Our Story
At Hand or Eye, we believe
that everyday objects can be touchstones, talismans. That the things in our lives should delight the senses, and fire the imagination. We believe that useful things should be simple and timeless, but not boring. Our makers use authentic, natural materials to create sculptural forms that please the hand and eye! Toward this end, we offer a wide range of both contemporary and vintage craft, including ceramics, woodworking, letterpress, and jewelry.
We also value the simplicity and asymmetry of natural materials and historical artifacts, and the rich textures and patterns that develop in them over time. So, we also offer a carefully-curated selection of found objects, natural history items, and other treasures chosen to surprise the viewer, and hopefully, inspire a little wonder.
What’s in a Name?
Our name comes from the first stanza of “The Tyger,” a poem by the ecstatic and visionary 18th century poet and artist William Blake:
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
“The Tyger” can be read as Blake marveling at the breath and mystery of God’s power. But from what we know of the poet’s inquisitive and iconoclastic mind, it’s possible that he was questioning whether God (as commonly conceived) had a hand in the making of the tiger at all. For us, the phrase “hand or eye” relates to the mystery of all creation. We choose to let the mystery be.
Shop Policies
At HAND OR EYE, we are serious about using only sustainably-sourced materials and ethical business practices. Our new products are made either in our studios, or by people that we know personally. Natural and repurposed products are all sustainably-sourced. By carrying products whose history we know intimately, we can assure our customers that our wares are safe, non-toxic, and have the lowest possible carbon footprint. We also use recycled, and recyclable, natural materials for wrapping and shipping to the extent possible.
About Us
Martin Holden has spent most of his career as a journalist, writing on science, travel, architecture, and design. From 2009 to 2016 he owned Accident & Artifact, an eclectic gallery and shop in San Francisco’s Mission District. With its open-door policy and its well-loved baby grand, “Accident” was a kind of salon for artistic misfits, hosting concerts, readings, and workshops of all sorts. It was also a mecca for stylists and designers, with clients including Kinfolk Magazine, Levi Strauss, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and many others. Musician Tom Waits once called Accident “the best store in the whole damn Solar System.”
Nancy Mintz is a San Francisco-born sculptor and printmaker. She works with ceramics, paper, metal, and wood in her studio near Bellingham, Washington. Nancy received her BA (Ceramics) from the California College of Arts and Crafts, and her MFA (Sculpture) from Mills College. Her artwork has been exhibited at noted venues including the Kala Art Institute, California Craft Museum, Bolinas Museum, Southern Exposure, and many others. You can see more of her work at https://nancymintz.net/