Ryan Coyne, Cirvan Hamilton and Stephen Sprague are three Muskoka craftsmen with a passion for the wood they use in their furniture designs. While many contemporary woodworkers gravitate to exotic woods culled from all corners of the planet, these three believe you do not need to go any further than the woodshed to find inspirational wood.

Out of the Woods, which opens at Muskoka Arts & Crafts’ Chapel Gallery on July 3, showcases the furniture created by these three Muskoka woodworkers, who, for the most part, acquire their materials from sources close to home by poking around sawmills, looking in barns or extracting huge logs out of the bush with great care.

The predominately coniferous forest of the Muskoka landscape is punctuated with impressive hardwood stands. The oak, ash, cherry and maple struggle against thin soils and harsh microclimates to attain mature proportions and in so doing, yield tight-grained, colourful and highly-figured material. It is this quality of the local wood that is featured by Ryan, Cirvan and Stephen when designing and building their furniture. Furthermore, by using materials from their own backyards, such as windblown trees that are often extracted by horse power, these craftsmen are trying to minimize their ecological footprint while demonstrating that fine furniture can be produced from non-commercial timber.

All three woodworkers bring a life-time of experience to their craft. Cirvan was inspired by his father who made much of the family’s furniture while Ryan grew up building tree forts and whatever else he could dream up. Stephen recalls the basement of the family’s house that was full of power and hand tools. “I remember firing up the Beaver table saw at a young and tender age without any adult supervision,” says the self-taught artist who, as a child, was encouraged to build models, paint, draw and sing.

Although these three furniture makers stylistically approach their work differently, their inspiration is rooted in the raw materials.

For Stephen, inspiration comes from the material itself. “Every board has a story behind it from a bug infested backwoods sawmill to a devastating bush flattening windstorm. Inspiration grows as I select each plank for colour and figure and begin to commit to specific dimensions and lines,” explains Stephen who has a degree in wildlife biology. “I love the smell, sight and feel of the wood,” adds Ryan. “It’s great to walk into the shop, take a deep breath and smell whatever wood happens to be use at the time.”

Impeccable craftsmanship is a hallmark also shared by each woodworker. Cirvan learned timber framing from Dean Ungard who worked with such precision that it inspired the Dorset artist to strive for perfection as well. “The joinery I cut with chisels and planes laid the groundwork for the same joinery I am now using on a much smaller scale in my furniture,” states Cirvan who also learned the centuries old coopering technique that is now used to make the curved seats and table legs in some of his work.

Ryan, who studied woodworking at Humber College for one year and has been professionally making furniture for the past eight years, constantly strives to improve his craft. “Everything I build leaves me with something that I can try to improve,” remarks Ryan. “My work is always evolving. As my skills and experience change, so does my work.”

More than thirty years of experience has hone Stephen’s self-taught skills. “At this stage in my life and career, having just turned sixty, I am hoping I can become more risky and speculative in my designs,” remarks Stephen who began using power tools and gradually gravitated to the more traditional hand tools. “I want to see if I can push myself and the material a little harder.”

The three friends anticipate that visitors to their exhibition will gain a deeper appreciation for their craft and the high level of work being produced in Muskoka. “We hope that anyone who sees our show will realize that local craftsmen, working in small well equipped shops, can produce high quality furniture,” says Stephen.

Located at 15 King Street in Bracebridge, the gallery is open year-round, Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm. It is closed during the last week of September and the second week of October as well as between Christmas and New Year’s Days. Please check the Calendar of Events for the actual dates. For a map, please follow this link.

Exhibitions are booked one year in advance.  To learn how to apply for a show, please follow this link: Exhibition Application.

The Chapel Gallery was opened in September, 1989. Housed in a reconstruction of the first Presbyterian Church in Bracebridge, the Chapel Gallery hosts exhibitions of art and craft by our members and other local and provincial artists. Exhibitions are selected by the Gallery Committee and change every three to four weeks.