Booth 915-916
(See map below)
About the Artist
I am a second generation woodworker who learned everything I know from my father, a wood artist of 40 years. I started working with him in the shop when I was old enough to push a broom, and was an art show veteran by the time I was a teenager. I create wood furniture crafted with responsibly sourced and self-regenerating hardwoods from North American forests. I use both air dried and kiln dried wood. I employ time honored woodworking techniques including mortise and tenon, pinning, dovetail joints, and (most notable) precision wood bending. Precision bending takes time, especially when using solid wood and instead of plywood or other composit. To bend wood, I use water and steam to soften the wood until it’s pliable. Then I place the wood in jigs of my own design to give it a new curved shape. Once it dries - a process that takes several weeks - it retains the shape of the jig, and is ready to use. Wood bending is highlighted on the back of my rocking chairs and dining chairs among other places. The bent wood parts make my furniture strong and ergonomic. My aesthetic is updated traditional. I "modernize" classic styles (such as Arts & Crafts) through color, texture, & function. My designs feature ergonomic support, comfort, and lifetime quality. My process is a little different from other artists, in that it starts with the customer. I work with them at the show to design their furniture, which I go home and handcraft. Sometimes customers will order one of my exact display designs. Other times, customers choose to change the size, shape, and/or color to match their needs and design aesthetic. Either way, each customer will get furniture that was made just for them.
