2017 Exhibitors
Chad Parkinson, The Furniture Joint
Machines work for the masses with indifference, manufacturing generic goods for ordinary needs. The Furniture Joint's hand crafted wooden furniture represents the peculiarity of people and their homes. Chad aspires to bring nice things back into the home by showcasing the natural beauty of wood through custom design, thus shifting the modern focal point of admiration from the mechanical. Currently, there is a disturbing tendency to buy cheap boxed furniture that we assemble ourselves knowing it will not last a single generation. Furniture is not meant to be replaced with other trends, but cherished.
Tyler Blaine, Modern Craftsman
Tyler spent his childhood admiring the architectural concrete structures his father built. He learned early on that good design was naturally sustainable, since he witnessed the vast waste associated with poor design, from material waste to excess labor. He also learned that structures could only sustain a short lifespan without the proper considerations of ergonomics and geographical conditions in which pieces live. Ultimately, his father also taught him industrial relativity, which translates to quality installations.
Keith Findling, Keith Findling Design
Keith started his first design related business in college and now has over 20 years experience as a product designer. This ranges from developing one-off, self-fabricated projects to designing mass-produced products selling in the hundreds of thousands. One of these projects, developed with Espiritu Design, led to winning the Red Dot Award in product design in 2010. His goal is to create products that generate emotional connection with the user, have longevity, and are sustainable, with the overall intent of preventing their transition to the waste stream and reducing their environmental impact. In addition to working as a designer, he also taught in the design program at the University of Utah, as well as mentoring students at Lassonde Entrepreneurial Center. His struggle to become a successful designer without the help of a mentor has made him want to empower and assist others on their own paths to become designers, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
Chris Timm, C. Timm Custom Furniture
Chris was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah and began working with furniture in 1981. His focus is on making the best product possible and assumes responsibility from initial drawings to the final finish. Chris wants to share his passion for building, finishing and restoration, so he offers periodic workshops at his studio to instill in others the skills and excitement in the craft of woodworking. He was also recruited by Salt Lake Community College to teach classes in refinishing, building and engineering the electric guitar, as well as a dedicated wood finishing class.
Chris Proctor, SLCC
Chris studies furniture building and design at the SLCC College of Cabinetmaking and Furniture Construction under veteran woodworker, Chris Gochnour (The Joiners Bench). He works for Tyler Blaine (Modern Craftsman) as a shop fabricator and for Salt Lake Community College as a shop attendant and teaching assistant for the Furniture Design course.
Kassidy Coates, SLCC
Kassidy is a student at the Salt Lake Community College school of Cabinetmaking and Furniture Construction. She has been woodworking since she was a freshman in high school. She has competed in 4 Skills USA woodworking competitions and works at Wallace Woodworks as a fabricator and installer.
Kyle MacDonald, U. of Utah
Kyle MacDonald is a product designer in Salt Lake City, UT. His designs are the result of thoughtful research and careful attention to detail. By focusing his research on everyday human experience, ergonomics, and interaction, he creates forms that are the product of their specific purpose.
Colin Eichinger, SLCC
Colin moved to Salt Lake City from New York in the summer of 2009 to pursue a graduate degree in Biomedical Engineering. Soon after arriving, he began taking woodworking classes at Salt Lake Community College under the instruction of Chris Gochnour (The Joiners Bench) and has been building furniture ever since. Colin is currently working as an R&D engineer at Bend Labs, making stretch and flex sensors for wearable technology.
Zach Henderson, U. of Utah
Zach Henderson is an industrial designer by day and an experimenter by night. Zach challenges himself with a variety of different projects--ranging from jewelry making to automotive customization--which allow him to learn various new skills and techniques as he refines his process as a designer.
Bill Ayers, SLCC
Bill is the Director of FP&A at Black Diamond Equipment. He started learning woodworking at Salt Lake Community College in 2015 under Chris Gochnour and has been engrossed in the craft ever since. His day job is very intangible and working with wood provides a needed contrast to his everyday life. Most of his pieces are a fusion of Modern and Shaker due to drawing inspiration from his teacher, Chris Gochnour, as well as from makers such as Garrett Hack and Christian Becksvoort.
Henry Murillo, U. of Utah
Henry A. Murillo is a University of Utah graduate, who majored in Multi-Disciplinary Design. He is currently working as a 3D modeling CAD designer gaining experience, while also working towards an industrial design career
Andy Nelson, U. of Utah
Andy is a graphic designer by day and a furniture enthusiast by night. This was his first delve into furniture but it certainly won't be his last. Andy’s goal is to create furniture that has an initially simplistic aesthetic, but grows more complex with each viewing.