Magazine Copy:
GOING WITH THE GRAIN Inspired by his father, who was a sculptor and one-time gallery owner, and his grandfather, a woodworking hobbyist, Taylor-Swanson discovered his passion for the wood medium as a young man. He honored his craft through various occupational stints, but his most significant schooling took place when he headed up the veneer operation for a company that designs and creates decorative wooden interiors for some of the world’s finest luxury yachts. "There is no room for compromise when it comes to veneer interiors on luxury yachts." Taylor-Swanson recalls. "The work must be absolutely flawless." Taylor-Swanson’s experience and mastery of refined woodworking techniques evolved into a dream of one day opening his own fine furniture studio. During a trip to Rome, his dream began taking on substance when he witnessed highly skilled craftsman and artisans keeping shop in neighborhoods around the city. Their studios and projects weren’t hidden behind closed doors, but spilled out onto the street as part of the workaday urban scene. For Taylor-Swanson, watching those Roman craftsman at work was a profound inspiration, one he carried home.
A VISION REALIZED Back in the Northwest, Taylor-Swanson began his search for a space where he could at least approximate what he had experienced in Italy. His search brought him to an area of Tacoma peppered with machine shops and warehouses just south of the Museum District, a neighborhood in transition with the revitalization of downtown. "I was drawn to the neighborhood, " Taylor-Swanson says. "It has a quasi-industrial feel that’s a perfect fit for me and my work." He found an old warehouse that was being used as a storage facility for junk and knew instantly the space was perfect. Once he emptied and gutted it, he remodeled it into a sizable gallery space and an even more spacious studio. Madera opened its doors in the fall of 2006, a vision realized. Not only is Madera’s gallery a showroom for the studio’s creations, but it seems Taylor-Swanson has a weak spot for other artists. He likes to provide a venue for local, regional,…
~South Sound Magazine / Winter 2009
MADERA – Fine Decorative Furnishings
w: www.maderawoodworking.com
e: info@maderawoodworking.com
p: 253.572.1218
a: 2210 Court A, Tacoma, WA 98402
h: Mon – Fri: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
We are manufacturers of original, custom furniture and cabinetry in Tacoma, WA. Our small, highly productive firm is capable of taking on a wide array of projects from single stand-alone pieces to entire homes, office suites and yacht interiors. Each piece is hand-crafted ensuring our clients exceptional, long lasting value. Click here to take a closer look at our work.
