BUCYRUS — Jason Haycook has discovered a hidden talent that has turned his life around.
Haycook, 33, is a wiz at woodworking. He turns basic pine and oak boards into custom built furniture and home décor. A genius at design. A craftsman at heart. And the owner of his own business.
It’s called Jason’s Creations.
“I do feel like it’s a gift,” said Haycook, who’s busy this time of year making the rounds at area craft shows and fall festivals. “I’ve always been a creative person. It’s always been my outlet for things.”
Jason’s Creations was officially launched four years ago after Haycook quit his job at Bucyrus Precision Tech and, with the support and encouragement of his wife, Terra, took a different career path. A path that also helped him manage his longtime battle with depression.
“People kept saying over the years, ‘You’re really good. You should have a store or be selling this stuff,’ even the nurses in the mental health unit,” Haycook said. “It just kind of fell together, to be honest. If I was still working a 9 to 5 office job, I probably wouldn’t make it.”
Haycook, who also suffers from PTSD and Tourette’s Syndrome, always had an eye for design. As a kid his favorite toys were LEGOS and Lincoln Logs. In sixth grade, he wrote an award-winning essay on “The Invention of the Hammer.” He wanted to be an architect.
He graduated from Bucyrus High School in 2004 and earned a mechanical engineering degree from Marion Technical College the following year. But as he moved from job to job, his depression worsened, landing him in the hospital on two different occasions.
Haycook, who married Tessa in 2005, eventually found his niche after buying a home in Bucyrus and embarking on a major remodeling project. He acquired tools along the way – a table saw, miter saw and drills – and built an entertainment center a gift for his wife.
Soon he was converting old headboards into storage benches and repurposing antiques into wooden signs and home décor. He outgrew his basement workshop, moved to a larger one in Galion, then settled into a 24- by 60-foot workshop about six miles north of Bucyrus.
There, Haycook finds comfort. He saws and sands, planes and stains, piles of rough lumber into farmhouse-style TV cabinets, entertainment centers and dining sets. He makes buffets, storage units and custom pieces for customers around the state and as far away as Florida.
A few years ago, he tackled on another major project – helping his grandmother design and build her dream house. It was a natural fit for Haycook, who said he now has complete confidence in his design ability and a renewed passion for creativity.
Because life nowadays isn’t as much of a struggle. And for that he’s grateful.
“My mental health has been better. I feel happier and satisfied,” he said. “I’m just happy to be able to do what I do. I feel that I have been blessed.”
