Most days you can find me in the barn out back, designing and building furniture out of solid wood. My backyard shop is tucked in the trees above six mile creek, a wooded hillside above and shimmering water below. A beautiful spot to live and to work in wood.
It’s a quest for harmony I suppose. A search for a way of life that is creative, useful, and sustainable. My approach is traditional and I use hand tools to achieve shapes and joinery that machinery cannot replicate. I love what the machines do for me but I’m happiest when I shut them off and turn to the drawknife, chisel, plane, and spoke shave-these are the tools that connect me to the material and help me feel contentment through the day. From this state of mind comes the focus and patience to do better work. I strongly prefer to work with domestic woods, often locally sawn and air dried. These woods ground me, give the work a sense of place and feel like the right choice for the health of our planet.
The root of my inspiration is a sense of awe for the natural world which surrounds and sustains us, along with the material itself. Wood is interesting stuff and shaping it with sharpened steel is addicting and fun. Ideas emerge from almost anywhere, I try and stay open to all forms of art, the natural world, machines and architecture. And of course I draw from the ancient tradition of humans building with wood. Carrying on a time honored craft. I am awestruck by the work of Hank Gilpin, James Krenov and Sam Maloof among so many others. Absorbing influences and combining them with new ideas is exhilarating and freeing-the human spirit is always growing.
As a self taught craftsman I lean upon centuries of woodworking tradition and knowledge, honoring good design and honest joinery while expressing a bit of my own personality along the way. I strive to build pieces that will live easily in their surroundings, invite one to look and to touch, and last for many generations. Feel free to give me a call, or just drop by. I would love to build you something for your home.