Bill Thomas Maker

 

 

For over 40 years I have been a woodworker, designing and building custom projects for a wide range of clients. The diversity of work, from cabinetry and furniture to sailboats, powerboats, kayaks and canoes, remains a constant source of enjoyment for me. At first blush, this breadth of work might seem unconnected but I’ve found that each new interest, each new skill set only serves to enrich and broaden the base of experience from which I draw.

Through my woodworking and through outdoor leadership, by actively boating and designing, by building and teaching, both in the shop and on the water I continue to hone my skills while ensuring that they remain well founded in real life experience.

Sharing the knowledge and experience accrued over these years is also very rewarding. Teaching woodworking and boatbuilding in numerous locations around the country, including Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, the WoodenBoat School in Maine, and Arrowmont in Tennessee has enabled me to continue to learn and grow as a craftsman. 

Being able to offer online classes through Craftsy and Off Center Harbor has allowed me to greatly expand the number of students I interact with each year. This is an exciting new road to be traveling down.

In addition to teaching classes, I am also able to share my sometimes hard won knowledge, or my ideas and visions through my writing and photography. These pieces and photos are published in various magazines and websites.

I hope that my contributions are positive and my impact on the earth is slight. I’m constantly striving to refine a thoughtful way of working and living. To me, craftsmanship is a way to honor these goals and it is a life long pursuit.

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