While a student at VCU in Richmond, I worked as a carpenter’s apprentice fore a company that specialized in renovating some of the old homes in downtown Richmond. As someone who likes working with their hands and a hisotry buff, this work was a great combination of those interests. I leanred about construction and specifically the types of materials used in these 100+ year old homes. On one job, my boss remarked on some massive floor joints and beams supproting the kitchen floor we were removing. “ You wont find wood like this anymore”, he said, “This is heart pine lumber, look at the rings.” I could easily see the difference and when I found out we would be tossing the pieces in the dumpster, he said I could have it.

Taking as much as I could fit in my convertible, I took it home and planned to do something with it. I don’t claim to be a wood worker in any professional sense, like many things, I learn by doing and asking questions. Knowing this lumber would be discarded was enough of a reason to save it. My first farm style tables were born of this lumber and since that first attempt, I’ve made others and collected wood as I find it…often more than I can use. What I’ve made I’ve sold and hope to continue thinning out my pile and making objects for the home that celebrate the legacy of this vintage reclaimed wood.