Archives: Team

Ray McMahon

Ray McMahon, the child of an architect and an interior designer, has been shaped by good design since her early years. Before establishing herself as a fine woodworker, Ray traveled across North America contributing to experiments in natural building and sustainable architecture. She spent two years at Arcosanti—a desert arcology that radically reimagines urbanism—participated in several humanitarian builds through the Earthship Biotecture
Academy, and eventually landed in Vermont to complete a furniture-intensive program at Yestermorrow Design/Build School.
Ray strives to make woodworking more equitable and particularly loves teaching beginners. She believes that a supportive, creative environment is essential for nurturing knowledge. A San Antonio native, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to uplift the Central Texas community through the Austin School of Furniture.
Outside of the woodshop, Ray enjoys mountain biking, reading, yoga, and roller skating. She has always had a passion for textiles and enjoys hand sewing and leatherwork, and has recently gotten into rug tufting. These days, most of her time is spent renovating her house in South Austin, doing as much as she can by hand.

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Sarah Watlington

Sarah Watlington is a furniture designer and maker in Los Angeles, CA. She is a graduate of the Krenov School of Fine Woodworking, the project manager of Offerman Woodshop, and teaches a range of woodworking at a number of institutions. In her work, Sarah celebrates the exploration of new forms while using traditional woodworking techniques as…

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Kim McIntyre

Kim grew up around woodworking as her dad was a hobbyist and DIYer in their old house, so tools were not new to her by the early teenager years.  In college she might have left the wood shop window unlocked in order to carve bowls or do other projects that didn’t need power as those breakers were…

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Meredith Hart

Meredith’s path to the wood shop includes extensive education in design complemented with two years of hands-on skill building. She began in the architecture studio where she earned a bachelors degree and acquired a great appreciation of design’s role in the feeling of comfort and identity in a home. She has since graduated from the North…

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Evan Court

Evan L. Court is a full time studio furniture maker living and working in Dallas, TX. Having graduated from the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA. and also having studied fine art, Court mixes a focus on technique with a strong interest in design and concept to create his own unique flavor. “Work should…

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Andrew Hunter

Andrew is a custom furniture maker working and living in New York’s Hudson Valley.  Andrew has a humble collection of Japanese hand tools that he uses to build one of a kind furniture pieces.  As a self-taught woodworker he offers a unique perspective to other Americans exploring Eastern woodworking. His workshops demonstrate that by understanding the…

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Patrick Moore

PATRICK MOORE specializes in historical and traditional carpentry practices and has worked around the world on national and international classified historical sites

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wood carver instructor

Alex Grabovetskiy

Alex is a professional wood carver and instructor creating beautiful wood carving and educating the next generation of wood carvers.

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Michelle Myers

Michelle Myers began her love for woodworking in high school.  After graduating form Penn State University, she trained at the Center For Furniture Craftsmanship in Camden, Maine. Since then, Michelle has collaborated on furniture for clients such as the Barnes Foundation and Tiffany Flagship stores. Since moving to Austin in 2018, Michelle has focused on her signature style: clean lines and dramatic curves. She enjoys dreaming up custom pieces to fit her clients’ style and space.

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Ramon Valdez

Ramon’s creations are primarily one-of-a-kind pieces featured in galleries, exhibitions, and in the homes and offices of private clients.

These works of art are primarily contemporary – always drawing inspiration from nature’s graceful lines and gentle curves. Future heirlooms are created utilizing many exotic species of wood from around the world. Beautiful exotics, combined with domestic species are distinctive to Ramon Valdez Fine Furniture.

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