Meet the Creative Behind HATCH's Drafter's Dream Leonardo Furore Fountain Pen

A new creator has entered the HATCH rabbit hole! Meet @bflat_trumpet, the mind behind the gorgeous Leonardo × @bflat_trumpet Drafter's Dream Fountain Pen.

Brought to life by the unparalleled craftsmanship of @ZoggAnalog and @Leonardo, this is a collaboration you surely don't want to miss!

Who is @bflat_trumpet?

When we think of a creative soul, our minds naturally drift to familiar tools; the stroke of a paint brush across a canvas, the scratch of a fountain pen on paper, or the precise lines of traditional stationery. But creativity refuses to be confined to a desk.

While possibly most of the artists we’ve known speak through ink and paint, @bflat_trumpet communicates through fire and force. Using a welding machine and carving tools, her creative work is forged, carved, sculpted, and brought to life through raw, tactile craftsmanship.

That said, a pen is still something she always has in her pocket. It’s a tool she often use to make corrections and adjustments to help her see a project from start to finish. Along the way, her discovery of fountain pens opened new ideas that eventually led us here.

Beyond her creative work, let’s take a peek into her life away from home and the creative scenes that inspire her.

(A photo shared by @bflat_trumpet with a view of Mount Taranaki located on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island.)

Born and raised from Knoxville, Tennessee and now all the way to New Zealand, her roots near the Great Smoky Mountains help her connect easily into the dramatic landscapes of the North Island. The exposure to diverse cultures and rhythms has broadened her perspective, deeply enriching her everyday life.

What’s wonderful about @bflat_trumpet is how she opens our eyes to everything around her; from new art forms, to learning from different people, you can see the passion in everything she does.

It gives us perspective on how learning can not only bring personal improvement and growth but also how impactful encounters can shape how we see life and navigate the paths we take.

Know more about the ink and our HATCH creative’s inspiration!

Question 1: Leonardo pens are popular for their stunning vintage-inspired Italian aesthetic. I'd love to know: what was the very first Leonardo pen to catch your eye? And what is it about the brand that got you inspired to make a pitch for HATCH with Leonardo?

@bflat_trumpet: The first pen that caught my attention was the Furore White Salt pen. When looking for inspiration, the white salt pen really stuck out to me for its sleek design and such a beautiful color combination.

Although it's unavailable on their website, it’s a pen that I occasionally think about especially when I was designing the Drafter’s Dream and wanting to capture a similar pleasing aesthetic.

Question 2: The use of the colors and transparency on the Drafter’s Dream is truly unique in this Furore pen! Could you share with us how you felt when you first saw the pen in person?

@bflat_trumpet: When I first saw the pen, I was so happy with how it turned out and felt in my hands. The pictures during [the] prototype, while amazing, truly don’t do justice to holding a pen in person. I was so happy with the slight transparency that the pen had, and I really loved the fact that after I filled the pen with ink, I was able to see it through the barrel of the pen. Although it wasn’t a dedicated ink window, the transparency shows the ink but does not take away from the look of the pen at all.

(Image of the Leonardo × @bflat_trumpet Drafter's Dream Fountain Pen as shown on HATCH.)

Question 3: Who are your biggest influences that contributed to your personal creative style? Are there any pieces from them you are particularly fond of? We would love to check out any you recommend.

@bflat_trumpet: Personally, my creative side is slightly different than most. Since I work in the trades, my creative style comes a lot from welding and metals. I took my design of the swirled resin and let it remind me of Damascus steel, which is just a wavy pattern of layer steel pieces.

(Image of the wavy patterns on a Damascus steel as shown in a blog on Oshiya.)

Alec Steele on YouTube is a creator that has worked on creating his own types of Damascus steel with powder and making steel that has logos and patterns, and even make a Damascus steel resembling his dog profile.

(A screenshot of a YouTube episode on Alec Steele’s channel.)

Along with Alec Steele, I also had the pleasure of having a very uplifting professor in my studies, and he allowed me as a student to really see welding from all angles. There is the artistic side, the technical side, the teaching side, and that welding goes far beyond just joining pieces of metal together. His influence was a more personal one, and he will be someone I look up to through my entire career.

Question 4: When you aren't busy with school or work, what hobbies do you currently explore? How do you feel your other creative outlets or hobbies influence your day to day life?

