Tom Donahey has been a professional post-and-rung chairmaker since
1992. Tom learned to make ladderback chairs in 1991 (with Dan Mayner)
and rocking chairs in 1992 (with Brian Boggs). He was juried into
the Southern Highlands Craft Guild in 1993. In 1997 Tom and his
friend John Kraus greatly impressed visitors at the Craft fair of
the Southern Highlands in Asheville, NC with their tree-to-chair
demonstration 4 days from oak log to a finished rocker with a woven
seat. His work has been displayed in many exhibitions – most recently,
The Language of Wood at Gallery W.D.O. in Charlotte, NC.
Tom is a hard working and masterful builder. I had the pleasure
of working with him on a timber frame shelter at Drew and Louise
Langsner‘s Mountain homestead and workshop in 2006. Tom’s foresight
and understanding of tools and wood was impressive. Tom took on
some of the more challenging joinery and layout with the precision
and detail of fine furniture. Each time the rest of us would sit
down Tom would pick up a stack of handcrafted wooden bowls he was
carving on and get to work.
The detail, graceful strength and balance of Tom’s rocking chair
is immediately evident. Sitting in it is impressive and comfortable.
The pieces touch you in all the right places. A customer told me
he could watch a movie in his Tom Danahey rocker.
Tom
Donahey
Handmade rustic furniture, green woodworking,
ladderback chairs, rocking chairs