Bobbie Rowe of Kubich Lumber Company

Meet Bobbie Rowe. She’s been a nurse for two years, but she’s always played a big role at her family’s lumber mill. Her main gig is driving the water truck, and when it gets busy, it’s all hands on deck. Then you can find her throwing strips or controlling the multi-head resaw she built with her dad as a child.

The mill has been in operation for over 70 years. It sits deep in the woods of Grass Valley, a small Californian town that was the epicenter of the Gold Rush in the 1800s. With a population of just under 13,000, the city is closely knit together by a strong sense of community and tradition.

That small town nostalgia comes alive when you step foot on Kubich Lumber Company property. Many of their techniques are similar to the ones used in the 1800s. Gorgeous old equipment alongside newer technology makes for a one of a kind service.

“It’s hard work, but in a way it’s simple. Way down here, surrounded by acres of forest and so far from the rest of civilization I can just focus on my job without all the chaos.” -Bobbie Rowe

“Nowhere else feels like home. I really enjoy that Grass Valley is surrounded by natural beauty, but my favorite thing about this town is the rare sense of community. No matter how much the town grows, downtown is still the center hub of activity. We still have so many town traditions. I love walking into the supermarket or the movie theater and running into people who truly know me and greet me with genuine smiles. I hope it never changes.” -Bobbie Rowe

“I’m a true believer that if you want something bad enough and are willing to work for it, you will get it. I would encourage anyone interested to get into the lumber business. It’s so underrated these days, but it’s an industry that needs to be kept alive and it’s up to our generation to get our hands dirty to see that happen.” -Bobbie Rowe

“People are especially shocked to find out I’m a nurse when I jump out of the water truck. I remember dad laughing really hard one day after I drove the truck when I first became a nurse. He told me a couple customers had just commented on how cool it was that he hired a woman truck driver and he replied ‘That’s actually my daughter, and can you believe she is giving up truck driving to be a nurse at Stanford? She must be crazy.’ The truth is I really would be crazy to completely walk away from the mill.” -Bobbie Rowe

“As kids, my cousins, brother and I lived to go to work with our dads. It was the best place to play and be kids. We didn’t even realize that all the while they were teaching us lessons about being hard working, decent people. We didn’t care about the video games and MP3 players other kids had…We had the trees and the creek and the sawdust pile, so what more did we need?” -Bobbie Rowe

an imprint left by Bobbie in her childhood

Woodworker Alexandra Climent

Meet woodworker Alexandra Climent. She operates out of her own shop in Brooklyn. Her passion for the extraordinary wood she found in the jungle lead her to teach herself the trade.

This is her story in her own words: 

“In college I worked for a marine construction company as their account manager and secretary…I noticed that there was a certain type of wood that was in high demand for marine work…I started to research where this special wood came from. It turned out there was a reason why it wasn’t widely available; it was difficult to get because it came from a small country in South America, which I later found was very hard to communicate with. 

I ended up going down to the jungle with the construction company fully supporting the idea of me finding the wood they needed and purchasing it directly from me. It was an intense struggle to find suppliers and there were many dangerous things that happened while in the jungle. 

I started falling in love with the idea of bringing back the wood for myself and discovering it’s beauty in some way. I wanted to to do it sustainably, as I wanted the wood both to be visually beautiful, but also beautiful in the way that it had lived it’s full life. Locals loved the idea and got excited by helping figure out ways to do this. 

Once I managed to get an order together for a full container back to the states, I realized I had something really special. I had no idea at the time how to woodwork and because of the density of the wood, I didn’t even know how to make cuts without breaking blades. 

When the wood finally arrived, it would be months that turned into almost 2 years of me researching and driving around trying to find help to cut the wood I had worked so hard to find. I still had a full time job and would take my days off and drive all over to woodshops and mills asking if they could help me cut this wood. All of them said no. 

