Dereck Perkins has spent the past 15 years helping others do something he loves: make noise.
It started with a guitar he built in high school after realizing he could make one exactly the way he wanted for less than it would cost to custom order one. Since that first guitar, Perkins has hand crafted everything from ukuleles, mandolins, banjos and a number of other instruments and toys.
After high school, Perkins moved to Chicago where he lived with a group of musicians who shared an interest in woodworking. There, Perkins built instruments with the skills he learned while he worked as a cabinet maker.
Now in Michigan, Perkins wants to make custom woodworking his career. He works for a company as a cabinet maker but he hopes to support his family with something he is passionate about.
“I’m just trying to do a craft, an art, that is something I love to do and want to be better at,” Perkins said.
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