View their work at the Gallery at Somes Sound. Source: Donald Rainville – Living and Painting Maine via Pinterest

One of the more unique programs that the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association is involved with is the Maine Prison Outreach Program.

For the past 12 years, there has been a woodworking program in the New Hampshire prisons to help inmates develop skills and learn how to make furniture. This knowledge has proven to be especially valuable to those inmates that re-enter the real world as they now have a trade that they can use.

More recently, the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association has been involved in establishing a woodworking program for the Maine prisons for this same purpose. Through this outreach program, the inmates learn now to use hand and power tools, gain a better understanding of woodworking and wood technology, and learn about aspects of furniture design.

Students that perfect their skills will have the opportunity to display their work at The Gallery at Somes Sound, as well as some other venues that exhibit fine furniture around Maine. These pieces of furniture will be available for sale, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale will be put towards offering courses and training through the Maine Prison Outreach Program.

If you have an opportunity to check out the Gallery at Somes Sound, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the craftsmanship of the furniture that you can find there. You can also find furniture exhibited at the venue from other New Hampshire Furniture Masters, including my own.

Contact me to learn more about the Maine Prison Outreach Program and other ways that NHFMA gives back in New England.