About Me

My grandfather was a woodworker who built beautiful things that we still use and appreciate every day.   When I was very young, maybe five or six, my first “real” woodworking projects were carving wooden boats that refused to float.  Grandpa Chuck traced the shape of a hull, helped my brother and me cut it out, and then he let us loose with a rasp and sand paper. Once we mastered pine boats we advanced to turning hardwood drum sticks and candle holders in his garage over summer weeks in Ohio. Since those early memories, I have never stopped building and making things.  I built and remodeled houses, welded and fabricated metal, created scale models, pushed pixels as a computer modeler and animator. Now I have come full circle and have returned to creating things with wood.

As I have grown and traveled, my eyes and hands have led me to appreciate and respect the lines and proportions of the shaker style, the “truth to material” concept of the Arts and Crafts movement, as well as the simplicity of modern design.  When I design a piece, I let the materials do the talking, combining shapes and textures that invite you to touch and sit.

Working as a computer modeler, I learned not only how to build things in the digital realm, but also how assemblies fit together and relate to each other.   Building things digitally also provided me with a strong sense of scale.  Because it is much easier to change the arc of a curve or the taper of a leg on a computer monitor than it is in the shop, I now design almost everything I build on the computer before I start cutting parts from raw lumber .  It’s amazing to be able to make changes to design and joinery, and to see and share it all in three dimensions before cutting a single board.

Because I rely on my materials to show off their best properties, I put a lot of thought into the stories behind those materials and the craftspeople who make them.  When available, I use materials sourced from people in my own neighborhood who take as much pride in their work as I do mine.  I also like to use reclaimed or salvaged materials.  Reclaiming lumber is not only better for the environment, but wood grown in a past era has properties and an appearance that you can’t easily find in some of today’s timber.

Clean lines, artful craftsmanship, a good story, and great materials are the things that I am passionate about and look forward to every day I spend in my shop.  From that foundation, beautiful lasting furniture can be built