Growing up in a family of makers, I have always been drawn to creating things with my hands. While I dabble in a variety of media, I feel most at home working with wood.
I have made my living for the past 22 years working as a woodworker and carpenter. In 2013, I started the Hammerstone School with the mission of introducing more women to the joys of carpentry and woodworking. Running the school keeps me busy, but I make time to practice my craft both to prepare for teaching, but also to revel in the act of creating unique and beautiful objects.
Kumiko is a Japanese woodworking technique traditionally used to make shoji screens and windows. Thin strips of wood are assembled into a rectilinear or diagonal grid using half-lap joints, and then infill pieces are cut to precise length with angles on the ends to create different geometric patterns.
Parquetry is also a geometric art. Thin layers of wood veneer are cut into shapes, temporarily stitched together with tape, and then glued to a substrate of plywood or solid wood.
Small boxes are pleasing to build and to use. I celebrate the simple elegance of joinery enhancing the beauty of natural wood, or play with painted surfaces and fabrics. Boxes are also an excellent way to display kumiko and parquetry.
I mainly teach at Hammerstone’s downtown shop at 720 W. Green Street. Come see some beautiful woodworking and explore our teaching space.
Studio Accessibility:
Ground floor location is wheelchair accessible.