, dark red. And then the further you move out, it becomes grey. So, you go through this red, then it gets yellow and then grey. So, you’ve got this really cool spectrum of colours and it’s all from the same tree.”
He added that they create beautiful patterns by arranging pieces of wood with different colours, resulting in a stunning work of art.
In making the coasters, however, he shared that they use various types of reclaimed wood which they obtain from a local company.
A few products however, bear beautiful patterns made from epoxy resin which has tough mechanical properties, good chemical resistance and high adhesive strength. As for the finishing, they use food grade mineral oil and natural beeswax.
According to Miles, their best-selling product is their cutting board. Describing these boards as “incredibly durable and strong”, he shared that they are made using end grain wood, which is the grain of wood that is revealed once it is cut across the growth rings.
‘Really fulfilling’
As this isn’t a full-time endeavour for Miles and his wife, they appreciate the support of Persatuan Pembangunan Artisans (PPA), an NGO that helps local artisans widen their distribution channels through its online platform, physical stores and pop-up events.
“They’ve been wonderful to just house our products in prominent places around Kuala Lumpur. It is pretty cool to be able to walk into Pavilion and see our products there,” said Miles.
As to what keeps them going, he shared: “It’s just a beautiful way to find peace in this busy Asian city. It’s a way to relax. And I like it because it’s not like watching television or YouTube videos on the phone.
“It’s also really cool to see just these sticks of wood turn into something gorgeous. It’s just really fulfilling to do that.”
Learn more about Dusty Monkey Studio on its website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
To view their products, click here. To place orders, send a message via Facebook or Instagram or purchase online via Shopee.
You can also head over to:
- Persatuan Pembangunan Artisans stores (currently, stock is available at its outlet at Tokyo Street, Pavilion KL)
- Shop Unplug, Bangsar Village II
Read more PPA stories and get to know its artisans here.