Nine-month Comprehensive Faculty

The Lead Instructor for the course is Aled Lewis. For each project, Aled is joined by a co-teacher who specializes in the relevant skills. The following list is subject to change. Most of the instructors have web sites which you can visit for more extensive views of their work.

 

Aled Lewis has been our Lead Instructor since 2009, when he came to the Center from Oxford, England. He originally trained at Rycotewood College in Oxfordshire and has been a professional furniture maker for over 30 years. Aled's professional experience covers a broad span, from self-employment as a one-of-a-kind furniture maker to managing a busy high-end workshop. He has wide experience in all aspects of designing and making one-off and limited-production furniture. His clients range from private collectors to public institutions such as Oxford University and London-based law and finance companies. Aled was profiled in the Winter 2011 issue of Woodwork magazine. Watch Fine Woodworking's video about Aled here.

 Idris Coat Stand by Aled Lewis, whaite oak and bloodwood, 2012Idris Coat Stand by Aled Lewis, whaite oak and bloodwood, 2012

Neil Erasmus is a third-generation furniture maker in Perth, Australia who has worked for the past 24 of his 35-year career in partnership with his wife, Pam. Their furniture, which includes one-off commissions, limited-edition production runs, and exhibition pieces may be found in private and public collections throughout the world. In addition, Neil is a contributing editor for Australian Wood Review and was formerly Senior Lecturer at the Australian School of Fine Wood. His work has been widely published and may be found in the Lark Books’ 500 Chairs (2008), 500 Tables (2009), and 500 Cabinets (2010). For more on Neil visit www.erasmusdesigns.com

 Mantis Sideboard by Neil Erasmus, West Australian blackbutt, ebony, cedar of Lebannon, jamwood, and suede, 1999Mantis Sideboard by Neil Erasmus, West Australian blackbutt, ebony, cedar of Lebannon, jamwood, and suede, 1999

 

Adrian Ferrazzutti is a self-employed furniture maker in Guelph, Ontario with 10 years’ professional experience. He is a 1998 graduate of the Fine Woodworking Program at the College of the Redwoods, where he studied with James Krenov. Adrian writes for Fine Woodworking, which featured one of his chairs on the back cover of the December, 2007 issue, and his work has been widely published in books and magazines. The Canada Council for the Arts has awarded him several grants, and he exhibits his work across Canada and in the U.S. Adrian's website is www.adrianferrazzutti.com.

 Airburst Table by Adrian Ferrazzutti, ash, wenge, aluminum, and glass, 2010Airburst Table by Adrian Ferrazzutti, ash, wenge, aluminum, and glass, 2010
Linden Frederick has been drawing and painting for more than 30 years. He studied at Ontario College of Art in Toronto and in Florence, Italy. Linden is also a third generation woodworker who has designed and built many pieces of furniture and cabinetry and is now building cellos of his own design. His studio is in Belfast, Maine and he is represented by Forum Gallery in New York City. His paintings have been featured and reviewed in American Artist, Art in America and ARTnews. Linden teaches presentation drawing for the Comprehensive. His website is lindenfrederick.com.
Attic by Linden Frederick, oil on linen (40" x 40"), 2010Attic by Linden Frederick, oil on linen (40" x 40"), 2010

Stephen Gleasner is an Appleton, Maine artist/turner with extensive experience in faceplate and spindle work, gained over a 20-plus-year woodworking career. Currently, he specializes in carved and dyed wall pieces that explore the patterning possibilities of Baltic birch plywood. Stephen’s work has been featured in Wood Art Today by Dona Meilach (Schiffer Publishing, 2003) and 500 Wood Bowls (Lark Books, 2004), as well as in numerous periodicals, including Woodwork and American Woodturner. He demonstrates turning nationally and was a featured presenter at the 24th annual symposium of the American Association of Woodturners in 2010. His website is www.stephengleasner.com.

 Blue Ridge Sunrise by Stephen Gleasner, birch plywood, 2003Blue Ridge Sunrise by Stephen Gleasner, birch plywood, 2003
Tom Kealy designs and makes contemporary furniture to commission from his workshop in Somerset, England. He graduated from Parnham College in 1979 and, later, worked as senior craftsman in the John Makepeace workshops for over ten years. Tom teaches at West Dean College in Sussex and at the Building Crafts College in London, as well as running weekly classes from his own workshop. His website is tomkealy.com Fan Lid Chest by Tom Kealy, cherry and rippled sycamore, 2011Fan Lid Chest by Tom Kealy, cherry and rippled sycamore, 2011
Paul Loebach is a New York City-based furniture designer. His work incorporates the use of advanced digital modeling and manufacturing equipment, combined with an understanding of furniture history and traditional woodworking techniques. Paul’s work has been exhibited internationally and published broadly in books, weblogs, and periodicals such as Interior Design, Architectural Record, American Craft, Wallpaper, and The New York Times. His website is paulloebach.com Vases by Paul Loebach, maple, 2010Vases by Paul Loebach, maple, 2010
Jim Macdonald creates custom furniture, guitars, and portraits featuring marquetry and inlay in Burnham, Maine. In addition to his own projects, Jim collaborates with other high-end furniture makers as a marquetry specialist. His work has been commissioned by Gibson Guitar's Custom Shop and his Turandot Cabinet appeared in the "Current Work" section of Fine Woodworking (June, 2001). Jim teaches marquetry for the Comprehensive. His website is macdonald-marquetry.com.

