Manager and Technician

From August, 2013 to current, I was contracted by the owner of Superior Paint and Body in Macon and Warner Robins, Ga to create their business website and market their services through social media.

During this process, I became familiar with Superior’s business operations after successfully launching and maintaining its website and mobile app. Having experience with mechanics and “hands-on” studio courses, I expanded my support for the owner’s business and became skillful in fabricating, sculpting, sanding, and prepping vehicles for paint during my contract. Superior operated as a team, alternating between 5 to 7 employees at its Macon location, so I grew fond of working closely in groups.

My desire to manage was subsequently encouraged by my experience working at the shop. Understanding Superior’s operations, and its industry, allowed me to effectively manage while the business owners could concentrate on projects outside of Superior. My responsibilities included:

- Manage office
- Vehicle priority 
- Customer relations 
- Employee responsibilities 
- Service writing/quoting (WEB-EST Online)
- Shop cleanliness
- Accounting (Fiscal 2014)

During the summer of 2013, I had the pleasure of taking part in professional experience that would aid in another project’s completion; restoring a vintage Japanese motorcycle. 

The project began with acquiring a nearly complete 1994 Kawasaki KE100 enduro motorcycle. The bike was in running condition with an eligible title for street use. Deconstruction initiated specific fields of mechanics: metal restoration, fabrication, sanding, painting, retrofitting, wheel trueing, part replacement, and repair. 

I was greatly inspired by the ‘76 KE100 and predecessor ‘74 G4TR, prompting my desire to convert an enduro motorcycle into a road bike. I sourced parts from across the country to design a motorcycle that followed Kawasaki’s use of curves and simple form.  

Mechanical experience gained at Superior Paint and Body, coupled with understandings for composition in art, guided my learning process with this project. Working with motorcycles as a 3-dimensional art form required strong demands for creative solutions, those that I find valuable in operating small businesses.

Well, here it is. Part of the creative suite. I'm glad my site is up, these are just the first few posts to acknowledge projects to come! I have a few in mind, but it will surely be one before the other if I've learned anything about studio projects. 

During part of the summer I began a restoration project that involves the best representation for the physics of Earth: a motorcycle.

A project that has never been attempted in my field of hands on fabrication. A '76 KE100 enduro cafe racer. Yes! I was fortunate to find the deal and am always excited to be a technician in a growing number of formats. Motorcycles have shown to be an interesting field of mechanics, and I love working with them.

My friend Brandon has completed his Honda CL360, a rare bike in the heart of Decatur. Equipped with a custom scrambler exhaust and personalized paint coat, his bike led the inspiration I have to restore vintage Japanese motorcycles. What a beaut.