Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Mitch Heil and I am a woodworker and an outdoor enthusiast. I make 3d Laser cut lake maps.
Where did your business name come from? Is there an interesting story behind it?
My company Horn Dog Maps is named after my dog Sterling. He is a German Wirehaired Pointer and he is pseudo trained to find deer antler sheds, so I called him my little horn dog.
How did you get started in your art / business?
Like all things, it was something I wanted for myself. I posted pics of my map online and other people liked it and they wanted their own. I scaled it up from there and turned it into a real business.
What made you take this leap into being your own boss?
I’ve always been more of a solo worker. In college one of my teachers gave me some feedback once that was something like “I hope you aspire to work alone because you don’t take critique/play well with others” and that statement is so true.
What has been your favorite moment since creating your art/business?
My favorite thing is hearing the stories behind the lakes the customers order. Some of them are places the couple met, got married, or are family cabins dating back multiple generations.
Have you had any major failures? If so, what were some important insights gained?
For every success I have, there are a dozen “failures” behind it. That could be the material, paint color, glue brand/type, how they are cut, the order of assembly, sizes, packing material, or any other multitude of things. It’s only a failure if you don’t learn from it.
Have you always been passionate about art and design?
I’ve always been interested in art, but it was never really my goal to make it a full time job. In high school I took all the art classes and had a study hour my senior year and I ended up sculpting an approximately 15” long car out of drywall mud.
What motivates you to create?
My maps can bring people joy that other gifts just don’t have. Some people have decades of memories on these lakes and the maps bring them right back there, even though the lake may be several hours away.
What is the latest thing you have been working on?
Customer orders of lake maps, but also a birch and walnut computer desk for my wife, as well as planning out a dining room set made out of red maple.
What will you be bringing to the Gift & Art Expo for attendees to purchase?
I have about 20 different lakes in a few different color/frame combinations but also am able to take custom orders of the over 1300 lakes that I have mapped and ready to go.
www.horndogmaps.com
www.facebook.com/horndogmaps
www. instagram.com/horndogmaps
