Are there any fine furniture makers in Central America?
Are there any designers or furniture makers in Central America? Europe, UK, and North America are all well represented here but I don’t see anything south of Texas. Th access to lumber must be incredible.
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I'm sure there are lots and lots of furniture makers/ woodworkers all over Central and South America. They most likely view themselves as tradesmen.. As to access to materials ,who knows ,but many of their available species more and more are becoming CITES listed. Much of the commercial logging is geared towards export. That happens here as well, I can walk out and see a douglas fir or a redwood tree but if I want the really good stuff it would be easier to get access if I was in Japan or Australia. That's not completely true, I'm looking for a few boards so some way I will probably find them but if I were to want a lot and of the finest quality most of that is heading to the boats.
Maybe the fact that they speak Spanish and Portuguese has something to do with it. ;-) How many Spanish or Portuguese speaking web sites, of any subject, do you think the average American visits, or could even understand if they did visit? No different with average Central and South Americans.
Not sure about the Fine part, but I've seen plenty of open air shops where they can copy or re-create just about any piece of furniture you'd like. The downside is if those pieces are brought into air-conditioning, they will quickly warp and crack.
Street vendor furniture or wood products in tropical places will likely have been made in less than ideal conditions, possibly resulting in ultimate failure.
But, and it's a big but, there are also furniture designers and builders all over Central America and South America. They know about seasoned wood and kiln drying and climate controlled environments. There are woodworkers that are completely aware of North American and European design and trends as well and are as sophisticated and technically skilled as anyone.
Brazilian Modern furniture has been a thing for many years with their own Maloofs and Nakashima's such as Sergio Rodriguez.
The town of Sarchi in Costa Rica is known as a furniture building center. There are some expat Americans working out of Sarchi and have a store in Nashville. I understand that there is something similar in Nicaragua. I had planned on going to Costa Rico but my friend down there died so I guess that's off.
I've been to small shops in Mexico where they are doing high level work that is as good as anyone's work here and some doing very clever and original work and often with a little bit of a cultural twist.
Mexico City hosts a woodworking expo similar to our Atlanta show and machine manufacturers from all over the world show up there. Someone is buying that stuff.
I know a lot more about S.E Asia than Central America but I've seen the same thing there. Crafts people at all levels . Some working on the ground with tools that they fashioned from old leaf springs, small shops with a couple of workers putting out traditional work, to studio artist craftspeople working alone,to some of the most advanced shops you'll ever see!
There are smart and informed people everywhere in the world and we all have opposable thumbs.
There was a Shop Talk Live episode (@BenStrano will know which one) that had a USA maker who does work in Central/South America to help them export wood and goods form high value trees. I can't recall whom. If you could find that individual it might lead to some links to woodworkers in Central/South America.
Seems like there might be:
https://www.foromadera.com/t/mi-moravian-workbench/20390
Appears this is Eurocentric site originating from Spain.
OK, you got me. Do you think that means the idea of woodworking in other Spanish-speaking countries should be dismissed? The point was a forum similar to this one exists in Spanish.
This is an English language site - might be part of the reason they are "not well represented" no?
My wife has family in Mexico (North America) several are furniture makers. Some are making high level work for churches and schools. The interest in social media among tradesmen in Mexico seems to be much less. That might account for the appearance of less.
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