William Lofgren Iron Castings

Giving Back

As I started creating these designs, I began to think about the idea of being able to sell my castings. The more I thought about it the more I liked it. Sure beats having a normal 8-to-5 gig!

As I thought about what I wanted to create as an artist, I also thought about what I wanted to create as a business (assuming, of course, that I could actually sell anything!). I have always been impressed with companies like Patagonia, who have made a commitment to give 1% of sales to environmental causes. Please note, 1% of sales, not profits.

I too wanted to create a company that could give back. I think it is important for businesses, as well as individuals, to recognize that the opportunities that they have are not always the result of particular personal ability, but rather a result what has been given to them. And the start of a new business is the best time to commit to doing something philanthropic. The best time to commit to giving something away is when it is X% of zero!

My artistic abilities, such as they are, come much more from my father’s artistry in building homes, than it does from anything for which I can take credit. I was fortunate to be able to work for my dad in high school where, despite my typical teenager attitude, he was to impart some of his knowledge and experience to me. It was my dad’s love of creating beautiful homes that sparked my interest in being creative. He gave me the skills to create and the drive to build a quality product. It was also my dad’s love of the outdoors that drew me to using petroglyphs for subject matter.

I am fortunate to have two really great parents, and a couple of cool sisters. However, not everyone is so lucky. So to help those who are less fortunate in the parental unit department, I give 1% of sales to local organizations that support families. I know that most of my art comes from the influence of my family, so it seems appropriate use a portion of the proceeds to help organizations that help families.

For the year 2011, I am giving 1% of sales to Habitat for Humanity Seattle. I had a chance to do a little work with Habitat when I had some downtime between jobs. I found them to be a great organization and really committed to helping families. At this point in time all of my sales dollars come from the Seattle area, so it seems appropriate to reinvest in the local area. Your purchase makes this contribution possible!

If you would like to also support Habitat for Humanity in Seattle, you can find them at www.seattle-habitat.org. And finally, please visit www.onepercentfortheplanet.org. In this age of greed, it is great to see organizations like this that are committed to putting something, anything, above profits.

William Lofgren