Posted on December 16th,
2009
by John Kirchner
Today’s post is a guest contribution from Susquehanna Photo and co-authored by Mandy Arnold, of LightStyles, Ltd., a window, door and hardware distributor based in Carlisle, Penn.
Many small towns often look inward for their sense of identity. The town of York, Pennsylvania, turns to its 250-plus years of history and local culture to identify itself. The town is full of independent businesses and artists, each trying to put their own personal stamp on their products.
While much of the country spirals toward chain restaurants and cookie-cutter products, the people of York are as enthusiastic as ever about new local endeavors. Specialization and customization are where Yorkers shine. Matthew Shober, 29, is a local wood craftsman that has recently turned in this direction, though he did not begin his career as a craftsman:
I went to college for my degree in architecture [but] it just seemed like something was missing for me… I took my love for design and headed another direction where I could do something with my hands. I started in the construction industry. After a bit of time, I was given my first table saw, [and] that’s when I discovered my love for woodworking.
After finding frustration in the lack of personalization in the construction business, Shober stumbled into entrepreneurship. He learned to create beautiful, detailed pieces of furniture, each one a small masterpiece. He started Matthew Shober Artistan Woodworks, a business he hopes will tug on the independent heartstrings of local residents.
He has begun to fit into his community, establishing relationships with fellow craftsmen. He was recently invited to join a craftsman collaborative hosted by an area artisan glass business.
My collaboration with other local artists is new to me, and I have found it to be extremely motivational. Collaboration has truly intensified my view of how a supportive community can be the heartbeat of inspiration.
Shober also gives a nod to the environment, as well. Recently, he used all local, recycled wood for a Tansu step chest he made. After nearly running out of the 25-year-old wood, he took parts of his basement and salvaged them for the piece. His logic is refreshing:
I like to reclaim lumber for numerous reasons such as deep sincerity for the life of the tree itself. We owe it to all of creation to utilize as much as we can to its best purpose. I’m intolerant of wasting what could be beautiful again.
Pouring his heart and soul into each piece, Shober has ended up with a special product reflective of his artistic spirit. His pieces are widely varied, from a headboard to match a 100-year-old bedroom set to a Chinese-inspired wardrobe. He reflects:
Every piece of wood is individually unique. Every pattern you see in the grain is to never ever be repeated again by nature. It’s a bit of a blessing to be the first to see the story of a tree in the picture it creates through its grain as it is sawn in to usable slabs.
It is this kind of personalization that draws clients to Shober.
Customizing my projects to each client gives not only me but, most importantly, the customer a bond between them and the project. As the provider of the craft, it appears to me that each piece I sell to a client is so much more meaningful than if they were to just go to the store and purchase a rubber-stamped, mass-production piece that a factory spit out.
To me, woodworking is soothing. It requires much patience. If you force the lumber to do what you want it to do, it will never work. In a way, you almost have to ask the lumber to cooperate. Working with wood is a bond to nature.
For more information, visit Matthew Shober Artistan Woodworks. To read a local blog covering Shober’s work, read here. And a gallery of more photos of his work is here.
Photo courtesy of The Susquehanna Photographic
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