Fine Wood Artists-Andrew Pitts

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Furniture by Andrew Pitts

Dolphin Bed
Cherry, Ambrosia Maple, Tulip Poplar, and Walnut
Queen Size
This custom made bed was designed for clients living on the shores of the Potomac River, nearly at the mouth to the Chesapeake Bay. Gazing from their newly finished bedroom I could look all the way across the miles-wide river, see the horizon along the bay and watch freighters steaming to Baltimore. Sky and water, calm and fury, our inland sea. My clients, partial to dolphins suggested that a pair be carved, jumping from the sea into the air. Hence the design using walnut relief carvings attached to the headboard, with a small cherry seagull flying overhead. Ambrosia maple was selected for the sea, with an abundance of streaks suggesting a school of fish diving deep. A tulip poplar plank with wispy heartwood became the sky. In time, the heartwood will turn light brown, mimicking the light cloud layers often found at sea. A tall bed, it was designed to accommodate different thickness mattress/box spring sets while retaining the original bed height. All four posts can be removed with bed bolts for easy transport.

Andrew Pitts Heathsville, VA, USA

Andrew Pitts

Contact
Email: workshop@andrewpittsfurnituremaker.com
Website: AndrewPittsFurnitureMaker.com
Phone: (804) 724-3401
Address:
Andrew Pitts - FurnitureMaker
667 Courthouse Road
Heathsville, VA 22473

Artist Biography

Andrew Pitts is a self-taught studio furniture maker with 35 years experience. His prior career in the navy as a nuclear engineer unexpectedly prepared him for success as a designer. The discipline necessary to command three warships and operate aircraft carrier nuclear reactors translated into an astute attention to detail and pursuit of perfection.

He has built his workshop, complete with sawmill and solar drying kiln in the secluded forests of Northumberland County, Virginia. A committed steward of the environment, he uses pre-fallen hardwoods local to the studio, harvesting, milling and drying them himself. His design approach is to celebrate the wood's inherent beauty, respecting its imperfections and variations. He uses only clear finishes, avoiding stains that might mask the grain. One can recognize a Pitts design by the grace of its curves, exquisitely matched grain patterns, exacting joinery and meticulous finishing.

Pitts' furniture has been featured in numerous exhibitions, has garnered more than a dozen awards, and appears in "Studio Furniture: Today's Leading Woodworkers". He is an active member of several local Virginia artists' associations and the (national) Furniture Society. He lectures widely on woodworking and welcomes opportunities for presentations.

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