Author Archives: walkerg

About walkerg

Woodworker and writer

Hot Rod in wood

Posted on February 19, 2016 by walkerg

Tucked away in an alcove in the Springfield Museum of Art this 19th century desk begs more questions than answers. The form itself is typical of furniture built in a rural setting by a cabinetmaker who sparingly added a few touches … Continue reading →

Posted in Design Basics | 5 Comments

Preserving the Fire

Posted on February 3, 2016 by walkerg

It’s 6AM and five year old Seth, sitting beside me on the couch wrapped in his favorite blanket, looks up and says, “Poppy, can we go downstairs?” “Downstairs” is Seth’s word for my basement workshop. It’s a place where he … Continue reading →

Posted in Design Basics, design workshops | 3 Comments

Quote to Ponder

Posted on January 23, 2016 by walkerg

” One basic quality unites all the works of mankind that speak to us in human, recognizable voices across the barriers of time, culture, and space: the simple quality of being well made.” – Bill Reid

Posted in Quotes to Ponder | 3 Comments

Design Critique follow up

Posted on January 19, 2016 by walkerg

A few weeks ago I posted a design critique from Petri in Sweden who built a table and then took on the task of designing chairs to go with it. After several versions, here’s a rough mockup of a chair … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

That most improbable thing……and yet….

Posted on December 23, 2015 by walkerg

Barb and I wish you the best blessings of Christmas. George R. Walker

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Design Critique, need some chair help

Posted on December 20, 2015 by walkerg

It’s a common problem for a chair builder to get requests to design and build a table to compliment some chairs. Furniture builder Petri Nojonen has this dilemma flipped around. After building a contemporary table of his own design he’d like … Continue reading →

Posted in design critique | 6 Comments

A worthy project and great gift for the holiday

Posted on December 6, 2015 by walkerg

What might happen if we pulled together three tribes from the furniture world that don’t often travel in the same orbit, furniture builders, conservators, and the world of furniture scholarship? The result might be a unique blend of perspective and … Continue reading →

Posted in Resources | 2 Comments

Hand built woodshop

Posted on November 20, 2015 by walkerg

The current 2015 issue of Fine Woodworking’s “Tools and Shops” has an article about Jim Tolpin’s workshop. Here’s a link to a slide show where Jim explains how he designed the shop around the way he works. Dream Shop Jim and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Keep your eye inspired

Posted on November 14, 2015 by walkerg

We are bombarded daily by thieves that rob us of creativity and dull the imagination. I could list a hundred goblins that steal but instead, I want to remind you that you can (and should) choose inspiration and wonder. Choose … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Stuck and Unstuck

Posted on October 10, 2015 by walkerg

It happens at least once during every design workshop. A woodworker looks up with a grin and points to a drawing. It’s followed with a declaration that goes something like this,  “This drawing may not look like much to you, … Continue reading →

Posted in design workshops | 4 Comments