I ended up having to do it myself and so far each aspect of this learning process of woodworking I have learned and taught to myself. I think a lot of people thought I would never be able to do it, but I never gave up. Now, after many years in the making, I’m able to finally make pieces that are very close to my heart that also showcase the beauty that I saw when I was down in jungle.” –Alexandra Climent 

“The wood I use is some of the most dense in the world. When you put it in the water it sinks and termites can’t even penetrate it. It’s like working with steel, and it breaks pretty much any blade.” -Alexandra Climent

All of the products Alexandra Climent makes are set apart from other pieces constructed of wood. She sustainably sources her materials from the jungle, befriending locals and working with each regions’ governments along the way. The wood she harvests and brings back to her wood shop in Brooklyn is ancient, densely packed over years and years. Note the grain and hue in her finished pieces shown above. To see more of her work, visit her website: www.sustainablysliced.com/shop.

“My advice would be not to wait around to find the perfect class or the perfect moment to start woodworking. You just have to jump into it, even if it’s little by little. I was working for a retail company and would find time to practice on my days off, no one considered me a woodworker then, but I was because I was practicing and progressing…even if it was slowly. It doesn’t matter what you do, just find a little bit of time to start.” -Woodworker @alexandracliment

“Living in NY is great. I was born here so I’m quite used to all the obstacles. I’m lucky because I have managed to find a great wood shop to work in that’s not far from where I live. It’s s rugged, dirty and dusty place and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

When people told Alexandra Climent that what she wanted to do was impossible, she just kept plugging away. Her determination and problem solving set her work apart. The ancient woods she brings back from the jungle are unlike anything most of us have ever seen. It’s so dense, saw blades can only make it through a few cuts before breaking against the age-old grain. The deep pigments, saturated into the rings over time, tell a rich story. 

As she travels to the jungles of South America, her deepest hope is to share this rare beauty that nature bestowed in those particular regions. Her efforts to preserve and promote all that those forests have to offer are encouraging. As humans, we can appreciate and use what the earth gives us without harming our surroundings in the long run. 

“Shire is my adopted hound mix mutt and he’s my best friend. I pretty much bring him with me everywhere.” -Brooklyn Woodworker Alexandra Climent

 

Builder Amber Williams

Meet Amber Williams, Timber Production Manager aka “Lead Lawg Dawg” at On Site Management in Bozeman, Montana.

“In 1997, I got a job after school working in a local cabinet shop. They made doors, cabinets and furniture that ended up in OSM homes a majority of the time. It was there that I learned traditional woodworking skills from journeyman cabinetmakers. Three years later I was unhappy with the limitations of cabinetry, I wanted something more. I had a solid base of knowledge giving me the confidence to transition from fine woodworking to heavy construction. I started my own business building furniture and cabinets as well as working for OSM as a subcontractor. After doing this for a year I applied to work for OSM full time as an employee. The atmosphere and ability to build the best homes in the area is something I am still proud of.” -Builder Amber Williams

“Being a builder is the only way I can make a living and be an artist at the same time. We build amazing works of functional art in remote locations that people can live in. This is the best of both worlds, the building experience of working in areas that most people will never see is unlike any other, and knowing that your work will withstand the test of time and be appreciated by generations. When building log assemblies, you don’t have the ability to work with traditional elements of level and square. It’s up to each team member to see the twisted log and find a way to make it plumb or level and fit within the job. Our end goal is to make each piece appear as though it grew together. Working with your hands allows each person at the end of each day to stand back and say, ‘I built that!'” -Builder Amber Williams

Amber’s advice for anyone looking to get into the building industry:

“Be true to yourself, listen to your gut, and always do your best. You will never please those around you so don’t waste your energy. Remember to be kind to yourself, the world is hard enough as it is, don’t add to the insecurities/negativity already thrust upon you. Allow your work to speak for you.”

Bo Shepherd of Woodward Throwbacks

“I’ve been officially working with wood since 2013 when my partner, Kyle, and I launched our company Woodward Throwbacks.

My dad is a general contractor back in New York and when I was younger I used to go on some of the sites with him. I believe that is when I truly became fascinated with the idea of being able to design and build.

