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A little bit of my Art and Craft History

My early introduction to proper craftwork started, like many, in the woodwork and technical drawing classes in school. I had a very sympathetic and forward looking teacher, who spotted my potential took me under his wing.

While my classmates were making the standard pipe racks and book ends, I was allowed a free hand. 

I was given the freedom to make Tea Trollies, Standard and Table Lamps, Tool Boxes for people who had left school and, my finest bit of work then, was a Ladies Walnut and Silk lined Sewing cabinet on a stand.

    When I left school, I got a job as a Joiner and Cabinetmaker and went on to do my five year apprenticeship and went to college to get my 'City and Guilds' certificate and more studying at night classes. After various jobs as a foreman working in London and home counties, I came up north again and decided to try working for myself. Taking on Antique furniture restoration from dealers and private collectors. I very soon had a two year backlog.

Having been asked by many clients, if I made furniture to order, I then started designing and producing bespoke furniture, based on mainly, the style of the great 18 Century makers and designers such as, Thomas Chippendale,

Thomas Sheraton and Hepplewhite. I generally did a rough sketch initially then do four, different style scale drawings and prices to match. My work is in many private collections Britain, America, Canada and France.

One item, No 1 on my furniture slide show, was featured on ITV Look North in 1977, the Queens Silver Jubilee.

My Artwork began in school, when I drew and painted the backdrops for puppet shows and drama features.

Since those days, I never did any artwork apart from designing the odd piece of woodwork, and drawing up  plans      for various projects including houses and garden landscaping. The painting came after I retired, and it helps  me to relax and make a little money from them. My commissions being, mainly Land and Seascapes and the odd abstract.

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