Northwest Fine Woodworking
Robert Spangler

The 30th Anniversary Show is a celebration of a milestone. The gallery was formed as a cooperative to provide a group of aspiring wood artists a place to show and hopefully sell their work. I first visited NWFW in 1982. Inspired, I returned to Iowa and help start a similar gallery, “Iowa Artisans Gallery”. When I moved to Seattle in 1988 I soon became a member of NWFW. The gallery has provided me a community of friendship and collaboration. My work has improved as a result over the years and I have been able to make a living doing the work I love. The gallery provides a place to be inspired and also to inspire.

Ming Chairs: (4) Oregon Walnut, leather, 28w x 33ht x 24d
Solstice Table: Oregon Walnut, Wenge, hot rolled steel, 35” w x 92” l x 30” ht

This 30th Anniversary show also has special significance for me since I first designed the Ming Chair 30 years ago. It is still evolving. Over the years I have come to believe that building and designing are inseparable - both processes inspire me, one feeding the other.

In 1973 after working in design as a Landscape Architect I became fascinated with woodworking. This new aspect of designing and then creating an object in wood was challenging and very rewarding. Mostly self-taught in woodworking, I had the opportunity to meet Sam Maloof in 1982 and he invited me to spend several hours in his shop. That meeting changed my life and reinforced the “design – build” way of approaching furniture making. Since then my work has been included in National shows, public art projects, various publications, competitions and private collections.