I started re-purposing found wood back in college but it became a serious hobby once I met Kyle. We used to bike around the city exploring different neighborhoods and during our excursions we noticed an abundance of wood from illegal dumping sites. We combined our love for the city and the idea that taking materials found in the street would also help clean our neighborhoods.

We are inspired by memes and daily life. When it comes to brain storming, it usually involves a few beers and tons of laughter. Coming up with new designs is our way of team building. We don’t take our design process too seriously and I think that is what makes our product so memorable and relatable.

My favorite product is our bottle openers, because it was our very first product. Now we are expanding and have the capabilities to customize branding designs for our retailers and corporate clients.”

-Woodworker Bo Shepherd of @woodwardthrowbacks

Carpenter Apprentice Traci Longenbarger

“I am a 4th year carpenter apprentice.

My father had a huge part in getting me into carpentry. Since I was little, I always loved helping him with fixing things around the house. Now that I’m an adult, I want to know more and do it all.

My advise for other women would be work hard, have thick skin, always be willing to learn, and know that you don’t have to be the strongest person out here to get the job done. It’s not about brute strength but knowledge strength and thinking outside the box.

Women can do this work and we can do it well. This line of work isn’t for everyone, but for the people that want to get into it it’s great.

My favorite part of my job is that I’m building America one building at a time. To see a building start out as dirt and end up being a beautiful building at the end, and knowing I had a part in that gives me a feeling of completion. To be able to drive by a building with my family and friends and say I had a hand in building that gives me a great sense of pride.” —Traci Longenbarger

Take a look #throughhereyes:

Clare Fox of Mutual Adoration

Detroit native, Clare Fox, has undoubtedly left a beautiful mark on her hometown. Using the Motor City as fodder for inspiration and a great place to salvage wood and other building materials, the products Clare makes for Mutual Adoration have a rich feeling of history and stories past.

Symbolism and hidden meanings play a huge role in the creative process for Clare. Each piece she crafts pays homage to the backstory of the sourced materials and often relates to a message she hopes to portray though her labors. For instance, the Union Table Clare is working on in the photos above was first designed as a gift for friend’s wedding. These two tables function as one in a variety of ways, much as a couple does.

Take a look at what else Mutual Adoration has to offer.

(Claire is wearing the Carhartt Women’s Minot Shirt & Soft Hands Glove.)

The Woodworking Way of Life

As all women in woodworking know, you have to be tough as nails on the job. In a male dominated field, often perceived as being pumped full of testosterone and heavy lifting, thick skin is a prerequisite. Just ask San Francisco artist, Aleksandra Zee.

A layer of saw dust coating every article of her life is a permanent reminder of her hard work, and is proudly worn as a badge of artistic authority. To get lost in a world of passion and ambition is something most strive for in this world. Zee has found just that.

“Time vanishes when I am in the studio; it’s the greatest.” —Aleksandra Zee

Earthy tones and pattern play dance from one corner to another on each of her stunning pieces. Comprised of reclaimed materials, Zee uses laths of wood to paint a picture of geometric goodness. Her distinct style is brilliant and bold: a focal point in a room and a dream of a Native American textile.

Zee’s must-have items in her creative day-to-day routine are a nail gun and a great pair of overalls. In the photos above we get a closer look into her creative process. Follow along and see what you can concoct.

Keep up with Zee’s creative musings on instagram. You’ll be glad you did.

DIY: Wood Chiseling

After watching Aimee Inouye chisel away at the gorgeous bench she was working on last week, I was inspired to give woodworking a try. The first thing I discovered is that the type of wood you use matters. Wood comes in varying hardness and grains. If you’re a beginner looking for the perfect substrate, I’d suggest basswood or butternut. You can find blocks and panels at your local craft store or even larger hardware stores. Now as they say, practice makes perfect. So grab a few scrap blocks to practice with before you attempt the project at hand.
You’ll need a pencil, wood, a chisel set, and a rubber mallet. Take a look at the steps below. I’m drawn to a more handmade aesthetic, so I made my chisel marks pronounced and jagged to give it a personal touch. If that’s not your taste, be a bit tidier with your lines.

