Furniture and Woodworking

The testament to my degree, but more importantly- my life. The process of furniture making is one of frustration. Nicks and cuts from sharp blades mar my skin, and what makes sense on the drafting board in the small hours of the morning becomes utterly incomprehensible once in the light of day. But time and time again I find myself on the other end of a deadline, moving a finished piece to the anxiety of the critique room. By this point the investment of precision, a carefully executed finish, and machine and hand joinery work in tandem to support a piece ripped from my sketchbook and whittled, shaved, carved, turned, planed, scraped, and tenoned into reality. This is the ritual that defines my love for creating furniture. Furniture that represents not only my mind or ideals, but the joie de vivre found in the moments between concept and presentation. I am Julian Rodriguez, here is my life.