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Women of Woodworking – Vanessa Johnston, South Queensferry, Edinburgh, Scotland
15 Jun
Vanessa Johnston’s journey as a fine woodworker has only just begun, and she is starting with quite a bang. She is a recent graduate of the Chippendale International School of Furniture in Edinburgh and was awarded the prestigious honor of being named the Chippendale Society’s Student of the Year.
Vanessa began woodworking at 20 when she assisted with the construction of an outdoor kitchen and a private tent site. Over time, her carpentry interests developed into a passion for fine woodworking.
“Building tables for wedding altars and my own dining areas plunged me into wanting to be able to do it well and build find things,” she explains.
Vanessa’s favorite tool is her ventilator mask, as it goes through every step of every project with her. She is inspired by a variety of art, from little sculptures her fiance’s father carved out of driftwood, to works by Rothko and Jacques Louis David.
“Gloria Petarre has a black and white oil painting called Leaves that stirs my soul… I think out of everything right now though it’s Alexander Calder’s Blue Feather. The movement in his sculptures makes me feel like I can fly,” she shares.
In her recent works, Vanessa has completed an armchair of her own design, which she describes as “loosely based on both the Sam Maloof low back chair and the Wegner Wishbone chair.” It features Scottish elm and olive ash hardwoods. She is also turning live edge bowls and platters from a green cherry tree.
To view more of Vanessa’s work or get in touch:
Women of Woodworking – Kate Duncan, Vancouver, BC, Canada
31 May
Kate Duncan is pretty straight forward. It shows through the clear and clean lines in her work, and even in sharing her story, she sticks to the elements of what works and what doesn’t.
She describes her woodworking background in plain terms. She started woodworking in her 7th grade shop class, and now works out of her studio in Vancouver, BC.
Kate’s modern collections are constructed using traditional joinery. Her designs feature luxurious accents such as elegant hardware selections or fluid pairings with mellow leather upholstery. Each collection is gracefully named in a playful juxtaposition to it’s defined forms.
When it comes to tools, Kate likes “Chisels. Sharp ones.”
She draws artistic inspiration from The High Line in New York City.
Kate’s current projects include protyping a new dining room table design. “It’s very fashion forward… I’m experimenting with a few new techniques.”
To view more of Kate’s work or get in touch:
Women of Woodworking Reworked
24 AprRecently I received yet another inquiry asking if I could connect a business with a woman woodworker for a potential project. They found my information through my website, specifically my own Women of Woodworking project. It was a long shot for them to reach out but in the end, we were able to get them connected with someone.
Over the past few years I have had to pause this project, with the hopes to restore it and build even more of what has already continued to grow in my absence – a community for women woodworkers.
Inspired, I’ve fired up the old IG account and threw out a few posts. I’ve been blown away by the positive reception. I know now for sure I need to continue to tell the stories of the women that help make this moment in our craft such a beautiful one.
As with any prototype, Women of Woodworking is being slightly reworked from its original version to allow for more frequent posts and varied content as we move forward (including shop tours, videos, and so on). While I am exploring new possibilities and directions for the project, for now, my website ktthompson.com will continue to serve as the series’ official home, as well as our Instagram, @WomenofWoodworking.
Most importantly, I look forward to connecting more interesting people and sharing their unique stories as women in woodworking. Don’t hesitate to leave comments with your favorite crafts women, works or questions you’d like to ask. This is a dynamic community and I encourage the friendly spirit of sharing that woodworking brings out in the best of us.
