Joan and I have been very fortunate here in Bohol to have a tiptop woodworking team in the family: Jo’s brother Archie and his wife Jenny Rose (aka “Generous”). Their woodworking talents are apparent in the beautiful furniture they have crafted for us.
I’d seen them working together before, putting together small tables and chairs from scraps of wood, but several years ago I had the chance to watch their skills flourish under more ideal conditions.
After Typhoon Odette hit Bohol in December 2021, we came across a large amount of hardwood from a tree that had fallen locally. At that time, Archie and Generous were house-sitting for us and caring for Mama Lilia and Jo's daughter Frienzy.
We were in close communication, as we usually are, and after Joan and I visited friends in Malaysia and attended a gathering where we sat at a striking metal deck table and chairs, I sent Generous a photo of the pieces and asked whether they might be able to create something similar using our salvaged wood.
Archie and Generous agreed—and that simple exchange marked the beginning of a woodworking journey that has since produced a remarkable coffee table, a large sturdy bookshelf, and more recently, a DVD case made entirely without nails. They have also carried out all the sanding, treating, and polishing of a substantial acacia slab that we now keep on display.
What stands out most is the way this couple approaches every request as an opportunity to refine their craft and take on a new challenge. In both of the recent shelf pieces, I shared prototype designs that I had developed using AI-generated references, which they then translated into finished, functional furniture. Their beautiful work has become a genuine example of how creative synergies can flow positively within a family.
If you're living in our area and have any woodworking projects you'd like to accomplish, just let us know and we'll connect you with Archie and Generous.
No comments:
Post a Comment