About Me

 

Hi, I’m Nathan, the owner and sole craftsman here at NTP Wood Studio.

I grew up in a small rural area in Western Kentucky near the intersection of the Ohio River and the Mighty Mississippi. I was always a very adventurous and active kid and spent a lot of time in the woods among the trees; swinging axes, making bushcraft shelters, crafting bows, and setting homemade rabbit traps. You know, all the normal things a young boy growing up in Kentucky does. Ultimately, those backwoods adventures, and a lot of guidance from the crafty old-timers around me, really fostered a strong creative drive and sense of pride in what I make and would serve as the foundation for the creative passion that was yet to come.

Immediately after finishing high school, it was time for me to depart the land of hardwoods to chase my childhood dream to serve in U.S. Army Special Operations. I achieved this dream and had the privilege of serving as an Army Ranger for nearly eight years, which brought me all over the world to some very beautiful places and… some very not-so-beautiful places. But in the end, it landed me squarely in what I believe to be the prettiest corner of country on this earth, Washington State.

After finding a home and a workshop of my own, I began to reignite and refine a lot of my creative skills. I began to make my own furniture for the house, partly because I am a chronic do-it-yourselfer, but also, just to save money. Well it didn’t take long until I had fallen in love with the beautiful woods and the genius traditional joints that held everything together and I found that crafting really nice things was immensely satisfying to me; so much so that it began to consume me to the point of obsession. It was here that I eventually came to the conclusion that it was time to see what else life had in store for me; to depart from one dream and chase the next. So, in total disregard of much advice, and my own good judgement, I transitioned out of the military to start my own woodworking business and return to those creative childhood roots that were always there, firmly planted.

I am a small one man shop and craft all of my pieces out of solid hardwoods using hand-cut, traditional, joinery. This takes more time and effort but I create my pieces this way because it allows me to give more attention to the small details that make each piece special. It is also the right way and will result in a piece that will stand the test of time, ready to be handed down through generations and soak in all the use and memories of a proper heirloom. I enjoy making anything from intricate boxes to large timber-frame structures and enjoy blending the aspects of those different realms throughout all of my pieces. I am heavily influenced by Japanese carpentry styles, but do incorporate European and traditional American styles as well. Recently, I've really come to appreciate the design genius of high horology with their attention to detail that is second to none, and their use of different polishes, finishes, and textures to catch light in different ways throughout the piece, which I am excited to incorporate into my future works.

Each piece is always a collaboration with the customer and completely unique. We will sit down together and work to create a design that meets your vision and yours alone.

Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to building something amazing together!