Erik Wolken

"My biggest thrill as a furniture maker is the act of creation: the process by which an idea and a rough piece of lumber become reality."

Inspired by the world around him, both natural and the man-made, Erik Wolken bases his furniture on the interplay of simple geometric shapes—the roof line of a building, the structure of a bridge, the shields of an African tribe.

As he wanders through his sketchbooks, Wolken selects those ideas that have a personality, a sense of motion, and a purpose. As important as that origin may be, however, the reality of his desks, chairs, benches, and cabinets is determined by his ability to invigorate abstract sketches with life.

After receiving a BA in geography from West Virginia University, Wolken studied fine woodworking at Haywood Community College in Clyde, North Carolina.