About
I grew up in the small town of Wyoming, PA. My parents, like many, were makers more out of necessity than out of desire. They worked hard for what they had and learned to make what they could not afford. My mother taught us how to sew a patch into the knee of our jeans, demonstrated the importance of homemade costumes, and knitted us blankets for the winter. My father showed us why we should shovel the snow from our neighbor’s sidewalk if we went out first and explained that owning a pickup truck is a good way to make a few bucks because someone always needs something hauled. Perhaps the one lesson that snuck up on me later in life was that he wanted to “teach me enough to take care of my family, but also enough to want a desk job”.
I worked many tough jobs growing up, picking green beans on a farm, binding books in a factory, hauling shingles up a 3 story ladder, and performing maintenance at my old elementary school. All of these taught lessons, building upon what my father’s goal was. I was well on my way to not wanting a career spent on my feet. After high school, I went on to get a B.S. in Computer Science and landed my first desk job. His plan had worked, or so I thought.
Fast forward a few years ( okay more than a few ) . I met my amazing wife, Dana, and we welcomed our handsome son, Xander. Dana is an incredible photographer with a great eye for interior design. She often found beautiful decorations and furniture pieces for our home. She began to ask “Can you make this, or should we buy it?”. I guess I took this as a personal challenge. She had opened the flood gates. This was when I realized I had never stopped learning new skills, never stopped working with my hands, and never stopped being a maker. My dad’s plan didn’t quite work after all. I was able to learn enough to care for my family like he wanted, but that wasn’t enough. I wanted to create more and share my passion with others.
I enjoy working in any medium that is on hand, but there is something about wood that brings me back to my dad’s job site as a child. I hope to continue learning and evolving my craft for many years to come and to foster that same passion for craft in my son.
