Rich Hart's Biographical Sketch

I came into being a wood worker by chance.  We moved out to Austin, Texas in 1995 when my wife accepted a job with Motorola.  Prior to the move, I was a technical writer/engineering assistant for a company in Silicon Valley.  Afterward, I stayed home with my two daughters while taking classes at Austin Community College in the Integrated Circuit Layout program.  During a hectic summer break, I’d missed my registration date and couldn’t get the classes I needed for the Fall semester, so on a whim I took a basic cabinet construction class hoping it might help me for a future home remodeling project.  Well to my surprise I loved the class.  It was a life changing experience.  I decided I wanted to learn a skill working with my hands, and I wanted to build furniture as I thought this was a way I could earn a living while being artistic.  I dropped my pursuit for IC Graphics and enrolled in the cabinet and furniture construction program at ACC.

After taking all the classes, I wanted to continue my education with an apprenticeship with a small company.  There aren’t many furniture companies in the Austin area, and, in most of the ones that exist, quality and craftsmanship aren't a high priority.  I didn’t want to work for one of these companies.  I was worried that I wouldn’t find a place to start.

The answer to my search was right under my nose.  In the workshop at the college campus I noticed a magazine article and photo tacked on the bulletin board about the work of Gary Weeks and his beautifully crafted rocking chairs.  I was attracted by Gary Weeks’ statements about creating a beautiful and superbly comfortable rocking chair for clients to cherish throughout their lives and for future generations.  And the photo showed Gary had succeeded in creating a rocking chair of uncommon elegant simplicity that was both classic and timeless.  I was mesmerized.

I knew I wanted to work for Gary Weeks at his company.  I immediately contacted him but I found he didn’t need any additional help.  But I didn’t let that discourage my enthusiasm, I persisted and kept in contact (without becoming a pest) and was finally offered a job.

I started in the workshop but later began to do the finishing work.  I’m a tinkerer at heart always looking to improve the application, method and techniques of the finishing work.  And I have to say with experience and experimentation I’ve been getting some great results.  The really satisfying part of my job is applying the oil by hand to the furniture, how it accentuates the depth, luster and beauty of the wood.  It’s here that I view the bare wood that has been patiently cut and shaped come to life.  We use an oil/polyurethane blend to protect the wood surface: the oil enhances the beauty of the figure while the urethane helps to provide as much resistance against heat or spilt liquids as possible.

In summary, I work with craftsman that are half my age that patiently teach me (the old guy) about working with wood to produce the finest furniture. The pleasures and challenges are ongoing, because no matter what level you have reached in woodworking, there is always more to do and learn. My time here has been rewarding.