And I know that the hand of God is the promise of my own,
And I know that the spirit of God is the brother of my own,
And that all the men ever born are also my brothers, and the women my sisters and lovers,
And that a kelson of the creation is love…
— Walt Whitman, ‘Song Of Myself’
Maker Statement
The need to create is a path towards self-discovery.
As the child of a blue collar family in Virginia, craft became my means to pull myself into the world around me, and guard myself against it.
As a young queer person, craft offered a form of insight into my identity and created a sense of usefulness, as well as a means to earn wage. Teaching others a new skill, or simply mending a pair of jeans, provided a resource for joy.
When I look back at the events in my life, they are bookended by the projects I was finishing or starting. These heirloom items seemingly pulled from the ether but manifested from time, materials, and dedication.
It is in the spirit of sharing the power of these manifestations that I founded Kelson Goods.
Kelson, used by Walt Whitman in Song Of Myself, describes the strengthening beam of a ship that rests atop the keel. Whitman describes love as a ‘kelson of the creation” and I believe, like the center beam of a ship, the beauty of hand made objects is strengthened by the materials we choose for their making.
My goal is for Kelson Goods to offer you a point of reflection for love. Whether creating for yourself or for others, I hope the materials that pass from my workspace to yours find warmth and purpose.
-Keith Foster
P.S. Endless thanks are due to the designer Kristina McGowan, the proprietor of Frog & Cast, whose love and support helped to establish Kelson Goods. True friends are the most wonderful gift the universe gives us. Everyone should be so lucky to have a K in their life.
-
Land Acknowledgment
Kelson Goods acknowledges the Wahpekute and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ land on which this kitchen sink business is built. Near to my home rests Bdoté, the point at which the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers meet, a sacred site of the Dakota people.
As a sole proprietary business, I recognize my place and privilege in this world, and accept the responsibilities inherent in profiting from the soil and water beneath my feet. A deep connection to the land we all reside on, and the debt that our communities owe to the generations of elders that came before us, begins with an acknowledgment of the privilege and power that has sustained the caste system of our nation’s history.
For more information regarding land acknowledgment and for searchable maps, please visit the Native Governance Center and project Native Land.