Furniture masters talk and book signing with Richard Oedel at Makers Mill

WOLFEBORO — Makers Mill will welcome renowned maker, writer, and mentor Richard Oedel for a special evening talk and book signing on Monday, Dec. 1, 7-8:30 p.m. in the downstairs flexroom at 23 Bay St. in Wolfeboro.

Oedel has been making things his entire life. For more than 20 years, he has crafted fine furniture for clients from Boston to Qatar while sharing his knowledge freely with others. His new book offers a chance for readers to see not only his journey, but also the lives and stories of fellow makers whose work is often known only through the beautifully crafted objects they create.

His talk will center on the new book and companion exhibition, “Joined Together: 30 Years of the Furniture Masters,” now on view at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester. 

The book offers an inside look at the daily lives, philosophies, and creative processes of the furniture masters. In 1994, New Hampshire was home to a small but exceptionally skilled group of makers whose work was known mainly within studio furniture circles. With support from local leaders, they set out to preserve and carry forward the region’s centuries-long tradition of fine furniture making.

Over the next three decades, this group grew into one of the most cohesive and influential communities of makers, educators, and writers in the country — raising standards of craftsmanship, founding prison education programs, and sharing their teaching around the world. “Joined Together” tells the story of their evolution, their craft, and their impact.

For more information, visit makersmill.org.