John Brown in the Middle
Christopher Schwarz
June 21, 2024
We’ve got Welsh chairmaker Chris Williams in this week to teach a class. Chris and I were both inspired by John Brown’s book, “Welsh Stick Chairs,” in the 1990s. Chris sought out John Brown and worked with him for a decade.
Me, I didn’t know where Wales was on the map back then. So I stayed in the States and figured out how to make chairs in a different (not necessarily better) way.
At some point about 10 years ago, Chris and I found one another. And now we’re great friends. He visits me in Kentucky to teach chairmaking to Americans and Canadians. I visit him in Wales to see every damn chair possible.
We’re friends, but we are not equals. Chris is a better chairmaker than I am – by every measure. Better designer, builder and finisher. I own one of his chairs (that should tell you something), and I follow his work as closely as any living creature could.
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