Amanda Russell grew up in El Paso, Texas and was influenced by her grandfather and father, who are both woodworkers. Watching them restore antique clocks with the greatest attention to detail, seeing them rebuild antique furniture and create furniture out of the garage while growing up was an inspiration. With her father’s guidance, Amanda began trying small projects and soon fell in love with the process of working with her hands.

She decided to move to Austin in 2015, to take the woodworking courses at Austin Community College, where she received her Woodworking Certificate. There she had the opportunity to learn under two great craftsman, Michael Colca and Philip Morley. After completing courses with them, Amanda completely fell in love with furniture making and design. It was at that point that she knew she had found her calling. The journey to becoming a great furniture maker is her passion and drive.