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My
interest in woodworking began at a very early age. I grew
up on Long Island where, after a harried week in Manhattan,
my father would unwind on the weekends by teaching me woodworking
in the basement workshop.
In pursuing
my love of wood, I enrolled in the Industrial Arts and Design
program at Oswego State College in New York. Upon graduation
I moved to southern Vermont where I supplemented my high school
teaching salary by making and selling hand crafted, high quality
furniture.
Convinced
that there was an appreciation and a market for my work, I
left teaching in 1983 to pursue my dream full time.
Most of
my modern furniture designs are inspired by Shaker, Mission
and Arts and Crafts furniture, believing that simple, functional
furniture crafted with quality materials, integrity and pride
will yield a timeless piece that will be passed down from
generation to generation.
All pieces
are made of solid hardwoods with cherry, walnut and figured
maples being the woods of choice. I take great pride in the
selection of the wood and the time-consuming placement and
matching of the grains and color. This cumbersome task of
hand selecting often allows me to use boards from the same
tree to complete a piece.
Traditional
joinery is a major component... mortise & tenon, dovetails,
sliding dovetails... joinery that hasn't changed since the
19th century.
No two
pieces are alike. While the dimensions may be identical, the
characteristics of the wood are clearly distinguishable to
the eye making each piece a one-of-a-kind work of art. This
sort of "identity" is what sets my custom built furniture
apart from all others.
My work
is on display at my studio/showroom in Danby as well as the
three Vermont State Craft Galleries and various art and craft
shows throughout New England. I live with my wife, Cheryl
and our two children, Emily and Matthew in Mount Tabor, Vermont
where the "hands-on" testing of furniture takes place.
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