Ken Altman has earned his living for almost thirty years at a variety of woodworking trades from home building and remodeling to fine furniture making and musical instrument making and repair. For the past twelve years he has been making bows for violin, viola and cello, in a small shop at his home in Silverton Oregon. His bows are played in orchestras across the world.

Dan Biasca grew up on a farm in Southern Oregon where woodworking was a part of the daily routine, building and maintaining houses, barns, wagons and bridges often from timber harvested or salvaged from forests on the farm. Dan has worked as a cabinet and furniture maker since 1976 and is currently making and repairing acoustic guitars.

Michael Cullen naturally transitioned into furniture design from his background in mechanical engineering and his love of art.  Over the past decade, his work has been featured in numerous publications and shown throughout North America and Europe.  His latest piece will be featured in the National Treasure: History in the Making exhibition at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York City this Spring.

Nate Currier owns and operates Aurora Precision, a custom machine shop. He’s a graduate of our Mastery Program and has had his work published in Fine Woodworking Magazine. After a 2 year remodel of a 1916 craftsman farmhouse in Aurora, he’s looking forward to starting a few pieces for it. He enjoys building Shaker inspired furniture with local hardwoods. Soon he’ll be starting on a pie safe inspired cabinet.

Ken Klos has been practicing architecture here in Portland since 1988, after designing/drafting work in Boston, San Francisco and Eugene. He’s instructed students in drawing and design courses at University of Oregon in Eugene as well as the U. of O. Rome campus, Oregon College of Art and Craft, Marylhurst College and here at the Studio.

Lyle Lindsey began working at Endgrain Designs in Wood in 1973 eventually progressing to design furniture and cabinets. He has taught briefly at OCAC, PCC and private classes, built log houses in Alaska, and worked as a general contractor here in Portland. Now a finish carpenter, project manager in high end residential remodeling, Lyle is also fascinated with the inner workings of all of us, he has spent time in Quaker communities and at the Center for Healing Arts in Portland.

Liz Meyer is an artist specializing in custom cabinetry and furniture. When not working for others, Liz likes to build furniture that is useful, whimsical and artistic. She also enjoys remodeling her 1924 bungalow, and working in her small, but functional woodworking shop. Liz has a Bachelor’s degree in sculpture from Maine College of Art and has taught many classes at the Studio since 2002.

Brooks Nelson is the Facilities Manager for Rejuvenation House Parts after being their lead carpenter for many years. A life-long passion for woodworking, and a granddad who was really Handy Andy, has led to projects ranging from restoration and construction to furniture making and period remodeling. A passion for teaching makes Brooks’ classes informative, great fun, and supportive.

Jeff O’Brien was a video editor who wanted his projects to last longer than a :60 spot on the tv screen. From finish carpentry to contemporary built-ins, he and his wife are currently re-fitting a 1970 split-entry. A recent graduate of the Mastery program, he’s now building custom furniture (currently specializing in chairs) in West Linn. Some of his Mastery assignments will soon be appearing in a Fine Woodworking special edition on contemporary design.

Jeff Zens A lifelong woodworker, Jeff is a NWS mastery graduate. He subscribes to the notion that power tools are only a means to return more quickly to the bench, where keen-edged hand tools yield joints that fit and surfaces that need little or no sanding. He takes a pragmatic approach to sharpening those edges: do what works best, fastest, safest and cleanest. When he’s not teaching at the Studio, you’ll find him building custom furniture in his Salem shop.

Gary Rogowski has been woodworking since 1974 and showing work in galleries locally and nationwide since 1976. His work was in the 1989 Oregon Biennial at the Portland Art Museum. In 1991 he was awarded the Oregon Arts Commission fellowship in crafts. He founded The Northwest Woodworking Studio in 1997 with a background teaching wood since 1980. He taught locally at the Multnomah Arts Center, PCC, The World Forestry Center, and OCAC where he was Interim Department Head of Woodworking. He is a contributing editor for Fine Woodworking Magazine with several videos and two books out on joinery.