drgoodwood

WHAT:
I make Rustic Fusion style artisan furniture and mixed media crafts.
I am a seeker, not a follower.

DESIGNS:
I have chosen to follow the path of my ancestors, yet blend in my own personal style. My designs are based upon my family's Appalachian tradition, my life experiences and my personal preferences. I strive to make each design my own. I make no apologies for artistic license.

INFLUENCES:
I see my personal style as a rustic fusion of Appalachian, Asian and African influences.
* Appalachian (Kentucky, North Carolina, Eastern Cherokee)
My mother’s people were woodsmen and furniture makers from North Carolina. There were also part Cherokee.
* Asian (Japan, China, Korea)
I studied Asian furniture making techniques in my youth. Japanese hand tools are my first choice, even though my style is primarily based upon my family's Appalachian heritage .
* African (Kenya, Tanzania)
The simple and earth-centered furniture that I saw while working in East Africa have greatly influenced my designs, especially the use of natural colors and finishes. When you don't have much, you learn to do a lot with a little.

TECHNIQUES:
I mainly use hand tools. Most of my techniques are based upon family tradition. I am skills-oriented rather than tool driven. I have found that Japanese-style hand tools generally fit my needs. However, I also use modern tools that are carefully chosen if they fit my needs, but only after I have committed myself to learning how to best use them. I am open to any tool that is useful in my quest.

MATERIALS:
I seldom buy wood. Instead, I seek and harvest uncommonly common materials from my region and during my travels. I particularly like natural materials such as twigs, roots, bark, vines and driftwood. I use a variety of found wood such as barn wood, used bourbon barrels and architectural pieces. I also use like to incorporate metal objects (mostly iron, brass, and copper), leather, and other natural materials such as stones, shells and animal bones. Lastly, I am always looking for old or broken furniture that I can repurpose in new and artistic ways.

FINISHES:
I specialize in using vintage artisan finishes including milk paints, ammonia fuming, ebonizing, organic dyes, varnishes and shellacs. I make or blend all of my own finishes. I was a clinical chemist in a former life and have experience in formulating finishing products. Therefore, I often modernize my formulations by using newer or safer ingredients that may not have been available to my ancestors. Occasionally, I still consult with paint and wood finishing manufacturers on formulations and product safety.

EXPERIENCE:
I have over forty years experience in crafting, restoring and repurposing furniture. I've studied Japanese and traditional American styles of furniture design and construction. I'm well traveled and have observed and studied traditional woodworking techniques in other countries, such as Kenya and Germany.

WHY:
I chose the rustic path to get back to my roots and to be closer to nature. I want to preserve the traditional rustic crafts I saw when I was a child growing up in Kentucky and to blend in my own experiences. I adhere to no sacred boundaries of style or purpose.

PHILOSOPHY:
Grandpa said, "Use what you've got. Do what you know".
I say, "Acquire skills, not tools".
Moreover, I strive to simplify my craft by eliminating non-critical tasks, delegating some tasks to other artisans and focusing on what makes my creations unique. To those ends, I place unique designs at the top of my trade-offs list. My motto is M.I.Y.O. – Make It Your Own.

ETHICS:
My goals for 2009 include:
* Be honest.
* Go green.
* Give back.
To those ends, I am focusing on designs that reflect my core values, yet remain honest to the rustic genre. I want to rethink my choice of materials and finishes so that they have the least negative impact on the environment. Lastly, I want to dedicate a portion of my time and profit to improving the lives of those in need, especially in Eastern Kentucky and East Africa.

OTHER:
I’m a professional writer and consultant (business, taxes and technology).

NOTE:
Generally, I do not send nor answer private messages.

-- Randy, Rustic Artisan (sixth generation) - "I am a seeker, not a follower."