Fine Crafts of Kentucky is Byron Marks. 

 

I am a self taught woodworker. I began making things as a kid in Boy Scouts. My early works were utilitarian items.....usually things that I wanted but couldn't afford. I did a bit of leatherwork, sewing, drawing, metalwork, and basketry. I also did a lot of carving.......fishing lures, tie slides, mostly small items. After high school, I abandoned the crafts for a few decades while I pursued my education and career. About 15 years ago I rediscovered woodworking and it has become a passion. I began with fairly crude utilitarian pieces.......again mostly things that I wanted but couldn't justify buying. Over time, my skills have grown and I have taken on more complicated pieces. I retired in 2015 and since then, in addition to my wife and granddaughters, woodworking has been my focus. More and more I am shifting from small items to custom furniture. For many years I worked with my son John, who was a design genius.  John always said that the way to succeed was to do things that others either couldn't do or wouldn't do. I have taken that to heart.  John has since moved on to other projects and I wish him well. His influence is still obvious in many of my pieces. In fact some of his pieces are still in my inventory. My mantra is: "beautiful.....functional.....durable"

If I do my work well, Each piece will cross the line from craft to art.