By Amelia Mason, WBUR Arts & Culture Reporter
December 24, 2020
The landmark chimney of the Humphrey Street Studios near Uphams Corner. Robin Lubbock/WBUR photos
On a warm day in early September, the Humphreys Street Studios in Dorchester bustle with activity. Jemuel Stephenson stands in a room overlooking a massive workshop, next to a stack of his laser-cut bamboo boxes. Patterned with bright, psychedelic swirls, they’re deceptively simple, edges fit snugly together without nails or hinges.
“This one has a little twist and a pull right there,” Stephenson says, picking up a box and giving the lid a deft spin. “And that’s how that one opens.”
On a warm day in early September, the Humphreys Street Studios in Dorchester bustle with activity. Jemuel Stephenson stands in a room overlooking a massive workshop, next to a stack of his laser-cut bamboo boxes. Patterned with bright, psychedelic swirls, they’re deceptively simple, edges fit snugly together without nails or hinges.
“This one has a little twist and a pull right there,” Stephenson says, picking up a box and giving the lid a deft spin. “And that’s how that one opens.”
The workshop is home to a number of creatives and entrepreneurs, whose makeshift studios line the edges of the space. Stephenson says the artists often work together, sharing tools and resources. He values that collaborative environment.