A self-taught woodworker who served in the Army in the early 2000s, Chris began making furniture when injuries sustained during his tour of duty in Iraq put an end to his career as a union carpenter.

He had always had a love of building things. “Growing up I was always interested in building and construction. I began to work in remodeling during high school and then I discovered The New Yankee Workshop. That began my love of woodworking.”

“After high school, in 1999, I joined the Army Reserve as an engineer.  In 2003, I was activated and sent to Fort Hood where I deployed with the 1st Cavalry Division in early 2004 to Baghdad, Iraq. When I returned in 2005 I began a career as a union carpenter but that didn’t last long due to injuries I got in Iraq.”

After the Army changed his career plans, woodworking again captured his attention. “It became a kind of therapy for me,” he says. “I have tried my hand at many different projects, everything from a dresser to a rocking chair to wall clocks and small boxes. Most recently my focus has been on using hand tools on my projects. Shaker, Greene and Greene, Maloof ,and Krenov have been some of my biggest influences. ”

Chris. who lives in Glendale Heights, Ill., is hoping Fine Woodworking Live will help refine and expand his skills. “I want to increase my skills so I can begin to create pieces that I can be proud of. I love to teach and would someday like to pass on my woodworking knowledge to other veterans by perhaps teaching at the local community college.”