I grew up in New England and always enjoyed the beauty of the hardwoods we have here.  In 2017 I moved to the west coast which gave me an opportunity to learn a lot about myself.  I was frequently travelling internationally for my remote job at the time.  My job brought me to the Philippines, Germany, Spain, Portugal and the U.K. to name a few.  On these long trips to other countries, I often struggled to get sleep.  I tried many things to get better sleep but the thing I kept coming back to was woodworking videos on YouTube. 

Funny right?  At first, they put me to sleep.  After some time, they began keeping me up though…  My interest went from, “Hmmm, I might be able to do that.”  And transformed into, “Oh man, I really want to try that.”  And eventually, “I have to do this.” 

After one of my trips I got back to my new home on the west coast and decided to build a work bench.  I built that bench overlooking the vineyards of wine country and the mixture of beauty and making something useful with my own hands captured my heart, soul and my imagination.  I have moved at least 4 times since working in that shop and have set up a new shop in every location.

Making things with my hands brings me joy, patience and understanding.  I use my time in the shop to go inward, to understand myself and the world better.  When I leave the shop after having looked over my shoulder at the work I completed that day, it gives me an enormous sense of satisfaction.  That sense of satisfaction pays dividends in the form of confidence in my abilities as a father and partner and greater patience for others and the world around me.  This craft makes me a better person and is the calling of my most authentic self.