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  • 6 Labor of Liberty 2021 cont

    Featured Member

    Each month we cele­brate the work of one or more of our talented members.


    This week’s featured member — FS Board Member Mark Tan!

    June 9 – 222025



    Mark Tan is a first-gener­a­­tion Cana­dian born and raised in Toronto by Filipino immi­grants. He produces inter­ac­tive sculp­tures made from reclaimed solid wood, found mate­ri­als, and domes­tic construc­tion build­ing mate­ri­als at an archi­tec­tural scale. He is currently an Assis­tant Profes­sor of Sculpture/​Wood at Arizona State University.

    Learn More
  • Sasso Frogwood Collab Game Front

    The Sass-O-Matic

    Created by artists Michael Hosaluk, Graeme Priddle, Kevin Jese­quel, and Alex Gupton at Frog­wood Artists’ Collab­o­ra­tive, the Sass-O-Matic was constructed to honor the late, great, Paul Sasso — a fellow wood­worker, furni­ture maker, educa­tor, a long time Frog­wood partic­i­pant, and all around fun human!

    Anyone inter­ested in the chance to win this one-of-a-kind piece can purchase Lucky Draw ticket(s) online or at the confer­ence.
    Tickets are $20 ea or 6 for $100

  • 2024 Ao D Honorees Collage

    Award of Distinction Celebration!

    Join us at the Everson Museum at Syra­cuse Univer­sity for an inspir­ing after­noon of insight and reflec­tion as we cele­brate furni­ture maker, Michael Hurwitz and editor, John Kelsey, the distin­guished recip­i­ents of the 2024 – 2025 Furni­ture Society Award of Distinc­tion, through a inti­mate conver­sa­tion with master furni­ture maker and sculp­tor Mark Sfirri.


    Confer­ence regis­tra­tion is required to attend this event.

    Learn more
  • Rebecca Juliette-Duex, Curator

    Why Make Podcast

    Seating Assign­ment

    Rebecca Juli­ette-Duex sat down with Erik Wolken, from Why Make Podcast, to talk about the exhi­bi­tion Seating Assign­ment at the Sawtooth School for Visual Art in Winston Salem NC in March of 2024. Learn about the inspi­ra­tion for creat­ing this exhi­bi­tion, the Chair Library at Winston Salem College, and a talk with Elsa Hoffman one of the artists in the show.

  • Dovetail Workwear Boxed Stone White50on Paprika Digital 1

    Shop now, save big, and make a difference!

    The Furni­ture Society has teamed up with Dove­tail Work­wear to bring you an incred­i­ble offer you don’t want to miss:

    • Get $10 OFF your entire Dovetail order

    • Support women in the trades & arts — Dove­tail will donate to The Furni­ture Society with every purchase

    • Share the love — pass the link to family, friends, and colleagues!

    Dove­tail is a sustain­able, ethical brand making seri­ously tough, beau­ti­fully designed gear for women who build, grow, and create. Whether you need it or just want it, this is your moment to gear up, stand tall, and pay it forward.

  • FS25 Conference Promo

    FS25: Conference Sponsorships

    We invite you to become a 2025 Confer­ence Sponsor of The Furni­ture Society. Our confer­ences present a signif­i­cant market­ing oppor­tu­nity for busi­nesses and nonprof­its inter­ested in the field of furniture.

  • Peters Valley Wood Studio

    So Many Opportunities!

    Check out our oppor­tu­ni­ties page for the most current list of classes, work­shops, and jobs avail­able to you.

Our Mission

To advance the art of furni­ture making by inspir­ing creativ­ity, promot­ing excel­lence, and foster­ing an under­stand­ing of this art and its place in society. 

Our vision is to culti­vate a diverse commu­nity and conver­sa­tion around furni­ture in all its forms.

June 9 – 222025

Featured Member: FS Board Member Mark Tan!

Mark Tan is a first-gener­a­­tion Cana­dian born and raised in Toronto by Filipino immi­grants. He produces inter­ac­tive sculp­tures made from reclaimed solid wood, found mate­ri­als, and domes­tic construc­tion build­ing mate­ri­als at an archi­tec­tural scale. His work expresses the emotional value of precon­ceived notions, longing, and discon­nect­ed­ness in seeking accep­tance within a commu­nity. He received his MFA in Furni­ture Design & Wood­work­ing in the Craft/​Material Studies program at Virginia Common­wealth Univer­sity in Rich­mond, VA. His work has been exhib­ited inter­na­tion­ally at exhi­bi­tions such as the Mesa Contem­po­rary Arts Museum in Mesa, AZ., Hillyer Contem­po­rary in Wash­ing­ton, D.C., Messler Gallery in Rock­port, ME., Patter­­son-Apple­­ton Gallery in Denton, TX., Fuller Craft Museum in Brock­ton, MA., Wharton Esher­ick Museum in Malvern, PA., Aspen Art Museum in Aspen, CO., and the DeLeon White Gallery at the Glad­stone in Toronto, ON. He has partic­i­pated in resi­den­cies at Arrow­mont School of Arts & Crafts and the Windgate Artist in Resi­dence at San Diego State Univer­sity. He is currently an Assis­tant Profes­sor of Sculpture/​Wood at Arizona State University.


A short interview with Mark Tan:

Do you have a brief thought about the role of woodworking/​craft/​making in your life?

This is such an interesting question since I just re-read my thesis paper during my time here at VSC. Woodworking started as a way of building things I needed for skateboarding and grew into a language through which I process identity and belonging. Making allows me to translate lived experiences into material form. It’s how I reflect on where I come from, where I am, and where I hope to go. Craft for me is more than skill, it’s storytelling and the pursuit of connection.”

Is there a favorite movie/​podcast/​book at the moment (bonus points if they relate to craft/​design etc)?

The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction”. Matthew Crawford, 2015. The studio is a place where the mind and body work together. Our practices become a form of attention, a dialogue with materials that pushed back, surprises, and teaches.”

Is there a maker/​woodworker who you think we should be looking at, who inspires you?

Love Hulten: A great example of blending electronics and traditional craftsmanship with modern technology in a retro futuristic aesthetic.

Membership

Become a Member

With access to members-only sections of our website, discounts on work­shops, members-only events and much more, becom­ing a member is both a strate­gic and finan­cial value. Follow the link below about the bene­fits of each type of member­ship and why you should join.

Sponsors