Friday Five with Daniel Caudill of Shinola before photo gallery

Shinola, Detroit brand based on the creation of leather handcrafted, watches, bicycles, and magazines, has built a steady following with their American made products since there are 2011. Several years Daniel Caudill came as director of creation, after years as a design consultant and design for major US brands. While he was born in Trinidad and Tobago, Caudill was raised in Montana before ending up in Los Angeles to attend the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Now it is the realization of the vision Shinola Detroit to oversee management of the brand as it continues to grow with new products and stores worldwide. For this Friday Five, Caudill gives us a glimpse of what prevents inspiration.

Photo courtesy the Judd Foundation Archive

Photo courtesy of the Foundation Archive Judd

1. Donald Judd Library
The simplicity of minimal forms repeated in natural environments inspires and calms me. I find beauty in the simple design, it inspires me every day.

Art courtesy Judd Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

Article courtesy Judd Foundation / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

2. Marfa Texas
I was lucky to grow up in rural and urban Montana Los Angeles at a time. Marfa is the only place in the world that I went where the two of them coexisting. You feel like you go back in time and into the future together.

Photo by Lorenzo Montezemolo, via Flickr

Photo by Lorenzo Montezemolo, via Flickr

3. North Lake Michigan
The beauty of northern Michigan is a hidden secret most people do not know. Lakes that look like the turquoise water of the Caribbean. Sunsets like Hawaii. Orchards, farms and amazing food. It is a place where I reboot and I can never spend enough time there.

Courtesy of Shinola

Courtesy Shinola

4. The people that I work with
I work with such talented, intelligent and creative people. This pushes me to be better at my job every day. Shinola is an incredible family.

Photo courtesy of Ray Charles' Facebook page

Photo courtesy of Ray Charles Facebook page

5. Positive people
They follow their heart, even if something could not give a sense on paper, that is how really great things. Here's how Shinola has begun and it inspires me every day.