Wood Artist from Toronto
I grew up in the Punjab region of North India. We are a clan of farmers; however, since both my parents were educators, our primary source of living wasn’t necessarily the crops. The front and back row of houses around ours were those of the carpenter families. Often, we played with the wood planks for toys, and the smell of the wood, the sounds of planers, and other wood waste used as fuel remain vivid in my nostalgia.
Being an Engineer, I have always been a handy person, fond of working with structures and delving deeper to find creative solutions to everything around me. Without even my intrinsic realization, I created many wood accessories and furniture pieces in and around my house such as a tree house, playroom, bunk bed, and other decorative items.
I have been fortunate to have spent time and been trained by a professional Japanese wood artist who I met at a trade show a few years ago. He introduced me to the works of fine woodworkers of the mid-century such as George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, etc. which further inspired me to learn more. After that, I studied Japanese joinery, live-edge wood art, carving, furniture design, architectural decorations, etc. for two years through various workshops.
My wife and I live in Malton with our two boys 7-years-old and a 5-month-old in an old bungalow house that was built in the ’60s, and it was the first house that my wife and I looked at and immediately sought as our dream home. In the 12 years of living here, we have added tremendous esthetic to it, every wall has my touch with wood and other creative decors on it.
Along with decorations, I made us a big Maple dining table, which our friends admired, and I commissioned some of their custom pieces. To get these initial orders curated for my friends, I bought more machinery and set up the workshop with the necessary tools to complete my work. Besides, we also set up social media pages to let the local community know about my work. In less than one year, I have a solid circle of clientele who bring a vision in their mind to custom order a piece of furniture for their homes, for some clients it may be a souvenir from a fallen tree that was grown by their ancestors. I am cherishing these opportunities that allow me to be submersed in fine wood art and craftsmanship while creating sustainable furniture for my clients.
In and around our tiny house, we have grown several trees that are part of our family nourishing, protecting, and conversing with us. I strive to continue my kinmanship and more profound friendship with the trees while also proving them a second life and taking their legacy to the living rooms!