Artist's corner: Carl Ambrose
Age: 67
City: Bigfork
Medium of choice: Wood
Gallery in Bigfork where people can find your work: Online, www.ambrosefinewoodworking.com
Q: How did you get started?
A: My father always had a shop in the basement where I grew up in Missoula, so I was exposed to woodworking at a pretty early age. In my 20s I got into construction, house building, so that led to my career which was home construction. In the earl 80s, I had an opportunity on a house that I was working on — the homeowner asked if I would build some cabinetry for him and I had the time so I did that. That progressed into about a year’s worth of work for this particular individual. I was building really unusual, one-of-a-kind pieces for him and he recognized artistry. He was a music producer. When I asked him why he gave me the freedom to do what I did for him he said, ‘I always find that the artist knows how to proceed, I just give him a general direction.’ That freedom coupled with his enthusiasm for what I brought to him really spurred me on into woodworking.
Q: What are you most proud of?
A: I had to add a middle piece to a huge 1800 French sideboard that was made out of Walnut. It was very ornate. When it was shipped from France to the U.S., the middle level was missing. They asked if I could make that piece. I made this section with a lot of intricate turnings and moldings, some of which I had to create, and then matching the stain and the coloring, so it looked like it was old … that was probably one of my most challenging pieces. It seems like the finishing end of things are often the biggest challenge and the place where things can go wrong in a hurry.
Q: What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
A: The creative part, I think, and the fact that I don’t have to drive anymore. My shop is at my home. I walk to work. It’s quiet. I’m alone. I have my own hours.
People always ask.. …how do you stay engaged and how do you make yourself go to work? And I say, I want to go to work everyday. A lot of friends my age are retried, but I have no intention of returning because I’m just getting better and better at what I do and I’m having more fun.
Q: What is your next big project or focus?
A: A friend of mine, Scott Uligovich does some incredibly creative work with his plaster and different materials. He’s done a few furniture pieces, tables, basically for his own showroom, and customers have come in and said, ‘I want that table’ and he’s going, but it’s my desk. He would like me to create something that we could do together, and I love to collaborate. Collaboration with other artists is really fun because you get to feed off each other’s creativity and ideas. It’ll incorporate steel, wood and plaster.
Q: What advice would you give to a new woodworker?
A: Ask for help. Talk to other woodworkers. I love to have people come into the shop if they’re interested in doing wood working, I’ll invite them in and either put them to work or ask them if they want to do a project. I helped a young man build a cutting board for his mother for Christmas last fall. It was really fun for me to see someone who was just so excited about learning.