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When Tamar Hannah sees a need, she meets it head-on. The mother of three school-age children took to woodworking five years ago when even an exhaustive internet search didn’t yield the piece of household furniture she was seeking—a bench with built-in firewood storage. 

Colorado cabinetmaker Mike Farrington began our conversation by telling me he wasn’t comfortable around people. Despite this introversion, the hour that followed was filled with friendly conversation, woodworking insights, and philosophical tidbits often cloaked in his distinctive dry wit. 

On June 1, 2020, the woodworking world lost a grand master when Robert Whitley passed away. Whitley was the consummate Renaissance man, fluent in history, the arts and just about any other subject that you might engage him in if you were lucky enough to catch him relaxing. But his primary passion was woodworking, and his palette spanned centuries. 

Boston, 2007. Beth Ireland was at the top of her game. As a successful architectural woodworker specializing in woodturning, she was nearing the age when many people consider retirement.

The 2010 Victoria’s Secret fashion show was the last straw for Megan Offner, who was helping to build the sets. She had been doing that kind of design/build work in New York City for the better part of a decade, but was increasingly uncomfortable with the notion that trees were cut down for material to make things that would end up in a dumpster after only eight hours. 

A recent commercial names several famous companies that started in a garage, wisely concluding, “You never know what kind of greatness can come out of an American garage.” Enter Steve Butler, the host of The Garage with Steve Butler, a televised woodworking show that’s starting to garner attention. Steve lives in Massachusetts with his modest shop housed in—you got it—a garage.

Anne Briggs (she pronounces it Annie) is a true woodworker for the Internet age. She has successfully established her skills and personality as a brand—Anne of All Trades. She uses YouTube and her own website to document what she does in her shop and on her farm, as a way to inspire people. 

Beginning in 2007, Gregory Paolini and I worked together on several magazine articles and books. With each collaboration, I came away impressed by Greg’s woodworking ingenuity and drive. He has a knack for dreaming up clever router templates, ingenious ways to cut dovetails, and different ways to work more efficiently. 

For nearly 40 years, Brad Smith has made his living as an independent craftsman, cranking out a quirky line of what he calls “Farm-Fresh” Furniture. 

William H. Macy loves acting like an enthusiastic woodworker.