WOODWORKINg
the shop furniture other stuff guest gallery on the bench
new: build you own plantation shutters
woodworking has been a part of my leisure time for most of my adult life. i have never tried to make a living from woodworking, that would take the fun out of it. there is nothing more satisfying to me than transforming a rough piece of wood into something useful, beautiful or both.
having lived in arizona for the last 20 years, i have become particularly fond of the the spanish colonial and spanish colonial revival (santa fe) styles of furniture. the carving, painting and iron work incorporated into this furniture makes each piece unique. the construction and joinery of this furniture makes it feel as though it will be around for many decades to come.
in the harsh climate of the desert where the heat is a nearly constant companion and where the humidity will range from near zero, for most of the year, to 90 percent or more during the summer rainy season, the spanish carpinteros learned to build furniture to last. there are many pieces, in museums mostly, that date to the 17th century.
although furniture is my first love, i enjoy building anything; from plantation shutters to cabinets to bird houses. i read in a book once where a woodworker, setting up his shop after having moved, was asked what he built and responded that he built workshops. i sometimes feel that way since the shop is never complete. there is always a new jig or storage area or tool cart or something that i need to build. i love that too.
look around here and please send me photos of your work for display in the guest gallery.
gerry hill