Meet the Artist: Tom Wetzel

from Simply Saratoga Spring 2020

Calling all X-Philes

WOOD IS SOLID AND STRONG, but it can appear light and airy in the clever hands of furniture maker Tom Wetzel. A carpenter by trade, Wetzel was immediately attracted to the expert engineering that gives Windsor-style pieces their lasting appeal. “It just totally grabbed me. I like how the chairs are constructed and the bones of it. It is very utilitarian and very simple,” he said. Windsor chairs are also very comfortable.

TIMELESS STYLE Since the 1700s, craftsmen have been making Windsor chairs. Wetzel uses traditional hand tools, self-tightening hide glue, and a sturdy joinery technique that adds to his chairs’ longevity while preserving their vintage feel. Windsor chairs’ continuous arms and curving lines support and cradle the body. They are typically made with three species of wood. Often, they have a solid, single-piece pine seat, turned maple legs, and hickory spindles (although other woods like ash, walnut and cherry are also commonly used). Recently, curly maple has been among Wetzel’s favorite materials. Loved for its unique patterning, this durable hardwood is only found in one percent of cut lumber.

THE WORK OF A WOOD SCIENTIST Wetzel taught himself woodworking in the early 1990s. (This was before the internet, when the few books available on furniture-making, were treasured.) “You had to experiment like a scientist, but when you were done, you had something that was really your own,” said Wetzel. His exquisite quality has been recognized by publications including Fine Woodworking magazine and in 1996, he was named one of the Top 200 Traditional Craftsmen by Early American Life magazine.

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER, PHOTOS PROVIDED

OVERCOMING THE HARDEST PART These accolades came shortly after a particularly challenging time for Wetzel. In 1993, almost two years into his career as a self-employed woodworker, with financial obligations and a young family, sales dwindled. “A dream can be a nightmare and getting through it can be one of the hardest things in life, but if it’s who you are, you have to do it. It’s about not giving up and always taking the next step forward,” he said. That’s when Wetzel started waxing his pieces. “It enhanced my work and they started to sell again. Something as simple as that needed doing - that creative choice is what I needed to find,” said Wetzel.

SHARING THE LOVE

Today, Tom Wetzel has created more than 1,200 pieces and teaches others woodworking, as well. “If someone has enthusiasm, I can connect with that enthusiasm and it just takes off,” he said.

Education is a fundamental component of the Northeastern Woodworkers Association (NWA), of which he is a longtime member. This year, Wetzel, whose business staple has been Windsor chairs, will also be offering a first showing of a heart-shaped table. This piece demonstrates his fine artistic woodworking skills and expert use of curved lines while also carrying an important message for anyone with a dream.

S S “The message this table will be sending out is a reminder for us all to move from our busy minds and go inward, to our heart space, the place of peace.”

To see more of Tom Wetzel’s work, visit ThomasWetzelWindsorChairs.com.