Instructors – Florida School of Woodwork

Click on any picture to see that instructor’s page


Jameel Abraham Instructor Jameel’s interest in woodworking began in both of his grandfathers’ shops. He’s also a painter, oud maker and carver, and co-founder (with his brother and father) of Benchcrafted. Read More


Dixie Biggs Instructor Dixie Biggs has been a full-time studio woodturner/artist since 1989. She grew up with a love of carving and a fascination for working in wood. Her interest in woodturning began in 1979 when she taught herself to use a wood lathe so she could duplicate a chess set her grandfather had made. Read More


Michael Cullen Instructor Michael’s interest in furniture design evolved from his background in mechanical engineering and love of art. Read More

Megan Fitzpatrick

Instructor

Familiar to fans of woodworking books and magazines, Megan Fitzpatrick has devoted much of her professional career to advancing the craft of woodworking and helping others to learn it.

Michael Fortune

Instructor

Designer, maker, teacher and mentor, Michael is one of Canada’s most respected contemporary furniture masters.

Mark Gardner

Instructor

Mark started working in wood at the age of sixteen when he enrolled in a furniture making class with his father at the University of Cincinnati. Furniture making is a slow process, and the immediacy of turning was very attractive to Mark. After struggling on his own for several years, Mark took a class with John Jordan. He credits John for giving him a firm foundation of turning techniques. John’s passion and commitment to his work continues to inspire Mark.

Andrew Gibson

Instructor

Furniture maker and Luthier, Andrew Gibson has been woodworking since the age of 9. After graduating with a degree In History, Andrew has worked in most areas of woodworking.

Alex Grabovetskiy

Instructor

Alexander Grabovetskiy was recognized as the 2012 International Wood Carver of the year, and his piece Wall Decoration was awarded first place. His work utilizes the same approaches used for centuries by master woodcarvers, including techniques employed by Grinding Gibbons.

Aspen Golann

Instructor

Aspen Golann is an artist and a 17th & 18th century-style furniture maker living in North Carolina. Her furniture work mixes art with classic American furniture forms to make subtle statements about gender and power in the world of craft. Her artwork has been exhibited nationally and is published in Fine Woodworking, Lost Art Press, Luxe, Art New England, and artscope.

Meredith Hart

Instructor

With a background in architectural design, carpentry, and woodworking, I strive to create furniture that is functional, beautiful, and adds personality to the space it occupies.

Dylan Iwakuni

Instructor

Since young, my dream had been to build my own house. Upon finishing school, I attended a carpentry trade school in Gifu, Japan, and learned the basics of Japanese carpentry.

Caleb James

Instructor

My names is Caleb James and I make hand tools. My spokeshave, with the CJ Stamp shown on the end of the handle, has become the most produced tool in my line of offerings.

Jason Lonon

Instructor

Woodworker and blacksmith , Jason Lonon has studied, practiced, and taught traditional woodworking and blacksmithing in a variety of settings, from youth summer camps to community colleges. Currently Jason specializes in making traditional woodworking tools, and for fun he carves wooden bowls and spoons.

Rudy Lopez

Instructor

Rudy is both a professional turner and a professional photographer.

Mary May

Instructor

Woodcarving has been my joy and passion since 1991. I never tire of discovering new shapes in wood, and I love the challenges that come along every day.

Philip Morely

Instructor

Philip Morley is a custom furniture maker located near Austin, Texas. His studio is a one-man shop in which he designs and builds one-of-a-kind furniture for clients across the United States.

Kelly Parker

Instructor

Kelly Parker, born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1967, is a designer and maker of contemporary studio furniture and sculpture.

Mike Pekovich

Instructor

Mike has studied furniture making, fine art, and graphic design, and he’s been putting those skills to use designing and building furniture for over 30 years. For the last 20 of those, he’s also been busy as the art director at Fine Woodworking magazine and most recently as the author of The Why and How of Woodworking, where his aim is to communicate woodworking how-to in a clear and inspiring way.

Seth Rolland

Instructor

I make animated, intriguing, functional sculpture for people who enjoy both utility and artistry in the objects they live with. Furniture is interactive. We develop a bond with it. When a chair or cabinet leaves my studio, it takes on a new story with its owners through generations of use.

Peggy Schmid

Instructor

As a sculptor, I began working in wood during my college days and found the texture, versatility, and aroma almost hypnotic.

Chris Schwarz

Instructor

I’m a furniture maker, writer and publisher who works from a storefront in Covington, Ky. I am one of the founders and the editor of Lost Art Press, which publishes books on hand tool woodworking. And I am one of the founders of Crucible Tool. In 2019, I closed my commission book, and I now build pieces on spec only and sell them via my blog at Lost Art Press.

Diane Shattuck

Instructor

Diane has been finishing for over 38 years. Growing up in Detroit, she operated woodworking business as well as having a custom finishing shop where she did restoration work in many historical buildings

Frank Strazza

Instructor

Frank Strazza builds heirloom-quality furniture one piece at a time in his small studio workshop in Central Texas. He uses traditional joinery throughout and utilizes handtools for much of his work.

Sarah Watlington

Instructor

Sarah Watlington is an artist who works primarily with wood as well as within the parameters of function.

Kate Swann

Director/Instructor

Renowned for her exquisite textural and surface embellishment work, Kate Swann is a master craftswoman of fine wood furniture and sculptural works. Her unique artwork has received much praise and many of her designs are recognized as signature works: published, collected and widely known.

Sally

Lazy Shop Dog Extraordinaire

We all know who's really in charge!