ABOUT THE FURNITURE
Because every log is unique, every piece of furniture I make is unique, too.
I used to design and fabricate furniture and cabinetry in a huge workshop full of specialized machines and tools. I loved the precision and perfection I achieved in that studio, but unreasonable deadlines, incongruent design modifications, and even the client's choice of materials often took the fun out of it.
Eventually I had to shift gears and reconsider my approach. These days I still make one-of-a-kind pieces, but now I use hand tools to cut, split, and carve the wood that inspires me when it inspires me. In addition to hand tools, I use a giant wood lathe. I first used it to make the monumental bowls, but soon discovered it works just as well to make side tables, stools, and ottomans (a.k.a. rounds and drums), I design each piece for a specific function or context, or as a celebration of the pieces of wood themselves.
I owe a great debt to modernist designers, be they painters, sculptors, architects, or furniture makers. Perhaps the most influential for me is Wharton Esherick. I visited his Pennsylvania home and studio (now a museum) in 2005 and was intensely moved by his passion and his ability to transform wood into simple, beautiful, modern-yet-organic forms. That visit inspired me to venture away from purely utilitarian pieces - which is really new and exciting for me!