Brian Bartel started a relationship with wood at the tail end of a belt driven 5’ circle saw mill in Webster N.C. in the winter of 1997.
Since then “all things having to do with wood “{,whether heaving the sawdust out from underneath the circle saw ,to accumulation of the tools of the trade and learning about them }has been the driving force behind his passion for craftsmanship and quality ,maintaining the integrity of working with his own hands fashioning furniture out of barn-wood with methods of joinery virtually unchanged from a thousand years ago and with most of his tools at least 100yrs old finding that “the quality tool gives rise to quality work.”
In the spring of 98 the birth of a wood shop became the realized sum of his years, and his education as a student of craftsmanship began. building a style of high end rustic furniture ,reclaiming “unwanted “barn wood into quality furniture that show cased the art of work , ”the idea is simple really “ says Brian “for hundreds of years folks prized value ,having to work so hard to just survive something that wouldn’t last didn’t have a place, so if a craftsman was to make a living he had to be able to provide truly quality work ,today its quite the opposite and I passively refuse to participate.”
Brian is a member of Handmade in America and has both spoke at the The Western North Carolina Craft, Architecture & Design Expo in 2010 as well as demonstrated for them at the Grove Park Inn in 2009 for the Artful Living Weekend hosted by Our State Magazine, N.C Arts Council and Handmade in America
he also has been commissioned through the Grove Wood Gallery for multiple high end custom pieces.
Locally Brian has demonstrated at Mountain Heritage Day {34 th & 35 th annual},Cullowhee Valley Elem, &,Smokey Mountain High School .
Recent articles have included write ups in both Smoky Mountain News in June 2010 Vol 12 iss.3 and the Tuckasegee Reader.
Recently Brian has begun teaching a series classes dedicated to the art of fine woodworking at SCC focused on craftsmanship ,quality and of course hand tools.
”when you think your going to slow…… slow down just a little bit more.”
- Fritz “Pop” Heable