Waldwick, NJ
I am not just a woodworker; but a craftsman with a lifelong love affair with woodworking. With 35 years as a master carpenter in northern NJ, I honed my skills in building and renovating homes, often crafting custom furniture and woodworking projects for discerning clients.
In 2017, I embraced a career change to align with my true passion—woodworking. My artistic journey centers around a unique skill: the ability to assess a wood blank and visualize the masterpiece within. A true artisan, I allow the intrinsic qualities of the wood and the tools used, primarily the lathe, to guide the creation of each piece. My repertoire extends beyond the lathe, showcasing versatility in designing and crafting trays, chess sets, boxes, and more.
My approach is organic; I evaluate a wood blank with a broad design idea, letting the wood's natural characteristics shape the final project. The result? Every piece is a unique work of art, with unforeseen discoveries in the wood, be it a natural void, occlusion, or grain pattern that becomes a highlighted feature. Consider “The Egg”, which was a maple blank I put on the lathe intending to turn into a vase. However, once spinning on the lathe, found the void space (the open space on The Egg), stopped, cleaned it out and felt the natural look was perfect. I then turned the piece into the natural smooth oval shape of an egg. The crisp edges on the void space are juxtaposed with the smooth oval surface shape of the main piece to highlight the open space and grain pattern of the open void space. I finished the piece by hand, turning a walnut display stand that I ebonized to a dark rich color in order to contrast the light blue.
Sustainability is at the heart of my work, with over 90% of the wood material sourced from reclaimed sources—trees naturally downed in storms, removed for safety, or cut due to disease. This commitment isn't just about environmental responsibility; it's a deliberate choice to eschew mass production. I take pride in the fact that each handcrafted piece, utilizing reclaimed materials, is inherently unique. No two pieces are exactly alike, reflecting my dedication to creating distinctive designs that stand as one-of-a-kind expressions of art.