 

 Fantasy Goldtop by Jim MacdonaldFantasy Goldtop by Jim Macdonald
Mason McBrien has been the Center’s Facilities Manager since August, 2011, although he still finds time to accept commissions for furniture and wood turning. After years of self-employment building custom furniture, museum installations, and historic garden architecture in New Hampshire, Mason enrolled in the Center’s 2007-2008 Nine-month Comprehensive and subsequently was awarded a Studio Fellowship. His work has been published in Fine Woodworking and in Lark Books’ 500 Tables (2009) and 500 Cabinets (2010).
 Sylvan Shimmer by Mason McBrien, curly maple and black walnut, 2008Sylvan Shimmer by Mason McBrien, curly maple and black walnut, 2008

Weber Roberts is co-owner of Bench Dogs Inc., a custom woodworking business in Rockland, Maine that he founded with his wife, Brooks Crane, in 1998. Bench Dogs specializes in high-quality cabinetry and furniture, combining the efficiency and precision of large machines with time-honored traditions of hand work. Their projects have been featured in Metropolis, Architectural Record, and New York Home. His website is benchdogs.com.

 
 PF-1 Chair, built by Weber Roberts, designed by architect Robert Marino, single sheet of Baltic birch plywood, 2001PF-1 Chair, built by Weber Roberts, designed by architect Robert Marino, single sheet of Baltic birch plywood, 2001
Tim Rousseau divides his time between building furniture on commission in Appleton, Maine and teaching at the Center. He took the Center’s Twelve-week Intensive in 1998 and then spent two years working in a multifaceted group shop in Hoboken, New Jersey before returning to Maine to set up his own business. In 2002 and 2003 he served as the Center’s Resident Instructor, running the Workshop Program. Since then, he has been a lead instructor for the Twelve-week Intensive and has taught the chair project for the Comprehensive. His furniture is shown throughout the Northeast, and his 13-part video series, “Making a Small Cabinet,” is featured on www.finewoodworking.com. Tim’s website is www.timothyrousseau.com. Side Chair by Tim Rousseau, walnut and leather, 2006Side Chair by Tim Rousseau, walnut and leather, 2006
Pete Schlebecker designs and builds furniture on commission in Kensington, MD. He has been a studio furniture maker since 1984, earned an MFA in Furniture Design from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2004, and was on our staff full-time from 2004-2011. His most recent article to appear in Fine Woodworking was “Mitered Edging Made Easy,” in the October, 2010 issue. He has also been featured in videos on their website. More recent exhibitions include the Southern Vermont Arts Center and the 2010 Furniture Society conference at MIT. His website is schlebeckerstudios.com. Minor Ellipse Budistan by Pete Schlebecker, quilted maple, padauk, and purpleheart, 2011Minor Ellipse Budistan by Pete Schlebecker, quilted maple, padauk, and purpleheart, 2011

Valdemar Skov is a woodcarver, furniture maker, and engraver, specializing in ornamental carving of fine furniture, accessories, and architectural details, as well as engraving on precious and non-precious metals. A woodworker since 1986, and self-employed since 1990, Valdemar has been formally recognized for his work by the Maine State Legislature and has been featured in numerous articles, including a profile in This Old House magazine. Valdemar works out of his studio in Waldoboro, Maine and teaches carving for the Comprehensive. His website is skovwoodcarvingengraving.com.

 

 Basswood Corbel by Valdemar Skov, 2000Basswood Corbel by Valdemar Skov, 2000


 

 

 

 

 





 

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The mission of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship is to provide the best possible education for people who want to design and build functional, beautiful, and expressive work out of wood to the highest standard of craftsmanship. At the heart of the Center's mission is the belief that design and craftsmanship are deeply meaningful expressions of the human spirit. They contribute to individual fulfillment and, by extension, to the advancement of society.

 

Our programs are for novice, intermediate, and advanced woodworkers who seek an inspiring learning experience in a supportive environment.