Growing up in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, I spent much of my time adventuring outdoors - camping, hiking, backpacking, skiing and rafting.  Fast forward a few years,  my family and I now call central North Carolina home, but when I am not in my workshop you can still find me exploring, - kayaking down the Yadkin or New River, fly fishing in the Cherokee National Forest and camping near Black Mountain or Asheville.  

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It is true that necessity is the mother of invention, and that started me down the pathway building with wood.  This part of North Carolina is home to many of the country's top furniture makers, so it would seem reasonable I could easily find a replacement for my my kitchen table when it started to fall apart beyond my limited repair abilities.  When I started looking, I could not find something that fit my family's needs, how my wife and I wanted to use the space and of course,  my budget.  Frustrated, I took my limited knowledge, my tool selection and ideas scribbled on the backs of napkins to my garage to build something. This table project became my first adventure.  I thought "How hard could this be?  A flat top and four legs."

 

I was amazed at how much detail I could put into this piece,  how much I could make this an adventure.  I also realized I really enjoyed the challenge, the exacting nature of angles and the beauty of the wood grain. It took me a while to finish that table, working weekends and nights, but I was very proud of the result when I moved the piece into my kitchen.   From there I explored epoxy and river tables, bookshelves and nightstands.  My home was slowly transformed with the pieces I was creating.

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For those of you who live in central North Carolina, you know that besides furniture this area is known for several world-class vineyards and small batch breweries.  When my wife and I ventured out for a tasting one weekend, I saw a charcuterie tray for the first time and thought, "Yeah, I can make one of those".  Within a few months I was building cutting boards and charcuterie trays for my neighbors and friends.  And of course when you are at a vineyard there is no shortage of wine barrels.  With so much potential and uniqueness, I was transforming or repurposing all of the parts of a barrel I could fit inside my workshop into functional artwork. 

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Building with hardwoods is not my 'day job'.  It is a passion-project, which means I don't mass produce anything.  Each piece is a bespoke creation, built by hand, one at a time.  From something simple like a set of wooden coasters, a dining table or desk or a full set of wine barrel Adirondack-style chairs and tables, I would be honored to adventure with you to build something bespoke for your family.