Specialization in Woodworking: Techniques, Styles, and Innovations

Matt Kenney is a professional furniture maker who has been creating things from wood his entire life. He left academia to work as an editor at Fine Woodworking Magazine where he wrote articles, shared instructional videos, and co-hosted the magazine’s podcast. In 2015, he took on the “52 boxes in 52 weeks” challenge and discovered the Japanese woodworking technique Kumiko in the process. Since then, he’s been dedicated to learning new patterns and techniques whilst teaching others to do the same.

As well as furniture, Matt uses Kumiko to create decorative pieces of art. He has also published two books, 52 Boxes in 52 Weeks, and The Art of Kumiko in which he shares the techniques and knowledge he has developed during his career as a furniture maker.

Jack Bibbings and Matthew Hensby experienced the joy of making things with their hands from a young age, but when it came to starting their professional journey, both began in the corporate world. The duo met during their furniture-making training, and their common approach to the craft soon developed into a friendship, as well as a professional partnership with the launch of their joint workshop.

Bibbings and Hensby’s functional contemporary style seeks to reintegrate traditional skills into today’s world using hand tools and woodworking techniques. Their clients range from interior designers, architects, as well as private clients. Their latest work includes furniture-making plans, as well as furniture pieces like large slab-top desks and backed chairs that can be found on their online store.

Alexandre Chappel is an industrial designer, maker, and YouTuber from Switzerland. He studied industrial design in Norway where he learned to become a fine furniture maker and discovered a passion for 3D printing and woodworking. He turned that passion into a career and has since used his skills to make everything from desks to product prototypes.

Alexandre uses a variety of methods including woodworking, metalworking, 3D printing, and casting, and he has launched his own YouTube channel where he shares his expertise with his 325K subscribers. He prides himself on creating products that are both stylish and functional which he sells via his online shop.

Urvi Sharma is a furniture and lighting designer from New Delhi, India. Her mother is a graphic and interior designer, so she was introduced to art and design from a young age. She later went on to study furniture design at Rhode Island School of Design, where she focused on color and pattern. After graduating, she and her partner showed their work under the studio name INDO- at a trade show in New York City. Encouraged by the positive feedback they received, they kept designing alongside their jobs which they left a year and a half later to focus on INDO- full-time.

Since then, Urvi’s work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Interior Design Magazine, and Dwell. She was also a contestant on Ellen’s Next Great Designer, a furniture design show hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, and has received several awards and nominations for her designs.

Sandy, or Sand to his friends and family, is a bespoke furniture designer and maker based in Beckenham, London. Prior to setting up his workshop, Sandy had a 10-year career in the Oil & Gas E&P sector, working around the world as a geoscientist. He holds a bachelor's and master’s degree in geoscience.

After several redundancies, a general dislike for big corporate politics, and a growing unease about the sector, Sandy turned to making and crafting in the pursuit of meaningful work. His work is influenced by his childhood growing up in Hong Kong, the Chinese and Japanese appreciation and heritage of woodworking, and his choice of material. His pieces are produced skillfully and considerately, and are created to be used, allowing the beauty of nature to be enjoyed.

Helen Welch is a woodworker from London with decades of experience. She started her career as an apprentice carpenter before moving to guitar making. Eventually, she found her passion in teaching. After teaching at the London Metropolitan University, in 2013, Helen founded the London School of Furniture Making. There, she has created a space where both beginners and more experienced makers alike can learn the fundamental skills for success in their woodworking through short but intensive introductory workshops. She’s had the opportunity to take her woodworking expertise to television as well, having served as a judge on Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker.

Tyler Shaheen is not just a craftsman; he's a creator of functional art. With a background in crafting exquisite furniture and a passion for woodworking, Tyler has made a name for himself in the world of Mid-century modern design. Self-taught and driven by his love for crafting, Tyler's journey is an inspiring one. His woodworking content on social media has not only garnered a significant following but has also led to collaborations with renowned brands.

Tyler believes in the meditative power of working with one's hands, and this passion shines through in his unique, simple yet elegant furniture designs. Through this course, he shares his hard-earned knowledge, empowering aspiring woodworkers to embark on their creative journeys, one piece of art at a time.