One of the best ways to learn about woodworking is to hear how its done first-hand from the best artists and furniture makers in the field.

Through the years, Fine Woodworking magazine and FineWoodworking.com have traveled the globe to profile some of the greatest furniture makers of our time, from James Krenov (photo right) and George Nakashima, to Tage Frid and Wharton Esherick. Their stories inspire new woodworkers to take up hand tools, ignite fresh design ideas, and pass on the vast archive of how-to knowledge on the subject.

We have also profiled those woodworkers who are notable for their celebrity status, including television personality Norm Abram to actor and woodturner William H. Macy. And we have talked with many hard-working furniture makers who might not have risen to a level of great notoriety but still produce exceptional work.