@bflat_trumpet: At the moment, I’ve been into rock carving! Currently, I am in New Zealand and one of the popular cultural activities is jade carving and “pounamu”.

(Image of Pounamu on bench in New Zealand by Erica Sinclair as featured on newzealand.com)

I’ve joined a local rock club where I get to use tools to take gemstones, jades, petrified wood, etc. and carve them into meaningful pieces. So far, I have made some necklaces for my family and partner, and some trinkets for some friends, and my next design is joining some rocks together to make one that resembles a “wood pigeon” common to New Zealand.

(Some rocks that @bflat_trumpet has been carving! These are all for necklaces she made.)

Having this creative outlet allows me to look at all sorts of materials from new perspectives and learn different techniques that I can use for metal working as well.

Question 5: We’ve heard you're currently studying overseas! How was the experience of being away from home and how has it helped you grow? Also, what’s got you most excited about the course you’re taking on right now?

@bflat_trumpet: I certainly miss home! I really wish I was there with all my friends and family, but I am very thankful for all the support they’ve given me and the constant contact we maintain.

(Image of the Sunsphere at Knoxville, Tennessee; which is a staple @bflat_trumpet’s city.)

I’ve really gotten to see a whole new way of living while being in New Zealand. I’ve tried to be more involved with community activities to meet people, and trying to fit in with their daily lives

(@bflat_trumpet currently lives both near Mount Taranaki and the sea.)

I have lived in Wellington and New Plymouth so far! They both offer different ways of living but they also both offer a tight knit community.

Currently, I am taking a Project Management course! I’ve really enjoyed that so far and getting to learn how to manage projects from start to finish, and be aware of the risks and communication strategies. My favorite parts of it are making summaries, and planning the projects by connecting with others trying to delegate and put it into place. I enjoy presentations and getting to see and partake in pitches. I like getting to make presentations, and I feel that my skills have really grown over the past year in forming and connecting a pitch for a RFP, Proposals, Project Scope, and Executive Summary documents.

Question 6: Since you’ve moved, have you found any hidden gems, cool creative scenes, or local events that you’ve loved exploring? What other cool hangouts or events would you like to see?

@bflat_trumpet: I live near some black sand beaches which are really cool! I have also had the chance to visit Hobbiton, and see how they put the set together for the movies and how they strived for authenticity when they were building it.

(Image of Hobbiton movie set as featured in newzealand.com)

While I haven’t been to the South Island yet, I cannot wait to visit it as the geographical attractions are completely different from the North Island! The mountain ranges are much larger and more vast. Until I get to visit though, I am very happy to live really close to Mount Taranaki and get a beautiful sunrise and sunset view of the mountain. It is truly one of a kind

Question 7: How did you first find out about HATCH? As a fellow creative partner, which released HATCH project caught your eye?

@bflat_trumpet: I first found out about HATCH from my close friend Neil. He was telling me about the process and about the pen he had designed called Cheshire with Magna Carta. He was also telling me about some other designs he was thinking over, and showing me how varied the projects can be from resin designs on Leonardos, such as mine, to prints of drawings on Opus pens. His Cheshire was very inspirational and the thought process was really well thought out.

(Image of the Magna Carta × @wastedpaper Cheshire MST as shown on HATCH)

Question 8: How was your experience working with HATCH? Is there any specific detail you’re glad you were able to represent in your design?

@bflat_trumpet: My experience with HATCH was amazing. They were very helpful throughout the process, offered plenty of ideas and help when I needed it, checked in often, and were very personal with me. I am really glad that they offered some advice with the white colors and the shimmer, as I am really happy with the slight translucency that the pen has and being able to see in the ink when it is in the pen.

(A close-up shot of the HATCH x Leonardo Drafter’s Dream filled with a brown/gold ink taken by @bflat_trumpet)

I would be more than happy to work with them in the future and they make me excited to come back with more ideas.

Question 9: What’s the best way to keep up with you and your work? (Share your socials)

@bflat_trumpet: The best way to keep up with me on instagram, @bflat_trumpet! While in the future I may make something a little more tailored to just pens and ink, this is the best way to keep up with me and any new projects I make in the future :)

(@bflat_trumpet enjoying a sunny day in New Zealand with Mount Taranaki behind her.)

By Some Folks at EndlessPens