Mr. Edward Bouvier To All Instructors

I started woodworking as an imaginative child. I saw tools and scrap wood unused in the basement so I picked them up and built toys for myself. It just seemed natural. Having a wide variety of interests I later studied classical music, broadcast production, public speaking, recording engineering, live sound for music, auto mechanics, art history, art drawing, mechanical drawing, and heating, air-conditioning & sheet metal fabrication.

As a career, I worked full-time in commercial/residential HVAC for 17 years. All the while I maintained a love for woodworking and building things. Then the big life interruption happened – digestive problems, near death experience, medical disability, and a string of surgeries… I call it my time off for good behavior! One is forced to take stock of where your life efforts are focused in those situations, or worded differently, “OK, God, I’m listening now. What’s next?”

After years of working by myself on mechanical equipment, I became involved with people. I volunteered in group music therapy for people with disabilities which proved very rewarding! I then became a volunteer at Kline Creek Farm, a living history 1890’s working farm… I was a woodworker and carpenter in period costume using period tools to teach and demonstrate skills for the general public and for school class trips. WOW! The bug bit me.

I began to research and study voraciously, joining historic trades organizations, and even attending educational woodworking conferences at places such as Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. I fell in love with learning, teaching, and providing a unique craft skill experience to others… AND I fell in love with pre-industrial hand tools.

Thankfully, my health and strength returned to normal over a 10 year period. I went looking for a paying job that somehow combined woodworking, hand tools, history, creative craftsmanship, and teaching. Bottom line: these jobs are rare and mostly are with non-profits who, sadly, can’t afford to pay a full-time living wage. So I started my own business to eliminate the middleman in the chain of employment! Thus was born Village Woodwright, Inc.

As I build up the business I’m taking my time to do it well. I currently only have shop space for a few jobs at a time – building custom pieces (both contemporary & reproduction-style) and restoring antique furniture. I have done some reproduction millwork for Victorian home renovations in my community but I hope to do less “on location” jobs and work more in the shop on furniture. What’s still missing from my business goals?… a unique educational experience for others. There are a lot of homeschooling parents that keep asking me about teaching children the “lost arts” of hand tool crafts. That is the next step in my business.

As a trial, I wrote a 10-week curriculum that I taught in a rented facility to about 8 boys. The responses were fabulous from all involved. I look forward to this new opportunity as a service to the next generation!

Current Classes
Woodworking Section 1 – (open)