Brad Smith

"What I try to do is make furniture that has not been seen before, but still retains some familiarity. That familiarity is gained through the use of good proportions, honest construction, and old-fashioned usefulness. "

Furniture artist Brad Smith cheerfully describes his work as "rusticated, post-agricultural contemporary country." He works from his studio on a Pennsylvania farm, incorporating parts and implements from its agrarian heritage. Ax handles, pitchforks, old planks, and used farm equipment all become a part of his uncommon furnishings.

Smith creates his furniture one piece at time using both traditional and modern techniques. His most unusual furniture-making tool is a 100-year-old ax-handle lathe he has refurbished to perform a multitude of tasks. Making something special out of ordinary objects is Smith's primary goal. He can take a weather-worn and battered old plank and transform it into a tabletop with warmth, durability, and lasting charm.

Growing up on a farm, Smith was always working to fix and build things. After high school, he spent four years honing his craft while working for several woodworking shops. Wanting a more formal education, Smith attended Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Craftsmen, where he received a BFA in woodworking and furniture design in 1980.