Bio? Well, what is a bio? I can tell you about what I have done, studied, degrees, work experience, etc. Do you think that what I did 40 years ago in school or a job really tells you who and what I am today?
Or, I can tell you my story, what I think, my philosophy, how I live and accomplish my craft and life.
I prefer to tell you my story…
The Call
When I was about 14 years old, I wanted to make an electric bass guitar. I just didn’t know anything about wood working. So, it didn’t happen.
A few years later I walked past a cabinet shop and really loved the smell of the pine they were machining. That’s when I started to think about learning wood work.
I was walking down Thompson St. in the West Village of New York and saw a wood working shop, "Geosullu Studio." I met Cressenso Geosullu and was hired. Cressenso was in his 60’s and was an Italian 5th or 6th generation furniture maker. I learned old world craft from him.
A year or two later I was walking back home from the shop. At a red light an Asian man walked up next to me. We were the only ones on the street. He looked at me and said, “Ah, you are a wood worker,” looking at my tool bag on my shoulder. I replied, “Well, I am just learning.” He responded, “There is nothing to learn. All the knowledge you want is there (pointing up to the sky)." I looked up, then back at him, but he was gone. He had disappeared into the other world.
The Art of Furniture Making
So, why do I call it “the Art of Furniture Making?” Many people make furniture. What makes it “the art of” and not just another piece of furniture? It is the understanding of a tree. How it grows. What makes it have different characteristics. How to cut it and slice it to get the most interesting details. How to dry it so that it stays flat and straight. What part of the tree makes the best leg, apron, arm, seat, door. How to slice one piece to get a lovely grain pattern. How to take that grain pattern and create another pattern from my vision. How does proportion, style, color work to exemplify the natural beauty of the wood.
All those together make for an artistically created piece of furniture. And then, of course, there are those pieces of wood that don’t need an artist furniture maker to make it show its beauty. A skilled craftsmen could open the
piece of wood to reveal itself and allow it to just be.
George Nakashima said something to the affect of, “When a tree matures, it is fair and moral to cut it for man’s use, as they would soon decay.” This thinking is the way I think about wood. Giving it a new life, and new place to exhibit its inner beauty, living with a new family so that they may enjoy this piece.
I believe every piece of furniture I make has a bit of my spirit in it. I send all my furniture off with love. I hope it brings joy and calm to the people receiving my pieces.
How I work
All of the lumber I use is sustainably harvested. The finish materials are non toxic such as shellac and hard wax oils. The glue I use is hot hide glue. If a piece is made with veneer I generally slice my own veneers at 2.5-3 mm thickness.
Besides making my own designs I also will work with you and your vision, a designer or an architect to
create a beautiful piece.
For more information please contact me.
Peace be with you and enjoy.
Patrick