Garry of Woodworks by Gary creates these amazing and beautiful items from wood. Garry's love of woodworking began in his 7th grade woodworking class. In 8th grade, he was awarded a blue ribbon at the State Fair for his set of walnut salad bowls.
I asked Garry how long it took to make a piece like the shelf below. Like most artists, his work is a process and it is not completed in one sitting. Garry says, "Sometimes I have a piece of wood that inspires me but
only part of the vision comes to me; then, as I am working on it,
additional ideas come along until the project is felt to be complete."
Garry's offers insights into his own process, " It seems that I need to complete one dimension of the piece before the next step comes to me."
Garry also shared his struggle at pleasing the person or people who hired you, "...given a concept and then being told to make it
my own can cause a great deal of stress because I am not trying to
please just one person but many."
Here is my favorite - the Ballerina Shelf made from curly maple (leg and shelf sold separately):
Gary lives and creates his beautiful pieces in Michigan. Here's a photo of his amazing shop:
I certainly wish my shop looked as beautiful! Garry's shop has been featured in America’s
Best Home Workshops a Better Homes and Gardens publication and in
Fine Woodworking’s Tools and Shops 2004/2005 annual Issue.
If you live in the Upper Peninsula or Northern Michigan, you can view Garry's work in several galleries.
More of Garry's beautiful works can be found here: http://www.woodworksbygarry.com/index.htm
Check it out and leave a comment to let me know what you think!
Angela Di Cicco
Angela's Artistic Designs!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/angel9
Labels: art, artisans, artists, Ballerina shelf, featured artist, handmade, home based business, Michigan, Upper Peninsula, woodworking