Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Kosztala.
Hi Steve, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in New London, Connecticut in a large family, I didn’t have store-bought toys. Instead my seven siblings and I used our active imaginations to create our own playthings out of whatever materials were available.
I always enjoyed both the act of designing and working with my hands. After I graduated from the Boston Architectural College in the early ’80s, I pursued a 25-year career with the Hamilton County Building Department in Cincinnati, first as a Building Inspector and then as a Plans Examiner.
After retiring in 2018, I put my love of designing and manual work together and took a class on creating kaleidoscopes. I was hooked. Before long I began crafting wooden kaleidoscopes fittingly called KOSZTALASCOPES.
With the mind of an inventor, at night I dream of new innovative designs and techniques for my next Kosztalascope.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve been making kaleidoscopes since early 2018. There was a lot of learning involved concerning using equipment, figuring out designs, mastering the physics of balancing mirrors, wood, and glass, and figuring out pricing and my audience.
I think it helped a lot to get a website for my work (http://kosztalascopes.com). Not only could I promote myself this way, but it helped me organize my thoughts in terms of what styles I’d produced and what categories the scopes generally fit into.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My workshop is at the Essex Studios in Cincinnati. I brainstorm on designs and then sketch out my ideas on paper. From the start I wanted KOSZTALASCOPES to be different from anything people have ever seen in a kaleidoscope.
I hit upon the idea of creating a kaleidoscope that could be viewed in any light situation. During the day, one holds the Kosztalascope up to a light source such as the sun or an indoor lamp, as in its traditional use. In the dark, one flicks on a small on/off switch on an attached assembly piece at the base of the Kosztalascope. In the assembly are an LED light and battery, providing artificial light with which to view the infinite colored glass patterns.
My scopes have evolved, and now I do not always include the LED attachment in all my designs. I make Kosztalascopes from various fine woods and create them on a lathe, with the pieces meticulously assembled by hand. Each Kosztalascope employs unique design and engineering solutions.
I am gaining a reputation for my kaleidoscopes as during the year I participate in numerous art shows, including Northminster Art Fair, Augusta KY’s Art in the Garden, and Milford’s Art Affaire,
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Please review my Kosztalascopes on my website (http://kosztalascopes.com). You can make an appointment to see the scopes in person at my workshop at the Essex Studios in Walnut Hills.
Pricing:
- Pricing ranges from $50 for children’s scopes to $150 and above for intricate styles.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://kosztalascopes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kosztalascopes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skosztala
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-kosztala-6035a4212/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3w6VTKDb10&t=12s
Image Credits
All photos © Connie Springer
