79th American Crafts & Historic Homes Tour
Master wood carver Adam Willie has been practicing the trade since 1990 and specializes in hard-carved wood signs and customized horse (tack) trunks and stable products. Adam works with each client to ensure a unique and distinctive design and uses only the finest materials to create a one-of-a-kind product that will leave a lasting impression.
My name is Kerry Digges and I was born and raised in Mclean, Virginia, and at 53 years old, a Mom of 4, I’m still here! In early 2021, I began to make wood charcuterie boards. All from locally sourced wood in northern Virginia. My family is in the building industry and uses local trees for all the homes they build~ for flooring, beams, molding, etc. I found beautiful pieces of walnut and oak that were not being used. I thought, what gorgeous wood this would be for charcuterie/cheese boards! And that right there began my journey. I am the sole owner and employee. I have invested in a planer, a commercial sander, and all the treatments necessary. I truly love the craft!
Being a mom, this job is perfect for me. I can work on my own time. It also has pulled out the creativity in me, I didn’t know existed before.
All the boards are hand-made! I cut them to a particular size, planed them down, and sanded them to a fine 400 grit. Each board is treated with FOOD SAFE materials. I use only the best oils and waxes. The best I have found is BOOS oil/wax.
The boards are made from Cherry, Walnut, Maple, Ambrosia Maple, White, and Red Oak.
I sell my boards to a local butcher in town who has a gorgeous shop! The Organic Butcher.
I also sell to two local gift shops—Two the Moon and The Urban Farmhouse.
This is a true “Farm to Table” scenario—not that I work with food, but the trees come straight to our property from local tree companies or from our own property, trees that needed to come down. The tree goes through a sawmill that is on our property. Once the wood is milled, I get the pieces I need for my boards. Then those pieces come into my home, into a greenhouse we have converted into a makeshift “kiln” for the wood. All the wood must be in the greenhouse for nearly a year. The wood needs to dry out. Once a humidity meter reads about 7%, I know the wood has dried out and is ready for work!
Wood
All pieces began as deadfall, firewood or bonfire remains. Each one emerges from the will of the wood and the whim of the turner. Grains and colors are natural. Highly figured and colored woods are spalted, in the early stages of decay. Knots, cracks, and wormholes are highlighted and stabilized with epoxy or CA glue. All are finished with a food-safe mix of beeswax and mineral oil.
As a third generation furniture craftsmen wood working has always been a large part of my life. I learned this art from my dad and grandfather and have always wanted to put my own vision into the trade. I have been creating pieces of furniture for 15 years and have gained a large amount of knowledge about woodworking. Many different styles of furniture have caught my attention but none that I was drawn towards. I have always enjoyed working with metal and wood and wanted to incorporate metal into my furniture designs. My style closely represents an “Urban and Loft” design. This style appeals to a younger generation and incorporates metal accents in each piece. I never wanted to tie myself to one area of wood working and respect all aspects of the art. I enjoy classic pieces of furniture made from solid wood as well as fresh ideas including epoxy and live edge pieces. Live edge slabs give the opportunity the show off the true lines of a piece and leave everything completely natural. The use of epoxy pours in a piece provides the opportunity to use lumber that might not normally be selected for a quality piece of furniture and gives movement to the design.
As a period formal furniture maker, Kauffman’s intention is to build furniture inspired by the designs of authentic period pieces and to impart to those pieces a beauty that can be admired and enjoyed, and a functionality that can be appreciated for generations. Kauffman’s hope is that his furniture, having been built with time-tested, period joinery and embellished with period carving, inlay, veneer, and other decorations, will emulate the quality, lasting appeal, and value of furniture from the 1700s and early 1800s. Lastly, that his furniture craftsmanship, conscientiousness, humanity, and dignity will be easily recognizable to those who own it.
Jackson Foster is a maker and painter of trade & tavern signs in the tradition of 18th and 19th-century artisans. His research of historic people and places is the rationale for the majority of his signs. His background in history, design, lettering, and woodworking provides the basis for creating authentic interpretations of early American signboards. He uses reclaimed wood–some boards date to the 1700s–and period-style hardware including
blacksmith-forged hanging irons, nails, and hinges—all making for unique signs in which no two are alike. He continues to refine his craft through research of early American artisans, typographic styles, painting practices, and joinery techniques. Each sign purchase comes with a framed, historic description providing research and background information.
Wood
Kara Wood Designs has been creating wonderful woodwork for over 20 years. All of the shapes and patterns are original designs done by John Kara. The business started in the early 1990’s and consisted strictly of collapsible baskets. Years later, John got the idea to angle-cut different shapes such as angels, trees and crosses. We work in an individual studio where we use hardwoods and laminations of hardwoods to make the artwork.
Our work is inspired by traditional American treenware with a contemporary design sense. Over the years, we expanded our work to include a variety of kitchenware and now custom furniture for the whole house. We use local, regional, and salvaged hardwoods, always keeping in mind sustainable forestry practices. Many of our pieces are made from trees harvested from our property.