Biography
Background
As mentioned on my homepage, I have been working with wood to create home interiors, custom furniture, and furniture quality built-ins for over 35 years.
About 25 years ago, I first saw Sam Maloof's work and immediately fell in love with his rocking chairs. From that first look, I knew that one day I would build rockers similar to his. I later met this wonderful man and was inspired by his character and his love for his craft.
In the early 1980's, I traveled to Rome to do fresco studies with D. Jeffery Mims to prepare for a fresco he was to paint in a church in the North Carolina. After that, I spent two years studying classical realism painting at the Atelier' le Seur art school near Minneapolis, MN, but I felt more drawn to woodworking that to painting.
For the past 35 years, I have been doing a lot of fine woodworking and self educating. I spent many years running my own interior trim company in the Pinehurst area of North Carolina designing and installing fine, custom, interior trim. Over the years, I have created numerous furniture pieces for myself and for customers. For a short time, I studied Windsor chair making with Curtis Buchanan in Jonesborough, Tennessee and as a result built some fine Windsor chairs.
It wasn't until 2002, that I moved to the mountains of Southwest Virginia with my wife and two daughters. It is here on our farm that I have been creating rocking chairs and custom furniture in my workshop. I also do custom interior trim work in North Carolina and Virginia.
It wasn't until 2002, that I moved to the mountains of Southwest Virginia with my wife and two daughters. It is here on our farm that I have been creating rocking chairs and custom furniture in my workshop. I also do custom interior trim work in North Carolina and Virginia.
Philosophy & Mission Statement
When was the last time you saw a product or a piece of furniture and marveled at how well in was built? How beautiful it was and how sensuous it felt? In this modern era of outsourcing and mass production, it seems we are asked more and more to accept mediocrity, or less, in the products we use in our daily lives. There are of course exceptions.
It is my goal in every piece of woodwork I create, to seek excellence, beauty, and comfort. A fine piece of furniture should be like a painting. Every time you walk into the room, you see it and its presence makes you happy. Every chance you get, touch the wood, feel the finish and its sensuous surface, and marvel at its beauty. All of my furniture is built to be family heirlooms, to be enjoyed and cherished by many generations.
