Currently accepting commissions. To see more commission work please contact us.
It’s funny how you fall into things.
Building furniture was never something I thought of doing or thought I would be doing. I guess it’s a long winding path to how I ended up here; but those kind of routes always make great stories. So here’s a shortened version.
I moved to NYC because I was attending The School of Visual Arts for photography. After 6 years of a job with photographer Ryan McGinley I was interested in a change of pace and scenery. New York has a way of trapping you but it can also push you into directions that wouldn’t be possible anywhere else. And that’s kind of what happened. I left my job with no idea what to do. But thanks to some old connections I was spending my time sanding furniture components and learning basic construction skills. Eventually I was given an opportunity to spend my free time helping out a local reclaimed sawmill business. It was 2 guys and a business called RE-CO Brooklyn. I learned everything about woodworking from log to lumber to furniture. Wood can be a lot like shopping at a supermarket. You can pick the perfect piece but have no idea what went into making that board from a tree. This was a really inspiring process. And for the first time in my life something really stuck, I had found something I was truly passionate about.
Eventually after about 2 years and a full career back in photography, I was ready to take the dive and rent some shop space. I immersed myself with everything I could. It felt like I was back in school but by me for me. Now that I have a good solid foundation of mistakes. I have an approach, and it’s always developing. Photography is an influence when it comes to seeing light and how it will interact with a piece. But more importantly being involved in the photography industry has offered me perspective. And without that there isn’t any wisdom or room for growth. It’s been a pretty wild ride up until this point, I can definitely say that I wake up most of the time and by the end of the day I never would have imagined what I’ve gotten myself into. But I do know that I have never been more dedicated to anything else.
_____
Approach
Woodworking is a process which has specific steps which must be taken in order to make a piece of furniture from a tree. There are times you can break the rules or bend them. But in the end the wood is very honest with you. It shows your mistakes plain as day. There is no lying to yourself or talking your way out of it. The wood will do what it wants and all we can do is move with it.
My approach is something that is ever evolving. I strive for a balance and harmony in furniture. Which is all furniture really is. A balance of sound joinery, solid techniques, and an eye for detail. It needs to be strong, stand the test of time, and visually appealing.
Thoughtful, Straightforward, Unadorned, Functionality, Lasting.
" The final challenge is that aesthetics and function do go beautifully together" - James Krenov ( A Cabinetmakers Noteook )
" ...gleam with mellowness." - James Krenov ( A Cabinetmakers Notebook )
“ Fine things in wood are important, not only aesthetically, as oddities or rarities, but because we are becoming aware of the fact that much of our life is spent buying and discarding, and buying again, things that are not good. Some of us long to have at least something, somewhere, which will give us harmony and a sense of durability— I won’t say permanence, but durability — things that, through the years become more and more beautiful, things we can leave our children. ”
- James Krenov ( A Cabinetmakers Notebook )
_____