Now that you’ve gotten the hang of the basics, you can move on to the real thing. It’s always good to have a plan, so start off with a template of how you’d like the sign to look. Use that template to create a shallowly traced guide into the wood. Once you have your pattern, make deeper cuts. You may want to go over a the letters a few times to make the incisions thicker and deeper into the surface. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. That’s the nature of handmade arts.

My crafting outfit: Carhartt Women’s El Paso Utility Jacket, Clarkston Cami Tank, Sibley Denim Shorts, & Carhartt Legacy 14″ Tool Bag. 

Furniture Designer Aimee Inouye

 

It seems like a romantic notion to grow up and spend the rest of you life with your high school sweetheart. But what if your paramour was your craft? Aimee Inouye took a Hawaiian crafts woodworking course while in high school in Honolulu and was taken with it.
After college, Aimee left Hawaii to pursue her education even further. From San Francisco to Portland, it’s been a long journey of building knowledge and skills. Merging her background in architecture, furniture design, and woodworking, Aimee hopes to move towards the furniture/product design field as a well-rounded maker.
She can now approach projects from start to finish with every aspect of the process in mind. Beautiful sketches fill her studio, each one reflecting the Shaker belief that “beauty rests in utility.” Woodchips cover the floor as design meets chisel.
In a time when woodworking as a profession is rare, let alone female woodworkers, it’s moving to sit and watch the sawdust fly. Perhaps it’s time to look at benches and bed frames in a whole new light. A labor of love comes from the handmade.
How much passion comes packaged in a ready-to-assemble bookshelf?

Take a closer look at Aimee’s stunning work here.
What Aimee’s wearing: Carhartt Women’s Dunlow Sweatshirt, Calumet Crewneck T-Shirt, Women’s Slim-Fit Nyona Jeans, & Duck Nail Apron.

Tiny House Builder, Katy Anderson

Many of us have formed an attachment to the idea of home. The American Dream is often linked with those ideals and hopes that have been programmed into our brains since childhood. However, giant houses covered with freshly painted shutters and a white picket fence may no longer be the dream of the masses. It’s cliché enough in its descriptive form to turn us off just by mentioning it.
There is a movement of tiny house dwellers sweeping the nation. People who are driven by the notion that more material gain isn’t the bearer of happiness. As Henry David Thoreau would say, it’s the desire to “live deliberately.”
Meet Katy Anderson, a very talented Portland woodworker. She’s in the process of building a tiny home for author, Dee Williams. You may have heard of Dee’s book, The Big Tiny, which documents her adventure of living in an 84 sq. foot home on wheels.
Katy says the sense of fulfillment that comes from building a tiny house is tremendously gratifying. Given its scale, one can afford to spend more time and give greater attention to detail. Higher quality materials can also be used because less is needed. Instead of the desire for more, more, more, it comes down to what you really need and what you really want in your home and everyday life.

“I thought I’d find something in all of this, and I got more than I bargained for. I discovered a new way of looking at the sky, the winter rain, the neighbors, and myself; and a different way of spending my time. Most important, I stumbled into a new sort of “happiness,” one that didn’t hinge on always getting what I want but rather, on wanting what I have. It’s the kind of happiness that isn’t tied so tightly to being comfortable (or having money and property), but instead is linked to a deeper sense of satisfaction—to a sense of humility and gratitude, and a better understanding of who I am in my heart.
I know this sounds cheesy, and in fact, it sounds fairly similar to the gobbledygook that friends have thrown at me just after having their first baby. But the facts are the facts: I found a certain bigness in my little house—a sense of largeness, freedom, and happiness that comes when you see there’s no place else you’d rather be.” -Dee Williams
Katy’s work wear: Carhartt Women’s Force Performance T-Shirt, Clarksburg Quarter-Zip Sweatshirt, Women’s Series 1889 Slim Double-Front Denim Dungaree, & Carhartt Women’s Dearborn Belt