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Rick Stein and Will Orvedal are area furniture makers whose original designs and exquisite craftsmanship are uniformly appreciated by those who both admire and make quality wooden crafts, sculpture and furniture. Among their projects over the years are the wooden benches in the Lawrence Arts Center galleries.December 1 – December 23Reception: Thursday, December 4, 5–8pmRick Stein“I've been building furniture in Lawrence Kansas since 1994. I spent most of my working life in the bicycle business. In 1994, two things happened. I traded a treadmill for a table saw, and I sold the store.I took furniture making classes in 1995, 1996, and 1999 at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockland, Maine, where I studied with Peter Korn, James Krenov, John Reed Fox, and Michael Puryear. These teachers and local furniture builder Will Orvedal have had a strong influence on the way I work.From the beginning of the design phase to the final delivery of a piece, the process of building furniture is challenging and almost always rewarding. I work quietly and methodically. Each step requires full concentration— developing a design, selecting the best wood, cutting the joinery, preparing the surfaces (frequently hand planed), applying the finish. Each stage requires me to work to my fullest potential.In a world driven by instant gratification, honest craft stands out as a counterpoint to the frenzy rampant in our culture. Whether it’s furniture making, painting, jewelry making, or any other tangible craft or art, the process inherently requires patience, attention to detail, and a willingness to demand the best, most consistent effort from the creator.Furniture making demands my best effort, my most skilled and practiced work, and all of my concentration. I can’t rush, work casually, or accept less than my best. As in all craft, some of my pieces are better than others, but the effort remains the same. I hope that my work reflects the effort.”Will Orvedal"I was educated as a scientist. After finishing graduate work in chemistry and teaching college for several years, although intellectually interesting, my life seemed to be lacking something important. I 1973 I moved from Maryland to Kansas to try a new life as a woodworker.While I have no formal training in design or woodworking, since childhood I have always been a maker. From nailing chunks of wood together in pre-school to basic carpentry, carving birds, model boats, mobiles, a kayak, a canoe, a sailboat, eventually some simple furniture—making things has always been my ultimate joy and refuge. I have been fortunate to find a way to spend most of my time making furniture. The process of taking an idea and making it real is endlessly fascinating.Basic to my personal philosophy is the notion that the miracle of existence is expressed in the smallest and most ordinary things. I think modern life tends to desensitize us to this with a cacophony of razzle-dazzle and hype. Living in Kansas, specifically living in the country, allows me to live fairly close to nature. I feel the quality of the land and sky here are such that the subtle beauty is not overshadowed by the spectacular. I encourages us to look more closely. I seem to get that ‘wow’ experience looking at the form of a branch or the grain in a board. I try to express this feeling in my work. I take wood, this ordinary material familiar to everyone, and attempt to fashion it in such a way that nature’s wonderful design may be called to the attention of the user. I make objects (furniture) which one may relate to as a part of everyday activity. I hope the things I make may serve as a reminder of our relationship to nature.”