It has been almost 15 years since I started making furniture seriously, and over that time I have tried to hew to one particular mantra –  to make only beautiful, useful furniture.

And sure enough, over the course of time I have made hundreds of pieces, and each time I vow to make the next piece better than the one before.  Not that I haven’t made some clunkers.  Several never made it out of the shop.  Like the table I ran through the bandsaw, just so that I would not have to ever see it again  (complete veneer failure on that one).

A few of them had to be reworked because something happened that I wasn’t expecting – the wood moved; the humidity in its final home was too low, or too high;  the hardware I used wasn’t appropriate.  I measured wrong.  All sorts of things can go awry.

But picking up after that type of experience and making the next piece is where the expertise comes from.  It is where the creative process is refined.  In a very hands-on way, it is where the muscle memory is infused at the deepest levels.

I opened up my email this morning and found this little snippet from Ira Glass, the radio show host.  I thought I would share it with you.

I hope you enjoy it. I’m going back to the shop and make another piece of furniture.
-Richard

Contact me if you would like me to make my next piece of furniture for you.