Artisan Wood Furniture and Clothing
by Conel O’Regan
For the Muskoka state of mind. Unique & original hand-crafted furniture and clothing from The Forest Floor Studio in Muskoka. Keeping the natural aspects of the forest alive in each design.
No Straight Lines
From ideas to completion, inspiration for my work is influenced by my surroundings and material.
My Work Can Also Be Seen On Display & Purchased At
Forest Floor Studio
1271 Fraserburg Road
Bracebridge, Ontario,
The Annex Arts Collective Gallery
27 Manitoba Street
Bracebridge, Ontario
Port Carling Woodworks
129 Medora Street
Port Carling, Ontario,
“It Always Starts With a Walk In The Forest.”
Surroundings
I live on 70 acres of rugged Muskoka forest and canyon land. Parts of the property are old growth forest as the terrain they occupy was too steep and irregular to be ever logged. Lucky land. Muskoka Canyon cuts through the property allowing Sharps Creek to flow through its steep inclines. The property is also part of a provincial managed forest program. As stewards of our land some of our projects for the land include trail building, tree thinning, and re-establishing hardwood growth in some areas. The wood that I gather from the forest comes from dead and windfall trees.
The Inspiration
Walk in a straight line in the forest and you will inevitably walk into a tree. Straight lines do not exist in the forest and I try to not encourage straight lines in my work. Wood is living thing even after it ends its relationship with the forest floor. Air, temperature, and the elements still affect its movement after the fact.
To celebrate that I work with a minimum set of tools, using few of the usual tools associated with woodworking. A chainsaw or one-man crosscut saw cuts rounds and mills. A hand sanding process replaces planers. The legs of Maple, Ironwood, Oak, and Beech are all finished by hand.
I often use colour in my work. Inspired by the totem poles and use of vibrant contrasting colours of First Nation art, I highlight the scars, knots, and imperfections that wood often has. Much of furniture building is about conquering the wood with exact level surfaces, ninety-degree angles, and a uniformed finish. Perfect in many ways, but not the way the forest creates the material.
Let’s Connect.
Have questions? Wish to request a special project or even if you’re looking to visit
The Forest Floor Studio atop The Muskoka Canyon
(where it all happens).
By Appointment or by Chance: