Our Fall Event is on Nov 1st 5-9pm + Nov 2nd from 12-4pm.
SOUTH FORK TIMBER
Handmade Wooden Spoons, Bowls, Plates, Cups, etc.
Meet The Maker
WHO ARE YOU, WHERE ARE YOU FROM, & WHAT DO YOU DO?
I’m Justin Tyson, a woodworker from Danielsville, GA – just north of Athens. I make things from wood. All sorts of things. Bowls, cups, plates, scoops, spoons, spatulas, chairs, benches, tables, and more.
DESCRIBE YOUR PROCESS.
Everything I make – from a simple spatula to a chair that requires two weeks or more to build – begins with a log. I source most of my wood from storm-felled trees around the Athens area. i do not buy lumber, because I want to know exactly where my wood comes from. All of my work is completely handmade. My workshop contains a lathe, a bandsaw, and a bunch of hand tools. I’m more familiar with my knives and axes than most people are with their cars. On all of my work, you’ll find the marks of my hand tools. I dislike uniformly sanded surfaces and much prefer the glassy facets and textures left by my knives and gouges. Toolmarks are the signal to you and to future generations that my work is, indeed, handmade.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I’m most inspired by the American craftsmen of one to two centuries ago who built this country, but I also find inspiration abroad, particularly in the strong traditions of handcraft in Scandinavia.
FUN FACT ABOUT YOU.
I have four children, and each of them was born in a different state.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT DOWNTOWN AUGUSTA.
The Augusta Riverwalk
WHY DO YOU LOVE TO DESIGN, CREATE + MAKE?
Woodworking fills a hole in my soul that can’t be filled with anything else. I spent the first ten years of my career in front of a computer, knowing with each year that passed that my hands were meant for something besides a keyboard. I’m immensely grateful for my customers who love what I make and give the support and encouragement that I need to continue living my dream.
WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD SHARE WITH OTHER ARTISTS + MAKERS?
Passion is important, but it’s no match persistent, stubborn, optimistic hard work.