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Biography
I grew up in Boston, Massachusetts,
and first discovered my love for wood from my brother who had a small
woodworking business. My own woodworking career began in Madison, Wisconsin,
where I apprenticed with a woodworker who specialized in building rolltop
desks. After a year, I started my own business making custom furniture. My
techniques were simple back in those days, but I tried to always maintain a
high level of quality. After six years in Madison,
I moved to North Carolina
where I started Mountain Wood Design. Now I market my furniture at fine art and
craft shows and continue to make custom furniture. Although I am always
trying to improve my methods, more of my focus these days is on design. I
now have about 16 years of professional experience but continue to make new
discoveries with every new project. If my hands and eyes remain steady, I
hope to work with wood for many years to come.
Materials
For me, it’s all about
the wood. It was what drew me to woodworking originally and continues to be
what inspires me the most. The beauty, character, and variety of wood seem
endless. Without a doubt, Mother Nature is the best designer there is.
Choosing the right type of wood for each project is always the first
decision. Selecting individual pieces for each part of a piece is the most fun and most
important step in the whole process. I use a variety of fine hardwoods,
some domestic and some exotic. A few of my favorites are figured maple,
curly cherry, burled walnut, and quarter-sawn oak. Each type of wood has
its own character, which more than any other factor determines the feel of
a piece.
Process
Custom work begins with
conversation. It begins with listening to the customer and allowing the
customer to reveal what he or she is looking for. This includes function
and style and mood. As I said before, the choice of wood is often the first
decision. Function and style both inform decisions for various design
features. Often drawings are made to work out both aesthetics and methods.
After the design is finalized, wood is selected. Costruction begins, using
time-tested joinery techniques such as mortise and tenon,tongue and groove,
and dovetailing. An arduous finishing process brings out the beauty of the
wood. The finish itself varies, depending upon the type of piece. Flatter
finishes look more natural but lack protection, and more lustrous finishes
impart more depth to the wood and offer more protection. Hopefully, the
function and style and wood will all come together in harmony so that the
customer’s vision results in a piece of furniture which will grace
his or her home for many years.
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