THE ART OF FURNITURE MAKING

Bob Seemann

Ever since a shop teacher introduced Bob Seemann to the joy of working with wood, it’s been his life-long passion. Over the last 40 years, he’s built everything from custom cutting boards to armoires and from grandfather clocks to saunas. In his shop in Longville, Bob works with oak, maple, walnut, cherry, birch, mesquite and pine.

Bill Brown

In his early twenties while taking extended camping trips by himself in the Monterey, Carmel Valley, CA, area, Bill Brown would cut saplings and make tables and chairs with the rope and wood method.

In 1977 he his formal training began in Arcata, CA building tables and chairs from redwood burls and driftwood. He learned the gathering, assembly, sanding, finishing, loading and shipping over a period of eight years.

In 1985, he and his wife moved back to Minnesota. Thanks to the in-laws, they ended up on Eighth Crow Wing Lake outside of Nevis and Akeley, MN. Hence, the business name Crow Wing Country Furniture. They ventured into the woods and used what was available, bending willow for chairs, baskets and using rough sawn lumber for table tops.

Today, he has evolved to a more refined look. This is a quote from blogger, Ima. B. Musing, of Bill’s work that she viewed at the 2012 Stone Arch Fine Art and Fine Craft Show — “Bill Brown handcrafts furnishings into funky country furniture utilizing raw branches and polished surfaces.”