“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.” —Leonardo da Vinci
A native East Coaster in search of more direction and meaning in his life, Michael found his way to New Mexico in 1990. He dabbled in graduate school, sincerely engaged in martial arts, and finally, discovered the joys of making and of working with wood—first as a student at Santa Fe Community College, then in his own shop, shared with three other woodworkers.
To Michael, pursuing the life of a craftsman means aiming for the goals of quality, excellence and beauty, while never losing the element of humanism. Michael's pieces are elegant, functional and approachable—finely crafted without being precious. The warmth of the hand-crafted, the durability and lasting beauty of the well-made, the feel of the hand and heart working together.
The process of design is endless: playing and creating to discover the possibility immanent in even the simplest of objects. Good design can uplift the spirit, nourish the soul, and please the body. Exploration of relationships—between line, form, color, texture, and between craftsman and client, maker and user—can be completely engaging.
There is satisfaction in knowing where a piece comes from, who made it, with what materials, which techniques. Caring and attention to detail can awaken and enliven. A hand-made piece occupies space and time more fully than an anonymous, mass-produced, disposable one. Or, sometimes, it's just a really nifty place to put stuff…