Tom Franklin Artisan Builder Just as an avid guitarist chooses a chord or a painter combines colors, artisan builder Tom Franklin reads a piece of wood to create handmade furniture. "Wood decides it' s own destiny because it's grains, colors and feel are always different. I'll have the ideas for a garden bench but the grains fit better as a decorative table. My projects often work out this way and I just follow it." Striking natural designs and precise finish work give harmonious effects in each piece. He combines an old world carpentry style with modern design techniques when making his furniture. "I'm using wood of the trees where I live on the mountain. I can hand pick my pieces at the local mill and really get a feel for what I am about to create. It doesn't get any better than that." His range of beautiful designs reach all sorts of settings, from a professional university meeting area to local restaurants and into many homes and backyard gardens. The Alder, Cedar, Hemlock, Maple, Fir and Pine chosen for each piece of furniture come from the Mt Hood region. Tom is inspired by the finely detailed work of Michealangelo, the creative genius of architect brothers Greene & Greene, and the musical talents of Jerry Garcia. As a professional musician for over twenty years, Tom plays guitar in a band and is a songwriter. He loves to travel the world to savor the diverse cultural traditions of food, surfing, architecture, music and community. When he isn't gigging, you can find Tom in the woodshop creating custom order furniture, toys, tables, signs, benches and outdoor furniture.
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