Kate David­son is a wood­worker, craftsper­son, and educa­tor whose work ranges from func­tional furni­ture to sculp­tural play. She initially discov­ered wood­work­ing after finding a job as a carpen­ter on the coast of Maine, even­tu­ally enrolling in the Vermont Wood­work­ing School’s immer­sion program in 2017 and grad­u­at­ing from UW Madison with an MFA in Wood­work­ing and Furni­ture in 2024. Using wood, textiles, paper, and drawing, her work is a study in archi­tec­ture and the ways light and water change our built envi­ron­ment, from fleet­ing and unex­pected effects to long-term material shifts.

In Kate’s words: ​“I love the problem solving part of wood­work­ing, of figur­ing out how to do some­thing. As someone whose mind is always buzzing, making slows me down, and makes me really look at the ques­tions right in front of me. I love using machines for the same reason — I get to really focus.”

What she’s listen­ing to right now: ​“When I need pump up music, at the end of the day, or if I’m feeling sort of low in a project, I’ll turn on Chap­pell Roan and it always gives me this huge burst of energy to keep going.”

Who she’s looking at: ​“There are SO MANY great wood­work­ers and furni­ture makers out there right now! I feel like the whole field is just explod­ing with ideas. Here in wood­work­ing, I’m really into both Talia Drury and Sarah Martin, and farther afield I’m obsessed with the kite-maker Anna Rubin.”

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