Michael began his love of 'building" things as a child with Legos and Erector sets, however, was frustrated that he wasn't able to "shape" those materials. That early creativity, interest, and frustration led to his first project with wood, a scroll saw, nails and glue when he was 10 years old.
Moving to Lake Arrowhead when he was 13, Michael continued to develop his woodworking skills building things out of whatever he had. Honing his skills at the Art Institute, he began developing his own style using reclaimed materials including Wine Barrels. The Wine Barrel furniture became very popular with friends and family who in turn, encouraged him to sell his creations. "Often I see furniture that is poorly made and I think....I can make that so much better". Is a sentiment that motivates Michael to learn new skills and ultimately leads to new designs. He finds that Wine Barrels lend themselves to furniture design because of the ergonomic natural curve of each stave.
Michael's designs include Adirondack Chairs, Pub Table & stools, Pet beds as well as smaller items such as wine racks & clocks. Each of Michaels pieces is "signed" with his custom branding iron, burned into the wood. His handcrafted items have been featured at The Lake House since 2015.
