James Pearce- Peoria IL

James Pearce's work is inspired by the nature of the wood itself. He finds the grain, color, and the texture of a piece of wood particularly interesting and, most of the time, the wood dictates the final form in a piece of furniture. Pearce has traveled and lived all over the world and draws design influences from the countries he has visited. Finding traditional tools and methods of work the most satisfying, Pearce uses hand tools to refine the curves and shapes that are prevalent in his work. The artist does not use stain in his pieces and prefers that the natural color of the wood determine whether a piece is light or dark. He makes his own varnishes based on old recipes and uses them to highlight and protect each finished piece.