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urban ashes - Reclaim a piece of Michigan’s environmental legacy created by the Emerald Ash Borer with fine picture frames and furniture by Urban Ashes a division of Paul M Hickman Inc. Paul's new line of frames, Urban Ashes, is hand-crafted with transitional/disabled labor in Michigan from Michigan urban wood, salvaged from local Ash and other trees. These are trees that grew on our streets, in our yards, in our parks and in other urban areas. The entire Urban Ashes collection is hand-finished with petroleum-free finishes often highlighting the unique character of the Ash and other urban woods used in these frames.
studio furniture– Paul enjoys collaborating with clients to create one-of-a-kind, free-standing and built-in furniture. Often, his designs include details that hold personal meaning for the commissioner – a map of the Battle of Shilo etched on the glass of a cabinet to house a client's collection of Civil War books – or incorporate the surrounding environment – side rails of a headboard that incorporate a design detail from the client's window handles. Paul also offers a selection of limited-production pieces. Most of the materials used in his furniture are reclaimed or come from sustainable sources; all of the materials and finishes are non-toxic.
furnishings– From decorative header panels for a kitchen and hand-made register covers to a 9' bathroom mirror etched with the Temple of Artemis and a faux-stone triptych of the excavation site at Ephesus, Paul's designs personalize environments while bringing coherence to the overall aesthetic. Custom design also, in one client's words, "raises the bar" of a home's look and feel.
Paul specializes in subtle, multi-layered antique finishes and patinas. His unique paint finishes have been applied to walls, floor tiles, furniture — even register covers. Because he uses organic, non-toxic finishes, Paul is able to work with people who have chemical sensitivities.
Utilizing his extensive knowledge of “green”, reclaimed and repurposed building materials, Paul helps bring to life highly functional and personal environments through design, consulting, specifying materials, and project management. Paul is experienced working with architects, general contractors, sub-contractors and other designers. |
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While at Arizona State University, Paul seized upon Intermedia as a vehicle to marry new and salvaged materials, painted and projected graphics, audio, video and lighting. Following the completion of his BFA, he spent 12 years building a notable career as a designer/project manager in the scenic-arts industry, where he experimented, refined and expanded his design repertoire. In 1996, after 16 years of working with toxic and environmentally degrading paints and materials, he embarked on a search for safer and more environmentally conscious alternatives — ultimately leading him to start his own firm. Today, while designing and creating for residential and commercial clients, Paul's spaces, furniture, finishes, graphics and fine art prints incorporate his commitment to "green design" and his years of diverse experience. His work can be found throughout the country in retail stores, restaurants, theme parks, trade shows and residences. Paul is a past board member of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility, Nor-Cal, The Environmental House at Recycle Ann Arbor, Michigan, Hoosier Outdoor Advertising Corp., Bloomington, Indiana, Think Local First Washtenaw, Michigan as well as a co-founder of the Green Resource Center, Berkeley, CA. and a past co-chairman of the Washtenaw Home Builders Association, Built Green Initiative.
Starting as a sign painter at the age of 15, Paul Hickman spent 16 years working with toxic and environmentally degrading materials. In 1996, searching for safer and more environmentally conscious alternatives, Paul landed at EcoTimber in Berkeley, CA. Here, he discovered “urban salvaged wood” and other sustainably harvested woods certified by the then fledgling Forest Stewardship Council. Soon after he started his own art and design services firm utilizing these woods, and many other “green” resources.
In 2005, Paul and Jason Bing of Recycle Ann Arbor began discussing ideas on how to network local tree services, mills and retailers who were working with urban salvaged woods into a cohesive group. From this, The Urban Wood Project was formed as a partnership between Recycle Ann Arbor and the Southeast Michigan Resource Conservation and Development Council.
Three years later, Mr. Bing commissioned Paul to design a product that would increase the use of the newly developed resource of urban salvaged wood while drawing from Michigan’s transitional and or disabled workforce. The answer was right in front of them. Paul had been working with his two young sons creating prints, framing them and selling them. The frames they used were ready-made frames, made out of the country, and from who knows what kind of wood or finish. It occurred to him that these very frames could easily be made from urban woods, with non-toxic petroleum-free finishes and that they could use this underutilized workforce. Out of this concept, along with the blight of the Emerald Ash Borer, a whole new line of picture frames was formed and Urban Ashes was born.
It has been 23 years since Paul's last solo print. After working on "The Collaboration Prints" with his two sons Paul has taken the plunge back into printmaking on his own. The influence of many experiences, techniques, and styles from his career as a sign painter, graphics director, decorative painter, furniture designer and printmaker have converged to produce "pmh prints". Completing the convergence, Paul frames all of his new prints with frames from the Urban Ashes collection.
While collaborating with architects, contractors and designers to produce his spaces, furniture, finishes, graphics and fine art prints, he always incorporates a commitment to "green design" and alternative materials. The woods Paul now works with are almost solely Michigan urban wood salvaged from trees that grew on streets, in yards, in parks and in urban areas. His work can be found throughout the country in retail stores, restaurants, theme parks, casinos, trade shows and residences. His focus now however, is in Michigan.
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