Chattanooga Bridge | Chattanooga Events & Entertainment

Description:

In-Town Gallery presents “From the Heart of a Tree”, a collection of hand-crafted furniture and turned bowls and vases by woodworker Tom Church. He creates individual pieces from local hardwoods with occasional exotic accents. Gallery visitors can meet the artist at an opening reception on the First Friday, February 6, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Tom Church has been working and playing with wood nearly all his life. He served his first apprenticeship in his Dad’s shop … straightening nails. His Dad always kept a bucket of bent-up old nails to keep him entertained. Humble beginnings indeed!

For more than twenty-five years Tom has been designing and crafting boxes and furniture. His designs are simple, letting the wood and joinery have their voice. He states, “Tennessee is blessed with wonderful hardwoods: cherry, walnut, oak and poplar.” For years he has had the wood-collecting fever. “If I see an unusual piece of wood, I usually will bring it home. Generally, I have no earthly plan in mind. It may be several years before the perfect project comes along. Most clients enjoy selecting wood for their commissions from my diverse collection of wood candy.”

Focusing his designs on the unusual nature of hand-selected hardwoods, Tom usually chooses the simple, functional lines of Shaker pieces, as well as the graceful curves from Asian culture. Occasionally he will move to the heavier, more angular feel of the Arts and Crafts movement, or Mission Style, depending on the function of each piece. His favorite finish is hand-rubbed oil.

“Wood is a really great medium. Mother Nature always has a surprise waiting in every tree,” Tom explains. He allows all of the spectacular figuring, subtle color changes, and interesting knots within each piece of wood to become an amazing example of Mother Nature’s gifts every day.

Membership in Tennessee Valley Woodworkers, Tennessee Arts and Crafts Association, Tennessee Association of Woodturners, and the American Association of Woodturners keeps Tom current with new trends and tools, as well as honing his skills to a higher level. He enjoys doing commission work. Visit his website by clicking the "Homepage" link above.

Info via Mary Whittle of In-Town Gallery. Photo via tomchurchstudio.com.