J.C. Simon Fine Woodworking

Joel Simon’s first experience with the beautiful North Georgia mountains was in 1977, driving from Key West Florida to New York, on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was April, and the young leaves wore pastel colors and the ridges and valleys were shrouded in the ever shifting mists. As impressed as he was, he could not stop for long. Joel was a man on a mission, heading south, far south, to sail the Caribbean. His life up north was over. Joel’s corporate life, successful as it was, only brought him migraines and ulcers. His weekend escapes sailing ended in a shipwreck off Block Island, Rhode Island. He bought another boat in Florida and sailed south to pursue his true passion - woodworking. Starting as a boat carpenter, then, as the various island’s economies grew, restaurants and hotels became his focus. Windows, doors, furniture, bars, kitchens, and jewelry displays kept him busy. Joel worked alongside native craftsmen who learned their trade with only hand tools and they were kind enough to teach him these skills.

In all, he spent ten years in the Caribbean before my yearning for a fuller life brought me back to the U.S. where I reconnected with an enchanting tourist that he had met. The reunion went well and a year later the couple was married in Minnesota. Although it was a wonderful place to raise a family, Terri knew that her husband longed to live again in a place of awesome natural beauty. Joel agreed they would stay as long as her mom was living. Terri’s mom lived a wonderfully long life of 96 years. During those 30 years he expanded his woodworking repertoire to include high end residential work such as custom furniture, wine cellars, dynamic entries, and staircases.

When the time arrived that Joel and Terri’s semi-retirement and move were imminent, they came to visit an old friend of 50 years who had moved to Clayton, Jack Bream. As soon as they arrived they knew that this was the place for them. Never one to rush things, Joel spent the next 5 years looking for just the right location for his shop. It was time well spent. The shop of his dreams was found in downtown Clarkesville in a big red barn (formally the Artful Barn). Fine custom furniture in any style is Joel’s speciality as well as furniture repair, antique restoration, and general wood shop services,

“My hope is that 100 years from now one of my pieces will be highlighted on the ‘Antiques Roadshow’ and they will say it was built by Joel Simon, a craftsman from the mountains of North Georgia.” he told us, and we are quite sure that could happen.

For more information please visit his shop at 679 Grant Street, Clarkesville, GA and follow Joel on Facebook (@jcsimonfinewoodworking) or give him a call at 952-594-4858

My in-laws, Betty and Charlie Burrell (known as “Gigi” and “Numpsie” around our house), decided to make a spring break trip from their home in Gastonia, NC to Rabun County. They recently purchased an RV in anticipation of both of them being retired in a few years, so they’ve been taking it out in order to get accustomed to their newfound freedom. Of course, Wyatt and Miles relish any opportunity to hang with Numpsie and Gigi, especially when the RV is involved! The Burrells did their research and opted to book their week at WIllow Valley RV Resort in Rabun Gap. This resort ticked all of the Burrell’s boxes for amenities so they could comfortably spend their week somewhere in between camping and glamping, and it is conveniently located about three miles from our home. But given that mom and dad still had obligations while the rest of the squad was enjoying a pretty relaxing week, we planned a family Saturday trip to Cherokee.