
Buffalo Box
Maple, Walnut, Plywood, Lighting components / 2025 13 × 5.5 × 10"This box was constructed with slats and a matching tambour door that allow light to peek out from inside the box when turned on. The bulb rises halfway out of the bottom of the box, providing light and space for objects inside.
- About
Jules Crooks (any pronouns) is a woodworker and maker interested in functional ware that blurs the line between inanimate and animate. Current sources of inspiration include: insects and their accompanying chrysalises, buffalo, and scientific illustrations of plant cells. They graduated in May from the University of Wisconsin Madison with a bachelor’s degree in art education and are passionate about immersive craft education and collaborative learning and making. When not in the shop you can find Jules playing board games with friends or hammocking. They are incredibly excited to be starting their career in craft as a shop assistant at Peter’s Valley this summer.
- Region
- Downers grove, IL
- Media
- Wood
Portfolio

Cove Cabinet
Maple, Milk paint, Lighting components, Linseed Oil Wax / 2024 18 × 10 × 3 1/2"The door and drawer front are made from coopered soft maple. The door uses a pivot hinge and the drawer front is applied to the drawer with two internal splines. The drawer is rabbeted and the pull is hand carved and slots into a horizontal mortise.

Cove Cabinet
Maple, Milk paint, Lighting components, Linseed Oil Wax / 2024 18 × 10 × 3 1/2"The door and drawer front are made from coopered soft maple. The door uses a pivot hinge and the drawer front is applied to the drawer with two internal splines. The drawer is rabbeted and the pull is hand carved and slots into a horizontal mortise.

Coopered Lamp
Maple, Black Locust, Lighting components, Milk Paint, Linseed Oil Wax / 2024 12 × 4 × 4"The body of the lamp is a coopered nonagon that has been slightly vertically tapered with a hand plane. The interior is finished with milk paint.
The “peg-leg” appendage is black locust wood joined with wedged dowels.
The lid is also made of black locust wood

Buffalo Box
Maple, Walnut, Plywood, Lighting components / 2025 13 × 5.5 × 10"This box was constructed with slats and a matching tambour door that allow light to peek out from inside the box when turned on. The bulb rises halfway out of the bottom of the box, providing light and space for objects inside.

Bug Race (Parcheesi)
Soft Maple, Cherry, Milk paint, Linseed Oil Wax / 2024 5/8" × 17 1/2 × 17 1/2"The game board is solid maple with hand shaped edges and the “racetrack” is carved cherry.
The game pieces and their container are carved with a knife and gouges and retain the tool marks from their shaping processes.

Plant Cell Bandsaw Bureau
Poplar, Milk Paint, Linseed Oil Wax / 2024 10 1/2 × 6 1/4 × 3"The interior of this piece uses bandsaw box construction with an applied front and drawer faces. The exterior is painted with milk paint and finished with linseed oil wax. The knobs are hand carved cherry.

Coopered Lamp
Maple, Black Locust, Lighting components, Milk Paint, Linseed Oil Wax / 2024 12 × 4 × 4"The body of the lamp is a coopered nonagon that has been slightly vertically tapered with a hand plane. The interior is finished with milk paint.
The “peg-leg” appendage is black locust wood joined with wedged dowels.
The lid is also made of black locust wood

Buffalo Box
Maple, Walnut, Plywood, Lighting components / 2025 13 × 5.5 × 10"This box was constructed with slats and a matching tambour door that allow light to peek out from inside the box when turned on. The bulb rises halfway out of the bottom of the box, providing light and space for objects inside.