What I do?

I’m the founder of Vinyl Time, a small business that I started to design cool clocks out of vinyl records. I take old 33 or 45 records and add clock mechanisms and clock hands to create one-of-a-kind clocks. My craft allows me to combine three passions: my love of music, my interest in design and my commitment to reuse/recycle whenever possible.

How did I get started?

I grew up surrounded by clocks as my dad collects antique clocks. We’d attend auctions, estate sales and Todd Farm together to find different old treasures. He taught me how to care for old clocks – how to wind them, clean them and repair them. I grew up surrounded by clocks.

One rainy summer afternoon, I was bored and I decided I wanted to make a clock of my own. My dad bought me some vinyl a few days before, and I decided it was time to experiment. I bought a clock, disassembled it then reassembled it onto a record from my parents’ collection. Family and friends loved my record clock creation and encouraged me to do more. I participated in the Yankee Homecoming Inn Street Artisan Revival this past summer and was thrilled that many customers loved these clocks as much as I do.

What’s the best part of my art?

I enjoy preserving memories for people. Frequently, when people see my clocks, it transports them back in time. Music can evoke such powerful memories – whether a first concert attended, a high school prom, the start of a relationship or a wedding.

Currently, I’m working on a clock for a client to preserve her wedding song – “I’ve Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher. She plans to give it to her husband for a Christmas gift. I love hearing the sentimental stories behind the songs. Another client asked me to turn his favorite LP into a clock. That album was his inspiration to become and artist. Now, that piece hangs in his home and is a constant reminder of his beginnings. I “freeze time” for my clients who hold “that time” so near and dear to their hearts.

With my clock making, I also appreciate the combination of art and science. I love working with my hands to create and I enjoy the engineering challenge of making something mechanical work. My clocks require both – the creative vision to design something beautiful and the engineering to build it correctly. I have a knack for both.

-AJ