Woodworker David Stine on where he finds inspiration

"I’m inspired by how things were built centuries ago and to see them stand the test of time," says Stine, who works out of a 40-acre farm in Dow, Illinois.

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A lot has changed since David Stine established David Stine Woodworking as a young lawyer in Washington, D.C., in the 1990s. Back then, he filled his spare time crafting small wood items and furniture inside his garage. On the weekends, he traveled from D.C. to his family’s farm in Southern Illinois to cut timber and stock up on lumber, driving 14 hours back east to be in the office by Monday morning. Today, Stine works out of his 40-acre farm in Dow, Illinois, which features a renovated 1871 farmhouse, woodshop, kiln, sawmill, studio, showroom, and seasoning sheds. And just as Stine’s business has evolved, so has his work. “The evolution is easy to boil down,” he says. “After 25 years, I do less and less with the wood. I’m a craftsman and artist, but one of the things I’ve had to do is step back from bending and manipulating the wood and celebrate what the wood already is…that means celebrating its flaws and imperfections.”

These forests have been in my family for generations, and I’m proud to be the fourth generation to steward them. I only take the dead and dying trees, which makes room for new growth. And I love seeing how and where the trees grew. It inspires me and reminds me that we are doing something really special.

Most of the tools I use are very old. I love what they stand for—the old, traditional method of woodworking. One of the most reached-for tools in my repertoire is a chisel with a convex, thumbnail profile, so it makes it super sharp. It’s at least 100 years old and was a gift from my grandfather.

I love the food we make at home because it’s fresh and real and made with love. Our dinners are epic, and we love to eat with friends and family. We enjoy great wine and grass-fed beef that my uncles raise. This is the way I was raised, being very self-sufficient, producing what you need on your own land and farm.

I’m inspired by how things were built centuries ago and to see them stand the test of time. We visited Antoni Gaudi’s La Familia in Barcelona, and the idea that he started that project knowing it wouldn’t be done in his lifetime is remarkable. I would love it if my furniture could be around in 100 years and become a family heirloom.

FELLOW ARTISTS: Other artists inspire me, like Shon Walters, Ryan Johnson, Shawn Hoven, and Michael Bauermeister. Their work is great and is so different from mine. They use tools that I don’t use often and have amazing attention to detail. They can execute the perfect dovetail joints or spend days getting two pieces of wood to fit perfectly together.

Connect with David Stine Furniture at @davidstinefurniture and stinewoodworking.com

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