Artist Biography

I have always enjoyed working with my hands. I first became interested in building during my summers in high school as a volunteer and later I apprenticed to a carpenter to continue learning about building, eventually deciding to pursue a degree in architecture. After completing my degree I apprenticed with a stair builder. The refined skills of the craftsmen and their attention to detail, the material that filled the shop and the scale of the work all influenced my choice to continue to work with wood.

I went to work for a production furniture shop and then moved onto a variety of cabinet shops. When I discovered James Krenov's books, they articulated what I had been seeking in my own furniture making: He speaks of a quiet reflective approach to woodworking and an intimacy with the wood; he writes about a process of composing a piece of furniture that reveals not only the maker's skill but also his relationship to and understanding of the materials and the tools used. In 1999 I had an opportunity to attend the College of the Redwoods fine woodworking program. It gave me a chance to immerse myself, with the guidance of Jim and the talented instructors at the school, in this new way of working.

I enjoy the challenge of building a piece that will offer a sense of discovery, by including small details to be discovered over time by a careful eye and a sensitive hand. Ultimately each piece is a representation of the balance between the questions of function, structure and aesthetics.