My introduction to woodworking came in a middle school shop class where I pieced together a sling-back chair from a few lengths of White Pine (pinus strobus) and a dark green sheet of canvas. I quickly took to the craft and wondered what else I might like to make for myself. With a mind for frugality mixed with the old, Yankee mentality, of ‘I can do it better myself,’ I began turning rough lumber into usable goods (sometimes), teaching myself traditional techniques and honing my skills in what could most accurately be described as a hybrid of the Shaker and American Arts and Crafts styles, likely to compensate for a lack of tools and knowhow to create Victorian frills, compound curves, or any other details that consisted of something more complex than two rectangular parts joining perpendicularly.

While I appreciate the potential of purely artistic woodcraft, from a sculptural perspective, I am largely a utilitarian; basing most of my design on the principle of form follows function. I like pieces that last forever, whose accumulation of scratches and dents don’t devalue but rather point to a history of heavy, persistent use, and those creations that seemingly invite you to put a hand them and feel what is the culmination of a calculated design, skilled craftsmanship, and a tangible passion for all things arboreal.

Here are a few recent projects. Anything I've posted on this site is my own, unique design, built by me, from rough lumber. I’m fairly proud of this work and I hope you like it as well. All images are clickable and will bring up a high-resolution image. If you'd like to see more detail just use (crtl)+ or hold (crtl) and scroll up.

You'll find that I always include the Latin after a wood's common name. I've found that with so many conflicting common names, especially in exotic wood, the Latin is really the best way to clearly identify a wood. 

-Jeremiah Shipman