Christopher W. Cantwell Woodworks
News


August, 2013

I know you all must read my letters because 'Walk' did sell at last years show. For those of you that don't remember it, “Walk” is a major piece that I did in 2002. It was shown in numerous cities around the country including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Palm Beach. Pictures of it have also appeared on the cover of the show catalog for my one man show at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, as well as in Woodwork Magazine, the book 400 Wood Boxes, American Craft Magazine, and several other publications. While it received much attention, and almost sold a number of times, it followed me around for a full ten years.

The sale of 'Walk' has inspired me to create another elaborate creation. Back in 2006, I wanted to design a show titled “Politics and Religion”, but the idea for the show was too controversial for my “cutting edge” New York gallery. This will be the first piece made from the ideas that I wanted to develop for this show.

Occasionally when trying to get to sleep at night, or on a long car ride, I will tinker with pieces that I have accumulated in my head over the years. Usually when I get the chance to make one of them, I am really excited to start on it. This time, it has been a somewhat rocky start. I think I'm scared of how it will be received, what I will learn about myself in the process, and the chaos that may ensue in my business and personal life from the time it will take to complete. I hope all of you will be able to make it to the show to see the finished product.

On the home front, my oldest daughter, Claire, continues to travel around the work presenting her graduate research at various conferences. Katie is now married to a wonderful young man who is also working for me. They will both be joining us at the show. Our foster kids are now part of our family. Eben has been placed with us permanently, and Jamie's adoption will be final on the 19th of July.



August, 2012

New this year? I did add a new gallery in Mendocino this year so if you happen to be in that area, you can now find my work at Highlight Gallery. I just completed a wonderful conference table for a client. So if you happen to be in need of a personal injury attorney, you can contact a successful one in Kansas City with a very nice conference table. While this project turned out very well,it has consumed most of the last three months.

Between completing this project and keeping up with work for Martin and MacArthur, I have not had time to develop a whole lot of new work for the show this year. We will be bringing some of the classic styles that many of you love. I will bring a piece in the same series as the one on the post card. The “String Theory” sold last year. No one took subtle hints about Walk last year. My daughter and I both had dreams last summer that it had sold, but it didn't happen at the show last year. It will be there this year again for anyone who wants to make our dreams come true.

On the home front, my daughter Katie is getting married in November. She also graduated with high honors from UC Merced in December with BA in political science and a minor in sociology. This of course means that she has been working for me for the past several months. Anyone interested in hiring a political science major with a disdain for the profession and many skills, including writing this letter for me, can find her at the show this year. Claire is still working on her doctorate in linguistics. You know that grant that you applied for in graduate school and didn't think anyone every got? She got it. Her grant from the National Science Foundation is just one of the many impressive things on her resume. She is constantly presenting at conference all over the world, and is doing very well in her research and teaching.

My wife and I are in the process of adopting our foster kids, can you say “court every week for months and months”. Needless to say this has been an extensive process. No new grand kids this year. We got all five of them together for a vacation this June, which was very fun. They are all happy and healthy. Two of them are in my wife's day care so we get to see them all the time. The other three are still up in Arcata. Aside from adoption and her day care, my wife has also developed a passion for defending people's religious freedoms though the organization Open Doors.