Prairie furniture as done by the Prairie Architects, custom made at incredibly low prices.

        STYLE ? I'm drawn to the Prairie, Mission and Mackintosh styles of furniture.  The massive, architectural qualities and clean lines in the Prairie furniture embody to me a powerful elegance and sophisication unmatched in any other style.  I love the Mackintosh style. The Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles in his furniture, combine to produce an artistic and almost magical blend that I thoroughly enjoy studying and love to make.  And the simple, basic but also tasteful and sophisticated look of the Mission style appeals to me very much as do the philosophical underpinnings associated with Stickley's furniture (Roycroft and Ellis as well).

       WHO ?    As far back as I can remember, I've always loved working with my hands. Whether it was scale models or shadow boxes, early furniture projects, or hand-made gifts for parents and friends, love for the process of creating was always with me.  I've been making my living as a woodworker since 1984 and, for simplicity's sake, in 1996, I decided to focus on Prairie, Mackintosh, and Mission styles of hand-made furnituremaking, and some art-glass work.  If you enjoy owning one-of-a-kind pieces, and if you enjoy and appreciate the subtle differences you find in hand-made furniture, you've come to the right place.

       WHY ?    I truly love working in wood for many reasons. With very few distractions, my work is my life and I pour all my creative energy into it.  My furniture designs and decorative art are no doubt inspired by designs found in the prairie architects, Rennie Mackintosh, and the Mission and Arts and Crafts furniture studios of Stickley and Roycroft earlier in the 20th century.   I also enjoy the personal interaction with my customers, and usually find that we have much in common.  Working in wood fills the senses.  The smells and textures of the different woods, sounds of the machines, woodshavings piling up, dust in the air, the first coat of oil on a finely sanded surface, all contribute to a very rewarding experience.  I almost think the wood lets me know when I've done it justice.  Art, in anything, is knowing when to stop:  when any additional work on a piece would detract.  The feeling of inner peace and serenity I receive while working in wood, has always been profound.    In the words of John Singer Sargeant (I think he's credited with the thought) - "To work is to pray."

        Concerning construction for those interested, all the joining in the furniture I build is done by hand.  My preferred method is mortised joints with pinned tenons where possible.  Drawer sides are fully dove-tailed, front and back.  Veneering is all done by hand, with the thickest veneer I can find.  If you have any more specific questions about technique, please ask.   When someone decides to commission me to do a piece(or pieces) of furniture, I try to make the process as personal and meaningful as the client wishes.   

    Prairie Spirit Workshop is not affiliated with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and the furniture pieces displayed are not reproductions of Frank Lloyd Wright designs.

Copyright © 1998-2010, Prairie Spirit Workshop.