Cameron Tiede

Though fine woodworking is largely associated with building beautiful pieces of furniture, hand crafted boats and perhaps even the dashboards of luxury automobiles to name a few things, such things have held little interest for me as a form of personal expression. My goal is to breathe a more contemporary spin on what is primarily thought of to be a more traditional and classic medium. I am influenced by pop culture, modern design, interactivity, symbols, mechanical gears, and anything that makes me smile. I strive to explore the fusion of these interests with wood, respecting the deep and rich heritage of past craftsmen but breaking away from all of it at the same time. Having never been formally trained and primarily self-taught in this medium I find working in wood to be particularly challenging. Wood is a living medium and reminds me of the people in my life. It is always in motion as it expands and contracts, it has hard and weak spots, it shows both perfection and imperfection, it is beautiful and no two pieces are the same. For me working in wood comes with the demands of high precision that must be balanced with the needs of conveying feeling and emotion in my pieces. I am intrigued with making objects that have the power to hold deep and significant meaning and become precious. I take into consideration the different properties of various wood species, and how they can be shaped and fused together in a way that will not only be appreciated but will communicate with peoples souls in a contemporary yet timeless way.