Peter Falk tells his own story with wood:
A paternal great-grandfather in Iowa and a maternal great-grandfather in Pennsylvania were home builders and furniture makers. Peter’s grandfather taught Peter’s father to identify and value walnut wood and that began woodworking in the Falk home.
Peter’s earliest memories include carving a toy dugout canoe at the workbench with his older brother. With the encouragement and mentoring by family and skilled craftsmen, Peter, as a teenager, completed commissioned furniture for clients.
After working for a custom home builder in Indiana, Peter relocated to Boston where he worked for an historical restoration carpenter. During his Boston years, he also studied with master carver/sculptor Dimitrius Klitsis. While Peter thought he was going to Klitsis to learn to carve [and he did], Peter credits Dimitrius with teaching him to “see”. That vision of seeing and understanding the flow of design has impacted all of Peter’s work.
Recognizing his love of the creation and rural life and his belief that art and beauty do not belong exclusively to major metropolitan areas, Peter moved to Indiana and established Falk Wood Studio. He has added a portable saw mill to his studio, by which he can mill urban and rural trees for his needs and for the specifications of his clients’ story. If he is not working in the studio, you might find him in the bee yard or with the grass fed cattle or enjoying a good cup of coffee. Peter encourages other people to appreciate art in their daily lives and to cultivate their artistic gifts. He is a juried member of Indiana Artisan and founding member of Furniture Guild of Indiana Artisans
Peter’s dad, Larry, assists in the retrieving and milling of logs. Peter’s mom, Eileen, tends to office details and is Chief Encouragement Officer.
What I do:
I tell your story in wood. Whether you desire a live edge casual kitchen table or a more formal sculptured piece, I can create furniture to your tastes and specifications. The wood used can be from your property or from local sources. With my developed skills in carving and sculpting and in marquetry, I can add those features to furniture.
Using the skill sets and the equipment I have, I can take your project from tree to table. I can guide and collaborate with your desires in planning and creating the furniture that you need in your home or office.
How I do it:
With a portable saw mill, I have the potential to take your furniture from “tree to table”. Milling salvaged urban or rural tree logs, we open up previously unseen beauty and capitalize on the grain and colors in that lumber. Collaborating with you the client, knowing your desires and design interests for furniture, and considering the intended environment for that furniture, I can provide wood art that will become heritage items for you.
Why I do it:
I believe in “the art of living.” The “art of living” must flow seamlessly through our daily lives and fill our homes and offices. Because art is not exclusively reserved for museums and galleries, I enjoy making creative wood items that are functional, beautiful, and comfortable for your personal, family, and work environments.