#CreativeSpace Winner | Susan Hoff

Checking in with last week's #CreativeSpace contest winner, @susan_hoff. To enter, post a photo on Instagram of your creative space, follow @visslasurf @surfline and tag #CreativeSpace.

Be sure to check out Susan Hoff's website and Instagram.

Hey Susan, can you tell us a bit about what you do?

Hi guys. So I make bags and other accessories out of old sails and horse tack that I collect from around California and the Midwest. That combination of materials came about because I used to work as a sailing instructor and I grew up on a horse farm back in Illinois. Using retired sails for the body of the bags and horse tack for the straps was a way to give new purpose to old materials that I found around me and which still had a lot of life (and a lot of character to boot).

How long have you been creating bags?

I’ve been making bags for almost 5 years now with the occasional break for adventures too good to pass up. While sailing professionally before making bags I earned my Captain’s License, so I try to get out on the water as much as possible to maintain that credential. Otherwise it’s bags all day everyday.

Where is your creative space located?

My studio is on the Valencia St. corridor in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Tell us a bit about your creative space and what it means to you.

My creative space is part of a live/work community so I spend a lot of time here. I used to actually live in my workshop, in a small loft that I built in the back. I have since moved to a room down the hall (with a door and everything), but I miss the days of living in my studio. This space is a constant evolution and a work in progress, so it has grown to be very personal and a reflection of all that I do.

What is your favorite part of your creative space?

I love the afternoon light that streams in, the giant center table that was built for a printing press, and the surrounding collections of vintage leather and found objects that remind me of trips past and future.

Do you surf? If so, where do you usually go to surf?

I do although never as much as I like. I love OB on mellow days, Bolinas even on crappy days, and I’ve recently been getting up to Cronkhite to body surf whenever possible. The Marin Headlands make for a remarkable backdrop and a nice quick escape from the city.

Any last words?

Thanks to Stephen Smith and Andrew Paynter for a couple of the photos.